"Oh no… where did he go?" she exclaimed and frantically searched for him.
Not too far away, she spotted him sitting comfortably on a bench, legs crossed, happily eating from a lace packet he had opened.
She sighed in relief. Phew… in just a few seconds, he gave me such a scare. Can't sit still for even a moment, she thought fondly and walked toward him.
Even as she came near, he didn't look up, focused entirely on his snack. "Hey… Athu… come on, let's go," she called.
Looking up at her, Athvaith said, "Just a little more… wait a minute… let me finish this."
She couldn't help but smile at his innocent reply. Suppressing her laughter, she said, "Look over there... the porter is carrying our luggage away. If you sit here and keep eating, the toy bike and car you begged for — they're all packed in that luggage. What if he takes them with him?"
Oh no… my toys!" he gasped and stood up quickly. "Mom, grab him! What are you doing? He's taking our stuff! Come, come, let's go!" he shouted and tugged her hand as he ran off.
Still smiling at his actions, Anvitha followed Athvaith, holding an umbrella just over him, matching her steps to his quick pace.
The porter walking ahead looked back at them and chuckled. The sight reminded him of his own grandchildren back home. With a smile, he quickened his pace, placed Anvitha's luggage in a call taxi, opened the car door, and said, "Quick, ma'am, get in. Looks like the rain is only going to get heavier."
After settling Athvaith inside, Anvitha got into the car. Her clothes were soaked. Noticing this, the driver said courteously, "Please take a moment to dry yourself, ma'am. I'll wait here for five minutes."
That assurance brought Anvitha a sigh of relief. She wiped herself thoroughly with the towel she had. Then she signaled the driver to start the car.
After a short while, she gave him the address. The driver said, "That's almost an hour's drive from here, ma'am. With this rain, it might take even longer. Is that okay?"
"That's fine. Just drive carefully," she replied.
Looking at her, Athvaith said, "Mom, I want the toy car. Give it to me now."
"Hey, that's packed in the luggage. If you want it now, we'll have to stop the car, get drenched, and dig through the bags. Just wait a little. I'll give it to you once we reach home," said Anvitha.
But Athvaith was known for being stubborn. If he wanted something, he had to have it. Anvitha had experienced this many times before. She feared this moment, knowing full well he wouldn't back down. She looked at him nervously.
As she expected, he stood on the seat, raised his tiny finger, and demanded, "I want the car toy! Are you going to give it or not?"
Amused yet exasperated, Anvitha tried again: "Listen, I can't stop the car again in this rain just to get a toy. We might get drenched, and you'll fall sick."
Without missing a beat, Athvaith replied, "You don't need to stop the car. I'll just climb over the seat and jump into the trunk, get the toy myself." Saying so, he stood on the seat and lifted one leg.
Panicking, Anvitha caught him and pulled him back.
"Hey! I said sit down and stop this nonsense!" she scolded.
But Athvaith wasn't scared in the least. "Then you go get it! If not, I'll jump!" he threatened and pretended to leap.
Anvitha was torn. "Athuu… this isn't our car, baby. Please, just sit quietly," she pleaded, almost in tears. The driver watched the scene with a smile. He had kids at home too. They behaved the same — stubborn over little things. Smiling, he gently pulled over.
"It's okay, ma'am. I'll get it. Just tell me which bag it's in, and I'll hand it to you," he said kindly.
He stepped out with an umbrella, fetched the specific bag as Anvitha described, and gave it to her. "Thank you," she said with gratitude and took out the toy, handing it to Athvaith.
The driver resumed the journey.
Holding the toy car in his tiny hands, Athvaith beamed with joy. Then he walked over to Anvitha, hugged her tightly, and planted a wet kiss on her cheek.
Anvitha melted. She hugged him back tightly. This boy… he's always like this — full of mischief, drama, and stubbornness… but his love is unmatched. She knew where he got it from — not from her family, where everyone was loving but gentle, calm, and composed. No, this little one clearly took after his father.
And so, she began to observe Athvaith more closely.