AvNeil SS- When Past Meets Present - Chapter 9 updated - Page 5

What a beautiful Abd heart wrenching update

Beautiful heart touching story read all 4 chapters and can't wait for the next one👏👏

I would want to know whether Neil is really married to Rhea . I'm damn confused 😕 From his POV it's clear he only loves Avni . I'm happy that he didn't inform Sweta . Else she would have made a show and left no stones unturned to snatch Nikhil from Avni . I hope this phase helps them to rekindle their emotions and rediscover path toward each other .

You know this topic made me very emotional as my own grandma died of breast cancer when I was in class 4. And still today the horrors she faced make me shiver. This leukemia is a burning problem nowadays and thank you for bringing out this sensitive topic. And your chappys are beautifully penned down. Hope we get to see the affectionate Neil Khanna who cared for his wifey and son and cherish his lovable fatherhood .

Chapter 5

Avni's POV

I tried really hard to wrap my head around what Dr Batra was saying. He was laying out the plan for Nikhil's chemotherapy. He was throwing out big words and I was having trouble following.

Unlike Neil. He was nodding along, and asking questions.

My eyes were focused on Nikhil who was attempting to build a castle with the mega blocks Neela Ma got him. When he looked up at me and smiled, a tear slipped out of my eyes and slid down my face. I felt like I was going to throw up.

Neil wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed. He was looking down at me when I met his eyes. His eyes reflected the same storm that was coursing through me.

"Avni," called Dr. Batra. I looked at him. He gave me a sympathetic smile, " Avni, his prognosis is good. We caught it early enough. We need to get the chemo started. Have you told Nikhil yet?"

I shook my head. He's two years old. How do I explain that he had cancer to him? How do I tell him what cancer is?

"I don't know what to say," I told him honestly.

Dr Batra nodded. "It's hard but the hospital has support staff that can help you explain it to him. I can request for one for you guys."

I nodded, "Thank you. I think that would be best."

"We will have to shift him to the oncology unit."

I blinked. "Shift him?" I asked.

"This is a paediatric unit, and he'll have better care there. We'll start the chemo sessions and monitor him up there. Depending on how the treatment is going, you might get to take him home as soon as chemotherapy is done."

"Home?" I repeated softly.

Neil's hand squeezed my shoulder again and I looked up. Dr Batra was smiling at me.

"So, if I have your permission, I'll get the work started. I'll send someone down to talk to Nikhil. We'll move him up to the tenth floor, and we'll get all his tests done."

"Thank you, Dr. Batra," said Neil as he stepped forward to shake his hand. He turned around to look at me once Dr. Batra left the room.

"Avni," he said but his voice felt like it was miles away. My legs were shaking. I turned around, tried to find a chair. I staggered towards one before dropping into it.

I pressed my palms into my eyes and I begged for this to be a nightmare. A nightmare that I could wake up from. My body was shaking when he wrapped his arms around me. I pushed him away. "Don't touch me," I hissed at him.

"Avni, please. I know you're hurting. Please, don't push me away."

"You pushed me away. You pushed both of us away." "You being here now changes nothing, Neil. Nothing!"

" I know it changes nothing. Mujse galti huyi hain. You have no idea how sorry I am. But, I'm here now. I'm here for you. And for Nikhil."

"Please," he whispered.

"Leave me alone, please," I said as I pushed myself up again. I needed to get away from him. "Call me when the social worker gets here. My number is on the table besides the bed." I couldn't look at him. I couldn't even look at my son.

I sped out of the room before he could say a word.

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I ended up on the floor of the chapel. I was on my knees. My body was racked with tears. I couldn't stop them.

Why my son? Why Nikhil? Why? Why?

I looked up at the Virgin Mary. Her face was smiling down at me as she held her baby.

"I want to hold my baby for longer too," I whispered at her, "please help me."

Please.

Please.

Please.

"I want to see him grow up. I want to see him learning how to ride a bike, his first day of school, learning to play soccer, go to college, fall in love. Please," I whispered.

"Please."

Someone put a candle in front of me. I looked up to see Neil again. His face was wet. How long had he been standing there for?

"He will," he whispered as he lowered himself on the floor next to me. "He'll have all of that and more." He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his chest.

I crumbled.

Fresh tears soaked his shirt; my fists creased his shirt. "Ssh," he whispered in my hair, "we'll get through this. I'm not going anywhere this time. I promise."

His words licked my wounds. I knew I was deluding myself but hearing him say those words somehow comforted me.

I knew he would leave eventually. I knew he would go back to his wife. He would go back to his family. His other family.

But, I couldn't focus on that right now. He was not my priority. Nikhil was.

"Let's light this, hm? The social worker will be here soon." He helped me up and we lit the candle together.

We prayed for our son. Together for the first time.

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When we got back from the chapel, we found Neela Ma and Nikhil sitting with our social worker, Maria. Maria was an elderly woman who had been working for Delhi Memorial for the last 24 years. She stood up and joined Neil and I at the entrance of the room when we opened the door.

"Mom and dad?" She asked as she looked at us.

I nodded mechanically. "Are you guys ready to speak with your son?" Not only did the situation seem absurd, but the lingo did as well. For the last 3 years, I was a single mother and Nikhil was only my son. Now, I was sharing him. With a man who broke my heart and abandoned me.

"As ready as we'll ever be," replied Neil as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

I looked at Maria. Her gentle and caring eyes were on me already. " I know, my child," she told me as she read me. " We keep it simple. Who is he closer with?"

"Avni," replied Neil promptly.

"Okay, mom, you have to do this. I'll be there with you. Dad, you can support her whenever you think is necessary."

"Me?" I whispered.

"Avni," Neil said softly, " You can do this. He barely knows me. We can ask Neela Ma to step in and be your back-up. He'd be more comfortable with you two."

I nodded. He was right.

When Maria looked at us questioningly, " I.. It's complicated," replied Neil, " He doesn't know I'm his father."

"You need to uncomplicate this situation as soon as possible. Trust me, I see a lot of families walking the halls of this hospital. You're not the first couple who come here with their baggage. But, if the baggage is heavy, it can drown you."

We stared at her. Her bluntness was almost a wake-up call.

"You need to figure out your issues in order to be strong enough to give him the support and the strength he's going to need. And let me assure you this battle is going to be hard on not only Nikhil, but on you guys as well."

I nodded mechanically.

"Now, let's get started. Dr. Batra informed me that he wanted to start Nikhil's treatment right away."

I glanced up at Neil. When our eyes met, he nodded at me. "He's more important than us. We'll make it work, I promise."

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. Neil had always been the calm in any storm I faced. He had always been my rock.

I nodded again.

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Maria had explained to Neela Ma what her role would be as a secondary support. We were ready. But, not really.

I turned off the TV that Nikhil was watching. He looked at me reproachingly and widened his eyes. I knew the temper tantrum was coming.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked. He frowned at me.

"Mama needs to tell you something very important," I continued as I looked at him. His attention span was not the largest at 2 years old so I had limited amount of time to tell him whatever I needed to.

"Nikhil. Do you know why you're in this room?"

"No," he replied.

" It's because you're sick. Remember how you get sick?"

"Yeah."

"Know how mama gives you medicine to make you feel better?"

"dicine. Feel better," he said with a nod.

I glanced up at Maria. She nodded encouragingly.

"Nik, you're sick, beta. This is why you're here." "Hey. Look at mama," I waited till he looked back up at me, " The doctor will give you some 'dicine, okay? It might make you feel yucky, but you need to take it, okay? "

"Okay, mama." He looked at me a final time before turning to his blocks.

"Mom," interrupted Maria, " that's it. Let's leave it at that, okay?"

"Come," said Maria as she held out her hand for me to take it. "Grandma, you sit."

"Let's go outside. Dad, follow us."

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Neil's POV

Avni looked as white as a ghost as she allowed Maria to pull her forward into the hallway. I followed them.

"Sit," directed as she helped Avni lower herself on to the bench. "Dad. You too," she said as she looked at me. I followed her instructions and sat down next to Avni.

"Tell me about your situation."

I glanced at Avni. She looked dazed as if in shock. "Avni and I dated in college. I'm from Mumbai. We went our separate ways. I didn't know I had a child until a couple of days ago." I told her the uncomplicated version of our story.

"I see."

"Neil," she said after a moment. I was shocked to hear my name from her mouth. I didn't think she knew my name. But, it was becoming clear to me that this lady was a very capable woman and that she had many tricks up her sleeve. " You found out about Nikhil a couple of days ago. Do you love him?"

"More than anything in the world," I replied honestly. I could feel Avni's eyes on me.

"Take the love you have for him, and multiply that by a thousand fold." I looked at her, "That is Avni's love for her son. I looked at Avni. Her eyes were wet, but her tears stubbornly refused to fall from her eyes. " She carried him for 9 months. She felt him move inside her, she has undergone immense pain to get him out into our world. Nikhil has been her world for the last three years. I know you probably are thinking why I'm telling you how pregnancies work. If you had been here and lived it with her, I wouldn't have told you this..."

My face felt like it was on fire. Shame and guilt filled my entire being.

"Look at me, young man," commanded Maria, "I'm not trying to make you feel anything but respect for this woman," she said as she glanced at Avni. "I'm also trying to make you realize how hard this whole ordeal is going to be for her."

I nodded. I knew this was killing Avni. I was painfully aware of it.

"You're going to have to step up and be the support system here." She gave me a small smile when I nodded at her.

"Avni," she said as she turned to face Avni. " As you move forward and have to deal with this uphill battle, you have to remember to ask for help. A lot of single mothers have trouble with that. They're used to doing everything on their own, so they don't ask for help. But, remember that it takes a village to raise a child. The parents, the patients, the doctors and the nurses in the oncology department are a family. They provide support to each other. The parents on that floor know exactly how you're feeling. They're going through the same thing. Reach out to them. They will help you."

"One more thing, Neil would not still be here if he didn't care about you two. Understand?" She said as she patted Avni's cheeks with her palms. "I'll give you some time," said Maria as she stood up, "I'll head back to my office, but when once you've shifted rooms, I'll come by to say hi and see how you guys are doing, okay?"

I nodded, "Thank you," I said as I stood up.

"Sit," she gestured with her hands and indicated towards Avni. I gave her a small smile.

Once, we were alone in the busy hallway, I sat back down next to Avni.

When she looked up at me with red rimmed eyes, my heart broke again. I pulled her into a hug and crushed her into my chest.

Her small body shook in my arms as she cried again. "I don't know that I can do this, Neil," she said with gasping breaths in between sobs.

"Hey," I whispered fervently against her hair, "yes, you can. You're one of the strongest woman I know. You're Avni Parikh. The same Avni Parikh who broke that guy's hand when he misbehaved with Anjali at the bar. You're the same badass that would protest every thing that was wrong under the sun because you know the difference between fair and unfair. You're still the same sherni I fell..." I stopped talking. "..in love with", was left unsaid.

"Nikhil is your son. He'll fight. We'll be there for him every step of the way. He needs his mom to be strong for him. Look at me," I said as I peeled her away from me. Framing her face with my hands, " We can do this. Nikhil can do this."

She nodded as I wiped away her tears with my thumbs.

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The evening flew by. We had been busy with moving Nikhil into a room on the tenth floor. He had a private room, but like Maria had said, the parents and the other patients were friendly and supportive.

We had received visits from several parents. Some of their children were much older than Nikhil, some were close in age. The ailment varied as well. While it was all cancer, the location varied. My head was spinning. It's not that I was grossly unaware of cancer, but the intensity of being thrown in the middle of this battlefield was not what I was expecting.

The parents we met had dull faces, but hopeful eyes. Some parents couldn't stop their tears when they met Nikhil or when they met us. Avni looked as lost as I felt in the middle of this chaos. To the point where I had held her hand to ground us.

We also received a visit from Aman, Avni's brother. He had given me a dirty look but kept his mouth shut as he moved across the room to hang out with his nephew. Maria came down as promised to make sure we were coping well.

Dad came by the hospital room before his flight back to Mumbai. He had been introduced to Nikhil. Nikhil had surprisingly taken to him and even given him a hug.

Before Dad left, he had pulled me aside to make sure I still wanted mom to be unaware of this situation. His grim face told me he was unhappy about my decision, but he respected my choice. With a hug and the promise to call him when things got tough, he left the hospital to catch his flight.

I ignored the questioning look Avni had given me when I walked back inside. Instead, I joined Nikhil on the bed and asked to build legos with him.

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Author's Note:

Hey everyone,

Sorry for not replying to your messages, but I was away on a trip and only came back last night.

I think some of your questions will be answered in this chapter. There's more reveals as we move forward in the story. We'll find more about Neil's life in Mumbai in the upcoming chapters so I won't say anything in that regards yet.

I'm hoping to get some feedback about this chapter. It's more of an emotional one, focusing on the pain of the parents in this situation. I hope I did justice to the emotions. Especially Avni's.

Let me know how you liked it.

Thanks,

Nlisa

Amazing story thus far! Heartbreaking but beautifully written. Thank you for writing this and I look forward to seeing how this pans out.

You write really well

U are an awesome writer

Wonderful story
Beautifully written
Like it!
Love to read more
Update soon
If possible pm me next part plz