Chapter 22

Finally it was holidays. I was an undergraduate now. Sam had holidays. Mr.Oberoi was talking about Sam going to his grandma's. I was worried for no reason. The house would be empty and only us too.

On the first week of holidays we just slept, ate and went to the park in the evenings.

Mr.Oberoi would come late at night. We'd be asleep by then.

The second week, I started studying for my entrance exam. I had totally lost interest in law by now.

I wondered how my friends were doing right now. Was it hard for them too? Or did they know it was right to study now. Maybe I was the only one lazing around.

I started studying one topic then gave up. Then again took another topic, skipped it and jumped back to the first.

Because it was sunday, Mr.Oberoi was resting. He must be pretty tired the whole week to be snoring.

I laid beside him and snuggled closer. His hand instinctively goes to my waist and pulls me closer. This felt like comfort. But was it love?

When I open my eyes back, it's already evening. And Mr.Oberoi or Vihaan is up but he hasn't moved from my side.

"Shit." I mumble. "I had to take Sam to park." I look at the window again. It was dark already.

"We can skip park one day." He says.

"Yeah." I agree. "But we can't skip taking bath. You're smelling bad." I push him away playfully. He falls on the floor laughing.

"Please go and take a bath, Vihaan." I say. After a bit of persuading he agrees.

Now it was time for Sam.

I go into his room. He was coloring in his book. He must love that book.

"Sammy." I call, closing the door behind him.

His face lit up when I enter. He giggles. "This is you." He shows me well done picture of a woman who could be anyone.

"You did this?" I ask suprised.

He grins. "With a little help."

"Who helped?"

"Sara."

For a seven year old it was really well done. Afterall everyone has something they're good at. Well maybe everyone except me.

"Thank you." I say.

"Mommy." He calls me.

"What?"

"I love you."

The second I love you of my life. I am stunned.

"Thank you." I say instead of saying it back. Still there's no disappointment I see in his eyes. All I see is happiness that shows on his face. He is no longer what Sam would be. He's happier now. He's more expressive. Vihaan too. Only I was holding myself back.

I wanted to try for them. I was going to love them back. I was going to overcome the fear of being loved. Afterall not everyone leaves, right? Somebody had to stay with me afterall. If god had made someone for me then it had to be these people.

"Sammy." I say walking to his bathroom. I turn the tap on and wait for him. He walks in with a pout on his face.

"Good boy." I praise him as he reluctantly takes a bath.

I walk out and let him take a bath himself. I take out his night suit from the cupboard.

I sit on his bed and wait for him to finish. Exactly fifteen minutes pass and he's still not out. I was about to call him when he comes waddling with a towel around him and falls into my lap, laughing loudly.

I laugh with him. Though there was no joke it was funny seeing him waddle like that.

We dress him up and go to the dining room. We afterall had to have dinner. The delivered food sat nicely in plates on the dining table along with a freshly bathed Vihaan.

"Daddy." Sam says as soon as he's sat. "I took a bath too."

"Oh that's nice." He compliments. "You're becoming a good boy day by day."

"I am." He says proudly.

Little kids were so easy to butter up. All you had to do was praise them and call them good boy and they'd melt.

We eat the chinese dishes ordered. The food was good but the atmosphere was even better.

"Vihaan." I say with mouthful. I wait and swallow. I had a child here who set me as an example.

"Don't talk with mouthfull." Sam says. Cancel what I said. He didn't take me as an example. He straightened me instead.

"What?" Vihaan asks. He seemed satisfied with me calling him Vihaan.

"How about we divide duties? I feel bad about making you cook everyday." I say. "I'll make dinner. You make breakfast."

"Are you sure? Do you know how to cook?" He asks doubtfully.

I scoff. "I don't. But I'm willing to learn."

"If you want to then." He shrugs.

"Good luck, mommy." Sam says.

Yeah good luck to me.