As the sun went down, coloring the sky orange and pink, shadows grew long across the fields by the highway. Arjun held the driving wheel firmly, focused on the road in front of him. The quiet sound of the engine, which was once calming, now made the pain in his chest feel worse. Aarav slept peacefully in the back seat, holding his favorite toy car. Arjun looked at the rearview mirror and saw Aarav’s calm face. Meera sat next to him, casually looking through her phone. Sometimes, she looked outside with a calm face, enjoying the view as it went by.

Arjun reminded himself, feeling both frustrated and impressed, “Where is this going?” Meera suggested an unplanned car trip, encouraging everyone to enjoy the surprise. For someone like Arjun, who liked things to be orderly, it was discomforting. He wanted the ease of having a plan—something organized and simple to follow. Still, they were here, believing the road would lead them to a destination. “If I’m reading this map right,” Meera said, breaking the quiet, “The lake is about thirty minutes ahead. Let’s pause here, let Aarav get some exercise, and enjoy the sunset.

Arjun nodded, but his mind was full of possibilities. Could they find themselves lost? What if the car broke down? What if the lake isn’t safe? He held the driving wheel firmly, feeling a tightness in his chest from worrying about things that could go wrong. Meera looked at him and smiled knowingly. “You’re overthinking, I can tell,” she joked. “You’re gripping that steering wheel like it’s going to slip away.” Arjun chuckled quietly, but there was still a hint of stress in his voice. “I don’t know where we are going”. “That’s the whole idea of a road trip,” she replied kindly. “We shouldn’t be on any path.” “Isn’t that why we came?” She was correct. Recently, Arjun’s job had overwhelmed him, making him feel distant even when he was there. Meera planned this trip to help him relax and spend time with her and Aarav. The more they moved away from what he knew, the more nervous he felt. “Not everything in life requires planning, Arjun,” Meera stated, her tone softening. “Sometimes, you need to believe in the unknown.” Her words stayed with him, affecting him deeply. It was simple to trust her and her hopeful outlook, but believing in the unpredictability of life was much harder for him.

They drove onto a smaller road with a bumpy surface full of potholes that shook the car with each bump. The sun went down, and the nearby trees looked like they were closing in, creating a cover. Arjun’s speech showed some worry as he asked, “Are you sure this is the right way? This road feels empty.” “We’re escaping everything.” Meera answered by gently squeezing his hand to comfort him. Before her words could sink in, the car suddenly swerved sharply to one side. Arjun turned the steering wheel and hit the brakes, stopping the car roughly on the dirt side of the road. “What just happened?” Meera asked, her normally calm face displaying worry. Arjun went outside, feeling his heart race. A quick look showed the issue: a flat tire. Out of all the problems that could happen in a remote place, it had to be this one. He felt frustrated and blamed himself for nothing.

Meera joined him, a small, amused smile appearing on her face. “Looks like we need to go on an adventure,” she said casually. “Is this an adventure?” Arjun replied quickly, clearly annoyed. “We’re stuck with a flat tire, in this remote place”. Meera smiled gently, and there was a touch of worry in her eyes. “It’s not perfect, but we’ll find a way.” We always make sure to do that. Besides,” she said, sounding more cheerful, “didn’t you say you can deal with anything?” Even though Arjun was annoyed, he couldn’t help but smile a little. Aarav, now awake, looked out the window. “What happened, Dad?” “Just a small problem, my friend,” Arjun said, trying to hide his irritation with a cheerful voice. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” The fact was, Arjun hadn’t changed a tire in a long time. As he took out the spare tire and jack from the trunk, he remembered how his father approached such situations. With a steely calm and patient work, gently does it. Arjun was soon at work.

Meera knelt next to Aarav and made the situation sound like an exciting story. Aarav laughed at her lively movements, and jumped out of the car to lend a helping hand. The boy seemed to know a bit about cars. He gathered the lug nuts, and carefully placed them on the hub of the spare tire. He collected, counted and kept the spirits high for his father!

Arjun felt relaxed by the steady pace of the work. The evening air was cool against his skin, and he could hear Meera and Aarav laughing. He gradually relaxed his shoulders. “You’re doing well,” Meera said gently, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Do you see?” It’s just a flat tire. You’ve got this.” Her quiet words made him feel more at ease. When he finished tightening the last bolt on the replacement, the sun had set. He got up and stretched his exhausted muscles, feeling a sense of achievement.

“Crisis avoided,” Meera said, giving him a water bottle. She was clearly proud of him, and it made her feel positive inside. “Thanks,” Arjun said quietly as he took a big drink of water. “That’s how life is,” Meera said, leaning on the car and looking at the evening sky. “Things don’t always go as planned, but sometimes the unexpected moments are the best parts of the trip.” Arjun laughed softly, showing that he accepted the situation rather than fought against it. He agreed, “You could be right.” “Could be?” she joked. “I am always right.” She twinkled.

They got back into the car, and the road stretched ahead of them, with no clear goal. Aarav, now awake, started a fun talk about supercars and how they don’t break down. Arjun joined in this time, almost forgot that he was lost, and indulged in the unknown!