It was a regular weekday, but finally Friday. I woke up similarly like I do every morning, a little cranky and cussing my job. Getting off the bed, that looks more tempting in morning, I wore the fluffy slippers Reyansh had chosen for us, he likes it soft. I paddled inside bathroom a little clumsily, my eyes were still half closed so my eyesight wasn't that great. I tamed my wild locks pressing my hands flatly against them to straighten before grabbing my toothbrush and applying toothpaste on it.

I slowly brushed my teeth, then rinsed my mouth, completed other stuff that needn't need any mention and got ready for the day.

I walked downstairs through the closed hallway and entered my small kitchen. It was a little stuffy and sometimes suffocating but it works for me so no complaints. It's not that I can't afford a good to go two BHK apartment but Reyansh has grown a liking for this house. He straight up denies to talk whenever I bring up the topic of moving out. I tried to allure him about having more luxury, like big space, his own bedroom, a home theater and probably more friends.

But he was like, "I don't want big space. Because then how will I find Murphy when we play hide and seek? And I don't need room. I like sleeping with Mommy. And Murphy is my only friend. I don't need more friends!"

He's a high spirited kid. He just tames himself to lay low and becomes calm around me. But his nursery teacher regularly informs me how he steals all the attention amongst all other kids. He's creative, enthusiastic, and too mature for his age. Also, handsome. I may be a little biased, but I think he'll be the most good looking man ladies will ever see when he grows up. I mean, have you seen him? My son is a charmer!

"Alexa play Count On Me!", And he was awake. I swear he's getting obsessed with this song. All he hears after waking up, throughout the day and before sleeping is this song. I had once accidentally played it on my phone and he was like, "Mommy, what is this song? Play it again! Repeat it!", And he slept while listening to it on repeat.

"You can count on me-- one two three

I'll be thereeeee

And I know when I-- it I can count on you like four three two

You'll be thereee

Cause that's what friends are supposed to do oh yeahhhhh"

He has memorized the hook line of the song and never misses to sing them along. Sure he sings with broken and sometimes mispronounced words, but it ain't my kid if it doesn't sing wrong lyrics confidently.

"Reyansh, I want you down in fifteen!", I yelled before grabbing the toast that popped up.

"Yes, Mommy!", He yelled back over the music. "Murphy stop following me. I want to pee!", I heard him scream before the slamming sound of door was heard.

He doesn't need assistance in any of his work that he thinks he can do alone. He wants to do everything on his own. Right now he must be up on the closed toilet seat, struggling to frame his whole face in mirror. When he wants to spit out the foam, he would get down, paddle on his small feet toward basin, spit it out and then rush back on the toilet seat. This process will repeat until he's sure that his teeth are completely white and clean. Then he will wash his face, with the water that I had stored in a bucket and come out. After wiping his face with a towel, he would grab the leash of Murphy and come out of bedroom. He never tries to hurry down the staircase since the day he had missed one and fell down, fortunately only bruising his elbow and none cracks. I might have died a little that day.

"Mommy, I'm done!", He said and I smiled before pulling the pancake on plate from the pan. After switching the electric gas off, I took the glass of chocolate milk along with the plate of pancakes and walk out. Placing the plates on dining table, I looked down at him who already has his arms raised for me to pick him.

"It was cereal day today.", He commented once I had him seated on the chair.

"Yup, but we're low on cereal. It'll hardly fill your huge tummy!", I said before walking back into the kitchen and grabbing my plate of breakfast.

"I don't have huge tummy. I just eat a lot!", He grunted adorably and stuffed a piece of pancake in his mouth after dipping it in a Hershey's chocolate syrup.

"Why don't I get a omelette?", He asked as he stared at me taking a bite of omlette and toast.

"Because there was only one egg available in fridge.", I said with a shrug.

"Refrigerator, Mommy. Refrigerator.", He corrected me with a tired sigh. As if, he's done teaching an illiterate that makes no attempt to try and learn.

"No difference.", I retorted back rolling my eyes.

"You told me rolling your eyes is bad manners. And yes, there's a difference.", His British accent always intimidates me. Can you believe it? My son has British accent while I'm stuck with my boring Indian one!

"And how do you know that?", I asked narrowing my eyes as he tore another piece of pancake with his fork and knife before dipping it in his favorite syrup and putting it in his mouth. In our childhood we used to eat by our hands and look at this definition of sophistication.

"Alexa told me.", He answered.

"Alexa is ruining you. I'm throwing her out of my house one day.", I said with a huff.

"You won't. I saw you irritatedly crushing the bill when you bought her home. She's costly."

"That is true. Instead of buying something memorable with my first ever salary, I was told to buy a talking chipmunk that talks when asked.", I snorted as I abandoned my fork and ate my breakfast with my hands. I grew tired of it so spare me.

"She's not a chipmunk.", He said calmly before sighing out loudly when he spotted me gobbling my breakfast with my hands.

"Stop acting like my mom who is always disappointed!", I snapped faking a tone of anger.

"You taught me to eat with fork and knife. But look at you.", He said simply with a shrug.

"That's how mothers are.", I grinned and he chuckled when I made smooching sounds while leaning against the dining table, as if I want to kiss him. Which I definitely want to.

"I'll wait for you in bathroom.", He said before hopping out of his chair and making his way upstairs. Sometimes I forget that he's not a teenager but still a four year kid who needs someone beside while bathing. He talks fluently. Never stutters. It is probably because of the story books he reads at night. He doesn't approve if I read the story book for him, on the contrary, he asks me to lie down and reads the book out aloud. If he gets stuck on any word, then he stops, asks me to pronounce it along with it's meaning.

I've got the best son in world!

"Woooo...", I heard a slight moan and turned my head. Murphy sat beside me, looking up at me with those adorable doe eyes.

"And the best dog in world!", I added with a huge grin but he nodded his head to my plate, I almost face-palmed myself.

He needs food and not compliment, Rivaah!

I immediately gobbled down my rest of the breakfast and got up to get his food. Once I slid it before him, I caressed his ears before heading upstairs.

When I entered bathroom, I saw him fumbling with the taps. Hearing my footsteps, he turned and sheepishly smiled. "I tried to fill the tub, Mommy. But everytime water came out cold.", He said scratching his nape.

"It's okay, son. Not everytime you succeed. You just need to keep trying.", I smiled and instructed him how to do it. He smiled but I know he'll forget soon. I like to bath in cold water sometimes so I often change the settings and it is difficult for him to memorize all the instructions at once.

After the tub was filled with warm water, I asked him to remove his clothes. "Close your eyes, Mommy.", He said shyly.

"But baby I've seen all!", I whined and pouted to look convincing. But he laughed and shook his head.

"Mommy, do it!", He said jumping up and down for me to be quick.

"Okay okay, fine!", I said and closed my eyes.

"Cover them with your hands.", He said and I groaned.

"Happy!?", I said and he hummed in satisfaction.

Once we were done, I took him out, patted him dry with towel and made him wear the clothes. I stood in front of mirror, and he stood before me on the stool as we nodded at our reflections.

"Ready?"

"Eveready!", He said enthusiastically.

"Let's take off!", I grinned hoisting him in air by his armpits and rushing out. He giggled all the way to living room. I made him sit on the couch and turned on TV. "I'll clean the kitchen and we'll leave, okay?", I asked and he nodded, already busy surfing through the channels.

"Good boy!", I patted Murphy's head after taking his cleaned bowl.

It took me hardly fifteen minutes to clean the dishes. We're just two and a dog living here. So the household work is not too much.

"Mommy, Daddy is on TV!", I froze for a second before continuing my task of cleaning the kitchen counter.

"Mommy, Daddy is looking so handsome!", He continued to gush over his dad while I pretended to not hear and continue my work.

I didn't kept his Dad's identity hidden from him. It was the start of his preschool nursery when one day he asked me about his father. His father's picture wasn't that difficult to find so I showed him. He was stubborn for few days, constantly demanding for his daddy. I continued telling him that we can't be together and he has forgotten us, but he began throwing fit and screaming at me.

When one day he saw me crying in some corner, he came to me.

"Why can't I meet him?"

"Because he doesn't remember us."

"Why? He doesn't love, Reyansh?"

"No. Because he was in accident and he forgot everything. Doctor said if we tried to remind him then he might die.", I choked out everything like a parrot that Aarav had told me.

"So I'll never meet him?", He asked and I saw a flame of hope dying in his onyx eyes. Eyes that are so similar to him.

"May be.", I smiled through my tears.

"Okay.", He said and crawled up on my lap, curling his small body against my stomach. I held him tightly and we sat there for an hour until Murphy had enough of the depressed surrounding and tried to drag us out of the bedroom that was enveloped in darkness.

"Mommy, are you done? Come out and see! Mommy please!", He continued yelling and I sighed before dropping the kitchen cloth and manoeuvring out.

His father's picture was plastered on TV while the journalist kept talking about how he's finally entering the business world. "The billionaire Kabir Raichand, is finally entering back into business world and is ready to take over the chains of Raichand Industries. A lavish cruise party is being held in account of it. He-", I ended her appreciation song for him with a click of my remote control.

"Mommy! I was watching it!", Reyansh whined.

"You should watch cartoons. Not news.", I chastised him while slinging my handbag over my shoulder.

"But daddy is not in cartoons. He comes on news channels!", He said angrily while getting off the couch.

"Do you want a chocolate on our way back home?", I asked as I petted Murphy one last time before grabbing car keys.

"I want a magazine that has daddy in it! Will you get me!?", He grumbled as he put his shoes on and messily tied his shoelaces.

"I'll try to look for one.", I lied to not dampen his mood more than it already has.

"Really!?", He beamed and I nodded with a smile.

The moment I opened door for us to leave, doorbell rang.

"Oops!", Aarav grinned seeing as I had already opened the door.

"What are you doing here!?", I asked shocked. But before he could answer me, his attention was diverted by the koala hanging on his leg.

"Chachu, you're back! I missed you!"

"I missed you too, my favorite nephew!", Aarav chuckled as he hoisted Reyansh up in his arms.

"I'm your only nephew!", Reyansh mumbled as he grumpily folded his hands across his chest.

"You caught me there!", Aarav laughed before nudging his nose against Reyansh's neck and drawing adorable fits of giggles.

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