MOMMA BY CHOICE

Chapter 37

So, let's get started...

The late afternoon sunlight poured into the cozy living room, casting a golden glow over everything. The room was full of warmth, the soft carpet below scattered with colorful toys. Almost a year old Veer was happily exploring his little world, crawling with his hands and knees working in perfect harmony as he made his way across the room. His tiny body wobbled a bit with each move, but his determination was clear as he eagerly reached for toys, cushions, and anything else within his reach.

His parents, Meera and Vihan, were seated nearby, quietly watching their little boy with soft smiles.

These moments of stillness were rare, and they cherished every second of them. Life was busy and often chaotic, but watching Veer's curiosity and joy made everything worthwhile.

But today, something was different. Veer, usually full of smiles and giggles, had developed a little grievance. His once-happy expression had turned into a determined little frown. He had been trying to get his mumma's attention for a while now. Meera, however, was caught up in a phone call with Gayatri. It seemed to stretch on forever in Veer's tiny world, and the longer it went on, the more frustrated he became.

He crawled toward her, his big, round eyes pleading for her attention. His little arms stretched up, hoping to be scooped into her warm embrace. But Meera, still talking on the phone, didn't notice. Her voice was soft, calm murmur in the background, and she had no idea her baby was starting to get upset.

Veer, however, wasn't going to give up easily. His little face scrunched up in frustration, and he let out a determined "Mum-mummaaa!" It was followed by a tiny wail, his way of telling her he wasn't happy with being ignored. His small fists were clenched at his sides as he stared up at her, clearly expressing his displeasure.

Sitting across the room, Vihan noticed the whole thing and couldn't help but laugh a little. He watched with a mix of amusement and affection as Veer's tiny drama unfolded. "Looks like someone's angry with mumma, yeah veerrr," he teased, his eyes sparkling with humor as he glanced at Meera.

Meera, finally aware of what was going on, glanced down at Veer. The moment she saw his upset little face, her expression softened. She quickly wrapped up her phone call, her voice apologetic. "I'm so sorry, baby," she said, setting her phone aside. "Mumma got a little busy, but let's fix that, okay?"?"

She reached down to pick him up, but Veer, in his stubborn little way, turned his head away. Meera tries to pacify him again by saying, "Baby, Mumma was talking to Grandma about bringing something yummy for you, wasn't she?" she said with sad voice with a pout on her face, quite similar to veer. But, his tiny face was still set in an angry pout, and he made a huffy sound, almost as if to say, "This time, I'm not going to give in so easily, Mumma... hmph"

Vihan purposely teased meera by saying " Hhaauu meeraaa... "You only mentioned Veer's needs, not mine." He said gasping dramatically earning a bombastic side eye from meera for his drama.

Vihan found the whole situation even more hilarious. He grinned widely, amused by how seriously Veer was taking this. "Oh, come on, Veer baby," he said playfully. "Don't be too upset with Mumma. After all, she's just human too, mistakes happen." He scooted closer to them, sitting down beside Meera and Veer, and reached out to tickle Veer's tummy.

Veer's reaction was instant. The moment Vihan's fingers found his tummy, he let out a burst of giggles, his earlier frustration momentarily forgotten. His little body wriggled as he squealed with laughter, "Dadda! Dadda!" His tiny hands reached out for Vihan, wanting more of the tickling fun.

Seeing the opportunity, Meera gently scooped Veer into her arms, her voice full of soothing affection.

"Awh mera baby," she cooed. "Now Mumma's got Veer. She won't make that mistake again, Veer..." Veer looked up at her, his big eyes still showing a trace of his earlier annoyance. He babbled in response, his voice a mix of complaint and curiosity. "Mum-mummaaa, bbaa-blah!" he said, his little lips forming sounds that were his way of communicating all his thoughts.