A New Day

It's 5:00 am.

Last stop. Time to get off the bus.

You take your luggage and head out of the bus station. The morning air was chilly this December. Standing outside the station you open your Uber app and call a cab.

Your cab arrives in ten minutes and you head to your parents. You couldn't wait to get back home. Staring outside your window you see the familiar streets and places. You were getting close.

Your cab finally comes to a stop at the destination.

"That'll be ₹118"

You get out of the cab and pay the amount. In front of you, you see a two storeyed beige white bungalow with an immaculately kept lawn and lots of flowering plants. A name plate outside reads John and Aadhira Meaclis.

You're home.

Your father came from a Christian family while your mom hailed from a Hindu family. It was a love marriage. Although both your parents were atheists, they still celebrated all the Christian and Hindu holidays like Diwali and Christmas to name a few. Your father died while you 8 years old.

You open the gates and head inside to ring the doorbell. Almost immediately , before you could even press the button, the door opens and you're met with a young looking mature lady a little shorter than you,wearing a simple long skirt, with just a few stray grey hairs among raven black hair,green eyes and a fit body.

"Hi mom" you smile awkwardly.

She hugs you tight and kisses you on the cheeks. No words are said. Your mom ushers you inside.

"You must be tired from the long journey.. Why don't you go take a shower and freshen up."

"Ok mom"

You head upstairs to your old bedroom with your luggage. Your bedroom is medium sized with a single cupboard for your personal stuff , a study desk and a bed just large enough for two people.

*Man! I've done some crazy stuff on that bed! Okaayy.. Time to take a shower*

You head into your attached bathroom on the right hand side of your bed, to take a hot water shower. It feels really good in this cold weather. You shave your beard and get out of the bathroom with a towel on your waist, the steam rolling out into your bedroom. You only take two steps before you feel someone tackling you from your side into your bed and smothering your face with kisses. You hear a lot of giggling.

It was your sister, Arya. She was a 20 year old athletic young lady, with short raven black hair, C cup breasts, dark brown eyes and she was just a little taller than you were. She just had a loose white shirt and an underwear. She was in the final year of her college.

(Side Note: It is common in India to stay with your parents even after you get a job. It's not looked at as weird and is highly encouraged. Most usually move out when they get married. Some stay back and have a family of their own if the house is big enough! Crazy I know!)

"Hey little bro! What took you so long?"

"Hey now, I'm only just a centimeter shorter than you are. How 'bout you treat me with a little respect!"

"Oooh! Little man wants some respect! I'll give you more than that!" And with that she tickles you mercilessly, making you squeal and squirm. You try to valiantly resist her but you fail. She had grown stronger, perhaps stronger than you. You're both out of breath. Arya just lays on top of your body and hugs you. You hug her back.

"I'm glad you're back" She says kissing you on your cheek.

"Me too"

"C'mon, mom's waiting downstairs" Arya says getting up off of your body.

"Yeah, let me just wear my clothes" With that your sister leaves your room and heads downstairs. Wearing a shirt and shorts you head downstairs.

As you head downstairs you see a couple of family pictures hugging the wall on the way down. There was one particular photo where all four of your family members were together. In it stood your father who had a lean and muscular build with dark brown hair and matching eyes had 8 year old you sitting on his shoulders on the beach. Your mother stood right beside him with 5 year old Arya on her hips. It was the last photo you ever took as a family. Ten days later he'd die in a plane accident that disappeared on it's way to Australia. Disappeared because their bodies were never found. The search was called off after 3 agonizing years during which they could only find a few parts of the plane.

Your life would forever change after that day.