Jay's POV
I woke up to the sound of someone knocking softly on the door.
For a moment, I had no idea where I was.
Then I remembered.
Amritsar.
The long midnight drive.
The restaurant stop.
The endless sleeping.
And the house.
I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes.
Beside me, Keifer was still asleep, completely buried beneath the blanket.
I smiled.
After such a long journey, even he had surrendered to sleep.
Another knock came.
"Everyone's awake!" Keiren called from the hallway. "Come downstairs!"
Keifer groaned.
"Why does he have so much energy?"
I laughed softly.
"He's Keiren."
"That explains everything."
I changed quickly and followed him downstairs.
The moment I entered the dining room, I stopped.
The entire table was filled.
Not just breakfast food.
A proper Punjabi feast.
The maids had prepared Amritsari kulchas, crisp and golden, served with chole and a bowl of tangy onion salad.
There was sarson da saag with soft makki di roti, dal makhani, rajma, Punjabi kadhi, aloo gobi, paneer tikka, and fresh salad.
And then came the drinks.
Large glasses of chilled lassi.
Sweet.
Thick.
Perfect.
I stared at the table.
"Are we feeding an army?"
Eces, who was already seated, looked up calmly.
"You all behave like one."
Keiren immediately took a seat.
"I support this meal."
Keigan laughed.
"Of course you do."
Everyone slowly gathered around the table.
Grace came down carrying Grazel, who was now wide awake and looking around curiously.
Denzel pulled out a chair for her.
"Sit. I'll get everything."
Grace smiled.
"You've been awake for five minutes and you're already taking charge."
"Someone has to."
Across from them, Percy stared at the food.
"Where do I even begin?"
Honey pointed toward the kulchas.
"There."
Percy picked one up.
"This looks dangerous."
"It's bread," Honey replied.
"Punjabi bread."
"That changes nothing."
"It changes everything."
Everyone laughed.
Keifer sat beside me.
He reached for a piece of kulcha, broke it in half, and placed some chole on my plate before serving himself.
I looked at him.
"You didn't have to."
"I know."
"Then why?"
"Because you're still half asleep."
I smiled.
"I'm awake."
"You just tried to put salt on your lassi."
I froze.
Keifer burst out laughing.
"I did not!"
"You did."
Eces quietly looked at the glass.
"You did."
"Oh."
The table erupted.
I covered my face.
"I'm going back to bed."
Keifer leaned closer.
"No."
"I've embarrassed myself."
"You haven't even started."
I nudged him.
He laughed and gently pushed my plate toward me.
"Eat."
The first bite of Amritsari kulcha immediately changed my opinion of being awake.
"Oh."
Keifer raised an eyebrow.
"Good?"
I nodded.
"Very."
Keiren had already eaten half his kulcha.
"This is the best breakfast we've ever had."
"You said that about Kolkata," Keigan reminded him.
"I can have multiple favorites."
"That isn't how favorites work."
"It is now."
Then the lassi arrived.
Keiren took one sip and stared at the glass.
"This is milk?"
"No," Eces said.
"Then what is it?"
"Lassi."
He took another sip.
"I'm taking this home."
Ci-n laughed.
"You can't take the whole jug."
"Watch me."
Rakki immediately stole a sip from his glass.
"Hey!"
"You were drinking too slowly."
"Everyone keeps stealing my food!"
Keifer glanced at me.
"Sounds familiar."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Don't start."
He smiled innocently.
Grace finally settled with Grazel while Denzel served her some saag and makki di roti.
Jay watched them for a moment.
There was something wonderfully comforting about seeing everyone here.
No rushing.
No packing.
No cars.
No long road.
Just food and laughter.
Eces patiently explained which dishes went together for anyone who wasn't familiar with Punjabi food.
"Makki di roti with sarson da saag," she explained. "Try a little butter with it."
Percy followed the instruction immediately.
His expression changed.
He pointed at Eces.
"Okay. You officially understand happiness."
Eces laughed.
"Eat before it gets cold."
Keifer leaned toward me.
"Try this."
He offered me a small piece of his kulcha.
I took it.
Then I held a piece toward him.
He accepted it with a smile.
Immediately, Honey looked over.
"Are you two incapable of eating separately?"
Keifer didn't even hesitate.
"No."
I laughed.
Percy placed a hand over his heart.
"True commitment."
"Please eat your own food," I told him.
"I am."
"You're talking more than eating."
"Multitasking."
The table stayed loud.
Keiren asked what else they would eat in Punjab.
Ci-n wanted to know how Amritsari kulcha was different from other stuffed breads.
Calix was focused entirely on dal makhani.
Blaster had already asked for another lassi.
Freya was trying the kadhi.
Ella and Aries were sharing a plate of paneer tikka.
Mica was stealing bites from Calix.
Drew and David were debating whether the saag needed more butter.
And Percy had somehow reached his third kulcha.
"This," he announced, "is why I travel."
Honey stared at him.
"You travel for food?"
"Yes."
"We knew that."
I leaned back in my chair, completely satisfied.
Keifer's hand found mine beneath the table.
I squeezed his fingers.
Amritsar had barely begun.
We had only just arrived.
Yet somehow, sitting around that huge table, surrounded by Punjabi food, sleepy faces, laughter, and people who felt more like family every day...
It already felt like home.
And judging by Keiren reaching for another kulcha—
We were going to need a very big kitchen.
The moment breakfast finally ended, everyone disappeared upstairs to get ready.
The Golden Temple was our first major stop in Amritsar, and Eces had made one thing very clear before anyone even left the dining room.
"We need to dress appropriately."
That announcement immediately triggered chaos.
Doors opened.
Wardrobes were searched.
Bags were emptied.
Someone shouted about a missing dupatta.
Someone else couldn't find their kurta.
Percy was standing in front of the mirror, apparently trying to decide whether his outfit was "temple worthy."
Honey looked at him.
"You're going to pray, not attend a fashion show."
"Respectfully, I can do both."
I laughed from inside our room.
Keifer was already changing, choosing a simple traditional outfit that was comfortable enough for walking. I chose a modest Punjabi-style suit with a dupatta, making sure it was easy to manage while moving around the temple complex.
When I came downstairs, several of the girls were already there.
Grace had dressed Grazel comfortably and brought an extra cloth for her.
Ella and Freya were checking each other's dupattas.
Mica and Rakki were comparing colors.
Honey had somehow managed to turn choosing appropriate clothes into a full fashion discussion.
Meanwhile, the boys had mostly settled for simple traditional clothes.
No scarves.
No dupattas.
Instead, they carried clean handkerchiefs for covering their heads.
Eces was standing near the entrance with Krish, looking over everyone.
She scanned the group once.
"Everyone has a head covering?"
The boys immediately held up their handkerchiefs.
"Good."
Keiren looked at his small piece of cloth.
"How exactly do we do this?"
Eces smiled.
"Come here."
She called the boys together.
The next minute became unexpectedly funny.
She took Krish's handkerchief first.
"Watch."
Krish stood there patiently while Eces folded the cloth and placed it over his head, adjusting the corners carefully so it stayed secure.
Keiren immediately started laughing.
"Krish looks serious."
Krish looked at him.
"I am serious."
"You look like you're going to write an exam."
"That is because you're distracting me."
Everyone laughed.
Eces shook her head and adjusted the cloth once more.
"There. It should stay like this."
Then she looked at the rest of the boys.
"Now you try."
Chaos.
Denzel's handkerchief slipped sideways.
Blaster somehow tied his incorrectly.
Felix kept adjusting his until Eces finally told him to stop touching it.
Percy, naturally, checked himself in the mirror.
"How do I look?"
Honey answered immediately.
"Like you're finally following instructions."
That earned another round of laughter.
I was still smiling when I noticed Keifer standing beside me.
He was watching Eces help everyone, completely relaxed.
Then I looked across the room.
Keigan was watching too.
But his expression was different.
Eces had moved toward him to fix the way his handkerchief sat on his head.
The moment she reached up, Keigan went completely still.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Not anger.
Not discomfort.
Just the kind of nervousness that made itself obvious through every tiny movement.
Eces adjusted one side.
"Too loose."
Keigan nodded.
"Okay."
She fixed it again.
"There."
He looked at her for half a second.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
She moved on.
Keigan remained still for another moment before clearing his throat and looking away.
I glanced at Keifer.
He had noticed too.
Our eyes met.
Neither of us said anything.
Keifer's expression practically said, He is not hiding this anymore.
I covered my smile with my hand.
Keiren suddenly appeared beside Keigan.
"Kuya, you're blushing."
Keigan immediately looked at him.
"I am not."
"You are."
"No."
"Yes."
"Keiren."
The younger boy grinned.
"I saw it."
Everyone laughed again.
Keigan looked exhausted already, and we hadn't even left the house.
Once everyone was ready, Eces made one final check.
"Dupattas?"
The girls nodded.
"Head coverings?"
The boys raised their handkerchiefs again.
"Good."
She glanced toward Grazel.
Grace had brought everything the baby might need.
Denzel was carrying the bag.
"Ready?" Krish asked.
A loud chorus answered.
"Yes!"
Keiren immediately added, "And food after?"
Eces looked at him.
"We're going to the Golden Temple."
"I know."
"Then why are you asking about food?"
"Because I'm planning ahead."
Krish laughed.
"Very strategically."
We finally stepped outside.
The Amritsar morning was bright and warm, but the mood around us felt different from Jaipur.
Everyone seemed excited.
Not just because we were sightseeing.
Because the Golden Temple was somewhere none of us had visited together before.
The cars were already waiting.
As we began getting in, Keifer reached for my hand.
"Ready?"
I smiled.
"Definitely."
He gently squeezed my fingers.
Behind us, Keiren was still trying to convince Keigan that his head covering looked better than everyone else's.
Percy was once again checking his reflection.
Honey was threatening to take away his phone.
Grace and Denzel were carefully settling Grazel.
Eces and Krish stood near the entrance for a moment, making sure no one had been left behind.
And then Eces looked toward all of us.
"Let's go."
The convoy slowly pulled away from the house.
The Golden Temple was waiting.
And judging by the excitement already filling the cars...
The day was going to be anything but quiet.
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I already had this chapter written in my drafts so I am uploading it ...
This will be the last chapter of this book , if this chapter doesn't reach more than 7 COMMENTS...