Part-20
"Neil..are you sleeping with your eyes open?..are you listening to what I'm saying?"Mini asked seeing Neil's expression and patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah..I'm listening "he replied..
"Ok.. Then what is Meissner effect?"Mini asked.
"That.. is... That is expulsion of superconductor...."
"Neil.. you are wrong. I will say it again. If you don't understand then tell me" said Mini calmly.
Neil nodded. Mini explained the topic again in a story-telling manner.He tried not to let his mind wander to other thoughts but to concentrate on what she was saying.
"Understood?" Mini asked.
" expulsion of a magnetic field from the interior of a material that is in the process of becoming a superconductor"Neil said.
"That's right..now let's study the next topic" said Mini and started explaining the next topic.
Neil was not able to grasp quickly. Without hesitation she explained each topic until he understood.
"Ok... we will study the rest tomorrow. It's 12.. I want to sleep" Mini said while closing the book.
When they started studying, the two of them were sat on the two ends of the sofa, and now there is not even one hand distance between them.Neil felt a thought that this shrinking distance was the distance between their minds.He also thought that there were no unnecessary fights between them for the past one month.
"Good night" Mini's voice put a rein on his thoughts."hmm.. good night "he said and lay down in the sofa.
"Neil.....Sunday is our Arjun's birthday. How about we give him a surprise birthday party?" Bobby's message came on Neil's phone during break time at the call center.
"yeah...nice idea👍but no drinking."Neil replied.
"why bro..have you completely given up drinking?"Bobby asked.
"Yup"Neil replied.
"Is it because your wife said😜?" Bobby asked.
"No.. never. Alcohol is injuries to health. that's why i quit drinking.I don't want to be one of those people dying of liver cirrhosis, Bobby," Neil replied.
"yeah yeah.. I understood🥰"bobby replied.
"Hm.."Neil replied and started to focus on his work.
"Mini, why did you come early today?" Priya asked Mini who came back from college.
"Our HOD's husband passed away. The faculties in our department went to the HOD's house. So we left early," Mini replied.
"oh... go and change your uniform. I have prepared snacks" Priya said. "Okay Aunty"said mini and went to their room.
After getting fresh, Mini walked into the kitchen. While going down the stairs, Mini heard chotti nani talking to priya from the kitchen.
"priya..tumhari bahu sanskaari nahi hai. vah chotti poshaak aur bina aasteen ki poshaak pahanati hai. vah badon ke saath achchha vyavahaar nahi karati hai. vah ek ladaki hai jo hamaare parivaar mein fit nahi hoti hai"said chotti nani.
From the day chotti nani came, she was harassing her by saying these things, often she or Neil gave the answer to chotti nani. She felt a curiosity that what answer would priya give to chotti nani. So she stayed on the steps..
"Chachi ji...One's dress sense is a personal matter. No one has any right to blame it. Neil and Mini have told chachi ji a hundred times these things. So why are you making me say this too?"Priya replied.
Priya's reply made Mini happy.
"ham is tarah ke javaab ke saath kapadon ke samajhaute ke mudde ko khaarij kar sakate hain. lekin usakee kundalee dosh ke baare mein kya?"chotti nani asked.
Mini thought that Priya would give a befitting reply to that too. But priya didn't reply.
"I heard that there are some doshas in her horoscope. They will also affect your son. That's why I am telling you these things, priya. If her husband dies, maybe she can marry someone else. But if you lose your son, you will not be able to make up for the loss."chotti nani. priya doesn't gave any reply
"She killed her own mother when she was born, and maybe next turn will be your son "chotti nani said.
Chotti nani's words didn't hurt Mini.. But Priya's silence hurt Mini. Priya is the person she saw in her mother's place since childhood. She has comforted her many times when others say such words. But at this moment Mini felt that it was all an act.
She felt very sad and went back to her room. She was lying on the bed with her face wrapped in a pillow. When priya came and called for snacks, she lied saying she had headache and she didn't go downstairs.
Neil had noticed the dullness on Mini's face since he returned from the call center. But his ego not allowed him to ask her the reason.
Neil heard Mini muttering something,while Neil combing his hair standing in front the mirror after showering.
"I could hear you if you spoke a little louder," Neil said to Mini.
"If possible, go to the nearest beauty salon and get a beauty treatment, including a facial. The second marriage will happen soon," Mini said angrily.
"Second marriage? Whose?" Neil asked suspiciously.
"Your marriage Neil" Mini said angrily.
"Mini, if you have something to say, say it directly." Neil also said in the same tone.
Mini went to answer but they heard Priya calling for dinner from downstairs.
"We can talk after dinner.I'm very hungry," Neil said. "I'm not hungry so I don't want anything " said Mini angrily and lay down on the bed.
"Devil is possessed"he said to himself and went downstairs.
"where is mini?"Priya asked to Neil, when he entered the dining room.
"She said she is not hungry" Neil replied and sat on the chair.
"Nobody should stay here at night without having dinner. Priya go and call Mini" Amar said.
"haa.. amar ji" replied priya.
"If Mom goes and calls, will she be hungry?" Neil asked.
Priya and Amar did not reply.
"May be she is not hungry because of gas trouble . When she is hungry she comes and eats," Neil told priya.
Amar and priya didn't replied and had their dinner silently.
"Oye Mini teacher... aaj koyi kaksha nahi??" asked Neil who reached the room after dinner.
"I... I'm not well. we can study tomorrow."Mini said with a sob.
"Hey..Why are you crying? Are you sick?"Neil asked nervously walking up to her and removing the blanket she was covering.
"I'm ok..I don't have any illness "Mini replied with a sob and again covered herself with blanket.
"Arey devil kid... Tell me the reason.If you are sick we can go to the hospital" he asked and removed her blanket again.
"Didn't I say I'm not sick. Can you please leave me alone?" Mini replied angrily this time.
"What's your problem Mini, why are you angry with me unnecessarily? I didn't irritated you did I? I just asked if you were sick" Neil said in the same tone.
"I'm fine"Mini said casually and lay down the bed.
Neil switched off the light in the room and went to lie on the sofa. After some time, Neil could hear Mini's weeping sound.
"If you want to cry, go out of the room. I can't sleep with the sobbing sound," Neil said harshly.
Without replying, Mini angrily got up and went to the balcony.As the cold wind caressed her body, her body became cold but she felt a fire burning in her heart.
Mini thought that Priya was playing love drama in front of her like saroj mami and Pinku mamaji
They played love drama in front of her for wealth but why did Priya behave like this..Was Priya's mind also full of superstition? Mini asked herself.Will Neena and Amar be like this? she asked to herself.Everyone is selfish.. Everyone loves each other for selfish- interests. No one likes her.. She has no one. She told herself.Many sweet memories brought her to tears.
As she raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face, the man standing next to her extended a tissue paper towards her.
"Neil... why did you come here" she asked while taking a tissue paper and wiping her face.
"To see your cry. Didn't I say,I love to see your cry," Neil said.Mini didn't answer and looked at the sky.
"Today there are many stars in the sky. Dadi used to say that the dead people will appear as stars in the sky. Will our relatives be among those stars?"Neil asked.
"I don't know"Mini replied politely.
"Oh ok... Isn't the night more beautiful than the day?" Neil asked mini.
"Night is not only beautiful but calmer than day" Mini replied.
"Yes.. but the mind of the person standing next to me is not calm at all.. Tell me if you can share the reason
with me?" Neil asked politely.
After a moment of silence, Mini asked, "Are you superstitious?
"I have faith in God. Why did you ask that?" Neil asked.
"chotti nani is terribly superstitious. She is also good at brainwashing others" Mini said controlling her anger.
"what happened?"Neil asked
"Do you know what that woman said to Priya aunty today?she told I am the reason of my mom's death and that there are some doshas in my horoscope which will affect you too. You will also die because of me" Mini said angrily.
"Oh.. Then What was mom's reply to that? Neil asked.
"Aunty did not say anything against it. That has hurt me. When many people hurt me, by saying such words in my childhood.aunty held me and told me that these are superstitions and comforted me.
But today, her silence gave me a pain like a needle piercing my body.She said that you will die because of me, so you should leave me and marry someone else. Aunty did not reply to that either."Mini said in one breathe.
"Second marriage? Is that why you said that and came to the fight a while ago?" Neil asked suspiciously.
"My brain is not working now. I can not get a hold of what I said or think..I am thinking that like Saroj Mami, Priya Aunty is also playing love games in front of me.
Nobody likes me. Everyone is selfish.."Mini said with a sob.
Neil felt empathy when he saw Mini wiping tears from her face.
"I think you are overthinking."Neil said
"Might be... But"Neil started talking before Mini could finish.
"I don't know if papa and mom are superstitious. But I'm not superstitious" Neil said looking star's in the sky.
"That means? "Mini asked skeptically.
"That means..I won't act on chotti nani's words."Neil replied.
"Oh... But priya aunty"again Neil interrupted
"Devil kid, you are an overthinker. Without overthinking,ask directly why mom remained silent at that time."Neil said.
"hmm ok" Mini replied.
" didn't you say no one likes you,that's wrong. Your pappa loves you more than anything in the world. I think he got angry with you only when he came to know about Karan's issue." Neil replied.
"That's true Neil. Pappa loves me more than anything in the world" Mini said with a smile.
"Devil, if you don't mind , may I ask you a question?" Neil asked "kya" Mini asked skeptically.
"Where is my place in your heart? is it last?" asked Neil with a smile.
"Not last. Last is your chotti nani. I think second last is your place."Mini replied with a smile.
"Oh!I see"Neil replied with a laugh.
"Mere hone wali bachhe ki baap...what is my place in your heart? Is it last?"Mini asked raising an eyebrow.
"Pata nahi.. Devil kid"Neil replied with a smile.
"But the anger that has been with me for several years has lessened now?Mini asked.
"Ah seems less" Neil said with a smile.
"Mine too"Mini replied.
"Hmm..by the way, happy friendship day"Neil replied.
It was five long years that Neil wished her a friendship day after hearing what he had said brought immense joy to Minnie's heart.
"Hmm.. Happy friendship day mere... Sorry I mean.. Happy friendship day Mr Neil oberoi "Mini replied with smile.
To be continued.....
Please forgive me for my grammar mistakes and give your comments🥰
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