Unkept Promises

Sliver of Hope

Avantika's POV

It was later in the evening that I reached home. The traffic was too much and I was practically exhausted by just sitting in the car. Travel is exhausting, yes, but sitting in your car waiting for it to move with the speed of a snail is far more exhausting. Thank goodness I had Vivek, my assistant with me, else it would have been far more boring. At least someone to exchange pleasantries with. Ideally, I would have preferred silence, the solace of my own company, but the turmoil of thoughts within would have killed me with overthinking today.

Clutching my bag and the seven dwarfs stuffed toys which I had gotten for Aaru in my hands, I walked off towards our apartment.

In contrast to what I had expected, Aaru was the one to open the door. Squealing in delight, he was quick to hug my legs and began using his tiny force to usher me in the home.

Ahh - that familiar scent of home. I was the kind of person who would be the most comfortable at home. Abhiram too. Yes, people say home is a person, that sense of comfort, security, protection, familiarity and all that was good and wonderful. Agreed. But for me, home is this place too. The walls, the furniture, every nook and corner. My place.

"Aaru, how many times have I told you to not open the door without me or your momma by your side?", Abhiram emerged from the dining space, a spoon in his hand. I glanced towards Aaru who now pouted at his dadda's words. He had a little bit of food stuck at the corner of his mouth and I could sense that Abhiram had been feeding him his dinner.

"Avi", I could practically sense the delight and relief in his words at my presence.

"You are here.", he exclaimed yet again.

"Thank God", it was a small whisper, perhaps not meant for me to hear, but I did nonetheless.

"Yes", my answer was a single word before I turned my attention to my little boy.

"Aaru, baby, you should have waited for your dadda to open the door, hai na? (isn't it)", I gently reprimanded him.

The conditions around today aren't really good, in fact, not at all good, and Aaru's safety matters the most to the both of us.

My tiny munchkin pouted even more.

"Sorry dadda. Sorry momma.", he said with such an innocence that the both of us melted.

Abhiram was quick to pick him up within his arms.

"Its okay my sweet boy", he ruffled Aaru's hair while I gazed at the two of them with a smile on my face.

As if he had suddenly remembered something, Aaru's eyes widened and he stared at me.

"Momma, my gift.", he demanded.

"Which gift Aaru? I don't remember.", I replied in fake confusion, just to tease him.

He gasped, "Momma, my gift."

I chuckled at the now pouting boy. He has become a lot dramatic these days.

"Hmm, so you must be asking me about these stuffed toys it seems?"

As soon as I took them out, Aaru started jumping in glee to reach those stuffies in my hand. Deciding not to trouble him more, I handed over those toys to him. He squealed the swiftest 'Thank you' I ever heard and started wriggling in his dadda's hands to put him down. The moment Abhiram did so, he bounded away from here. We both stood there chuckling, staring at his diminishing figure.

"Avi, you must be tired. Go freshen up. I will set up the plates for the both of us."

When I glanced at him, I could sense the warmth in his words, in his eyes too. I chose to nod at him and went away towards our room.