Rose frowned ๐คจโ๏ธ, pointing gently.
"Waitโฆ who is Vani?"
Lily leaned closer ๐
"Yes. Who is she?"
Laddu answered simply ๐
"She's my daughter."
๐ฅย SILENCE HIT AGAINย ๐ฅ
Rose blinked ๐ณ
"โฆYour boyfriend has a daughter?"
She turned to Mochi โก
"And you're okay with this?"
Before Mochi could speak,
the family answeredย one by oneย ๐
Father nodded calmly ๐
"No problem."
Mother said softly ๐ค
"She's ours."
Maya shrugged ๐คทโโ๏ธ
"Already accepted."
The cousin added ๐
"Situation resolved."
Candy smiled brightly ๐
"She's cute."
Mochi stepped forward ๐ซ
and hugged both Rose and Lily tightly.
"I have no problem," she said clearly ๐
Rose stiffened ๐ถ
then slowly relaxed ๐ฎโ๐จ
Lily smiled, relieved ๐
The tension dissolved ๐ฌ๏ธ
Vani laughed softly ๐
safe in Mochi's arms.
The family didn't celebrate ๐โ
didn't explain ๐โ
They simply stayed the same,
and that told Rose and Lily
everythingย they needed to know ๐ก
Vani yawned ๐ฎโ๐จ
Long.
Serious.
Final. ๐ด
Laddu noticed instantly ๐๏ธ
"Okay," he said softly ๐ฑ
switching modes ๐
He rocked her once ๐ซณ
slow and sure
then laid her down on the double-side sofa ๐๏ธ
Pillow adjusted ๐๏ธ
Blanket tucked ๐ค
Vani was asleep ๐ด
before anyone could comment.
The family watched ๐
Maya blinked ๐ฎ
"โฆHe did that like a mother."
The cousin nodded โ๏ธ
"Muscle memory."
Father smiled quietly ๐
"Good hands."
Laddu turned back, job done ๐ผ
and without thinking
sat right back on Mochi's lap ๐ซ
Comfort restored โ๏ธ
Rose pointed, confused ๐ต
"Wait. Vani isn't here now.
You can leave her lap."
Laddu tried to move ๐ถโโ๏ธ
Mochi didn't let him โ
She held him lightly and said,
shy but honest ๐
"โฆI like this."
๐ย DEAD SILENCEย ๐
Thenโ
Maya covered her mouth ๐ฅน
"Aww."
Candy grinned ๐
"Permanent seat."
The cousin leaned back ๐
"Decision locked."
Father looked away politely ๐
Mother smiled, victorious ๐
Rose stared, defeated ๐ต
"โฆThis family is impossible."
Laddu gave up ๐ฎโ๐จ
relaxed
and smiled ๐
The house accepted it again โพ๏ธ
Laddu sat on Mochi's lap ๐ป
laptop balanced carefully
fingers moving in steady rhythm โจ๏ธ
Working.
Mochi's hand rested lightly on his wrist โ
absent-minded
protective ๐ค
With her other hand ๐ฑ
she scrolled through clothes.
"Oggy needs warmer ones." ๐งฃ
"Vani needs softer fabric." ๐งธ
Click ๐
Scroll โฌ๏ธ
Pause โธ๏ธ
The house watched
without staring ๐๏ธโ๐จ๏ธ
Rose leaned to Lily and whispered ๐คญ
"โฆThey're so cute."
Lily sighed dreamily ๐ญ
"I wish I had a boyfriend
whose lap I could sit on."
The cousin nodded seriously โ๏ธ
"That's normal."
Maya agreed instantly ๐
"Yes. Very normal."
On the floor ๐ฎ
Candy and Father were deep into a video game.
"NO YOU MISSED." ๐ค
"I DID NOT." ๐ก
Mother moved quietly nearby ๐งน
cleaning Oggy with practiced ease ๐ถ
Laddu didn't look up ๐จโ๐ป
Mochi didn't move her hand ๐ค
No announcements โ
No embarrassment โ
Just a house running at full capacity ๐ก
while two people shared space
like it had always been theirs ๐
Laddu yawned ๐ช
long
unguarded
He closed the laptop ๐ปโ
set it aside carefully
Then turned
wrapped his arms around Mochi ๐ค
no warning
no words
He slept ๐ด
Just like that.
Mochi froze โ๏ธ
for half a second
then relaxed ๐
Mother noticed instantly ๐
spread a blanket over them ๐ค
Whispers followed ๐คซ
Maya smiled ๐
"He shut down."
The cousin nodded ๐
"Battery empty."
Father paused the game ๐ฎโ
"Good."
Candy leaned closer ๐ฅน
"He sleeps fast."
Rose watched, surprised ๐ฎ
"โฆHe trusts her."
Lily smiled softly ๐ธ
"They both do."
Mochi didn't move.
She just stayed there ๐ซ
The house lowered its volume ๐
letting sleep take its place ๐
Lily bent down and noticed a glint โจ
"โฆSilver anklets?"
"Oggy has one."
"Candy too."
"Vani also."
Mochi nodded ๐
"Yeah."
Mother said calmly ๐ฟ
"Laddu brought them."
Rose's eyes softened ๐
"They're beautiful."
Maya nodded ๐
"He has strange taste.
But good taste."
Ben suddenly jumped up ๐
tail going wild ๐
Maya laughed ๐
"Okay, okay. Walk time."
Ben barked ๐พ
Confirmed.
Leash grabbed ๐ชข
Door opened ๐ช
"Come on, hero," Maya said ๐
Ben bolted out happily ๐โโ๏ธ๐
Soon afterโ
Father picked up the market bag ๐๏ธ
Mother wrapped Vani carefully ๐ถ
Candy held Oggy like a trophy ๐
"We'll be back soon," Mother said ๐ฌ
Door closed ๐ช
Silence arrived ๐
Not awkward โ
Not loud โ
Justโฆ space ๐
Laddu and Mochi were alone.
For the first time that day.
Laddu glanced around ๐
"โฆIt's quiet."
Mochi smiled softly ๐
"Dangerous sentence."
They stayed still ๐ซ
no rush
no audience
For once,
the house belonged only to them ๐
Laddu lifted his face like a spy ๐ต๏ธ
scanned the room
Empty โ๏ธ
Quiet โ๏ธ
Safe โ๏ธ
He turned to Mochi ๐
"Heyโฆ tall flower, my love." ๐ธ
Before she reactedโ
kiss ๐ on her cheek
Mochi tilted her head ๐ค
"You should ask permission."
Laddu raised an eyebrow ๐
"And what if I don't?"
Mochi crossed her arms ๐ช
"Then no kiss."
Laddu paused ๐ค
Thought.
Then leaned in, brushed her cheek ๐
and whispered softly ๐
"โฆCan I kiss?"
Mochi smiled ๐
"Yes."
This kiss stayed longer ๐
warm
quiet
Foreheads touched ๐ค
"Permission suits me," Laddu murmured.
Mochi laughed softly ๐
pulled him closer under the blanket ๐๏ธ
Outside ๐
the world stayed busy
Inside ๐ก
they stayed still
And for onceโ
that was enough โจ
๐ย AT NIGHTย ๐
Dinner was simple ๐ฝ๏ธ
talking
laughing
Mochi shifted slightly ๐ณ
Carefully
she slid her foot forward ๐ฃ
under the table
Searching.
She started rubbing ๐ถโ๐ซ๏ธ
slow
awkward
Then Mother spoke calmly ๐ซฅ
"That's my foot," she said.
"Not Laddu's."
๐ย DEAD SILENCEย ๐
One second โฑ๏ธ
Then realization ๐ฅ
Laughter exploded ๐๐๐
Maya nearly choked ๐คฃ
The cousin laughed openly ๐
Father shook his head ๐
Mochi turnedย redย ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
hid her face ๐
"โฆI'm never sitting here again."
Vani crawled on the floor ๐ฃ
serious
mission-focused
Laddu noticed ๐๏ธ
picked her up gently ๐ค
Kissed her cheek ๐
"My violet flower." ๐
Vani smiled ๐
The laughter softened ๐ธ
Mochi peeked out ๐
still embarrassed
still smiling ๐
The house returned to warmth ๐ก๐
Because even awkward moments here
ended in love ๐ค