Chapter 2
'bava...' Came a whisper from Avni seeing Neil and realizing that he saved her from what could have been a very nasty and embarrassing fall. His hand tightly gripped her waist, sending electric jolts across her spine. His chocolaty orbs refused to leave her black ones. It was when the family members reached to the duo that they grew conscious of their surroundings. She gently moved away from him, creating an arm distance between them.
'Avni, are you fine?' asked her mother, Manasa, greatly concerned about her daughter's safety.
'Haan amma, I am absolutely alright.' Avni replied flashing a smile. She turned to Neil,
'Sorry..and thank you.' Neil gave her a grim nod and tight smile while others heaved a sigh of relief.
'Choosoko valsindi kadaa, kanna' Suhasini reprimanded her softly.
'I am fine, naanamma. Don't worry.' Avni tried to assure her grandmother.
'Arre, nobody is even noticing me. After so many months, I came back only to find that no one cares about me.' Neil grabbed their attention with his wails.
'Older version of Avni, dramatic and self obsessed.' Vaishali exclaimed with a chuckle.
'Akka' 'Vadina' Both yelled in unison.
'Enough, enough. Are you planning to stay there itself?' Anjali intervened, pointing at the threshold. Everyone got inside and this time (thankfully!) Avni closed the door and returned to the living room.
'Achut, Sharad, where are they? Didn't they come?' Rakesh asked.
'No chinnanna, workload in office.' Vaishali answered, Indira gave the same reply.
'Attha, I need to change. Can I go to my room?' Neil asked Anjali who readily agreed. Youngsters too dispersed to their room, chattering and filling in the details of each others' lives. Their kids were already in the room showing their toys to each other and playing with them. The elder ladies walked to kitchen to prepare the lunch while men sat in the hall, busying themselves with cards.
Neil's Room (Maithli's room)
He sat on the bed with a thud as the previous incident replayed in his mind. This was the closest they had been to each other since five years. How perfectly she fit in his arms, he wondered. He will be lying if he said he didn't feel electric jolts holding her bare waist which was exposed due to the saree she wore.
How much he loved his little munchkin, right from their childhood his attraction towards her was fatal. He was extremely protective of her; never let any boy from their school come near her. While she reciprocated it by by lingering around him always (boy! He was very popular in their school those days among the girls). And the five year distance between them once grown up proved to be a great help in him realizing what she meant for him, what he harboured for her.
Love! That's it, a simple yet very powerful emotion. A deadly disease, you may call it. It struck him, no remedy can cure it. And he never intended to be cured too! He will confess it to her, no matter what her reaction would it. He can readily accept her slap after rejecting him but not the pang that he could not when he had a chance. With a solemn resolve, he entered the bathroom with a pair of track pants and T-shirt.
************************
New words used -
bava - cousin (in this case, bua ji ka beta)
'Choosoko valsindi kadaa, kanna' - You should have seen properly, dear.
nanamma - paternal grandmother
Vadina - cousin (in this case mama ji ki beti)
Chinnanna - uncle (chacha ji)
