If she hated him again?

41

"Neil please chhodd do usey. Vaise bhi vo bahut bimar hai. Tabiyat aur kharab ho jayegi." Avni pleaded trying to take Mowgli in her arms.

"Pata hai mujhe. Khyaal rakh sakta hun Mai bhi uska." Neil clinched Mowgli more tightly, put his hand on his head and stopped his movements.

The most comfortable cradle for a child is his dad. Neil was unable to turn one for Mowgli and that distanced him from his own so much that he didn't understand him, even a bit. It was never too late toake amendments; Mowgli would be less co-operative, of course. Nonetheless, he had to keep trying.

It was nearly midnight now and was practically impossible for a clinic to be open right now. He gave him the simplest medication. He threw tantrums but daddy won.

Mowgli fell asleep due to the dosage given to him, on his shoulder. "I'm hoping the fever comes down Avni." Neil said meekly, rocking him in his lap.

They changed his clothes and made him lie on their bed between themselves.

>>>>>>>>>>>

"Remember when we painted this room ourselves? He was so happy. That was the last time I saw him truly happy Neil." Avni said, amidst sleepless nights. Neil had his arm wrapped around Mowgli while he slept carelessly on him.

"And I thought till now he's happy. He's a grown up boy to itni attention dene ki zarurat nahi lagi Avni. I've failed miserably as a father Avni." Neil summed up, kissing Mowgli's hair and held her hand.

"And I've been rude to you also right? Today.." Tears brimmed his eyes as he locked them with hers. Avni sat up straight and kissed Neil's cheek. "It's ok. But be nice to him, alright? That's more important for me." Avni said softly, smiling. A comforting hand was what he needed right now and there was no one better than Avni.

"You're so understanding. I love you so much." Neil kissed her hand. Having kids did reduce some of their us time. They were talking to each other so nicely and passionately after a long time.

"Orphanage mei itne saare bacho ko ek saath handle kiya maine Neil. I have known how to give them all equal attention. Even I was inclined to be with Mowgu all the time when he was very small, ek hee to nishani thi tumhari vo. But I balanced Neil. In fact, I've loved others more than him you know, just so, they all feel equally happy. You need to balance and for that, firstly you need to eradicate that Zara is small so she needs more attention, he's bigger he's okay that way and all that. You don't have to support Zara all the time during their fights. Even she's wrong. She's more naughty than Mowgli Neil. And lastly, they are your own children Neil. Mowgli feels that because he'd been staying in an orphanage before you treat him differently. You know what that is leading to?" Avni paused. She wanted to hide this from him but she had to tell it now.

"No." Neil hissed. Not in denial to her question but out of fear after realising what she meant. It could be true.

He didn't want to lose him at any cost.

"Vo ye feel karega ki tum bas uske kuch nahi ho aur Mai uski Jaan didi. Uske Mumma papa nahi rahenge hum." She spoke looking at him in pity.

"And we can't even blame him for that. You are to be blamed for that Neil. I feel him so intensely Neil since I've gone through a similar situation. He's atleast under your supervision, mere paas to vo bhi nahi tha. He's similar to me in so many ways." The last line dropped out of her mouth, it was forlorn.

Avni helped Mishti so that she wouldn't become like her. Her own child was now going through the same thing, differently.

"You know na, teachers often give essays to write on dad. He did not write it. His teacher called me to complain that after repeated reminders he didn't do it. I asked him and he simply said he didn't want to. I had to finish that for him. I've also done the same. Ayesha Ma wrote for me."

"Avni tum Ayesha Ma nahi ho. Na hee mai Ashish Mehta hun. I don't want to talk about this please. Please." Neil shushed her. Avni nodded. This topic always hurt him.

"It's a long way to get everything fixed Neil. You'll have to do it." Avni smiled. Neil extended his arm, inviting her in. Avni crawled upto him, upto them as Neil put his arm around them, keeping his former family close to him.