Tangled Vows

Part 1

The familiar chaos of Mumbai's streets greeted me as I stepped out of the airport, my heart swelling with a mix of nostalgia and excitement. The air smelled of rain-soaked earth and spices, a scent I hadn't realized I missed until this moment. As I scanned the crowd, I spotted them—my parents and siblings, waving enthusiastically.

"Di!" Aashi's high-pitched squeal cut through the noise, and before I knew it, she was darting through the crowd toward me.

"Bittu!" I opened my arms just in time to catch my little tornado of a sister. Well, not so little anymore—she'd grown taller in the five years I'd been gone, but her energy was the same.

"London has done nothing to your fashion sense, huh?" she teased, pulling back to inspect my simple salwar suit.

I swatted her arm. "And you've clearly been shopping at the 'I'm cooler than my sister' section."

"Of course!" Aashi twirled dramatically, showing off her trendy jumpsuit. "Somebody has to keep the Mehra name stylish." 

"Where's Chote?" I asked, looking past her.

Behind Aashi, Amey sauntered in with a grin. "Ah, look who decided to grace us with her presence," he teased. "Miss London Bridge herself."

"Chote," I smirked, ruffling his hair as he ducked away. "Still stuck at 5'6", I see."

"Hey, I've grown at least an inch!" Amey protested, pretending to measure himself against her.

"Haan, sure," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'll take your word for it."

My short, stocky brother ambled up, his ever-present earphones dangling around his neck. "You didn't bring me anything from London, did you?"

"Wow, no hello, no hug, just straight to gifts?" I pretended to glare at him.

"Hello, hug, and... gifts?" He grinned and gave me a quick, almost shy hug.

"You're impossible, Chote." I shook my head and ruffled his hair, much to his annoyance.

"Stop it, Di! I'm not a kid anymore!" he protested, smoothing down his perfectly styled hair.

"Still my little brother," I countered with a smirk.

"Enough of this banter! Let's get home," my mom interrupted, stepping forward with teary eyes. She pulled me into a warm embrace, and for the first time since landing, I felt truly home. My dad followed, his smile gentle but filled with pride.

"Welcome back, beta," he said, patting my head affectionately.

"Lagta hai pura airport hi uthake leke aayi ho tum." He gestured to the pile of suitcases outside.

"Papa, this is all essential!" I defended myself, laughing.

The car ride home was a symphony of overlapping voices—Aashi filling me in on her latest college drama, Amey talking about his cricket matches, and my parents occasionally interjecting with updates about the neighbors or their garden. It was loud, chaotic, and perfect.

"Okay, so tell us, Di," Aashi began the moment we sat down in the living room, "how was your flight? Any dramatic encounters?"

"Oh, don't get me started," I said, shaking my head dramatically. "The flight was delayed for an hour because someone lost their pet hamster in the cabin."

"What?!" Bittu burst out laughing. "A hamster? Was it running up and down the aisles?"

"Almost," I replied. "The crew was on their hands and knees trying to catch it. They finally found it hiding in a lady's handbag!"