His Little Heart

Time Travel

Raj awoke with a heavy sensation in his head, surveying the scene to discover his family gathered around, their expressions filled with concern. As he tried to sit up, his bhaiyaa approached, lending a helping hand to ensure he was positioned comfortably.

"Kaisa lag raha hai baccha?" his bhaiyaa Arnav inquired, studying him closely.

Raj, baffled by the question, responded, "Kyu mujhe kya hua tha?" his face reflecting confusion.

His bro filled in the details, saying, "Broo, you fainted achanak se."

"What?" Raj exclaimed, his expression shifting to one of shock.

Raj rubbed his temples, trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. The room seemed to spin as he struggled to recall the moments leading up to his sudden loss of consciousness.

"Yaar, I don't remember anything," Raj admitted, his voice betraying a mix of confusion and concern.

Arnav patted him on the shoulder pecking his head reassuringly, saying, "Kuch zyada stress hua hoga shayad. Take it easy, we were worried about you."

Raj nodded, still trying to make sense of the hazy aftermath. "But it happened out of nowhere, yaar. I've never felt like this before."

Just as Arnav was about to respond, Raj felt a gentle tug on his hand. Turning his attention, he discovered a chubby little boy standing beside him, holding onto his palm with tiny, innocent hands and sporting an adorable pout. Confusion etched Raj's face as he glanced at the boy and then back at Arnav, asking, "Yeh kon hai?"

The onlookers stared at him in astonishment. "Raj, he's your champ," someone explained.

Perplexed, Raj could only inquire, "Champ?"

Arnav clarified, "Kiddoo, kya bol rahe hoo, he's your kid." However, Raj remained clueless about what was unfolding. No one present seemed to grasp the situation, and the young child, too innocent to comprehend, stared at Raj with wide eyes.

Suddenly, a memory flashed in Raj's mind, and he exclaimed with a shocked expression, "Ooo teri kii yeh toh gazab hogaya, kya yeh sacch mein mere saath hua thaa, time travel!"

Yes, it was true. Raj had time-traveled from Earth to Terra, a parallel universe. While the two planets shared many similarities, there were some key differences in their histories. On Terra, significant events like World War and partition never occurred, and India was the leading country on the planet. Everything in Raj's life mirrored his existence on Earth, except for the presence of the child standing beside him, holding his hand.

Lost in his thoughts, Raj felt another tug on his hand. He looked down to find the little boy with tears welling up in his big eyes, his lips forming a sad pout. Just as he was about to cry, Arnav swooped in, picking up the boy and planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Baccha, abhi Dada ki tabiyat kharab hai naa, isliye aapko nahi utha rahe."

The boy nodded obediently, looking at Raj with blinking eyes. Raj couldn't help but smile at the boy's adorable response.

Arnav placed the boy, named Agastya, on the bed next to Raj. Climbing onto Raj's lap, Agastya declared, "Champ missed Dada."

The word "Dada" resonated deeply with Raj, bringing tears to his eyes as he gazed at the innocent face of Agastya. Agastya, unable to comprehend, became troubled by the sight of tears in his dad's eyes. Worried, he asked in a scared tone, thinking his dad might be in pain, "Dada dard?"

This time, Raj couldn't hold back and tightly hugged Agastya, scooping up his chubby little body. "Dada," the word pulled at Raj's heartstrings. At first, Agastya stiffened at the sudden movement, but a moment later, he tried to hug Raj's broad, well-built body with his tiny hands. Failing in the attempt, he expressed disappointment, saying, "Dada, my hand small." Raj chuckled at his little one's concern, planting a kiss on Agastya's head and reassuring him, "Koi baat nahi, baccha."

Amidst this heartfelt exchange, Agastya's stomach let out a grumble, and he declared, "Dada, stomach needs food." Raj burst into laughter, and Agastya, catching onto the joy, let out a cute giggle.

Raj stood up, saying, "Aree, aapko toh bohot zorr ki bhook lagi hai lagta hai." Arnav smiled and went to set up the dinner table. As Raj lifted Agastya, his heart raced, realizing that this was his first taste of fatherhood. A paternal emotion surged within him as he thought, "He feels like my life," and with a smile, he walked downstairs.

Seated at the dining chair with Agastya on his lap, Raj asked, "Kya khana hai mere Champ ko?" Agastya blinked his eyes and replied, "Kuch bhi." As Arnav served the meal, Raj prepared a small morsel, blowing on it to ensure it wasn't too hot for his little one. With each gentle feeding, a new bond formed between father and son, creating a cherished moment that Raj would forever hold close to his heart.