Chapter One Hundred Nine: The Push Heard Round the World
The morning of their departure from Karnataka dawned bright and beautiful.
The group gathered at the private airstrip, luggage piled high, everyone buzzing with the energy of a trip well spent.
Shreya had remembered more. Not everything, but more. Each day brought flashes—small moments, big laughs, the feeling of belonging.
Today, Akshi had a plan.
---
She whispered to Chethan as they walked toward the jet.
"Watch this."
Chethan raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning?"
"Chaos. Beautiful chaos."
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
---
The group walked in clusters.
Percy and Honey leading, Percy already narrating their departure for Yuri's camera.
C.N. and Rakii discussing photography angles.
Felix and Bridget hand in hand.
David and Freya, David attempting to carry too much.
Mica and Calix, Mica bouncing as always.
Aries and Ella, Ella's hand resting protectively on her still-flat stomach.
Keifer and Jay, walking close, Keifer's arm around her waist.
Keiran with the nanny, Rex and Ganesha in hand.
And Shreya and Mithun—walking side by side, close but not touching. Still finding their rhythm.
---
Akshi hung back.
Watched.
Waited.
They reached the bottom of the jet stairs.
Shreya stepped forward to climb.
Akshi struck.
A firm push to Shreya's back.
---
Shreya stumbled forward.
Directly into Mithun.
He caught her instinctively—arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her against his chest.
She grabbed his shoulders to steady herself.
They froze.
Face to face.
Close.
Very close.
---
Akshi grinned. "Oops."
Shreya's face went red. "AKSHI!"
"What? The stairs are uneven!"
"They're NOT uneven!"
"THEY FEEL UNEVEN!"
Chethan doubled over laughing. "Smooth, Akshi. Really smooth."
Mithun hadn't let go.
Neither had Shreya.
They just stood there.
Looking at each other.
---
Jay watched, amused. "Well, this is romantic."
Keifer nodded. "Very romantic."
Percy was already filming. "THE PUSH! THE CATCH! THE ROMANCE!"
Honey pulled him back. "Babe, let them have the moment."
"I'M DOCUMENTING THE MOMENT!"
---
Shreya finally found her voice. "You can let go now."
Mithun's ears were pink. "You're still holding my shoulders."
She looked at her hands. They were, indeed, still gripping his shoulders.
"Oh."
She let go.
He let go.
They stepped apart.
But the blush remained.
---
Akshi wasn't done.
She grabbed Jay's arm.
"Your turn."
Jay's eyes widened. "Akshi, don't you DARE—"
Too late.
Another push.
Jay stumbled forward.
Directly into Keifer.
---
He caught her the same way Mithun had caught Shreya.
Arms around her waist. Pulling her close.
She grabbed his shoulders.
They stared at each other.
Then Jay started laughing.
"You're impossible," she said.
"Your impossible." He kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too. Even when our family is insane."
"Especially when they're insane."
---
Percy was losing it. "TWO PUSHES! TWO ROMANTIC CATCHES! THIS IS THE BEST DAY!"
Honey grabbed his arm. "Babe, calm down."
"I CAN'T CALM DOWN! ROMANCE IS HAPPENING!"
C.N. was taking notes. "Push-induced romance encounters: Two. Success rate: 100%."
Rakii photographed everything. "For the album. 'The Day Akshi Played Cupid.'"
---
Keiran ran over. "MUMMY! AUNTIE AKSHI PUSHED YOU!"
"She did, baby."
"Rex says that was funny."
"Rex has good taste."
Rex nodded.
Ganesha nodded.
---
They boarded the jet still laughing.
Shreya sat beside Mithun.
Not by accident this time.
She looked at him.
"I'm sorry about that."
"Don't be." He almost smiled. "It was nice."
"What was?"
"Catching you."
She blushed again.
But she didn't look away.
---
Jay sat beside Keifer.
"That was ridiculous."
"The best kind of ridiculous."
"Akshi is going to be insufferable now."
"She's always insufferable."
"True."
He kissed her cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too."
---
The jet took off.
India faded below them.
But the memories—old and new—came with them.
Shreya leaned against the window.
Mithun's hand found hers on the armrest.
She didn't pull away.
Didn't know if she remembered loving him.
But she knew she didn't want him to let go.
---
Across the aisle, Akshi caught Jay's eye.
Gave her a thumbs up.
Jay shook her head, laughing.
But she gave a thumbs up back.
Sometimes chaos was exactly what they needed.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Nine