A Bond Of Intellect

Epilogue (THE END)

Anrit was six now—a wild swirl of mischief, moon eyes, and questions that never ended. He filled the little home with his laughter and his crayons, and most days, he was sunshine wrapped in chaos. But today, the skies were just a little stormy.

Adhya and Arun had visited for the afternoon, bringing with them puzzles and pillows, toy swords and tiny roars. The three had ruled the living room like royalty until their parents came to pick them up.

Anrit had stood frozen near the door when they left. No goodbye wave, no smile. Just the sudden sharp sting of being the only child again.

That evening, Evan sat beside him on the carpeted floor, helping with math homework that had sat crumpled for two days in his schoolbag. Riti was in the kitchen, humming quietly as she stirred dal.

"Come on, champ," Evan said gently. "Just these five questions. You've done harder."

"I don't want to," came the grumble. Pencil thrown sideways. Eyes looking anywhere but the book.

Evan exhaled slowly. "Anrit. Pick it up."

No response.

This time he said, loudly and firmly, "I said pick it up."

That Evan kind of stillness that meant he wasn't going to say it again.

Anrit, flinched but he was just like his mother, persistence, but Evan knows how to handle this persistence, " ANRIT! I am going to count 3 if u don't pick up the pencil, then I am  gonna closed the door, so that nor even Ur mother can come to room." He said in cold tone.

In just counting 1, Anrit's fingers wavered near the pencil... but the tears arrived first.

Big ones.

Loud ones.

Riti froze mid-stir, wooden spoon clinking against the pot. She moved without thinking, wiping her hands and hurrying toward the living room.

She stopped at the door.

Anrit was curled beside his workbook, shoulders shaking, cheeks already soaked. Evan sat a short distance away—expression unreadable, voice steady.

"I know you don't like it," he said softly but scolding him, "but crying doesn't finish your homework."

Riti took a step in, heart aching. "Evan—"

He didn't even look up. "Riti. Don't."

"He's crying—" she said, moving a little inside.

"He can cry," Evan replied, strictly. "But he will also learn."

She hesitated. Every part of her wanted to kneel, scoop up her son, and kiss the tears away. But she remembered what Evan had told her weeks ago: "If you always rescue him, he'll acquired the habit of doing it again  and then it will be out of hand."

So she stood at the threshold, arms folded over her chest, tears stinging her own eyes.

It took five more minutes, three deep sighs, and one stubborn wipe of his sleeve—but Anrit finished the homework. He sniffled, pushed the book toward Evan, and whispered, "Done."

Only then did Evan move.

He then moves his arm towards him and gathered his son into his arms and kissed the top of his head. "I'm proud of you, bunny."

Riti exhaled quietly, heart full.

Later that night, when Anrit had dozed off tangled in a blanket and clutching his teddy bear, Evan came to her in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"He's like you, you know," he murmured against her shoulder.

She smiled. "Stubborn?"

"Yes, a little but also soft. Too soft to see the world as it is."

She rested her head against him. "He has you. He'll be okay."

Then slowly his hands went under her clothes, he picks her up and make her sit on shelf, kissing her chest, slowly moving down, giving Riti butterflies, Riti's arms wrap around his neck,he picks her up and moves to the sofa........

Few days later, they went for a little trip, as Anrit has seen snow in his books and persisting to go there, so they decided to go at hilly area.

 The highway stretched ahead like a silver ribbon beneath the soft warmth of a spring sun. A breeze drifted through the rolled-down windows, carrying the scent of roadside blooms and the sound of a playlist playing faintly in the background.

Evan sat behind the wheel, one hand showing 12'o clock at his watch, sunglasses perched on his nose, a rare smile teasing the corner of his lips. 

In the passenger seat, Riti was half-turned sideways, her dupatta fluttering ever so slightly, while six-year-old Anrit sat snuggled in her lap—legs crossed, head bouncing with excitement.

"Look, look! That truck has a tiger on it!" Anrit shouted, pointing so wildly Riti had to laugh and steady his arm.

"That's not a tiger, silly. That's just stripes on the back of a lorry," she teased.

"It looked like a tiger," he huffed

Evan chuckled from the driver's seat. "At this rate, he's going to start diagnosing people with animal symptoms."

"Doctor Anrit will tell you that you have giraffe fever," Riti added dramatically, nudging her son playfully.

Anrit giggled, then tried to whisper something in Riti's ear, but he was too loud to be secretive: "Mama, Papa also smiled."

"I heard that," Evan said, smirking.

And Anrit gets shy, that his father has heard and Riti laugh loudly saying, "Oh god! his cheeks are looking like red tomato." and Evan also laugh.

Then next they reached their destination and move to their room that they had booked, and put their luggage down, Anrit was fallen asleep in Riti's lap, so Evan pick him up and gently put him on bed.

Riti was seeing the view from the window, it was really a calm and nice view, she remembers all of things from where she started and were reached but she was happy that she married Evan.

And when Anrit woke up they went outside for scout, click pictures and night fall asleep together on bed with Anrit between them.

For past days, Anrit was Woking up between the moment of Evan and Riti, so they don't get time for showing their affection towards each other, so next in early morning when Anrit was sleeping, Evan went to bath and then calls Riti for towel but when she came, he pulls her inside, removing her clothes one by one, bathing together.

Next, they did so much fun, and do all of the activities, playing with snow, Both Riti and Anrit was packed with warm clothes, in morning, Riti make Anrit warm clothes and after when she gets ready wearing her clothes, Evan gave her more to wear after seeing the temperature. And did everything a sweet family do.

Their journey was peaceful and after coming home they were back on their track.

It is the end of my story but a new beginning of them.....

THE END