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We brought Nirmay home with us, his tiny fingers clutched tightly in mine as we walked through the tall gates of the mansion.
The moment he stepped into the courtyard, he stopped in his tracks and his big eyes widened-because there, lounging in the back near the garden, was our snow leopard, Sharaa.
Before I could say anything, Nirmay pointed, eyes sparkling in wonder.
"CAATTT!!" he shouted with pure excitement.
I burst into laughter and Datta chuckled softly beside me. "Not just a cat, love... that's Sharaa," I said, watching the majestic snow leopard slowly get up and pad toward us.
I was ready to intervene, but to our surprise, Sharaa gently moved closer, sniffed the little boy, and then-licked his cheek.
"EEE!" Nirmay squealed, giggling and holding on to me. "Catt kiss me!"
I looked at Dattatriya, and for the first time in what felt like forever, we both smiled with a softness that reached our souls.
We entered the mansion, and Nirmay stood in the middle of the grand hall, spinning slowly in awe. "Soo... big!" he gasped, blinking at the tall ceilings and sparkling chandeliers. "Me... me play?"
"You'll play all you want, baby," I said, running my hand through his hair, "but first, let's get you a shower, hmm?"
Nirmay paused, sniffed himself dramatically, then nodded with a shy grin. "Me... smelly!"
I laughed and made him sit carefully on the sofa. I sat next to him, and Dattatriya joined us, his arm brushing gently against mine as he watched the boy with soft eyes.
"Baby," I said, turning Nirmay's attention to the man beside me. "This is my husband... his name is Dattatriya. He's going to take care of you too, okay?"
Nirmay looked up at Datta, tilted his head like he was analyzing him seriously, then gave a toothy smile. "Big!"
Datta chuckled. "Yes, I'm big, little one."
There was a pause... then, Nirmay hesitated. He looked between us, then down at his small hands, fiddling with the hem of his torn shirt.
"Umm... can... can me say... mama?" he whispered, eyes flicking to me.
I froze.
My breath hitched.
"And... and dada?" he added softly, turning his gaze to Dattatriya with so much innocent hope it shattered every wall inside us.
For a second, we both said nothing. Then Datta inhaled deeply, blinking quickly, and I felt the sting of tears building in my eyes.
We both leaned in and pulled him into a hug. His tiny arms wrapped around our necks as we held him tightly, a family finally finding its missing piece.
"Yes," I whispered into his hair, voice trembling. "Yes, baby. Mama and Dada love you so much."
From that moment on, our hearts weren't just full-they were whole.
We cleaned up our little munchkin, and I carefully slipped him into a snow-white dungri with a cute teddy bear stitched right at the chest. To top it off, I placed a soft teddy hat over his fluffy black curls-it drooped over his tiny ears, making him look like an angel dropped straight from heaven.
I gasped. "Datta..." I whispered dramatically, turning to my husband, who was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, smirking.
He nodded slowly, eyes locked on Nirmay. "He's dangerously cute," he said with a small smile.
I giggled. "He looks like a baby panda in that outfit! My baby panda."
Nirmay, oblivious to our melting hearts, was already waddling into the garden. As soon as he stepped out, Sharaa leaped forward and began playfully circling him. The little boy squealed in delight and ran after the snow leopard, who slowed his pace just enough for his new little brother to keep up.
"They've already bonded," I said, watching Sharaa nudge Nirmay's back with his head gently.
"He's already protective," Dattatriya added. "Like he knows."
I leaned against his side, smiling dreamily. "It's like... destiny."
Suddenly, my smile vanished as realization hit. "Oh shit!" I gasped.
Datta arched a brow. "What?"
"We didn't tell my family!" I groaned, slapping my forehead. "They'll kill me, Datta! They'll actually beat me with a belan!"
He laughed. "They had to leave early from the temple, remember? We'll take him to Choudhury Mansion. Tell them in person."
I sighed. "They better not faint."
Just then, I called out, "Baby, come here!"
Nirmay stopped mid-chase with Sharaa and turned to me. With his tiny legs wobbling cutely, he ran back, arms flailing a little for balance. Behind him, Sharaa padded closely, keeping an eye out like a silent snowy guardian.
I smiled at the sight. "He's already being a good big brother," I whispered emotionally.
Datta reached out and scooped Nirmay into his arms easily. "Of course. The Choudhury bloodline always protects their own."
Nirmay looked up at me, curious. "We go... where?"
"We're going to my papa's house, baby," I said, booping his nose softly. "You'll meet your dadu, and your mamu and mami... they're all waiting to meet you."
Suddenly, his expression fell. "They... they hate?" he asked hesitantly, voice small and trembling.
My heart broke. I cupped his face. "No, baby. Never. They're going to love you the most."
Datta kissed his temple and said firmly, "You're our son now. And the Choudhury family? They protect what's ours."
That made Nirmay smile wide again, and he nestled happily against Datta's chest.
"I'll go get Sharaa's bag," I said with a soft smile, walking toward the inside of the house.
"Hmm," Datta nodded.
Sharaa looked between me and his baby brother, then with one look, followed me in, his silent paws patting on the marble floor.
We were taking our son home-to the only people who could ever understand how sacred this new beginning was. And something deep inside me knew...
The Choudhurys were about to gain one more lion cub.
We entered the Choudh
We stepped into the Choudhury mansion-my childhood home-hand in hand with our newly adopted little bundle of joy, and Sharaa trailing loyally behind like a snowy shadow.
The scene inside was... pure chaos, in the most Choudhury way.
Papa was sitting peacefully in the hall sipping his tea like he ruled a kingdom (well, he did), completely unfazed by the madness around him.
To our right-
"Hold still, Jayash!" Bhairava Bhaiya muttered, gripping a diaper in one hand and a wet wipe in another, while Arya Bhabhi crouched behind him, struggling to keep their little menace still. Jayash squealed, enjoying the drama.
To the left-
"Why can't I eat paani puri with mirchi, Dyan!" Swarna Bhabhi whined as she dramatically cried into her husband's shoulder.
"I told you! It gives you acidity!" Dyan Bhaiya huffed, clearly on edge but still rubbing her back like a trained husband.
And in the corner-
Gyan Bhaiya was lovingly feeding bites of khichdi to a glowing Adya Bhabhi, whose tiny baby bump peeked under her soft kurti. "You need to eat more," he said with his usual bossy tone.
Utsav was pacing across the room wearing headphones, looking stressed. "You're ALL loud! I'm coding here!!"
I cleared my throat. "Ahem. Hello everyone."
Dead silence.
They all turned toward the entrance at once. Multiple pairs of eyes locked on us-specifically, on the tiny boy held in Dattatriya's arms.
"Uh... hi," I smiled nervously. "This is Nirmay."
Their eyes widened even more.
I stepped forward, placing a soft hand on Nirmay's back. "We met him at the Mahakal Mandir. He... he was abandoned, living in the streets, surviving alone. But..."
Datta added, "We brought him home. He's our son now."
I took a breath. "He's officially Nirmay Dattatriya Katha Agnivanshi. Our baby."
Still, no one spoke.
Nirmay blinked, looking around. His small face fell slowly as he noticed the stunned expressions.
"They... no like... me?" he whispered.
My heart clenched.
Then came the soft, wet sniffle. His big brown eyes welled with tears, and he buried his face into Datta's chest, tiny shoulders shaking.
That snapped everyone out of their trance.
"Oh my God-baby no no!" Arya bhabhi rushed first, leaving Jayash half-diapered as she sprinted across and gently touched his back. "We were just shocked, baby! You're adorable! We love you already!"
"Hey champ," Bhairava Bhaiya came next, towering but gentle, kneeling before Nirmay. "Sorry, buddy. You surprised us! You're the bravest little lion I've seen."
"N-no cry," Swarna Bhabhi sniffled herself, waddling her way over and wiping her own tears. "Aunty loves you already!"
Dyan Bhaiya chuckled. "You've made this house louder. I like it."
Gyan Bhaiya came and ruffled Nirmay's hair. "You're gonna be spoiled. Be ready."
Adya Bhabhi kissed his cheek. "And you're going to get more laddoos than your papa."
Utsav walked over, pulled down his headphones, looked Nirmay dead in the eye and said seriously, "If you ever want to hack someone's game account, I'm your guy."
Nirmay looked up through teary lashes at everyone, stunned by the sudden attention. He blinked.
"You... like?" he asked, voice trembling.
"We love," Papa finally said, stepping down from the couch, arms wide open.
And that was it-Nirmay's tears turned into a shy giggle as everyone started taking turns holding him, tickling him, tossing him in the air gently, making animal sounds, and smothering him with love.
He went from Arya Bhabhi's arms to Dyan Bhaiya's to Gyan Bhaiya's, each making silly faces, kissing his cheeks, and making him laugh.
I stood back, watching my family surround him with warmth and joy. My hand slipped into Dattatriya's as we watched our son's giggles echo through the halls.
"I think he was born for this," I whispered.
Datta kissed the back of my hand. "He was born for us."
The living room of the Choudhury mansion was alive with warmth and laughter.
The once chaotic energy now danced with joy as Nirmay chased after baby Jayash who was crawling on floor, both of them tumbling around on the carpet under the watchful eye of Sharaa, who followed like a silent snowy guardian.
Jayash squealed with laughter, crawling clumsily as Nirmay giggled and tried to "catch" him with his tiny hands.
"Jay-Jay! Run-run!" Nirmay shouted in his broken little voice, and everyone chuckled.
"He's already giving Jayash a run for his money," Gyan Bhaiya grinned, sipping chai.
Arya Bhabhi wiped her hands and joined us on the couch. "I swear I've never seen Jayash this happy around anyone except Bhairava."
"That's 'cause he knows Nirmay's a real partner in crime," Dyan Bhaiya said, resting a hand on Swarna's shoulder as she smiled tearfully watching the boys.
"He fits in like he's always been here," Papa said, voice thoughtful. "As if... Mahakal sent him home."
Adya Bhabhi nodded with emotion. "He did. Maybe not from your womb, Katha, but from your heart."
I felt my eyes sting again as I looked at the little boy. My boy.
Just then, Nirmay let out a victorious, "Me win!!" as he tackled a laughing Jayash, then suddenly turned and ran straight to me, arms up.
"Mamaaa!!"
My breath caught as I immediately bent down and scooped him into my arms. He snuggled into my neck, breathing fast from running, his tiny hands clutching my hair.
I sat down with him in my lap. "What happened, baby?"
"M-me run... me catch Jay-Jay! Me big boy!" he grinned proudly, his soft teddy hat a bit crooked.
I chuckled, brushing it straight. "Yes, you're my strong big boy!"
He cupped my cheeks with his chubby hands. "Mama smile," he whispered.
I smiled, tears escaping as I kissed his nose. "Only for you, my jaan."
Dattatriya came and sat beside us, his arm sliding protectively around me as he looked at Nirmay with a rare softness in his stormy eyes.
"Dada..." Nirmay mumbled, stretching one little hand toward him.
"Yes, baby?" Datta asked, leaning closer.
"Me love mama... me love dada," Nirmay said, voice tiny, eyes shy.
And just like that, I broke again. I pressed him tighter to me.
"We love you more," I whispered.
Nirmay giggled and leaned to Datta, who took him carefully into his arms. "Up! Dada up!"
As Datta lifted him and tossed him gently in the air, Nirmay's laughter filled every corner of the room. The family cheered and clapped, and even Sharaa gave a soft, approving growl.
I leaned against Dattatriya's side, my head on his shoulder, my hand resting over his heart as I watched our son in his arms.
Everything felt... right. Finally, after all the pain, loss, scars, and silence-this moment was peace.
This was home.
This was happiness.
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