Avneil SS

His Sanctuary

Neil felt like the ground beneath him has disappeared and he have to grab the door to steady himself. He could not believe his eyes, when Arnav talked about his little one, he did know that was someone of importance, he was even curious to meet that person, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that it will be his Avni.

There she is lying in the hospital bed murmuring something, she had her eyes closed and was thrashing around, she looked restless, she was having a panic attack he realised, but all he can do was to see her without even blinking his eyes because it felt so surreal that he did not dare move in fear of her disappearing from his vision. His brain would not register anything but her.

Arnav was asking Dhruv to do something as she was thrashing and saying things that Arnav could not understand which Dhruv interpreted as her past. They both did not seem to notice Neil's presence as their attention was on Avni.

"Can't we do anything Dhruv?" Neil's mind vaguely registered Arnav's words. "No Arnav, we can't sedate her now, she is already stressed and we can't risk it the only option we have is to talk to her and make her calm down." Was Dhruv's reply. "And moreover, we should think about another life that is inside her, we cannot just do anything, this is the matter of two lives Arnav." Dhruv continued, only now Neil's mind came back to him and only now did he notice that her right hand is cradling her baby bump protectively.

Everything happened the night before flashed in his mind, so it was really her, not any hallucination and the object he thought as an obstruction was his very own child. His eyes blurred with tears. He would not only get her back but also their little bundle of happiness, the symbol of their love.

He could not explain the emotions that are causing havoc in his entire being, he was happy to see her safe and pregnant with his child, sad that it took him this long to get her back, angry at Vidyut for making her go through all this alone and for separating them from each other during her pregnancy for which he would have wanted to be at her beck and call, desperate to reach out to her and tie her to him so that she would never leave him but there was something that was bothering him, but that have to wait until she has calmed down, that is what is most important at the moment, so he pushed those thoughts aside as he heard Arnav's voice.

"Kushi went to fetch shortcake, but she's not calming down" Arnav's frustrated voice said. "I think she's remembering her past Arnav, listen to her" Dhruv said for which both Arnav and Neil listened.

"Ma.... Papa.... I will.... protect.... Papa.... I..... I will not let.... let anyone know about this......pa...papa can't bear it......" She was saying.

Neil immediately knows what she's talking about, it was about the truth about Neelamaa's death. His ever selfless wifey is worrying about his dad instead of herself, and if he were to ask why she would say that he is her papa too. He did not know whether to laugh or cry, but he did want to move towards her and calm her down, but his feet were rooted to the ground, his body would not heed to him.

"But how does she remembered, you said ...." Arnav was interrupted by Dhruv.

"I told you some things might trigger her to remember it, do you remember anything, maybe there is something you said while talking to her that triggered it." Dhruv said.

"No...no I did not say anything except come back soon, which I did not even complete as...." That's when something struck him, and at the same time, he saw Neil standing near the door looking lost, the expression on his face resembled the face of a starved man seeing a piece of bread after years, like a beacon of light in the tunnel of endless darkness. Arnav frowned seeing Neil's expression but before he could even formulate a question the door opened and Mishti came running inside with Kushi right behind her.