Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Mark on Mamma's Neck
The morning after Dharmasthala, the group woke with heavy hearts but lighter spirits.
They had carried Soujanya's story with them, honored her memory, and now—as Shreya said—they had to keep living. Keep fighting. Keep loving.
But the universe, as always, had other plans.
---
Jay woke slowly, stretching in Keifer's arms.
"Morning," he murmured.
"Morning." She kissed him softly. "Today feels lighter."
"Good. We needed that."
They lay together for a few peaceful minutes.
Neither noticed the small figure in the doorway.
Again.
---
Keiran stood there, Rex in one hand, Ganesha in the other.
He'd woken up early. Wanted Mamma and Pappa. Had walked down the hall to their room.
The door was slightly open.
He saw them cuddling.
And then he saw it.
A mark on Jay's neck. A dark spot. A blemish.
His eyes went wide.
"MAMMA! YOU'RE HURT!"
---
Jay sat up so fast she nearly knocked Keifer off the bed. "What? Where?"
Keiran ran to her, pointing at her neck. "THERE! YOU HAVE OWIE! BIG OWIE!"
Jay's hand flew to her neck. She felt it—a small mark. A hickey. From last night.
Her face went red.
Keifer's face went red.
Keiran stared at them with huge, concerned eyes. "MAMMA! WE NEED BAND-AID! AND MEDICINE! AND—"
"Baby, it's okay—"
"IT'S NOT OKAY! YOU'RE HURT! REX IS WORRIED! GANESHA IS WORRIED! EVERYONE IS WORRIED!"
---
Keiran grabbed Jay's hand and tried to drag her toward the door. "WE NEED HELP! TITO PERCY! TITO PERCY KNOWS FIRST AID!"
"Keiran, wait—"
But he was already running, screaming at the top of his lungs. "TITO PERCY! TITO PERCY! MAMMA IS HURT! COME QUICK!"
Jay buried her face in her hands. "This is happening again."
Keifer stared at the ceiling. "Why does our son keep catching us?"
"Because we never learn to lock the door."
"Never."
---
Percy was in the dining room, mid-bite of dosa, when Keiran burst in.
"TITO PERCY! TITO PERCY! EMERGENCY!"
Percy dropped his dosa. "WHAT? WHAT EMERGENCY?"
"MAMMA! SHE HAS OWIE! ON NECK! BIG OWIE!"
Percy's face went through several expressions—confusion, concern, and then, slowly, dawning realization.
"A... owie? On her neck?"
"YES! COME! HELP!"
Percy's grin spread like sunrise. "KEIRAN! Lead the way! I'm COMING!"
Honey grabbed his arm. "Percy, whatever this is—"
"IT'S GOLD! I CAN FEEL IT!"
---
Within minutes, a crowd had gathered outside Jay and Keifer's room. Again.
Percy, Aries, Yuri, Honey, Akshi, Shreya, Chethan, Mithun, C.N., Rakii, David, Freya, Mica, Calix, Felix, Bridget, Keigan, and of course Keiran (with Rex and Ganesha).
Keiran burst through the door. "MAMMA! I BROUGHT HELP!"
Jay sat on the bed, still in her pajamas, Keifer beside her looking like he wanted to die.
Percy entered dramatically. "WHERE'S THE OWIE? LET ME SEE THIS OWIE!"
Jay pointed at her neck, face red. "It's nothing. It's just a—"
Percy leaned in. Examined. Then his face split into the biggest grin imaginable.
"OH. THAT OWIE."
Keiran tugged his sleeve. "Tito Percy! Fix it! You know first aid!"
Percy looked at Keiran. Then at Jay. Then at Keifer. Then back at Keiran.
"Keiran, buddy, this owie doesn't need first aid. It's a... a special owie."
"SPECIAL OWIE?"
"Very special. It happens when grown-ups love each other VERY much."
---
The room erupted.
Aries actually laughed out loud. Yuri was filming, tears streaming. C.N. doubled over. Honey buried her face in Percy's shoulder.
Keiran looked confused. "Love makes owies?"
"Sometimes!" Percy was loving this. "It's like... like a love mark! A mark of affection!"
Keiran turned to Jay. "Mamma, Pappa gave you love mark?"
Jay's face was approximately seventeen shades of red. "Yes, baby. Something like that."
"With his MOUTH?"
The room lost it completely.
Mica was on the floor. David was crying. Freya had given up and was just wheezing.
Keifer put his head in his hands.
---
Shreya, wiping tears, tried to help. "Keiran, sweetheart, it's like... like when you get a little bruise from playing? But this is from love?"
Keiran considered this. "So Pappa played too rough?"
"No! Not rough! Just... passionate?"
"What's passionate?"
Shreya looked at Akshi for help. Akshi looked at the ceiling.
"It's like... when you love someone SO much that you want to be very close to them?"
Keiran nodded slowly. "Like when I hug Rex really tight?"
"KIND OF!"
---
Akshi jumped in. "And sometimes when you hug really tight, you leave little marks? Like when you squeeze Rex too hard, his fur gets squished?"
Keiran looked at Rex. Rex looked back.
"Rex doesn't mind squish."
"Exactly! And Mamma doesn't mind the mark! Because it's from Pappa loving her!"
Keiran's face lit up with understanding. "OH! So Pappa loves Mamma SO MUCH that he left a mark!"
"YES!"
"Like Rex leaves marks on me when he loves me!"
"EXACTLY LIKE THAT!"
---
Keiran turned to Keifer. "Pappa, you love Mamma SO MUCH?"
Keifer, still red-faced, nodded. "Yes, buddy. So much."
"More than me?"
"Different than you. Not more or less. Just different."
Keiran considered this. Then he nodded. "Okay. Rex says that's acceptable."
Rex nodded solemnly.
Ganesha, for his part, seemed to approve.
---
C.N. wiped his eyes. "Mother, this is the best morning of the entire trip."
Jay threw a pillow at him. "Stop calling me mother!"
"But you ARE a mother! A mother with LOVE MARKS!"
"I WILL THROW YOU OUT THE WINDOW!"
"There's still no sharks!"
"I'LL FIND CROWS!"
Mithun, calm as always, observed, "The windows have screens. She can't throw anyone."
"MIT HUN! NOT HELPING!"
---
Keigan, leaning against the wall, was enjoying himself immensely. "For the record, I'm putting this in the family group chat."
"KEIGAN!"
"WITH PHOTOS!"
"YOUR INHERITANCE IS GONE!"
"I have C.N. He'll adopt me."
C.N. nodded. "I will. You're my favorite nephew."
"I'm your ONLY nephew."
"Still counts."
---
Keiran, now satisfied that Mamma wasn't dying, climbed onto the bed and examined Jay's neck closely.
"Love mark small. Pappa should love MORE. Make bigger mark."
Jay choked.
Keifer choked.
The room howled.
Percy grabbed Keiran. "KEIRAN! MY MAN! YOU'RE A LEGEND!"
"Rex says thank you!"
---
Shreya, still laughing, tried to salvage the situation. "Okay, everyone out. Let Jay and Keifer get dressed. We have a full day."
Percy protested. "BUT THE SHOW—"
"The show is over. OUT."
They filed out slowly, still laughing.
Keiran paused at the door. "Mamma? Pappa?"
"Yes, baby?"
"I'm glad Pappa loves you SO MUCH. Even with love marks."
Jay pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, baby."
"Rex is glad too. Ganesha also."
"We know, baby."
---
The door closed.
Jay collapsed onto the bed. "I want to move to a deserted island."
Keifer lay beside her. "I'll come with you."
"Our son is going to tell EVERYONE about love marks now."
"He already told everyone."
"They're never going to let us forget this."
"Never."
She turned to look at him. "I love you. Even though you give me love marks."
"I love you too. Even though our son is a menace."
"Your son."
"OUR son."
She sighed. "Our son."
From outside, Percy's voice echoed: "LOVE MARKS! REMEMBER EVERYONE! PAPPA GIVES LOVE MARKS!"
And Keigan's voice: "I'M UPDATING THE GROUP CHAT!"
Jay groaned.
Keifer laughed.
This was their life.
Chaotic, embarrassing, perfect.
---
End of Chapter Fifty-Nine