"Beyond The Boundary "

chapter 29

They held each other for a long time.

No apologies. No explanations.

Just a reconnection stitched through love, distance, and silent courage.

She went and touched her parents feet and hugged them they cried and laughed .

OTA, Chennai — Passing Out Parade Day

The sun was bright but merciful. A golden morning filtered over the immaculate lawns of the Officer Training Academy in Chennai. Rows upon rows of cadets stood tall, proud, unmoving—faces fierce with resolve. Their polished boots glinted in the light, their swords shimmered at their sides, and their spines stood straighter than flagpoles.

Among them, in the front row, stood Cadet Rihi Gupta.

Her face was calmer than the sea on a windless day, but her eyes glowed with emotion. Not fear. Not anxiety.

But pride.

She’d made it.

Not just survived—she had risen.

And today, her name would be carved not just in the hearts of her family but in the history of this Academy.

In the stands, Aashna stood in her freshly pressed Air Force cadet uniform, flanked by her parents, and Rihi’s mom and dad—who hadn’t stopped crying since they entered the gates. The military band began to play a stately march as the Commandant’s voice thundered through the loudspeakers.

“Now presenting... the Sword of Honour, for the best overall cadet of the OTA 2026 batch—awarded by the Chief of the Army Staff—to Cadet Rihi Gupta.”

A stunned gasp left the Gupta family.

Rihi stood firm, marched forward sharply, halted before the Army Chief, and saluted.

The Chief looked at her with warmth and pride. “Well done, Lieutenant Gupta.”

The sword was placed in her hands.

The weight was heavier than it looked. But she bore it like it belonged to her.

Then came the moment.

Rihi stood at attention. Her eyes scanned the stands until they found them—her parents.

Her voice rang out clear, through the mic.

“Papa. Mummy. Please come forward... and unfurl my stars.”

They moved as if in a dream. Her father’s hands trembled. Her mother’s knees were weak. Aashna held both their arms and helped them forward.

As the cloth on Rihi’s shoulders was lifted...

There they were.

Two gleaming stars. Each one earned with blood, grit, and silence.

Rihi’s mother broke down.

Her father’s hands reached for his heart.

Aashna bit her lip to keep from crying, her shoulders shaking.

“From Cadet to Lieutenant,” the announcer declared.

Applause thundered across the grounds.

But to the Guptas? It sounded like the sound of home finally returning.

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Later That Evening – Officer’s Mess

After the parade, the families were invited to the Officer’s Mess for light refreshments. The tension had faded, replaced with beaming smiles, hugs, photos—and emotional introductions between cadets and their families.