The Way We Stay – Story 6

Story 6: The Bear Under the Couch

The house was quiet.
Too quiet.

Aarav stood in the middle of the room.
His hands were empty.

“Bear?” he called.

No answer.

He checked the bed.
The chair.
The basket near the door.

Nothing.

His lip trembled.
“He’s gone,” he said.

Papa looked up from the sofa.
He saw Aarav’s face before he saw the problem.

“Tell me,” Papa said.

“My bear,” Aarav whispered.
“I can’t find him.”

Papa nodded.
He didn’t say, It’s just a toy.

“Let’s look together,” he said.

They checked slowly.
Behind the curtain.
Inside the cupboard.

Bear was not there.

Aarav sat down on the floor.
His shoulders sank.

Papa sat beside him.
Close.
Not fixing.

“Sometimes things hide,” Papa said.
“And sometimes we feel lost with them.”

Aarav leaned into Papa’s arm.

They stayed quiet for a moment.

Then Papa looked under the couch.
Not quickly.
Carefully.

There was Bear.
On his side.
Waiting.

Papa reached out.
He didn’t make it exciting.
He just handed Bear back.

Aarav hugged him tight.

Bear smelled like home.

Papa smiled.
“You weren’t alone,” he said.
“Even when Bear was.”

Aarav nodded.
He held Bear close.

And the room felt full again.

Loss feels big to small hearts.
Staying close matters more
than finding things fast.

How do you think Aarav felt when he couldn’t find Bear?

Look for something together today.
Go slowly.
Stay close.