Lost To Tragedy

Avni

When she fluttered her eyes open, Avni found them heavy and her head spinning. Why did she have so bad of a headache? Had she been drinking last night? Nah.

She clearly remembered talking to Camilla about the firm and then spending some time with Neela ma. Then why did she feel like she was hung over? Wait. Had she cried herself to sleep? She thought as her hand reached up to touch her cheek.

She stood up and ran to the bathroom,peering at her face through her long eyelashes. Why had she cried last night? Oh yeah.

She hadn't been able to sleep last night so had called Neela ma inside. She had lovingly pulled Avni in her lap and caressed her hair until she had started crying.  'What happened Bacha?' Neela ma had exclaimed. 'I missed you ma! I missed you a lot!' She had replied. She had held onto her mother as she cried her heart out.

She was crying a lot recently. She sighed loudly before getting on with her day. As she came down to the kitchen, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen today. Something significant. Good or not, she didn't know.

Nevertheless, she pecked Neela ma on the cheek and sat down for breakfast. She explained her work and days in New York to Neela ma in between bites of food.

An excited 'Bhabhi' interrupted their conversation. The said Bhabhi turned around and was greeted by the sight of her beloved brother-like dewar, DD. "DD?" Avni asked, utterly stunned.

"Bhabhi!" DD exclaimed as he came running and embraced her. Avni returned his hug with equal vigour. She had missed this klutz.

"I missed you, DD." "I did too, Bhabhi. I did too." "You here?" Finally, Avni asked him. "Yeah. When I heard that you were back, I couldn't stop myself from coming here." "Oh. Ma told you?" "No. Mataji did." "Oh." "Well that and I had to inform you guys that Amol's jail term is ending soon."

"Wait what? Aman is coming back? Kab?" "Agle hafte Bhabhi." Avni smiled at the thought of her younger brother coming back to her and their mother.

But then, something struck her. Hard.

"Neel. Does he know that I came back? I mean, Mummyji knows and so do Bebe and Papaji along with you. So he must've got the wind of it by now, right?" DD nodded solemnly.

Avni just stared ahead. Damn. But composed herself soon enough. "H-how is he? How are Juhi and their daughter? Are they good?" She added as an afterthought, " Are they happy?"

"No. Juhi I don't know. But Sirji is not good without you Bhabhi. He is not happy. In fact, I doubt that he sleeps well, if even sleeps in the first place." "Kya?" Avni breathed out.

"Ji bhabhi. Sirji theek nahi hain." "Tumne kaha that you don't know about Juhi. Lekin kyun? Juhi aur Neel to saath rehte honge na? Unki b-beti ke saath?" DD flinched on the word, 'beti'.

"Nahi bhabhi." "Lekin kyun? Aur tu achanak se itna uncomfortable kyun ho gaya jab maine us bachi ko address kiya toh?" "Woh. Kuch nahi Bhabhi. Apko aise hi laga hoga." "Acha. Tujhe pata hai na tu mujhse jhoot nahi bol sakta. Saaf saaf bata. Aisa kya hai jo main nahi janti?"

"K-kuch nahi bhabhi. Acha main chalta hoon. Agar late ho gaya to Sirji meri chatni bana denge." But before he could leave, Avni narrowed her eyes and spoke rather sadly, "Ab apni Bhabhi se bhi jhoot bolega, DD?" When DD just looked at her, she proceeded, "Tuhje meri kasam. Sach sach bata. Baat kya hai?"

DD couldn't help but sigh. "Bhabhi wo... darasal..... wo kya haina ki." "DD." "Batata hoon. Batata hoon. W-wo Mishti Sirji ki beti nahi hai." "Kya!" Avni exclaimed.

"Ji bhabhi. Aapke jaane ke do hafte baad, DNA reports proved Juhi's lie to be exactly what it was, a lie. Wo toh is wakt lock-up mein hai. Under the charges of misleading the Police and trying to tamper with the DNA reports. Aur Mishti ko toh sir usi din orphanage le gaye the."

Avni fell on her knees, staring straight ahead, as her eyes teared up. Tear after tear paved its way down her face as she realised exactly what this meant.

Neel must hate her now. What sort of a wife was she? She had left him just like that. How could she be so insensitive? He had never abandoned her and she had done just that. Left him him when he probably needed her the most.

But Neel had never told her. Neither had Neela ma for that matter. And she must have known. There was no way Neela ma hadn't known seeing as how much both Neel and Avni depended on her. Neel must have asked ma to not tell her.

But why? Did he hate me so much? Does he hate me even now?

Okay. So that's a wrap for today guys! Did you like this one? It's a rather simple revelation in comparison to the dramatic one in the series itself.

I thought to keep it free of the unnecessary drama. I mean that lie-detector was a little too much. Anyway, have a good day!