We sat there for a long time, sharing the stew and watching the stars begin to poke through the purple twilight. After a long time in my life, I didn't feel the itch to be anywhere else. I didn't need the adrenaline of the Mach speeds. I just needed this.
________
The next day was our last in the village. My strength had finally returned, and my leg was strong enough to carry me down thesteep mountain path. But before we left the people who had given me back my life, I had one thing left to do.
I asked the Village Head to gather everyone at the center of the clearing. The sun was beginning to set, casting a deep, golden glow over the thatched roofs. The air was cool and crisp, smelling of pine and woodsmoke.
Kavya stood beside me, looking confused. She kept adjusting her shawl, glancing at the villagers who were gathering with curious expressions. "Saurav? What is all this? Did we forget to say goodbye to someone?"
I turned to her, taking both of her hands in mine. My palms were sweaty, a feeling I hadn't even had during my first solo flight. The villagers watched us with wide eyes. They didn't understand my language, but they understood the language of the heart.
"Kavya," I started, my voice thick with emotion. "When we got married two years ago, it was forced. We were in so much shit. I gave you a ring, but I didn't give you my soul. I gave you a name, but I didn't give you my time."
I felt her hands tremble. Her eyes searched mine, realizing this wasn't a formal goodbye to the village.
"In this valley, I died and was born again. And every time I opened my eyes, you were the reason I wanted to keep breathing. You are the bravest person I know. You walked through a jungle to find a man the world had given up on."
I slowly lowered myself onto one knee. It hurt a little, a sharp reminder of the crash but the pain was nothing compared to the joy in my chest. I didn't have a diamond ring; I had fashioneda small band out of sturdy mountain vines and a tiny, dried Primrose I’d found near the stream.
"Kavya Chauhan, I don't want to be your husband because someone forced you to sign a paper. I want to be your husband because I can't imagine a single sunrise without you. Will you marry me again? For real this time?"
Kavya’s breath hitched as tears spilled over her cheeks, reflecting the orange light of the sunset. She didn't say a word at first; she simply lunged into my arms, nearly knocking me over. The villagers erupted into cheers and whistles, sensing the celebration even without the translation.
"Yes," she sobbed into my chest. "A thousand times, yes."
“I love you, cutie,” I whispered into her ear, using the nickname I used to say with a smirk, but now said with every ounce of my heart. I felt her breath hitch as she gripped me even tighter.
“I love you too, handsome,” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion.
_______
The journey back to city was a whirlwind of helicopters, debriefings, and doctors. When I finally made the call to the base, the silence on the other end of the line was deafening. They thought they were hearing a ghost.
When we finally reached our home city, the sight of the villa took my breath away. It looked exactly as it had when I left, but the air felt different. As we walked up the driveway, the front doors flew open before we could even reach for the handle.
Abhiraj, Avni, Noor, Rhea, everyone was there.
Abhiraj looked like he had seen a miracle. He didn't say a word; he just ran forward, pulling me into a hug that nearly broke my ribs all over again. I squeezed him back just as hard. I felt like I had my best friend back, and for the first time, I realized how much I had missed the brotherhood of the ground.
The girls crowded around Kavya, crying and laughing at the same time. There were so many questions, so many explanations to give, but as I looked over the heads of my friends and met Kavya’s eyes, I knew we were finally home.
The "Golden Era" wasn't behind us in some vacation spot. It wasn't back in the early days of our contract marriage. It was right here, standing on our own doorstep, ready to start a life where we didn't just exist together. We lived together.
I tucked her under my arm, pulling her close as we walked into our house. The cold silence of the villa was gone, replaced by the beautiful, messy noise of a family being whole again. I was a pilot, but for the first time in my life, I was perfectly happy being grounded.
__________
Chapter 49
SAURAV
“You’re looking good,” Abhiraj said, stepping into the guest room of the villa. He was holding my ceremonialpagri, the stiff fabric of the turban catching the light. He placed it on my head with the kind of care usually reserved for fragile things, adjusting the folds with practiced hands until it sat perfectly. “You’re the luckiest bastard on the planet, Saurav. You know that, right? You got married twice to the same woman. She’s the bravest and the most beautiful woman I know.”
He gripped my shoulder, his grip tightening. His voice dropped an octave, losing its usual teasing edge. “You better make her happy this time. No more jets coming before her. No more silence.”
The history between us felt heavy in the air for a second. My friendship with Abhiraj was a long, winding road. We had been inseparable for twenty years until the weight of my own choices and my coldness toward the world had driven a wedge between us. I had walked away from him once, even though I still cared. Seeing him here now, acting as my best man for the first time, felt like another part of my soul being repaired.
“You don’t even have to say it,” I replied, catching my reflection in the mirror. I looked like a groom, but I felt like a man who had finally found his gravity. “I’d do anything for her.” I held his gaze, my tone turning serious. “Just... keep a little distance from my wife, okay? I know you’re a charmer.”