The Fame Changed You - A Narbhi Story - Complete

~19~

"Ayee rabba! My bahu is so beautiful in real life! These tabloids didn't do justice to your beauty!"

"Excuse me?" Surbhi asked, being completely lost.

"Arrey! My Avi didn't tell you about me? I'm Eshana Khurrana your boyfriend's mother and your soon to be mother-in-law!" Surbhi opened her eyes like saucers and as she took a look inside, she saw her husband and her best friend walking towards the front door.

"Avi!" She called before stepping aside to let the man see her mother.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"I am here to meet my to be bahu since I had to know about her from the media!" Avinash hit his head.

"How did you get this address?"

"I asked your boss, I went to visit you on set and she told me that you were staying here. Won't you invite me inside? And who are you, sweet boy?" Eshana turned to Nakuul who had lost his words by now.

"I'm Nakuul Mehta..." He stuttered, eyeing his wife who shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, you're the man in that ad for shampoo!" Eshana exclaimed.

"Uh yes..." While Avinash took his mother inside and led her to the living room, Surbhi and Nakuul disappeared in the kitchen.

"What's wrong with her? Why did she call you her daughter-in-law?" His veins were almost popping out his forehead, showing his anger.

"Calm down okay? It is because of the rumors about Avi and me dating, that's all!"

"And why didn't you tell the truth until now?" He inquired.

"Because I wanted to hurt you, happy now? I wanted you to feel the same I felt when I saw you and Padma! So I told Avi to not call the journalists to shut down the rumors. But that can be good too if she came today. Avi needs to talk with her." Nakuul cupped her cheeks and tears started streaming down his face one by one.

"I didn't realize that I was hurting you so much that you'd think about hurting me, you the woman who doesn't hate but spread love everywhere, I pushed you so far that you wanted to hurt me. I'm so sorry Surbhi." He hugged her then she wiped his tears. After a few minutes, they came back with some snacks.

"So Avi, when are you two planning to get married?" Eshana asked.

"We don't know yet ma..."

"But you should consider marriage now, I mean you're having a great situation, a house, a job... I think you can now think about building a family with your lady love." Surbhi threw a glance at Avi. He seemed to be really tensed but she didn't want to stretch that lie.

"Avi, the pineapples are burning." Surbhi used their safe sentence. It was something they invented in high school to let the other know that they wanted to talk.

"Mom we're coming back." Avi and Surbhi went to the kitchen, leaving Nakuul and Eshana in awkward silence.

"You need to tell her Avi!"

"But I can't!" He hid his face in his palms and she hugged him.

"Avi, she's your mom, and she will understand your happiness... I can't play this masquerade, Avi... you have to tell her and if you don't I will!"

"Don't interfere with that!"

"I'm doing it for your happiness. Avi, you're like my brother and as a sister, I can't let my brother hide from the world because he doesn't fit in a cage created by society and what they call the 'Will of God'. If not for me, do it for the person who holds your heart. He needs to be able to claim you publicly. He has feelings too and he just can't keep them in the dark while you have these fake relationships surrounding you every time." Avi hugged Surbhi and both left the kitchen. Surbhi held his hand, showing her support for him.

"Mom, I need to tell you something." Surbhi patted Avi's back and sat on Nakuul's lap to Eshana's shock.

"Is it a way to behave?" She reprimanded Surbhi.

"Mom! Surbhi is Nakuul's wife... I didn't... we weren't... She's my best friend... the news about us dating... they were just crap..."

"Oh, you could have told me earlier..."

"That's not everything mom, I'm gay."

"What? How?"

"I woke up a morning and realized I love men?" He answered sarcastically. "No, seriously mom. I'm gay and I'm in a relationship with a man since high school."

"But what about my daughter-in-law? What about my grandchildren? What about society? How can I face society when my son is gay?" Eshana asked and Avinash looked down in shame but he didn't even know why he felt that way.

"Why are you looking down Avi? Why are you feeling ashamed? And what about you Mrs. Khurrana? How can you speak these words towards your son, the one you carried in your womb for nine months? Will you really destroy such bond for the sake of society? What is love, really? Isn't it the union of two persons? Then why would his love for a man be less valuable than the love of a man for a woman? Nowadays, too many children face the world without parents by their side and I'm sure that my bro Avi will be an excellent father for them. You don't need a mom and a dad to have a family, love between the members are enough, be it a mother and her son, a daughter and her father, two moms and a baby or two fathers and a baby. Avi hid his real self for several years and I don't know why, to be honest. I mean... he's just in love, he can be different and even an outsider in this world, but in my world, he's the best human being who I got the chance to meet. He shouldn't be the one ashamed, you should... for choosing the eyes of the society over the love of your son." Surbhi intervened leaving everyone speechless.

"Do you see how your friend is talking to me Avinash? How can you let her insult me like that? I'm your mother for God's sake."

"Yes you're my mom, and you're also the first one who accepted my homosexuality with apprehension. I won't criticize you for that because I know about your love for respect. That's why I want to thank you for being the most amazing mother I could have had. I want to thank you now because I'm planning to go back to London where my love is waiting for me so that we can get married. It's up to you to come to my wedding, I won't force you. I just want to let you know that I will not fit in that society and lose myself for your happiness." Avinash said with tears in his eyes. Eshana didn't even flinch. He bent down to take her blessings and she gave him her blessings though she had a stern face.

"I think it's my cue to leave. I wish you a beautiful day." She added and left, escorted by Nakuul. As soon as she left, Avinash collapsed in Surbhi's arms and she let him cry his heart out.

"Shh, calm down, I'm here, I will never let you down..." She whispered and he wiped his tears.

"Do you think that she will come to my wedding?" He stuttered. She didn't know what to answer, for she didn't want to give him false hopes and she didn't want to sound negative either.

"I don't know yaar... But I know that she loves you a lot. I'm sure that she will make the right decision after a bit of calm. She needs to clear her mind." She spoke softly. Nakuul came and patted Avinash's back reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I don't know how these types of revelations affect parents but I do think that she didn't react that bad, she was just shocked and I'm sure she will at least question her opinion and reconsider it," Nakuul said.

The couple hadn't gone to the doctor, after all, Avi needed them and they were ready to support him.