Anvitha first bathed the child and changed him into clean clothes. Then she took a bath herself and changed into another salwar suit. Thinking about what to do next, she began unpacking her luggage and started arranging things around the house.
There weren't too many things in the luggage. She had only brought the necessary items in two large suitcases. Most of it was filled with Advaith's toys. Apart from that, there were a few clothes and some important certificates.
As she took out each of Advaith's toys and placed them neatly, a smile bloomed on her face.
"This little mischief-maker… he has so many toys!" she thought.
"Half my salary must have gone into buying all these!"
She turned to look at Advaith.
He was fast asleep from the exhaustion of the train journey.
Even in his tight sleep, the way his lips were firmly sealed showed a kind of stubbornness that startled her.
"If he's like this… then how would his father be?" she wondered, her eyes fixed on him.
His closed eyelids had long lashes that fanned out gracefully. Even in sleep, he had one leg crossed over the other.
Seeing that, she lovingly scolded him in her mind,
"What a little rogue!"
Suddenly, her mobile rang, and the sound made Advaith whimper slightly in his sleep.
She rushed to silence the phone and then sat beside him, gently patting him back to sleep.
Once he was calm, she checked the phone. The caller ID showed "Vijayan."
Confusion returned to her mind upon seeing the name.
Still, she dialed the number back.
Vijayan picked up on the first ring.
"Hey! Anvitha! You went to Chennai and didn't even make a single call? I've been waiting so long to hear from you!" he asked, with a sense of entitlement.
"Oh no, sorry Vijayan! I completely forgot. It's a new place, new surroundings… a little tension, stress… that's all," she tried to explain.
But even she didn't know how she managed to forget him so easily.
"You always do what you want. Even after I told you not to go, you insisted on working at the same hospital. I even said we should get married soon—but you never listen. My parents are eager to have you as their daughter-in-law. You have no one in this world but me, Anvitha… that's why I said we should get married soon. And here you are, taking the child and sitting in Chennai."
"You're dealing with someone powerful… no matter how many times I warn you, you don't seem to get it. Is Advaith your only problem? I told you, I'll raise him like my own. We can be good parents to him together. Even my parents never objected to accepting him. So why are you being so stubborn, Anvitha? You've packed up and gone to Chennai like a drama queen. Now what are you planning to do with him there?"
"Listen to me, Anvitha. Nothing is lost yet. Come back to Kumbakonam. There are good hospitals here too. You can work, and with my income, we can lead a decent life. We'll make sure Advaith gets a good education."
Vijayan kept repeating the same old tune.
Even though his words made Anvitha angry and irritated, she remained calm and composed.
Since Vijayan was the groom chosen by her father, she tolerated his speech, even when she didn't like some of the things he said.
Then she said, "Look, Vijayan. I don't love you. You are someone my father chose for me. But just because of that, I won't let Advaith be treated unfairly. He deserves justice. I won't let the man who loved a girl, made promises of marriage, lived with her, and then abandoned her once she got pregnant, get away easily. I will go to any extent to make him pay."
"How can I let him live happily after cheating my sister?"
"How many times do I have to tell you this?" Anvitha gritted her teeth as she said this firmly to Vijayan.
"Just let me go my own way, Vijayan. If you're so determined to get married, find another girl and marry her. Live your life happily. Don't wait for me," she said, clenching her jaw.
On the other end, Vijayan was taken aback.
"Oh no... what did I say to make you so angry, Anvitha?" he asked, confused.
"Isn't your only wish that Advaith gets to be with his father? That's all, right? Then why are you talking like you're calling off our marriage?"
"I've waited for you for so many years… is it fair for you to talk like this without understanding that?"
His voice now softer, he said, "This much anger isn't good for your health, dear. If I were there now, I'd just hug you and give you a kiss—"
Hearing this tone from him irritated Anvitha.
"Okay, okay… looks like Advaith is awake. I'm hanging up now," she said abruptly.
Vijayan truly liked Anvitha.
Not just for her stunning beauty, but also for her respectable profession as a doctor and her good salary.
He had decided that he shouldn't lose her no matter what.
That's why he kept pursuing her and even got his family to pressure her into marriage.
Since Vijayan didn't have any bad habits, and there was no major reason to reject him, Anvitha had agreed to the proposal.
But somewhere in the corner of her mind, a certain figure she liked continued to linger.
She had once fallen in love with a man named Aadhira and been betrayed.
Her father had asked her, "Are you going to fall for some guy again, ignoring my advice?"
The very next moment, Anvitha had agreed to marry Vijayan.
This marriage talk had been going on for nearly four years.
Despite many obstacles in between, Vijayan never left her side.
That persistence earned her respect and regard for him.
Because of that, Anvitha hadn't tried to suppress or reject his love.
Vijayan would never oppose anything Anvitha did.
Whatever she did, he'd say "okay."
That made things easier for Anvitha.
After talking to him for a little while longer, she turned off the phone.
She then went back to arranging things again.
A little while later, she heard a knock at the door.
She opened it to see who it was.
Standing outside was Parvathi Amma.
She had some utensils in her hands, which made it obvious — she had brought lunch.
She walked straight in and went to the kitchen to arrange the items she brought.
"Look dear, I didn't make a grand feast or anything. Just cooked what I could manage. Today, you both eat from our house. Once you start buying groceries and begin cooking, I'll stop bringing food," the elderly woman said with a kind smile.
Smiling back, Anvitha replied, "Why go to so much trouble for us, ma? We're just eating at hotels."
"What trouble, dear? Cooking for one or two doesn't make much difference for me," she said warmly as she began looking around, perhaps for the child.
Sensing her gaze, Anvitha smiled and said gently, "He's sleeping."
The old woman, who smiled back at her, said "Athvaith… Athvaith…" twice.
She then asked sincerely, "The name sounds very unique, dear… Who chose this name for the child?"
But at that question, Anvitha's eyes welled up a little.
The day that name was given flashed before her eyes.
Without even realizing it, her lips uttered softly, "Aadhira."