Together For-Ever

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Adrika

We reached Ganagapura around 6:30 AM. Even from a distance, I could feel the air change  heavier, quieter, vibrating with age-old devotion and a presence I couldn't explain. The silhouette of the temple near the river called to something deep inside me, but it also made my chest tighten as though my nerves were tuned to the place already.

I stepped out of the Escalade. The river flowed right beside the temple, the confluence of the Bhima and Amarja rivers  and already pilgrims were moving toward the water.

The sound of rippling water made my heart race.

Unlike the chaos I expected, the crowd of pilgrims jostling for space, the hum of local vendors calling out for offerings and camphor sales, the riverbank today was quiet.

Not silent. Sacred.

But controlled.

I spotted uniformed temple security quietly managing the space, guiding regular devotees toward the opposite side of the river while keeping a designated path open for us. The familiar white and gold of the temple staff, along with a few police officials in plain clothes, lingered in the periphery.

They weren't intrusive.

Just respectfully present.

I stepped closer to the water, my saree pleats gathered carefully in my hand, my face composed the way it had learned to be over the years.

No one would know.

Not my MIL.

Not the chachis.

Not even Arjun.

Because I had learned long ago how to stand straight while everything inside me folded.

The water touched my toes.

Cold.

I inhaled sharply, then controlled it immediately.

I could hear my heartbeat loud in my ears, uneven, but my face remained calm. My lips even curved slightly, just enough to look normal.

I stepped in further.

The river rose slowly, brushing my ankles, my calves, my knees. I followed the priest's instructions exactly not too fast, not hesitant, not drawing attention.

Everyone else looked peaceful.

Faith came easily to them.

For me, it felt like walking into something I wasn't ready for.

I folded my hands as instructed and bent slightly to scoop the water. My fingers trembled, only a little so I tightened them until they stopped.

Control it.

I could feel Arjun beside me. Not touching. Not looking.

Just there.

And that somehow made it worse.

Because he thought I was fine.

He had no idea that my chest felt like it was collapsing inward.

The priest instructed us to pour the water over our heads.

This was a sacred place.

A sacred moment.

And yet all I could think was —

What if they see how fragile I am?

My chest tightened.

I bent down and scooped water again, this time forcing my hands to be steady. I poured it over my head as instructed, the cold rushing down my spine.