She slowly opened the door to find, her inlaws, her husband and her daughter in the dining room.

Aadhira was on  Ram's back sitting on his shoulders while Krishnam Raju held her by her hands supporting her and making her dance while she was giggling and Shyamala was cheering for them.

Sri just smiled from the corner and Ram was the first one to notice her presence.

"Hey Sri, look what we are playing?",he said.

(They were doing this by the time, Sri Devi came home)

Meanwhile the four of them played in the same way.

"Athayagaru, mavayyagaru, did you both have something after coming home? I'll prepare tea and snacks first or else-",as she was about to continue.

"All that things later, first tell me how was today? Are you tired? Are you fine? Was it too overwhelming?",Ram made her sit on the couch holding her hand as he carried his precious daughter in another.

Aadhira's m. v : Ammaa isss heleee.. Amma.. Amma.. Ammaa

Aadhira was throwing her arms towards Sri and Sri gladly took her in her arms and nuzzled her nose with Aadhira's tiny nose to which Aadhira giggled.

"Sri, you don't worry about household things for a few days kanna. Focus on work and Aadhu for now. Once you get accustomed you can do everything, okay?",Shyamala said as the couple sat in the opposite couch.

"Ayyo, no no athayagaru! I can manage. It's not a big deal",Sri Devi tried to argue.

"I know my kodalu pilla(daughter in law) is very hardworking and she can manage everything single-handedly. Let me also do some work, small help here and there. Office also you'll keep working, home also you'll keep working. When will you give time to yourself? We'll share our duties and happily spend the time somewhere else.

We'll go out or maybe you can design something or anything you can do. If anyone says you are making your mother in law work at this age also, tell them I am keeping my mother in law healthy",Shyamala said to which both the father son duo broke into laughter while Sri Devi just smiled at her trying not to cry over the fact that she is blessed with such good in laws, such great husband and not to forget such a fantastic daughter as well.

"Athayagaru, what happened at Ishu's place? Is everything alright?",Sri Devi asked as Aadhira slowly fell asleep.

It was indeed a long day for her indeed, first her amma wasn't there with her all the day like always. The fact that her father spent her whole day with her, still Aadhu was habitual to her mother and they shared a different kind of attachment. She held Sri Devi's hand tightly and slept peacefully.

"Oh that, she made a big issue there but thankfully her father knew what she was looking for and he put sense in her head. When she said she wanted Ram in her life, no matter what. You should have seen the scene Sri. Such a slap she got, she would never forget it her whole life",Shyamala said as she shook her head.

"Oh my god! What did they decide to do though?",Sri asked while slowly patting Aadhira.

"They are looking for prospective grooms for her now. No more studies and job, she'll get married soon",Shyamala said to which Sri nodded.

As the ladies immersed in their talking session. Ram excused himself and made his way to the kitchen. He made evening tea and some pakoras to munch on.

"Tea and snacks are ready!",he said as he placed four cups of tea and the plate full of crispy, pakoras on the table.

"Oh, I would-",Sri was about to speak but he silenced her putting his index finger on her lips eyeing towards Aadhira who moved a bit as Sri tried to get up from her place.

"Oh she fell asleep? I didn't notice this",she said in a mere whisper.

Slowly Ram took Aadhu in his arms and made sure she was asleep completely and then put on her on the bed trying not to disturb his little beauty's beauty sleep.

"She looks tired",Ram heard Sri saying as he adored his sleeping beauty.

"She was tired, she missed you",saying he side hugged her as she layed her head on his chest slowly.

"I missed her more than anything, I don't know how am I going to manage and how is she going to manage? Do you think I am taking away her childhood from her? Do you think she'll hate me for making such a decision?",Sri Devi's heart was full of questions and Ram listened to all of them patiently.

He knew she had to let them out and it wouldn't hurt to listen to his Ammadi for sometime before he goes all reassuring her that it would be fine and they will do this and get over this stage as well.

"I don't want to leave her yet, Ram garu. She is literally my heart beat. I won't be able to forgive myself if something happens to her in my absence. How will she adjust out of nowhere? She is so small, it will be so difficult to her doing this",she took a break and lifted up her head to look at him patiently listening to her while rubbing her shoulder slowly trying to make her feel better.

"Do you want to talk more?",he asked and she nodded as no and hugged him.

"I can tell this to you a million times and never get tired about it, Ammadi. I know how difficult it is for you to leave this little one at home and go to work after being with her for almost every second of her life for all these months. Don't worry, she'll be fine. You'll be fine and we will be fine.

We'll face whatever comes by, I talked to amma and nanna, they don't have any problem to stay back till Aadhu's birthday and once she turns a year old, you can her take her to office along with you and put her in the day care where you can visit her during your breaks. She'll still be with you and if you don't want that, we can talk to both our parents and do what works. We have friends, we have parents to rely on and it's nothing wrong to take help. We got this, love! Don't be scared, just go and show them who Sri Devi Uppalapati is, yeah?",he asked and she smiled amidst her tears.

"Hey, hey hey, no crying. Seems like you got your husband something?",he said peeking at her bag which was kept on the chair.

"Oh, I completely forgot! I got some flowers for you and gulab jamun for my baby",she said moved towards her bag.

"Oh my god, Roses! Lovely",he said as she handed him over his bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you, Ammadi! Breaking the stereotypes, are we? Bringing flowers for your husband! Impressive",he said to which she chuckled.

"You have a looonggg night ahead, keep these as your company",she said and he understood what his wife meant after looking at his sleeping beauty.

"Oh, that I do!",he said and put those roses in the flower vase and sat on the table to get some work done in the meanwhile.

Sri freshened up and changed into her comfy clothes, she came out of the washroom after freshening and tied her hair into a bun. She saw that Ram was working and she went to the kitchen not disturbing him and Aadhu.

"Sri, what do you want to eat?",Syamala asked.

"Athaya garu, anything works for me! Do you need any help here?",she asked.

"No, Sri! Have you guys started planning for Aadhu's first birthday yet? There is only one month left almost",Syamala asked as she continued to cook dinner.

"We have to plan, athaya garu! Just during this time only I have to go to office full time. Sigh",Sri sighed.

"It's okay, kanna! We are there, right? All day every day we are here at home. How do you want it to happen?",Syamala asked.

"I have something in mind, athaya garu. I don't know if it would be a good idea to take this little bunny there. I'll talk to Ram garu once and then we can discuss. Did Nisha, Prasanna and Anvi call again?",she asked.

"Oh, I have to call them all the time. They would never find time to call me at all",Syamala said to which Sri side hugged her.

"So what if your three daughters are not here, you have me here a combo pack",Sri said to which both of them laughed.

The two of them continued to talk while making dinner and as soon as they were done, the family had a happy dinner together, only our Aadhu was missing on the table, she was busy in her dreamland busy running around in the forest along with Masha her favorite.

"Athaya garu, I am not listening to anything. I am doing the dishes and oh, I got gulab jamun while coming home. Let me get it",she said.

"Oh, I'll do the dishes! You serve the gulab jamun till then, yeah?",Ram said and she agreed.

As if on the cue, Aadhu woke up and started to cry.

Aadhu's pov: Is it morning? Is it night? What is it? Where is mamma? Where is dadda?

"Oh you are awake my baby",Sri scooped her from the bed into her arms as she wiped her tears and kissed on her forehead.

Aadhu's pov: Mammaaa kisssiiess, me love you mammaa

The duo went to the dining table and sat on the chair.

"Guess what we have for you, Adhu baby?",Sri asked while Aadhu baby was still trying to figure out if it was morning or evening.

Aadhu's pov: Mamma me hunglyyyy, whatever it is breakfast or dinner gimme fooodd.

She mashed the gulab jamun into smooth paste and fed Aadhira.

Aadhu's pov: Wow, yummy! More mamma more more, Aadhu likey, Aadhu's favorite! Wait, where is dadda? Dadda where are you? Did that red dress aunty kidnap you?

She started looking around for her father and squealed loudly when she saw her father in the kitchen.

"Coming bangaram, two minutes",he said loudly from the kitchen and as though she understood what her father said she squealed more loudly earning laughter from everyone.

Aadhu's pov: Why is everyone laughing? Dadda isn't listening to me, he isn't coming to baby Aadhu, I am just calling him. Don't laugh at me!!!

Ram completed doing the dishes and settled down on the dining table. Aadhira quickly jumped into his lap and settled down like a good girl speaking gibberish language with her father as if she had a million stories to tell her dadda and if she wouldn't say them, they would just vanish into thin air from her brain.

Aadhu's pov: Dadda you know? Just now Masha and me went to get a biggg plushie and we fell from a bigg mountain and then there was a river we swimmed there, we took a bath and then Bear bro also came and danced along with us. We danced and danced and danced and then we made moree cake that pink colour then we ate and gave it to that squirrel also.

"Oh my baby, how much do you have to say me?",he said and kissed her cheek to which she just giggled.

"We'll go to sleep, good night ra, good night Sri",both Krishnam Raju and Syamala went to their room.

"Evandi, athaya garu was asking if we started arrangements for Aadhu's birthday. We need to start doing it soon. Do you have any ideas?",she asked as Aadhu got busy with a water bottle which she found on the dining table.

"I am sure you have something in your mind, what is it, ammadi?",he asked and she had a big smile on her face.

"Cruise trip",she said.

Hello lovelies,

No slippers please 🥺🥺

I know I am way too late and no amount of sorry can make up for this much late but can we get to the good part? I made a longgg update for all of you!

I hope you enjoy reading it. Don't forget to vote and comment your views! I'll be more than happy to hear your feedback, it's been a while I wrote something so some motivation can act like a boost up to me!

Pretty please🥺

Aadhu is going to have her first birthday on the cruise? Like wow 🤩

Who all missed Aadhu anddd mee? 😁😁 well I missed all of you ngl!

I'll go back to studying now, I have my exams with very very long gaps going on making it very difficult for me to concentrate on same subject for long time!

Do you want me to end the story with Aadhira's birthday or do you want to see after that also?

Maybe I'll try to update soon! 🤫👀

Anyways, thank you so much for reading! Love you all so much❤

See you in next update, take care of yourself and love yourself a bit more from my side.

Your Author
Sakshi Devi