Chapter Sixty-One: The Last Day That Wasn't
The morning of their supposed last day in India dawned soft and golden.
Jay woke in Keifer's arms, the familiar warmth of him grounding her. Today they were supposed to fly home. Today the adventure was supposed to end.
She didn't want it to end.
"Morning," Keifer murmured.
"Morning." She traced patterns on his chest. "Last day."
"Last day." He kissed her forehead. "Bittersweet."
"So sweet. So bitter."
He pulled her closer. "Then let's make the most of it."
---
They made the most of it.
Slow, lazy, perfect. The kind of morning that existed outside of time. Just the two of them, wrapped in each other, the world waiting outside.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too." He kissed her slowly. "More than all of India."
"That's a lot."
"The most."
---
They emerged eventually, hand in hand, to find the group already gathering for breakfast.
Percy immediately noticed something. "YOU TWO ARE GLOWING! WHAT HAPPENED?"
Honey pulled him back. "Percy, we don't ask that."
"BUT THEY'RE GLOWING!"
C.N. smirked. "Mother looks happy."
Jay pointed at him. "Don't start."
"I'm just observing!"
"Observe somewhere else."
---
Breakfast was bittersweet.
Everyone talked about favorite moments. Kedarnath. The Golden Temple. Mysore Palace. Jog Falls. The sarees and panches. The chaos. The laughter.
Keiran was sad. "Mamma, I don't want to go home."
"I know, baby. But home is good too. Keigan misses us."
"Keigan is HERE."
"Keigan at home misses us."
"Oh." He considered this. "Rex will miss India."
"Rex can visit India in his dreams."
"Rex dreams of chai and elephants."
"Good dreams."
---
Then Yuri's phone rang.
He answered, listened, and his face fell.
"Everyone. Bad news."
The table went quiet.
"The jet. Mechanical issue. They can't fix it until tomorrow."
Silence.
Then Percy exploded. "WE STAY ANOTHER DAY?"
"Another day."
"THIS IS THE BEST NEWS EVER!"
Honey grabbed him. "Percy, it's a delay."
"A HAPPY DELAY!"
Akshi was already planning. "ANOTHER DAY! WE CAN DO SOMETHING AMAZING!"
Shreya laughed. "You're always planning."
"BECAUSE LIFE IS SHORT! AND NOW IT'S LONGER BY A DAY!"
---
Jay looked at Keifer. "Another day."
"Another day." He kissed her forehead. "The universe wants us here longer."
"The universe is kind."
"The universe knows we needed this."
Keiran tugged her sleeve. "Mamma! Another day! Rex is HAPPY!"
"Rex should be happy."
Ganesha nodded in agreement.
---
The group scattered to figure out last-minute plans.
Jay found Shreya and Akshi sitting together near the garden, watching the butterflies.
She joined them. "Hey."
Shreya smiled. "Hey. Happy about the delay?"
"So happy. One more day with all of you."
Akshi nodded. "We're happy too. Sad you're leaving tomorrow, but happy for today."
---
They sat in comfortable silence for a while.
Then Jay spoke. "Shreya. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Mithun."
Shreya's face went slightly pink. "What about him?"
Jay smiled. "Do you have feelings for him?"
Shreya's eyes widened. "What? No! We're friends. Best friends. That's all."
"Akshi?"
Akshi shook her head. "I've asked her a million times. She always says no."
Shreya crossed her arms. "Because it's TRUE. We're friends. Nothing more."
Jay studied her. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Because the way he caught you at Jog Falls—"
"He was being a good friend!"
"—and the way you looked at him after—"
"SHOCK! I was in shock!"
"—and the way he looks at you when you're not watching—"
Shreya's blush deepened. "He does NOT look at me."
Akshi snorted. "He SO looks at you. All the time. It's PAINFUL."
Shreya buried her face in her hands. "You're both wrong."
Jay patted her knee. "Okay. If you say so."
"I SAY SO."
---
Across the garden, Keifer found Mithun reading under a tree.
He sat beside him. "Mind if I join?"
Mithun looked up. "Not at all."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.
Then Keifer spoke. "Shreya."
Mithun's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. "What about her?"
"Do you have feelings for her?"
Mithun was quiet for a long moment. Then: "She's my best friend."
"That's not what I asked."
"I know." He looked at the sky. "She's... everything. Has been for years. But she doesn't see me that way."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know her. If she felt something, she'd say something. She's honest like that."
Keifer nodded slowly. "And you?"
Mithun smiled slightly. "I feel many things. But I'd rather have her as a friend than lose her by pushing for more."
"That's noble."
"That's practical."
They sat in silence again.
Then Keifer said, "For what it's worth, I think she might feel more than she admits."
Mithun looked at him. "You think?"
"I saw the way she looked at you after Jog Falls. That wasn't just shock."
Mithun was quiet. Then: "Maybe. But I won't push."
"Sometimes you don't have to push. Sometimes you just have to be there."
Mithun almost smiled. "When did you get so wise?"
"Falling in love teaches you things."
"Apparently."
---
Jay found Keifer later, after the conversation.
"How'd it go?"
"He loves her. Won't say anything because he thinks she doesn't feel the same."
"And she definitely feels something but won't admit it."
"Of course."
They looked at each other and laughed.
"Should we meddle?" Jay asked.
"Absolutely not."
"You're right. We shouldn't."
"Definitely not."
"...But maybe just a little?"
He pulled her close. "Maybe just a little. Later. After they figure it out themselves."
"When they're ready."
"When they're ready."
---
That evening, they gathered for a farewell dinner—the real farewell, now that they had one more day.
Jay stood up, tapping her glass. "Everyone. I have something to say."
The table quieted.
"This trip has been... I don't have words. It's been everything. Every place, every moment, every person." She looked around at them. "But especially two people."
She looked at Shreya and Akshi.
"Shreya. Akshi. You took a group of strangers and made us family. You shared your home, your stories, your hearts. You played with Keiran, put up with Percy, and made us all feel welcome."
Shreya's eyes were glistening. Akshi was already crying.
"I don't have sisters. But if I did, I'd want them to be like you." Jay's voice cracked. "So from now on, you're our sisters. Officially. If you want."
Shreya stood, tears streaming. "You mean that?"
"I mean it."
Akshi launched herself at Jay, hugging her fiercely. "SISTERS! WE'RE SISTERS!"
Shreya joined them, and the three held each other, crying and laughing.
Percy fake-sobbed. "THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!"
Honey patted his back. "Let them have their moment."
"I'M HAVING MY OWN MOMENT!"
---
When they finally pulled apart, Jay made one more demand.
"You have to call us. Every day. Not every week. Every DAY."
Akshi nodded frantically. "EVERY DAY! VIDEO CALLS! PHOTOS! UPDATES!"
Shreya laughed. "That's a lot of calls."
"I DON'T CARE! SISTERS CALL EVERY DAY!"
"Fine! Every day!"
Keifer pulled Jay close. "You're collecting siblings."
"Always."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
Keiran tugged her sleeve. "Mamma, are Akshi and Shreya my aunties now?"
"Yes, baby. Official aunties."
Keiran turned to them. "AUNTIES! REX WANTS HUGS!"
Akshi grabbed him. "REX GETS ALL THE HUGS!"
Shreya hugged them both. "Best aunties ever."
---
That night, the group stayed up late.
Laughing. Talking. Sharing stories.
Percy and Chethan attempted to break a world record for "most chai consumed in one sitting." They failed. Spectacularly.
Akshi took approximately nine hundred photos. Rakii helped.
Mithun and C.N. discussed something academic. Everyone pretended to understand.
Felix and Bridget slow-danced to no music.
Mica fell asleep on Calix's shoulder. David snored on Freya.
Grace rocked Grazel, the baby somehow awake and smiling at the chaos.
Yuri filmed everything, occasionally narrating. "Last night in India. The family has grown. The memories are infinite. This is gold."
---
Jay and Keifer found a quiet spot overlooking the garden.
"One more day," she said.
"One more day."
"Then home."
"Then home." He kissed her forehead. "But we're bringing them with us. In our hearts."
"So cheesy."
"Your cheesy."
She smiled. "Our family grew so much."
"It did."
"Shreya and Akshi are sisters now."
"The best sisters."
"Mithun and Chethan are brothers."
"Chaotic brothers."
She laughed. "I love our life."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Keiran appeared between them, Rex and Ganesha in hand. "Mamma! Pappa! One more day! Rex says let's make it the BEST!"
"Rex is right, baby." Jay lifted him up. "Let's make it the best."
---
End of Chapter Sixty-One