Chapter Thirty-Six: The Puri Jagannath Adventure
The second day of the India trip dawned bright and chaotic.
Jay woke to the sound of Keiran jumping on the bed.
"MAMMA! PAPPA! WAKE UP! TODAY IS TEMPLE DAY!"
She groaned, pulling the pillow over her head. "Baby, it's six in the morning."
"TEMPLE DAY!"
Keifer emerged from his pillow, looking wrecked. "Who let him have sugar?"
"No one let him. He's three. He generates his own energy."
Keiran bounced higher. "Rex ready! Rex wants see god!"
Rex, clutched in his hand, seemed to nod in agreement.
Jay sat up, resigned. "Okay, okay. We're up. Temple day."
---
The hotel lobby was chaos at seven AM.
Percy was already there, vibrating with excitement. "PURI! WE'RE GOING TO PURI! THE JAGANNATH TEMPLE! THIS IS HISTORIC!"
Honey patted his arm. "Babe, it's a temple, not a concert."
"SAME ENERGY!"
C.N. was on his phone, researching. "The temple has specific entry rules. No non-Hindus allowed inside the main sanctum. We need to respect that."
Percy waved dismissively. "We'll figure it out!"
"We'll respect the rules," Jay corrected. "That's not negotiable."
Percy deflated slightly. "Fine. But we can still see the outside, right?"
"The outside is massive. You'll survive."
---
Keigan appeared, looking sleepy but present. "Are we going or what?"
"Someone's eager."
He shrugged. "I looked it up. The architecture is supposed to be incredible."
Jay smiled. "Research. I'm proud of you."
"Don't make it weird."
---
The drive to Puri took three hours.
Three hours of Percy narrating everything they passed.
"LOOK! A COW!"
"Yes, Percy. India has cows."
"LOOK! ANOTHER COW!"
"Still India."
"LOOK! A—"
"Percy." Jay's voice was calm. "If you say 'look' one more time, I will make this car pull over."
He pouted. "You're no fun."
"I'm survival."
Keiran, on her lap, pointed. "Mamma! COW!"
"Good job, baby. That's a cow."
Percy pointed at Keiran. "HE gets to say it!"
"He's three. You're twenty-two. Different rules."
"That's ageism."
"That's common sense."
---
They arrived at Puri around ten.
The temple complex was massive—towering structures, intricate carvings, a sea of devotees and tourists. The energy was electric.
Percy's jaw dropped. "THIS IS AMAZING!"
Honey grabbed his hand. "Stay close. Don't get lost."
"I WON'T GET LOST! I HAVE EXCELLENT DIRECTIONAL SENSE!"
"You got lost in the hotel yesterday."
"THE HOTEL IS BIG!"
C.N. was already consulting his phone. "Okay, so the main temple is for Hindus only. But there's a viewing platform where everyone can see. And the kitchen here is famous—they feed thousands of people every day."
Mica perked up. "Food? I'm in."
Calix sighed. "Of course that's what you focus on."
"FOOD IS IMPORTANT!"
---
They entered the complex, sticking together.
The architecture was breathtaking. Towering spires, ancient stone, intricate carvings telling stories from Hindu mythology. Even Percy was momentarily speechless.
Keiran pointed at a carving. "Mamma! What that?"
"That's a story, baby. About gods and goddesses."
"Like Pappa?"
Jay laughed. "Pappa's not a god, baby."
"Pappa close."
Keifer, overhearing, smiled. "Thanks, buddy."
"Rex agrees."
---
The group split slightly—some heading to the viewing platform, some exploring the grounds, some already hunting for food.
Jay kept Keiran close, Keifer beside her. They found a quiet spot overlooking the complex.
"It's beautiful," she breathed.
"It is." He wasn't looking at the temple.
She caught him. "You're staring at me."
"You're more beautiful than any temple."
"That's cheesy."
"True, though."
Keiran tugged her sleeve. "Mamma, I hungry."
"Of course you are."
---
They found the others near the kitchen area.
The famous Prasad—blessed food—was being distributed. Simple but delicious. Rice, dal, vegetables, and the famous Puri sweets.
Percy had somehow acquired five plates. "THIS IS THE BEST FOOD I'VE EVER EATEN!"
Honey tried to take a plate. "Babe, that's too much."
"IT'S NOT ENOUGH!"
C.N. was eating more calmly, but his eyes were wide. "This is actually incredible."
"Told you India food amazing!" David cheered.
Freya nodded. "The spices are perfect."
Felix was quietly enjoying his meal, Bridget beside him. "This is nice. All of us, together."
Bridget smiled. "Really nice."
Mica was on her third serving. Calix watched with amusement. "You're going to explode."
"WORTH IT."
---
The trouble started near the viewing platform.
Percy had spotted something—a small shop selling temple souvenirs.
"C.N.! Look! Miniature chariots!"
C.N. looked. "They're replicas of the temple chariots. For the Rath Yatra festival."
"I NEED ONE."
"You don't need one."
"I NEED TWELVE."
"Why twelve?"
"ONE FOR EVERYONE!"
C.N. pinched the bridge of his nose. "Percy, we have fifteen people."
"I'LL BUY FIFTEEN!"
"You're going to fill your suitcase with mini chariots."
"AND IT WILL BE GLORIOUS."
---
The argument started small.
"—the red one is better."
"The blue one is more historically accurate."
"HISTORICAL ACCURACY? THEY'RE SOUVENIRS!"
"SOUVENIRS SHOULD BE ACCURATE!"
Jay, watching from a bench with Keiran, sighed.
"Again, Mamma?"
"Again, baby."
"Rex says they need time-out."
"Rex is right."
She stood, handed Keiran to Keifer, and marched over.
Percy saw her coming. "JAY! JAY, WE WERE JUST—"
"No." She held up a hand. "Both of you. Stop."
"But the colors—"
"Buy whatever colors you want. They're souvenirs. It doesn't matter."
Percy brightened. "So I can buy the red?"
C.N. frowned. "But the blue—"
"C.N." Jay's voice was calm. "Let him buy the red. You buy the blue. Problem solved."
They looked at each other.
"That... works."
"Fine."
She smiled. "Good. Now stop fighting over souvenirs like children."
Keiran appeared beside her, Rex in hand. "Tito Percy and Tito C.N. need nap?"
Percy sputtered. "I do NOT need a nap!"
"Toddlers need nap. You acting like toddler. So you need nap."
The entire group cracked up.
C.N. actually laughed. "He's got a point."
Percy looked at Keiran. At Rex. At Jay.
"I'm being roasted by a three-year-old and a dinosaur."
"Best kind of roast," Honey said, patting his arm.
---
The afternoon continued peacefully.
They explored more of the complex. Watched devotees pray. Absorbed the incredible energy of the place.
Keiran was fascinated by everything. "Mamma! Look! More cows!"
"Yes, baby. Sacred cows."
"Cows sacred?"
"In Hinduism, yes. They're respected and protected."
Keiran considered this. "Rex says cows cool."
"Rex is right."
Keifer leaned down. "Rex knows a lot."
"Rex knows everything."
---
Near the end of the visit, they gathered for a group photo.
Rakii set up her camera. "Everyone together! Percy, stop making faces!"
"I'M NOT MAKING FACES, THIS IS MY NATURAL EXPRESSION!"
"Your natural expression is chaos!"
"THANK YOU!"
They squeezed together—all fifteen, plus Rex. Keiran in Jay's arms. Rex held high.
Rakii counted down. "Three, two, one—"
The photo captured chaos. Percy mid-protest. C.N. rolling his eyes. Mica sneaking food. Yuri filming instead of posing. Felix and Bridget smiling softly. David making bunny ears behind Freya. Aries and Ella perfectly composed. Keigan looking slightly embarrassed. Honey laughing at Percy.
And Jay and Keifer in the center, Keiran between them, all three smiling.
Perfect.
---
On the drive back, Keiran fell asleep on Jay's lap.
The group was quieter now, tired but happy.
Percy, surprisingly, was also asleep, head on Honey's shoulder.
C.N. looked at him. "He's peaceful when unconscious."
"The only time," Jay agreed.
"He's not so bad."
"Neither are you."
C.N. smiled slightly. "Thanks, baby girl."
"Anytime, genius boy."
---
Keifer pulled Jay closer. "Good day?"
"The best." She looked down at Keiran. "He loved it."
"He loves everything with you."
"He loves everything with Rex."
"Same thing."
She laughed softly. "Yeah. Same thing."
---
Back at the hotel, everyone scattered.
Jay tucked Keiran in—again—and found Keifer on the balcony.
"Day two down."
"Many more to go."
"Think we'll survive?"
He pulled her close. "With you? Absolutely."
She kissed him. "Good answer."
"Always."
They stood together, watching the lights of the city.
India was chaos.
But it was their chaos.
---
End of Chapter Thirty-Six