Sorry for the long delay, but into the story! ❤️
Atharva walked out of a clothing store and was focused on his phone as people formed a small circular crowd around the play area for children. He had just finished shopping for formal clothing and was about to take an elevator down to the ground floor when the crowd of people gained his attention, a small frown appeared on his face when his ears caught the sound of a feminine cry.
Pocketing his phone, Atharva made his way towards the crowd and weaved his way towards the middle to find a small child around the age of ten weeping with her knees tucked in and head bent over.
The elders and people who surrounded the little girl kept questioning and threw remarks at the child making her feel overwhelmed and scared which only led to her crying even louder in fear.
Atharva being a pediatrician was very familiar with children and immediately thought to comfort the child, he bent down to the girls height and gathered her within his arms letting her sob into his chest and hug him tightly. He gently patted her back and glared at the crowd that was surrounding them.
"Iva chinna ponnu, ipdi ellarum kelvi mela kelvi ketu avala bayamuruthreenga? Konjam yosichu paaka maateengala? Bayathula azhuthukitu iruka neenga just innum avala overwhelmed aa feel panna vekkureenga!" Atharva exclaimed with frustration.
The crowd nodded in acceptance and felt bad for making the child even more scared.
"Ellarum intha edatha vittu ponga, naa paapa va paathukuren. And kavala padatheenga naa oru child specialist dhaan, I'm a pediatrician and this is the hospital I work at" Atharva explained holding out his work identification card as proof.
After receiving the conformation the crowd slowly started to disperse leaving him alone with the young girl who blinked at him with glistening eyes.
Having studied about children and how their brains work, he simply picked the child up in his arms and walked towards a small ice-cream store and bought her a cup of Belgium chocolate ice-cream. The two of them settled into a small booth and Atharva let the child have some of her ice-cream while he watched her taking hesitant bites while sniffling in-between.
The child occasionally blinked up at him with curiosity and confusion, but for some reason she felt as though she could trust him, she felt safe and comforted in his arms and so she didn't make a fuss when he brought her here.
"Un per enna paapa?" Atharva asked after a moment, but the child just blinked and didn't answer him.
"Un amma appa enga da? Epdi avanga unna vitutu ponaanga?" he tried again hoping to recieve an answer at least this time but she still didn't answer.
"Inga paaru da, nee en kitta enna venumnaalum solalaam, I want you to trust me okay aa? Nee konjam pesina dhaan naa un parents aa kandupidichu kuduka mudiyum ma"
The little girl looked at him before brining out her hands and formed signs, it took a moment for Atharva's mind to register that she was communicating through sign language and because he was a children's doctor it was necessary for him to learn sign language so he understood what she was conveying.
I can not speak , the child had signed with her hands and Atharva immediately felt bad for expecting her to answer his questions.
As if understanding his thoughts, the child jumped down from her seat and made her way around the table to his side and took a seat next to him,
Worry panna vendam, she signed once again and Atharva softly smiled at her and caressed her hair gently.
Atharva composed himself and began speaking in an excited tone, hoping to receive positive reactions from the young girl, "Cheri! En per Atharva, un per enna da?"
The young girl thought for a moment before pointing in the direction of the ice-cream store making Atharva's eyebrows knit together in confusion.
"Enna da? Innoru ice-cream venuma?" he asked making her shake her head in denial.
This time she pointed in the direction of the list of ice-cream flavours, and Atharva thinks hard for a moment.
"Un per kum ice-cream board kum ethaachu samantham iruka enna?" he asks and he receives a vigorous nod in return from her.
Atharva scanned the list of ice-cream flavours before his eyes landed on one the most obvious and reasonable names possible, "Vanilla" he snapped his fingers in triumph.
"Vanilla, Vennila!" Atharva exclaimed excitedly.
Vennila gave him an adorable smile that made him gush at the adorableness,
Neenga doctor vela paakureengala?, she signed.
"Aama da, I work as pediatrician" Atharvaa replied to her making her nod her head thoughtfully.
A few moments later Venilla started showing different numbers with her hands before pausing, call this number, she signed and resumed signing the phone number.
Atharva called the number and waited for the person on the other side to pick up,
"Hello?"
"Sir ungaluku Venilla nu yaarayaachum theriyuma?" Atharva asked.
"A-Aamanga! Ava en ponnu dhaan'nga! Naa ava appa pesuren!" the man spoke out in a panicked tone.
"Sir neenga 3rd floor la iruka ice-cream parlor'ku vanthudunga, unga ponnu en kooda dhaan irukaanga" Atharva informed making the man take a breath of relief.
"Romba nandringa, naa ippove vanthudren oru five minutes"
Atharva ended the call and looked at Venilla, "Unga appa varaar aam da!"
She smiled at him and continued to eat the ice-cream he had bought her.
Suddenly a man rushed into the parlor and his eyes darted around the place before it finally met his daughters face, he walked over with moist eyes and quickly pulled her up in his embrace and placed a strong kiss on her forehead. Atharva smiled softly at the father and daughter in admiration.
"Thank you so much'nga iva illama poiruntha naa enna pannirupen nu therla, she's all I have left now" Venilla's father exclaimed.
"Periya vaartha laam ethukku sir? It's my duty to look at for children and that's what I did" Atharva spoke with his right palm above his chest.
The man thanked him once again and turned to leave when Venilla suddenly came out of her father's hold and rushed towards Atharva, beckoning him down to her height. Atharva crouched down in confusion but she kissed his cheek making him smile widely and return the gesture. He side hugged her and ruffled her hair before she ran back to her father while waving at him.
"Bye da" Atharva waved back.
What Atharva wasn't aware of was that pair of doe eyes was watching this scene and admiring them from afar.
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Mannichu for the long delay but hope you've liked this chapter! And as a compensation, it's a double update! 🥳💃🏻
Do check both the updates out, and please do share your thoughts with a vote, comment and shares! 💗
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Neeyum Naanum
RomantizmAtharva Karthikeya (28) He works as a pediatrician at XYZ hospital that's located in Coimbatore. This extroverted and very outgoingly friendly little boy unfortunately built walls around him instinctively when he lost his parents at the age of 10. ...
