The love of my life

11. Training center

Tejas woke up confused, as he nuzzled his nose on the muscular shoulder and looked up. His mother was a petite woman with soft skin and no beard. He could feel the trimmed hair on the chin of the man holding him.

"Students, As you can see training for bomb detection is even easier for malinois breed compared to German Sheph..."  Ekansh paused realizing the toddler in his arms move, in a way that was not similar to his previous sleepy movements.

He looked around for Daman and couldn't find her anywhere near the demo training section, as he saw a crowd of some students on the opposite end of the campus.

He calculated if her son would wake up before he reaches there and what would the consequences be, as a guy called in students to the cafeteria for refreshment. Ekansh had been a babysitter for his sister-in-law and decided to try one of his reliable trick.

Kids cry if you accidentally wake them up, they're happy if you wake them up for treats.

Even though, he didn't make any sudden noise or caused anything that would wake up the little one, he had to handle this.

"Class dismissed for refreshment break." He announced and turned to the kid.

"Hey mister, there's a Samosa with your name on it." He said as the little one rubbed his eyes and looked at the stranger. His first instinct was to cry, but it was quickly followed by genetically acquired bravery of being an army brat.

"Who are you?" He said as Ekansh made him sit on a table nearby.

"Hello, I am Dr. Ekansh." He said extending a hand.

"Who are you?" The kid spoke again.

"I am your mom's friend." Ekansh answered.

"And you don't know my name?" The kid asked as Ekansh's mouth gaped open. He was, no doubt smart and quick witted like his mom.

"No, real men always make introductions even if they know the names." Ekansh said as the little boy blessed his day with a beautiful heart warming smile, for a change from the frown.

"Hello, Dr. Ekansh. My name Teyasvee (Tejasveer) sin (singh) Ghuman." He said forming 'almost' a complete sentence and putting his hand for a shake.

"See, Man to man. Now come on, do you want a Samosa, Tejas?" Ekansh asked, hoping it was not Teyash or something else, as Tejas nodded. Ekansh picked him up again and walked towards the cafeteria.

Ekansh broke the samosa and layered it with chutney. "So, your mom never mentioned any allergies. Do you have any?" He asked.

"Dust." Tejas answered as Ekansh couldn't help but smile remembering how Daman couldn't stop sneezing in the horse riding school in college if she ever had to follow a galloping horse that kicked up dust.

"Like your mom." Ekansh said and Tejas nodded, taking the spoon from him.

"I can feed you, Tejas..." He said as Tejas shook his head.

"Inpentendent" he said as Ekansh smiled.

"Okay, here you go Buddy." He said taking out his big men's handkerchief and tugging it in Tejas's collar.

Daman was so engrossed working with the head doctor, for the changes required in the diet of lactating female dogs that she for a moment forgot that his son was not at the daycare.

When she realized, she took her leave, went out of the cabin and looked at where Ekansh, Tejas and some students were supposed to be. The others were with her and had gone for refreshments.

"Excuse me, are all the students in the cafeteria?" she asked the nearby helper.

"Yes doctor." He said as she looked around for the huge sign that read CANTEEN. She made her way, and peeked inside hoping Tejas to still be asleep, but what she saw filled her up with guilt, envy, mild rage and a little hint of  fondness.

Tejas sat on a chair with a big masculine handkerchief covering his little shirt, holding a spoon with bits of Samosa  as Ekansh put a hand under his spoon to avoid spillage.
Her first instinct was to pick up her son, tell Ekansh to never come close to him ever again and run away from him.

But she looked at all the students sitting around and decided a different approach. She slid into the next chair beside Tejas and opposite Ekansh.

"Here, let me help you." She said taking the spoon from Tejas.

"Noooo..." He let out a shrill voice as her eyes widened at the rudeness.

"Sorry, but i eat by me." Tejas said as she nodded.

"By myself" she corrected him. "I want to eat by myself." She said as he repeated after her.

"He's a quick learner and speaks very nicely for someone who's not three yet." Ekansh complimented.

"How do you know his age?" She asked with narrowed eyes and Ekansh remembered the conversation he had with her son, about his name.

Quick witted and smart, like his mom.

"We had a chat." Ekansh said and Tejas looked up at his mom and shook his head, "He's lying."

Ekansh felt a hint of betrayal from his new little best friend, for throwing him under the bus.

"We'll talk about it later. Should I get you something to eat?" Ekansh said looking around at the students and not wanting to have that conversation right now.

"No, i got myself a tiffin." She said as Tejas stopped eating and looked up at his mom.

"Dr.Ekansh, have my tiffin?" He said looking at his mother, as she shook her head.

"Can Dr. Ekansh have my tiffin?" She corrected him and was about to disagree when Ekansh spoke.

"Yes, I'd love to buddy." He said as she shot him a death glare. The familiar death glare that he was always scared of.

She took out her own tiffin and that of Tejas' and gave it to Ekansh. He opened the big box, that seemed huge for a toddler. There were 5 compartments with barely 5-6 spoons of Poha, a square sandwich without sides, some grapes, apple pieces and circular cut banana in one compartment, cubes of roasted paneer in another and some nuts in the smallest circular compartment.

She opened her own box with Parantha and sabji as Ekansh looked up at her.

"He never finishes it all, but he never knows what he's in the mood for. Sometimes it's fruits and Poha, sometimes  it's just sandwich and nuts." She said as he nodded picking up a very small spoon.

Well, now the poha would be finished in 10 spoons. considering the capacity of the almost miniature spoon.

"Tejas, why don't you use this spoon, and I take that one?" Ekansh said pointing to the spoon too big for him to handle and reach his mouth without spilling.

Tejas exchanged his spoon and lunch was a quiet affair.

They were soon in the bus and on the way back as Daman held Tejas close to her, as if he'd leave her like everyone in her life. She didn't let Ekansh sit near to them keeping her bag on the extra seat as the bus made their way to the college campus.

"I'll submit the attendance and complete the formalities. Go rest." Ekansh said as she nodded and walked away towards her Mercedes, or correctly, to her Late husband's Mercedes with his son in her arms.