In the Princess Circle lobby of Abhilash Talkies, Estha bursts into song despite Ammu’s orders to be quiet. He slips away, passes the red EXIT sign, and takes a seat on an electric‑blue sofa. The refreshment‑counter man, later called the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, awakens from his nap, watches Estha sing, and confronts him with a written‑complaint threat. After a tense exchange, the man offers Estha a free orange‑lemon drink, but insists Estha hold his own penis, which is wrapped in a white dhoti, while taking the bottle. Estha complies, learning that his grandmother owns “Paradise Pickles & Preserves.” The man repeatedly mocks Estha, questions him about his family, and finally lets him drink. Estha finishes the cold lemon drink, feeling sick, and is escorted back to the auditorium where Ammu, Baby Kochamma, Rahel and the Audience watch him. Ammu scolds Estha, orders him to vomit, and he is led to the Princess Circle bathroom, where he vomits a bitter, fizzy liquid. After the incident the family gathers their luggage, leaves the cinema, and boards a taxi outside the marble lobby, with the driver described as a small, rodent‑like man.

The party reaches the Sea Queen hotel. Inside, Chacko, now in a tight suit, receives flowers and attempts to welcome the newcomers. Baby Kochamma, Ammu, Rahel and Estha are argued over punishments, with Ammu threatening to send Estha away if he misbehaves again. The twins are assigned separate rooms: Estha with Ammu and Baby Kochamma, Rahel with Chacko. While they are settling, the narrative shifts to a political subplot: Comrade K.N.M. Pillai, a local communist leader, is shown canvassing Paradise Pickles workers, urging them to demand better wages and benefits, while secretly holding a contract to print the factory’s labels. Pillai’s son, Lenin, is mentioned as working for foreign embassies, and Pillai’s rivalry with Velutha is hinted.

Later, the family travels to Cochin Airport. Rahel, dressed in a freshly bought polka‑dot frock and knickers, is helped by Ammu. The twins wear eagle‑flown vacuum flasks. At the arrivals lounge, cement kangaroo statues line the corridor, and a chaotic crowd greets the incoming flight from Bombay‑Cochin. Sophie Mol, the long‑lost cousin, steps onto the tarmac with a go‑go bag and a red‑brown hat. She is introduced by Chacko, who bows dramatically and presents Margaret Kochamma, his ex‑wife, to the family. The twins, now dubbed “Ambassadors,” are forced to pose for photographs and to perform a staged greeting. Sophie Mol’s arrival triggers a jealous outburst from Rahel, who pins Estha’s wrist with a Chinese bangle, and the three cousins engage in a awkward, rehearsed “play” that includes forced sashes, lip‑reading, and forced compliments. Amid the theatrics, Ammu repeatedly admonishes the twins for disobeying in public, warning them that any further misbehavior will result in them being sent away. The chapter ends with the twins, still unsettled, being led away from the airport under the watchful eyes of Baby Kochamma, the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man and the lingering political murmurs of Comrade Pillai.