Connected: A YHM Story ✔️

Chapter 56 - The One With The Anniversary

Bhalla House – 10 pm

"Adi yeh lo, thoda doodh pee lo." Ishita handed Adi a tall glass of warm chocolate milk, which he readily accepted and gulped down. [Adi here, have some milk.]

"How are you feeling now beta?" Raman asked.

"I'm okay dad," Adi replied between sips of chocolate milk.

He was seated comfortably on his parents' bed, his father beside him with an arm protectively draped across his shoulders while his stepmother came to sit on the other side. After the ordeal they had had today, this moment of respite was more than welcome.

When they had reached home from the clinic, Adi had immediately been taken into his grandmother's arms, as the rest of his family scrambled to hug him, caress him, and pretty much do anything to convince themselves he was back. After a long reunion session, Raman had gently urged his frantic family members to back away and give his son a moment to breathe.

The rest of the evening had been spent fussing over Adi. Toshi and Omprakash made sure he ate, Romi and Rinki distracted him with video games and puzzles, while Ishita and Raman dealt with Shagun and the accompanying legal mess.

Flashback to three hours ago

Toshi and Ishita fed Adi, coaxing him to eat despite his diminshed appetite, while Raman silenced his phone, fed up of Shagun's constant calls. He had sent her a curt message telling her Adi was found and would be staying at his house from then on. Naturally, a barrage of angry messages and missed calls had come his way, which he promptly ignored. His phone vibrated again and he muttered under her breath, deciding to switch it off instead.

But when he looked at the screen of his phone, he realized it was a call he had to attend. He quietly stepped away from his family and answered Pathak's call.

"What is it Pathak?" he whispered.

"Raman Bhai, can you and bhabhi come to the child welfare office right now?"

"Right now? What's so urgent?"

"Shagun is here. And she's complaining her son is being held illegally by you guys."

"What?! What nonsense is this?" he spoke up, utterly shocked.

"I know Bhai. But at the end of the day, even she has legal rights. Thankfully, I was here to get this legal motion filed for Adi and I saw her. I've handled the situation as best as I could and convinced the officials not to call the police but you guys need to come here and tell your side of the story."

Raman groaned aloud. This woman was not going to let them leave peacefully. "Fine. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Thanks bhai."

Immediately, Raman pulled his wife aside, informing her of the situation, and they decided to leave for the child welfare office. They quickly bid their goodbyes to their family, paying extra attention to their son, explaining that they had to tie a couple loose ends. Adi suspected they were going to deal with Shagun, and he had many questions. Whether she was okay, whether she was mad at him, what she would do next in retaliation, and much more. But he was simply too exhausted to entertain those thoughts. Instead, he waved his parents goodbye, assuring them that he would be fine with his grandparents and aunt and uncle until they came back.

After a final goodbye to their son, they had stopped next door to check on Ruhi, who was engrossed in a Lego building competition with Shravu, unaware of the happenings outside of the confines of their room. She chose to stay back and have dinner with her Periamma and Paati who in turn assured Ishita and Raman that Ruhi would be well cared for while they dealt with the legal mess.