Chapter Fifty-Five: Murudeshwara - Where History Meets Chaos
The morning after their romantic night, Jay woke with a smile that wouldn't fade.
Keifer was already awake, watching her with that soft expression she loved.
"Morning," she murmured.
"Morning, love."
"Stop staring."
"Can't help it."
She kissed him quickly. "We have a big day. Murudeshwara."
"The giant Shiva statue?"
"The giant everything, apparently. Shreya's been planning for days."
---
They emerged to find the group already gathering for breakfast.
Percy was bouncing. "MURUDESHWARA! GIANT STATUE! BEACH! TEMPLE! EVERYTHING!"
Chethan bounced with him. "I'VE BEEN THERE LIKE TEN TIMES AND I'M STILL EXCITED!"
Akshi was taking photos of everything. "First time for me! Shreya, you're going to be the BEST guide!"
Shreya grinned. "I've been preparing for WEEKS! Well, not weeks, but like, three days of intense research!"
Mithun, calm as always, sipped his coffee. "I've also been there. It's impressive."
C.N. looked up from his phone. "The statue is 123 feet tall. Second tallest Shiva statue in the world."
"NERD!"
"YOU LOVE IT!"
---
The drive to Murudeshwara took a few hours.
The landscape changed—greener, more coastal. The air grew saltier. Excitement built.
C.N., true to form, was researching constantly. "The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The statue was installed in 2002. There's also a 20-story gopura—that's the tower at the entrance."
Rakii nudged him. "You're going to give the tour at this rate."
"I'm just... prepared."
"You're adorable."
"I'm INFORMATIVE."
"Same thing."
---
Jay sat beside Keifer, Keiran on her lap. C.N. was across the aisle, occasionally sharing facts.
Then it started.
C.N. turned to Jay with that familiar mischievous glint. "Hey, Mother."
Jay didn't even look up. "Don't."
"Mother dear. Maternal figure. The woman who raised me—"
"C.N."
"—my beloved second mother—"
"I will end you."
"—the one who wipes my tears and packs my lunch—"
"WE'RE ON A VACATION, NOT IN KINDERGARTEN."
Percy was already cackling. "HE'S DOING IT! HE'S CALLING HER MOTHER!"
Chethan leaned forward. "Is this a THING?"
"A THING!" Akshi confirmed. "A BEAUTIFUL THING!"
---
C.N. continued, undeterred. "Mother, can you pass the water? Mother, what's for breakfast? Mother, can we stop for snacks?"
Jay's eye twitched. "C.N. Peretta."
"Yes, Mother?"
"If you call me 'mother' one more time—just one more time—I will personally throw you into the Arabian Sea as food for the sharks."
The van erupted.
Percy was howling. "SHARKS! SHE SAID SHARKS!"
Chethan clutched his stomach. "MOTHER VS SHARKS! BEST BET!"
Akshi was filming. "This is GOLD! PURE GOLD!"
C.N. grinned, completely unbothered. "You wouldn't throw your favorite son to sharks."
"You're NOT my son!"
"Emotionally I am. You feed me. You scold me. You worry about me. That's MOTHER behavior."
"I worry about you because you're DANGEROUS."
"Same thing."
---
Mithun, calmly, "Actually, there are sharks in the Arabian Sea. Not typically near the shore, but—"
"MIT HUN! NOT HELPING!"
Keiran tugged Jay's sleeve. "Mamma, why Tito C.N. calls you mother?"
"Because he's annoying, baby."
"Oh." Keiran considered this. Then he looked at C.N. "Tito C.N., she's MY mother. Not yours."
C.N. leaned toward Keiran. "We can share."
"NO! MINE!"
"Half?"
"NO!"
"Quarter?"
Keiran considered. "Tiny bit?"
"DEAL!"
Jay stared at them. "Did you just negotiate custody of me?"
C.N. shrugged. "You're popular."
---
They arrived at Murudeshwara and immediately understood why Shreya was excited.
The statue of Shiva rose against the sky—massive, white, seated in meditation, the Arabian Sea glittering behind it. The temple complex sprawled below, with its towering gopura and intricate carvings.
Percy's jaw dropped. "OKAY. PHOTOS DON'T DO IT JUSTICE."
Akshi spun in circles. "IT'S SO BIG!"
Chethan pointed. "And there's the beach! Right there! We can go after!"
Mica grabbed Calix's arm. "BEACH! After temple, BEACH!"
"Calm down, chaos queen."
"CAN'T CALM DOWN! BEACH!"
---
Shreya gathered everyone near the entrance.
"OKAY! History time! Mithun and I are going to explain!"
Mithun stepped forward, calm and composed. "The Murudeshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to legend, this is where Ravana—the demon king from the Ramayana—tried to carry the Atma Linga to Lanka."
Shreya jumped in. "But the gods didn't want him to have it! So they made him put it down by tricking him! And where it landed became a sacred spot!"
Percy raised his hand. "What's an Atma Linga?"
Mithun explained. "It's a divine object containing Shiva's essence. Extremely powerful."
"So there's like... GOD POWER here?"
"Devotees believe so, yes."
Percy clutched his heart. "I'M STANDING ON GOD POWER!"
---
They walked through the temple complex, marveling at the carvings, the architecture, the sheer scale.
The gopura—the entrance tower—rose 20 stories high, covered in intricate sculptures.
C.N. sidled up to Jay. "Mother, isn't the architecture fascinating?"
"Don't."
"I'm just making conversation, Mother."
"I will throw you off this tower."
"There are no sharks up here."
"I'll FIND something."
---
They climbed to the top of the gopura—all 20 stories—for the view.
The Arabian Sea spread before them, endless and blue. The statue of Shiva sat below, serene and massive. The town bustled with life.
Keiran pressed to the railing (safely, between Jay and Keifer). "Mamma! Water so big!"
"The ocean, baby."
"Rex wants to swim!"
"Rex might be too small for that ocean."
"Rex brave!"
"I know, baby. But even brave things need to be careful."
Keiran nodded solemnly. "Rex says okay."
---
C.N. appeared beside Jay at the railing.
"Beautiful view, Mother."
"C.N."
"I'm just saying. You raised me well. You should be proud."
"I didn't raise you. Your actual parents raised you."
"Emotionally, you raised me. All the scolding. All the worry. All the times you threatened my life. That's mothering."
"That's called 'tolerating you.'"
"Same thing in your culture?"
"In NO culture."
---
After the temple, they hit the beach.
Chaos, naturally, ensued.
Percy and Chethan immediately raced into the water, clothes and all.
"IT'S COLD!"
"OF COURSE IT'S COLD! IT'S THE OCEAN!"
"BUT IT'S COLD!"
"YOU'RE IN INDIA! IN THE ARABIAN SEA! WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?"
Honey watched from the shore, laughing. "They're going to freeze."
"They're going to have the time of their lives," Akshi corrected. "Freezing is optional."
---
Mica dragged Calix into the water more slowly, savoring the sensation.
David attempted to build a sandcastle. Freya "helped" by sitting nearby and looking beautiful.
Felix and Bridget walked along the shore, hand in hand, collecting shells.
Aries and Ella found a quiet spot and simply sat, watching the chaos.
Yuri filmed everything, occasionally narrating. "Beach day. Chaos levels: maximum. Percy and Chethan have been in the water for seven minutes and are now blue. Will they notice? Stay tuned."
Rakii photographed everything, occasionally muttering about "the perfect light."
Grace sat with Grazel under a shaded umbrella, the baby fascinated by the sand.
---
C.N. stood at the water's edge, not quite committing.
Jay joined him. "Scared of the ocean?"
"Scared of what's IN the ocean. Specifically, sharks."
She laughed. "I was joking about throwing you to sharks."
"Were you?"
"Mostly."
"Mostly?"
"Eighty percent joking. Twenty percent serious."
"I'll take those odds."
---
Keiran ran over, Rex held high. "Tito C.N.! Come in water!"
"I'm good here, buddy."
"REX wants you to come!"
C.N. looked at Rex. Rex stared back.
"Rex is very persuasive."
"Rex is BEST!"
C.N. sighed, then waded in. Keiran cheered.
Jay watched them—her son, her... whatever C.N. was to her. Splashing in the Arabian Sea.
Keifer appeared beside her. "He called you mother again."
"He did."
"You threatened sharks."
"I did."
"He's still alive."
"For now."
---
As the sun began to set, they gathered on the beach.
The sky turned gold, then pink, then purple. The statue of Shiva glowed in the fading light. The ocean whispered against the sand.
Shreya spoke softly. "This is one of my favorite places in the world."
Mithun nodded. "There's something special about it. The energy."
Akshi leaned against him. "The vibe."
"Also the vibe."
Percy broke the silence. "I'm never leaving."
"You said that in Varanasi."
"VARANASI WAS THEN! THIS IS NOW!"
Honey patted his arm. "We have to leave eventually."
"NO!"
"Eventually."
"FINE. But I'm coming back. With all of you."
Chethan nodded. "Me too. We're all coming back."
"ALL OF US!"
---
C.N. sat beside Jay on the sand.
"Hey, Mother."
She didn't even react this time. "What?"
"Thanks. For everything. For putting up with me. For threatening me. For being... you."
She looked at him. Seventeen years old. Brilliant. Annoying. Hers.
"You're welcome, genius boy."
He smiled. "Love you, baby girl."
"Love you too. Now stop calling me mother."
"No."
"C.N."
"It's our THING now."
"I will still throw you to sharks."
"Worth it."
---
Keiran climbed into Jay's lap, Rex in hand. "Mamma?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Can Tito C.N. be my brother?"
Jay blinked. "What?"
"He calls you mother. So that makes him my brother, right?"
C.N.'s face lit up. "KEIRAN! GENIUS! ABSOLUTE GENIUS!"
Jay looked at Keifer. Keifer looked at the sky.
"I've created a monster," Jay muttered.
"A beautiful monster," C.N. corrected. "BROTHER KEIRAN!"
"TITO C.N. BROTHER!"
They high-fived.
Jay buried her face in her hands.
Percy ran over. "WHAT DID I MISS? NEW FAMILY MEMBER?"
"Apparently C.N. is now my son AND Keiran's brother."
"CONGRATULATIONS! FAMILY EXPANSION!"
Akshi cheered. Chethan applauded. Mithun simply smiled.
Keifer pulled Jay close. "Our family keeps growing."
"Against my will."
"Your will, apparently, is irrelevant."
She laughed despite herself. "I love them."
"I know."
"I love you."
"I know that too."
---
As they walked back to the vans, C.N. slung an arm around Jay's shoulders.
"Best mother ever."
"Don't push it."
"Love you too."
She shook her head, but she was smiling.
This was her life.
Chaotic, beautiful, perfect.
And apparently, expanding.
---
End of Chapter Fifty-Five