If she hated him again?

43

The hampers were readied and equally distributed among Akash and Avni; Neil and Kia

Avni took a sleeping Zara in her arms and went into Akash's car while Kia took Arush to Neil's car..

"So, how's it going? The favouritism fiasco?" Akash asked, focusing on driving side by side. "I don't know Akash.. Mowgli didn't talk to Neil, he thought of this picnic because of this only. But the point is, we lost his innocence so early." Avni looked dejected. "Hey listen to me, it happens, he'd understand and it will be normal again. Trust me." Akash drove to the camping site.

..........

"Oh My God Neil! A Calvin Klein showroom, please take me there na Neil!!! Please please please." Neil could feel his wallet shaking out of fear. "We'll get late..Akash and Avi are already ahead of us..Right Mowgli?" Neil smiled awkwardly, trying to dash off as soon as possible.

"NO!! PLEASE! I'LL TALK TO AKU, DON'T WORRY.. Mowgli, Arush, keep playing with your uno cards, kay?" Kia held Neil's hands, the sons followed.

>>>>>>>>>>>

"Can we take this for mom? And this for Zara?" Mowgli asked, pointing to a sophisticated handbag for Avni and a small backpack for Zara. "The price.."
"Eeikss, affordable that is! Of course, come on lets take this for them, they'll love it."

"Oh Neil, what about this? Just a few thousands in rupees..Nearly 30K?" Kia shrugged as if it were a small amount.

"There's no way I'm spending that on you. Akash, I need you buddy."

>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Your wife was just about to dupe me of all my savings!" Neil took Akash to a side and talked it out. "You should have denied it bro, come on, cheer up!" Akash laughed it while Neil grinned too.

They looked at Arush and Mowgli who were setting up stumps, "Lose for us, okay?" Neil whispered to Akash and he nodded.

"So Mowgli, we open, we hit boundaries and we do not run at the last ball of the over." Neil made a plan. "Let me do what I think is right. This is my game." So Neil shut himself up

They started pretty well. The boys were engaged in a game, too tiring. Kia was sunbathing, and Avni was still holding Zara.

"Cricket match se Mowgli nahi manega Neil..." Avni whispered to herself and sighed. Mowgli needed an understanding.

Her trance was broken by loud cheers from Neil and Mowgli, who won the match.

"Mumma water! How tiring." Mowgli gasped and drank water.
"Yes Mumma, water. It was a tough time being a fielder, running around." Neil looked very tired. "what do you mean running around? Was I that bad as a bowler?" Mowgli looked enraged, Akash was only manage to defend when he bowled.

"No..no.." At that precise moment, Zara began to wail; she just woke up. Neil couldn't see her wailing and he picked her up in his lap, cooing her to calm her down.

Avni sighed again. She looked at Mowgli who was also about to cry. But he just bit his lip and looked at them, and then he looked down. Avni was so sad, Mowgli began to hide his emotions from her.

"I took 2 wickets..", he murmured, hoping to find an audience that'd listen to him, cheer his spirits up.

"I saw..I'm so proud of you.." Akash came and placed a hand around his tiny shoulder. "Mumma's proud too." Avni added, looking for hope in Akash's eyes. He shook his head, for there was none.

And this is how the picnic ended.

Once they reached back home, Neil decided to check on his son, to see if there was some progress. "Did you enjoy?" He asked, with eager eyes.

"How can I? When it was with you." Mowgli answered, neither in anger nor in sadness. Just simple exasperation.

Neil looked stifled and ran to his room.

"Mowgli..We need to talk..please beta." Avni held his hands into hers and kissed his forehead.

"If it's about dad, I don't want to."

"I don't need reasons to talk to you." Avni said firmly. "I'm an outcast, if that's what you want to hear. He doesn't love me." He said, his nostrils flaring. "I've thought that too, many times in the past. But he's got a reason, you need to know." Avni looked him sharp in the eye. Mowgli knew he had to listen.

A chapter rushed,