Echoes of MaAn: Love beyond Separation

||48|| The Shopping and the Mischief

Anuj was enjoying a rare moment of solitude, lounging on the couch and indulging in a video game marathon while keeping an eye on little Aadhymaan. But, as any parent of a six-month-old would know, peace never lasts long. Aadhymaan, full of energy and curiosity, was wriggling in his bouncer, clearly wanting attention.

Anuj paused his game and sighed, "Alright, champ. Let's see what Daddy can do to keep you entertained." He unlocked his iPhone and handed it to his son, hoping that the bright screen and a few baby videos might distract him for a while.

Aadhymaan's tiny fingers, much to Anuj's amusement, fumbled across the screen, swiping left and right. He giggled, enjoying his newfound power over the device. Anuj chuckled, "You're a natural techie, aren't you? Just don't message anyone..."

But it was too late. In the background, Anuj's game continued as little Aadhymaan accidentally opened WhatsApp. His chubby fingers sent random emojis and letters to Anupama's chat—eyes wide, Anuj noticed when the phone buzzed and he saw what his son had done. A message with a string of random letters and symbols—along with a dozen baby-faced emojis—had been sent to Anupama.

Anuj's eyes widened. "Oh no... Anu's going to think I've lost it!"

Meanwhile, Anupama was out with both sets of grandparents, Aadhya, and Malvika, busy shopping at the mall. She paused as her phone buzzed. Seeing the message from Anuj, she raised an eyebrow. "What on earth?!" she murmured, staring at the odd string of baby gibberish.

Anupama: Are you okay? What is this?

Before Anuj could even respond, the whole group noticed Anupama's expression, and Malvika peeked over her shoulder, laughing. "Bhai's having fun with Aadhymaan, looks like. Don't worry, Bhabhi, it's probably the baby."

Anupama shook her head with a smile. "This man. Just wait till I get back home!"

After a couple more hours of shopping, where they bought clothes for Aadhya, Malvika, and even some cute little outfits for Aadhymaan, they finally made their way back home.

As soon as they entered Kapadia Mansion, the chaos began.

Aadhymaan, spotting his mom and the rest of the family returning, started waving his tiny arms and squealing in excitement. He had crawled his way to Anuj's feet, babbling happily. Anuj, still half-immersed in his game, only noticed when Aadhymaan tugged on his pant leg.

Anupama put down the shopping bags and immediately noticed the state of the house—Anuj's gaming setup on the living room table, baby toys strewn around, and Aadhymaan holding his phone like he owned it.

"Anuj! What is this mess?" Anupama asked, slightly exasperated but with a soft laugh. "And why is my son texting me gibberish on WhatsApp? Are you really that distracted?"

Anuj grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, it wasn't entirely my fault... I was just trying to keep him occupied. He's smarter than he looks!"

Anupama shook her head, picking up the little troublemaker. "Looks like I'll need to keep an eye on both of you! You can't give him your phone like that, Anuj!"

As Anupama walked toward the kitchen to grab some water, Aadhymaan—still in her arms—reached out and, with surprising agility, grabbed her dupatta and threw it over his head, making everyone laugh. His antics never ceased to surprise.

Later that evening, it was time for the family dinner. Everyone gathered at the dining table—both sets of grandparents, Malvika, Aadhya, Anuj, Anupama, and of course, little Aadhymaan in his high chair, his wide eyes curiously watching everyone.

The conversation flowed easily. Sushma and Madhav, Anupama's parents, talked about their shopping trip, and Rajesh and Meera, Anuj's parents, reminisced about old times. Malvika teased Anuj about his gaming obsession, while Aadhya excitedly talked about her upcoming plans with friends.

Meanwhile, Madhav, being the fun grandfather that he was, pulled out his phone to show a cartoon video to entertain Aadhymaan during the meal. But as soon as the video played, the cheeky baby reached out, grabbed the phone, and—with a surprisingly precise swipe—managed to navigate away from the cartoon to a random YouTube video.

It wasn't just any video—it was an item song, the same kind of energetic, flashy music that always seemed to catch his attention.

The lively beats of the song started playing, and to everyone's surprise, Aadhymaan began bouncing in his high chair to the rhythm, trying to mimic the dance moves with his tiny hands.

Everyone at the table burst into laughter. Even Anuj couldn't hold back his chuckle. "I swear, he's obsessed with item songs. What is it with him and these tunes?"

Anupama, though trying to keep a straight face, shook her head. "This boy! You've been letting him watch too much YouTube, Anuj!"

Anuj raised his hands in defense. "Hey, it's not my fault he has better taste in music than me!"

As the laughter died down, Anupama leaned in and whispered, "Just wait till he grows up. You'll have a full-blown dancer on your hands!"

Madhav laughed the loudest, watching his grandson thoroughly enjoying the music, even trying to bounce to the rhythm in his chair. "Well, if you ever need a dance partner for your office parties, I think we know who to call!"

Dinner continued with laughter and conversation, but everyone's eyes kept drifting to the youngest Kapadia, who was thoroughly entertained with his newfound obsession with item songs.

Later that night, after dinner and tucking the baby in bed, Anuj and Anupama sat in the living room, reminiscing about the day.

Anuj sighed. "You know, I'm still thinking about how much our lives have changed, with Aadhya growing up so fast and now Aadhymaan starting his own mischief."

Anupama smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "They grow too fast, don't they? But we're so blessed to have this much happiness in our lives."

Anuj nodded, squeezing her hand. "Yeah, I just hope I'm doing enough as a dad... balancing work, life, and everything in between."

Anupama looked at him with soft eyes. "You're doing more than enough, Anuj. And don't worry, I'll always be here to remind you when you're getting too carried away with your video games!"

They both laughed, sharing a quiet moment together. Their life was busy, full of chaos and little surprises, but it was moments like this, with family close and laughter filling the air, that made everything worth it.