HUMSAFAR [Completed✅]

4. Family Time

The next morning, Ishqi entered Vihaan's room to wake him up and help him get ready for the day. After a gentle nudge, Vihaan stirred awake, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Come on, Champ. Time to get up and get ready for school. Let’s head to the bathroom," Ishqi said, guiding him out of bed.

Vihaan, still drowsy but with a shy face, replied, "Friend, you don’t need to help me. I can bathe myself now. I’m a big boy!"

Ishqi chuckled at his response. "Oh, a big boy, huh? Alright then, go ahead and bathe quickly. In the meantime, I'll get your school bag and tiffin ready."

As Vihaan rushed off to the bathroom, Ishqi couldn’t help but admire his antiques.

Later, the three of them-Vihaan, Ishqi, and Ahaan sat down for breakfast at the dining table. However, Vihaan wasn’t touching his food, sitting quietly and making faces at the bowl of soup in front of him. Ahaan noticed his son’s reluctance and immediately knew the reason. Ishqi had prepared broccoli soup, a dish that neither she nor Vihaan particularly liked, but she had made it as Ahaan asked for it.

"Vihaan, why aren’t you drinking your soup?" Ahaan asked with a firm tone.

Vihaan wrinkled  his nose at the soup and replied, "Papa, I don’t like it. Can I have bread and jam instead?"

Ahaan gave him a stern look and said, "You can have bread and jam later. Right now, finish your soup. It's good for you."

Reluctantly, Vihaan picked up the bowl, his face clearly showing his displeasure. Ishqi noticed and decided to intervene, her tone gentle but curious. "Vihaan, why don’t you like the soup?" she asked.

Vihaan, with an innocent expression, responded, "Friend ,just look at the color! If it looks like this, it must taste terrible!"

Ishqi laughed at his reasoning and nodded in agreement. "You’re not wrong there. " , she supported. "But tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?", she asked with curiosity.

Vihaan’s face lit up, and he proudly declared, "I want to be strong like Papa!"

Hearing this, Ahaan couldn’t help but smile, clearly proud of his son's admiration.

Ishqi, smiling as well, continued, "Well, to be strong like your papa, you have to eat healthy food, just like this broccoli soup."

Vihaan glanced at Ahaan, who nodded in agreement.

"You see, Vihaan," she added, "if you want to grow strong and healthy, you have to eat your vegetables, even if they don’t look as tasty as bread and jam."

Slowly, with Ishqi’s encouragement and some playful coaxing, Vihaan began drinking the soup. Ahaan observed it and was pleasantly surprised by how easily Ishqi had managed to get Vihaan to eat something healthy without any fuss.

Over time, the bond between Ishqi and Vihaan grew stronger. Ishqi spent most of her time at home helping Vihaan with his homework, playing games with him, and listening to his school stories. Vihaan began to feel more comfortable around her, often teasing her and sharing his thoughts. They genuinely enjoyed each other’s company, and it became clear that Vihaan was thriving in this new environment.

Ahaan too noticed the positive change in his son. Vihaan, who used to be quieter and more reserved, now seemed happier, more energetic, and full of life. He had become more playful, especially with Ahaan, teasing him at every opportunity. It was a side of his son Ahaan hadn't seen in a long time, and he couldn’t help but feel that Ishqi was the reason behind Vihaan’s newfound joy. However, a small part of Ahaan also felt a bit jealous of how close Vihaan and Ishqi had become.