I nod my head towards Sidharth. “Aunty, blame your darling Sidharth. He’s the one who brought this mini bear home as a gift for me.”
Aunty looks at Sidharth. “Sidharth beta, please make him move! I’m too young to be dinner.”
Sidharth chuckles. “You’re not going to be his dinner, Aunty. Shadow, heel,” he commands with a snap of his fingers. Shadow immediately rises and steps back. “See, he listens.”
Aunty tiptoes around him and plops herself on the couch, hurriedly wiping her feet with the edge of her dupatta. “Why didn’t you get one of those fluffy Pomeranians?”
Sidharth snorts and settles back on the couch opposite her. “He’s not for cuddles, Aunty. He’s for protection.”
“And a dog is the only thing you could think of!” she shoots back, glaring at him.
I sit down beside Sidharth, still grinning as I look at Aunty. “It’s clearly a statement gift.”
“Well, if yourstatement giftis staying in this house…” she points at Shadow, who lifts his head, “… he better learn not to slobber on my feet. Or I’m making him sleep outside the door.”
“Fair deal.” Sidharth agrees.
Right on cue, Shadow lifts his head and lets out a loud bark, making Aunty and me flinch.
“Okay, okay!” I wave my hands in surrender. “We get it. You’re part of the family now. No sleeping outside.”
He flops back down, seemingly satisfied. I watch him, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Maybe heiskind of cute.
Sidharth nudges me. “You’re not mad anymore?”
“I’m less mad,” I mutter, rolling my eyes but leaning into him anyway, my head resting on his shoulder. “You’re lucky I love you.”
Sidharth smiles and presses a kiss to my forehead. “I really am.”
“I’m still not convinced about him,” Aunty mutters, though she’s already taking a peek at Shadow, like she’s warming up to the idea of him.
I grin, watching her. “Give it a day, Aunty. You’ll be sneaking him laddoos when no one’s looking.”
Aunty scoffs, folding her arms. “I don’t think so.”
Right then, Shadow tiptoes closer and nudges her ankle gently with his nose.
She lets out an exaggerated huff. “God, he is even stubborn like both of you.”
Sidharth and I exchange a smile, both trying and failing not to laugh, because we both know Shadow is already winning her over.
???
It’s past midnight, and I’m on the couch, lying sideways as I stare at Shadow in the dim light of the living room. He’s right next to me, wide awake, his chin resting on his front paws, his eyes quietly watching me.
Aunty retired an hour ago after giving methe look, the one that clearly said,make sure he doesn’t enter my room. Sidharth left around eleven, but not before checking Shadow’s water bowl, locking the back doors, and making me promise multiple times that I’d call him if anything went wrong.
The moment he left, I didn’t feel like going into my room. That’s why I flopped onto the couch, and Shadow immediately parked himself right beside me.
“You take your night duty quite seriously for a dog bodyguard, huh?”
Shadow lifts his head slowly and lets out a huff.
I laugh softly and reach out to pat his head. “Okay, okay, no disrespect, Mr. Shadow.”
He blinks at me slowly, then rests his chin back on his paws, his eyes still fixed on me.
I sit cross-legged. “I’m not sleepy, and I think you aren’t either. How about some popcorn and a movie?”
