Here's the next one ! 😊

Hope u all like this one too and shower ur appreciations and love like u all did earlier...

Here you go...! Happy reading!!

"Neil...don't mess with me ! Pehle se hi aunty ne shadi ke bare me baat karke mujhe hila ke rakh diya hai..upon that you are behaving like this! Listen kal subah hote hi tu jake unhe bataade koi shadi vadi nai karni hai hume aur zindagi bhar aise hi rahenge! Unhe manzoor ho ya na ho ! Aisa hi hoga...!!"

Avni outbursted her inner emotions in a very strict way and collapsed on the couch with tears in her eyes.

Neil's face became pale as he saw Avni break down to tears...he kneeled and cupped her face to wipe off her tears oozing from her doe eyes.

"Baby...please don't cry. Tujhe pata hai na...that I can't see tears in your eyes ? Please rona mat...mein subah hote hi mom ko yeh sab kuch bata dunga..don't worry baby please." Neil comforted her by embracing her in his arms.

Avni leaned her head against his chest and shut her eyes..letting the remaining tears flow down her cheeks. Neil kissed her forehead and wiped the fresh tears.

Silence prevailed for few moments as they found solace in each other's arms.

Avni parted from him and held his hands to make him sit on the couch next to her.

Neil sat next to her still holding her hands..Avni spoke in a low voice.

"Neil...Its really difficult for me to accept "Marriage" even with you, whom I love the most in the world. The fate of both Ayesha maa and Neela maa haunt me like hell even today... I somehow coped up with the fact that papa wasn't fair with these two... but... but it happened again with Neela maa... that man...Ronith Roy ! He also ruined her life...he loved her too much initially...he loved me too ! He looked after us very well... we were so happy, but as and when years passed by... his male ego won over Neela maa's love ! He fought with her for each and every single matter...he started arguing in every decision of Neela maa... and she being a strong woman didn't keep her mouth shut... she equally fought with him... they both stayed together for years just because they were married ! They had no reason to continue their relationship anymore but still were bound to stay with each other... arguing, misunderstanding, fighting each day. Only for the reason that they were "married" and were in love in the past!"

Avni outbursted all her pain and emotions at one go... she sobbed like a child in his arms.

"Avni... mein yeh sab jaanta hu na...phirse yeh sab yaad kyu kar rahi hai tu..? Sirf dard hoga tujhe..." Neil tried to pacify her but in vain as Avni was in no condition to listen to him... she profusely cried...

"Neil...aaj keh lene do mujhe.. pata nai Neela ma ne tujhe kya bataya hai... par mein khud tujhse aaj share karna chahti hu... " Avni replied while composing herself now by wiping her tears.

"Neil, it's extremely difficult to have seen only failed marriages around me since childhood... and one relationship which I thought was ideal...Neela maa and Mr.Ronit roy' s also broke ! Because of me... I convinced Neela maa with great difficulty to divorce that person if she was not happy in her marriage and should definitely not stay in such a toxic relationship when there was no love left !

Mujhe pehle samajh me nahi aata tha ki voh dono jo itna pyar karte the ek dusre se...aise kaise badal gaye? Voh dono ek samjhaute ke rishte ko 10 saal nibha liye sirf iss wajah se ki voh dono shadi shuda the aur mein undono ki responsibility thi...

I hate this majboori Neil... I hate it...!! Koi bhi dabaav mein ya samjhaute se ek rishte mein nahi rehna chahiye... sirf iss wajah se ki society kya kahegi ya future ke baare mein sochke jab ki society ya future ka koi bharosa nahi." Avni expressed her emotional turmoil which she had suppressed in herself since long long time...

Neil had been silently listening to her talk... he knew all his Avni wanted now was him to hear her without being judgemental and he did that with love ! His comfort was much needed for her at that point of time. He tightened his embrace around her as she spoke further...

"Yeh shaadi sirf ek zanjeer hai jo do insaano ki zindagi ko zabardasti baand ke rakhti hai... Love happens and over the years it might fade away too...its human. But just because there was Love between 2 people they shouldn't be in a relationship even when the love no more exists between them...

aur mein yeh sab nahi hone dena chahti humare rishte mein.. humara rishta bohat pure hai Neil..hai na ? Hume "shaadi" jaise official stamp ki koi zarurat nai hai... Isn't it ? We can stay together in our relationship for however long we are happy with each other and as long as love exists between us...! Shayad zindagi bhar !

Mein yeh bilkul nai keh rahi hu ki agar hum shadi karenge toh hum bhi unhi ki tarah lad jhagadne lagenge... mein bas yeh keh rahi hu ki, itna sab kuch bachpan se hi dekhne ke baad mera koi vishwaas hai hi nahi iss "shaadi" se!"

Avni burried her face in Neil's chest as she clenched her palms on his shoulder.

Neil was left bewildered to see his girl's emotional turmoil... she had bottled up too much inside her even though he supported her at each and every step of life. He loved her way too much to deny her wish of staying in a live in relationship and not getting married... he knew it wasn't easy at all to survive in the society for a life long being just in a live in relationship but his Avni's consent, her happiness mattered to him beyond all those hurdles.

"Avni... mein tujhse beinteha pyar karta hu... shaadi naa karne ki teri yeh opinion bhi respect karta hu... par Baby, it's extremely difficult to survive in India like you wish to. Humari soch aur society itna bhi progressive nahi bani hai abhi ki voh ek bin byahi couple lo utna hi respect de jitna voh married couples ko dete hai... and it gets all the more difficult when we have our kids and they would also need to face the wrath of being illegitimate children."

Neil had certainly tried to make her understand the cruel reality. Avni shivered at the thought of their children being labelled as illegitimate and for few seconds she re thought her opinion of going against the marital practice.

She just looked blank at him with tear filled eyes... he kissed her forehead and continued

"Darna mat Avni... I have a solution for this too. In sab reasons ki wajah se mein tujhe bilkul pressurise ya darana nahi chahtha mujhse shaadi karne ke liye... Teri manzoori dil se honi chahiye na ki dabaav se ya darr se... isilye meine socha hai ki hum Amsterdam shift ho jayenge... waha pe koi bhi hume ek gandgi ki tarah nahi dekhegaa... chahe toh zindagi bhar hum bina shadi ke jee sakte hai vaha... iss mein bhi teri manzoori ho toh, tabhi mein aage ki sochta hu..." Neil put forth his thoughts so that he could fulfill Avni's wish.

Avni moved back from him and said,

"Neil par it's not so easy... your job..! You are an able police officer, how can you let it go so easily ? Aur Shwetha aunty kabhi nai manegi...shayad woh tujhse baat bhi nai karegi agar humne aisa kiya toh... and I don't want to ruin your relationship with mom..."

"Kya kaha tu ne? You called her mom ?" Neil asked as he was surprised to hear mom from Avni who always addressed her as aunty.

"Voh... haa... voh..." Avni stammered to answer but Neil was to her rescue yet again as he continued...

"It's ok Avni... you don't have to explain. Dheere dheere hi sahi... I know ek na ek din tera yeh opinion badlega khud ba khud... I won't even try to change it I promise... par tu apne aap mujhse aake shaadi ke liye poochegi..." Neil smiled.

"Achha... dekhte hai...!" Avni exclaimed.

***********

Thanks for reading dearies hope ur questions are answered in this chapter

Btw sorry for making it filled with lengthy dialogues... but it was necessary for the plot...

Do let me know how u felt reading this piece... much awaited

Love