"Avni, come on. It's getting late." Neil mumbled as he paced all through their living room for the tenth time that day.

"Coming, baba!" he heard a soft voice from the other side, making him melt instantly.

God! This woman is evil; he thought mentally.

She knew he loved it when she calls him that. And, whenever she needs something from him, she would definitely use this as her bait. It's not like Neil restricts or something. But, sometimes, for somethings, you ought to do that.

After a good fifteen minutes, he heard footsteps, and there she was holding bags in her hand and grinning at him. He knew she had been waiting for this moment for what seems like a lifetime. And it is going to fulfill today.

Neil's jaw dropped. "What's all this, avni?"

Avni laughed at his expression and closed his mouth. "I only have these many with me, right now. I hope they'll like it."

Neil smiled at her concern and cupped her face and said, "Oh, my dear wifey, of course, they'll love it. Stop over-analyzing everything."

Avni looked at him with her big brown innocent eyes, "Really? There were no enough ingredients, neil," she asked.

Neil was so about to smack his face when he got another text message. He sighed and "Avni, listen. They are going to love it, okay? And, that is, if we reach there on time. It's getting late, love. Let's go, please?" he pleaded. "And yeah, let's give it some rest," he said, pointing to her head.

Avni scowled, making him grin at her.

They reached the destination quicker than they would. Avni got down and was about to take the bags that were filled completely. And, thankfully, Neil came to her rescue.

"Go ahead, sweetheart. I will take care of this." he winked at her. But, avni being avni took a bag with her so that Neil doesn't have to bear all the weight.

Heading towards the door, avni knocked it and waited for someone to open. A minute or two later, she heard a click, and he opened the door.

"Hey, lil sis." he hugged her.

"Hey there, bro!" avni smiled in the embrace. It felt good to see him after many days.

"How are you? And, how's home treating you?" Avni threw all the questions she had in her mind.

They heard a chuckle behind. "Let him breathe avni," Neil said placing his free hand on her shoulder only to earn a smack from her.

"Hi, Karan. How are you, buddy?" Neil asked softly doing their bro hug.

"I am fine, Neil. But, it seems like nothing changed. Avni is still the mother India, eh?" Karan teased.

"Well, I am sorry for being worried." she scowled irritatingly.

"Hey, leave my bestie alone." avni heard a very familiar voice.

"Mithaliii!" avni squealed and rushed inside.

"Hi, avni. I missed you so much." mithali smiled at her and embraced her very tightly.

Pulling away, "I missed you more, sweetie."

Looking at the confused face of Avni's Karan approached her "It was Neil's idea. He said it would be nice to have a day together. So, we called mithali too."

"Oh, then why am the last person to know this?" avni pouted sadly.

"Because, it was supposed to be a surprise, stupid!" mithali smacked Avni's head.

"Do you like the surprise?" Karan asked curiously.

Avni glanced at Neil who was now grinning at her happiness. "I loved it," she said and moved her glance to mithali who was smiling at her.

"Okay. Enough of the emotional drama. Let's go and eat, shall we?" Karan asked with his big puppy eyes.

Everyone laughed and followed him to the dining room. Neil and avni were busy taking bowls, plates, and all the necessary items to fill the things they got.

"Lunch is here!" Karan yelled filling the whole table with different types of dishes.

"Whoa!" avni said in awe.

"Nice, na? I made them." Karan said proudly when they heard a throat clearing. Karan groaned "With a little help, of course!" he smiled at mithali.

Avni and Neil were shocked. Karan did not smile at anyone except for them. And him, conversing with mithali meant everything to them. He was being social and becoming his sassy self once again.

"And, this is from my dear wifey," Neil said as he kept the dish on the table.

"It isn't needed avni," said Karan shaking his head.

"Oh, shut up. I remember you guys telling me your favorite dishes. So, here these are for you guys."

Neil chuckled and side hugged his wife. Oh, how she looked so cute with that scowl on her face. "For me?" whispered Neil.

"What do you want, neil?" she asked smiling.

Neil glanced at her sideways and said: "Anything, you give me wifey!"

Avni moved to the side and faced him. "Alright. Your wish is my command, dear hubby!" she grinned at him.

"Oh, enough of the romance love birds. Please, let's eat?" Karan smiled at his best friend and lil sister.

Things would be very different if avni is not there. She is an angel. She forgave him and helped him all those days in the rehab. She even insisted to Neil that they should visit Karan often. Who does that these days? In fact, people are hell-bent on creating misunderstandings for attention and whatsoever. And here, there is avni. A complete gem. They were lucky to have her.

"Yum" savored avni and neil.

"This is so good." Avni cried. Her taste buds going havoc because of this amazing dish.

"Oh, it's all mithali" Karan said and resumed eating.

Neil and avni exchanged glances clearly understanding that something is going on. But, they are happy as long as these two entities, before they are happy and safe.

After finishing the meal and conversing with the random stuff, it was time for neil and avni to leave.

"Thank you so much for coming, avni. It means a lot." Mithali got emotional and embraced avni again.

"Ah, i don't understand these women. Why do they have to cry for every damn thing?" they heard Karan mumble smacking his head.

"I heard that." mithali scowled at him.

"It was meant to be heard." Karan pouted making neil and avni laugh.

"Oh, really. You are dead." screamed mithali and raced to him.

"Bye, bro. I will call you. Go safely okay? And, avni, yaar. Take care of yourself. And, don't forget to text when you guys reach home." he said giving each a hug and ran inside.

"Bye. Don't worry. I will take of him." Mithali smiled and rushed inside behind Karan.

Avni and neil reached and directly headed to bed to have a nap. After a good two hours, avni woke up and headed downstairs to prepare dinner.

She was in the middle of something when she felt huge warm arms sneaking around her waist and she was pulled back to a hard chest. Avni smiles instantly at the warmth his body radiating because of the shower he took. He smelled like cinnamon and woody. She snuggled more into the warmth and stayed there pondering the stuff that had been on her mind ever since they came home.

"What are you thinking about, love?" neil asked placing his head in the crook of her neck.

"Something is going on with them, neil. I just hope they both end up happily in the end," she said sighing.

God, this woman thinks a lot!

Neil moved her till she faced him and lifted up her chin. "Sweetheart, you heard mithali, right? She said she is gonna take care of stuff. So, stop overthinking. Please?"

Avni nodded and kissed him on the cheek.

"Someone told me they'll make something special for me too?" neil asked mischievously.

"Oh, this is for you, neil." avni squealed when neil started tickling her.

"For me?" neil asked looking at avni who is panting now, because of the tickles.

"No! These are for me. Not for you." she pouted and headed to the dining room.

Neil sighed. "Acha baba, here." he came before her and showed his back.

Avni climbed easily as he caught her legs in the front. "Piggyback!" she yelled as he roamed all the house effortlessly.

A little later, neil made her stand and said "I am hungry now. Let's eat, please?" he pleaded, looking at her.

Avni smiled at his cute face and pinched his cheeks earning a glare. Avni showed her tongue and grabbed neil to the dining table and made him sit there. She headed back to the kitchen and got the food.

Opening the lid, neil yelled "Muesli?"

"I know it's your favorite dish neil. And, its been ages, you ate. So i though--" her words stopped when neil got up and gave her a bear hug.

"I love you so much, avni.."

Avni became flustered. "I love you too, neil. Chalo, eat now."

Neil savored every bite he ate. Avni kept glancing at him. He was happy to meet his friend after Karan got fully recovered and even to see a glimpse of old him. She knew Karan meant a lot to neil. And, she would do anything to see this smile and the content face of neil.