Perfect Family - AvNeil

All's Well

Four months had passed since Neil had brought Avni back to The Khanna Mansion. The past few years had been a rollar-coaster ride for all of them.. What with all the Vidyut madness and Kamini fiasco, it was a well-deserved happy time for the family; Avni at the most. Life was back to normal.. Neil had joined the police force again. Avni was dividing her time between "Sukoon House" which was now managed by Sunheri and Tara-Sitara and her business studies.. She had started helping Prakash with the family business. Over the past few months, Avni was thinking about something. But couldn't find the time to talk about it. But when she did and talked to the family, they were ecstatic and agreed to it at once. The house was decorated. It was Mowgli's naming ceremony. The circumstances under which Mowgli was named had been different since there was no ceremony to baptise him. But Avni had liked the idea of getting a naming ceremony done for her son. Having never a part of one, she was excited now.. She had seen her brother getting named but she was never allowed to exclusively be a part of it.. Bebe was ecstatic at having Avni back in the house. Prakash was calm.. He knew Avni was going to come back. He had so much faith in the love that Neil and Avni shared. Shweta was beside herself with happiness.. She was happy that her son had got the deserving happiness, she was glad Avni was back and she adored Mowgli and loved to spoil him.. Grandmother tendencies, you see.. Right now, Avni was coaxing her son to get into a kurta for the ceremony but he wanted to wear his shorts.. Right now, he was running all around the room and Avni was trying to catch him.

Avni : What is wrong with you !!! You were never this problematic.. You used to be a good boy..

Mowgli : I am a good boy.. I just don't want to wear that shirt. It looks like what a girl wear..

Avni : Stop it Mowgli.. Come here right this instant !!!

Never being the one to listen, Mowgli ran out of the room and ran straight into his father who was coming to check on him.  Neil looked at his son with one eyebrow raised enquiring as to why he was running around the house.

Mowgli : Papa.. Mama is making me wear a kurta.. Please ask her not to..

Avni came right at that moment and stood infront of her son with an annoyed expression on her face. She had a white kurta in her hand.. 

Avni : There you are.. You naughty monkey.

Mowgli hid behind his father.. Neil looked at Avni with a bewildered expression on his face.. Avni gave him a look of pure annoyance.. Neil had to retaliate.. No one could persuade Avni when she had that annoyed look on her face. He crouched infront of his son and looked at him.

Neil : Listen son... You have to wear that.. Its a tradition.

Mowgli : But it looks like a girl's dress.. 

Neil : No.. Both are different... Its like.. Like... Please son.. Wear it.. Its just for sometime.. See. Even I am wearing it.. Your grandpa is wearing it. 

Mowgli looked at his father up and down... Neil was indeed wearing a sherwani.. It was the sherwani from his engagement with Riya.

Mowgli : Papa.. This looks like a fancy dress.

Avni started laughing at this statement from her son.. It was the exact same thing she told him when she saw him in that dress. Neil closed his eyes and counted to ten.. His mother had to embarrass him by asking to wear it infront of his son.. And how had he been so stupid to agree to this ridiculous demand !!! He opened his eyes and looked at his miniature version.

Neil : Why don't you go and get dressed ??? If you behave good, I'll take you out for ice-cream.

There were two shouts.. One out of happiness and once out of annoyance.. The scream of happiness had come from Mowgli and the scream of annoyance had come from Avni. Neil and Mowgli looked at Avni.

Avni : You'll spoil his teeth rotten.. He had ice-cream only day before yesterday.. 

Neil : He's a small kid.. Kids love ice creams..

Avni : Its your fault if he complains of a toothache... You'll sleep on the couch until the toothache reduces..

With that, she left the room ignoring any shouts of protest from Neil.. Mowgli pulled the hem of Neil's shirt. Neil looked at him.

Mowgli : What does "You'll sleep on the couch" mean ??

Neil : Um.. Eh.. Ah... Mowgli... Why don't you go and get dressed ?

Mowgli : What does that mean ?

Neil : Umm... You'll understand when you get older..

Mowgli : Ok... When are we going to get ice cream ?

Neil could't say no to that smiling face.. He would take couch night if it meant he could see his son like that.. Mowgli got dressed. The pandit had arrived. Neil and Avni got Mowgli down to the main hall. They sat next to the holy fire. The pandit chanted few mantras asked Avni and Neil to perform few rituals. It was time for the name.. 

Prakash : Pandit Ji. I think Avni should decide the name.. She has the first and foremost right to decide the name.. She has brought up Mowgli for so many years without any help.. She's done a wonderful job too.. I think she should choose the name.

Avni looked at her father-in-law with unshed tears of happiness.. He had been more of her father than her real father ever had.. She was happy to have got such a father in her life.. She felt a hand enclose hers. She looked around to see Neil holding her hand and smiling at her.. The family seemed to encourage Prakash's thought. Avni thought for a while.

Avni : Through out my childhood and my adulthood, I've grown without a proper name and respect. But I have grown with abundant love. When I married into this house, I never expected to be accepted. Our marriage happened under different circumstances.. But even then, my father-in-law stood with me and supported me. During the Juhi and Vidyut fiasco, my mother-in-law stood firm in her support to me. Any other family would have thrown me out but they showed their trust and support to me and stayed with me throughout.. I want to name my son Raksh (Taken from SHweta and PRAKash)

Shweta clapped in joy.. She approved of the name. Prakash was beaming with joy and so was Bebe. Avni looked at Neil. Neil smiled at her... Avni told the pandit of the name and he asked Neil it on the plate of rice. Mowgli was officially named as Raksh which meant Protection. After the ceremony, the family sat together. Raksh was eating an ice cream (Neil's promise) and Avni was glaring at Neil.. Her furious glare meant that she was ging to follow the couch rule if Raksh ever got a toothache. Shweta was thinking.

Bebe : Shweta. What happened to you ?

Shweta : Bebe. I was thinking what nickname should I give my grandson..

Bebe : He already has one na.. Mowgli..

Shweta : No Bebe.. I want it to be cute.. Like my Tillu's name.. Wait !! I gots it... I am going to call my grandson as Pillu.. Tillu ka Pillu... Nice na..

Bebe hit her forehead with her palm.. Prakash and Neil tried coaxing Shweta out of her nickname. But she wouldn't budge. Avni just laughed... She knew that no matter what Shweta's nicknames were, she had Mowgli's best interests at her heart. She looked around. Bebe, Papa, Shweta Aunty, Neil and her son.. Her Happy Family.. Her life.. She was happy atlast...