PITCHING HEARTS: LOVE IN THE OUTFIELD

Chapter 4 (2/2): The Final Showdown: Captain and Champions

"Come on!" he whispered under his breath, willing the ball to keep rising as the fielder lunged to make the catch...

"AND IT'S A FOUR!" the commentator's voice boomed, sending waves of cheer through the crowd as Rehan took off his helmet. He and Aryan exchanged a jubilant fist bump, smiles stretching across their faces. "It was a close call, but he made it four, giving England a target of 225 runs to chase!" Rehan caught a glimpse of the England captain, who threw his cap onto the ground in frustration.

He glanced at the scoreboard:

Rehan: 78 (40)
Aryan: 50 (35)

As they made their way toward the stands, their teammates welcomed them with high-fives and hugs, celebrating their hard-fought runs. With the Umpire's decision of taking a 30-minute break, Rehan felt a rush of relief.

Later, he walked into the changing room and was taken aback to see his brothers and baby sister there, along with his teammates. Embracing them, he felt a surge of love as his brothers praised his performance. Avyanna giggled when Rehan scooped her up from Avinash's arms, tossing her gently into the air before catching her with ease. He showered her cheeks with affectionate pecks, making her burst into a fit of squeals and contagious laughter, drawing smiles from his teammates and coach.

Soon, he was surrounded by his teammates, all eager to greet his sister.

"What's her name?"  asked Saksham, eager to meet the little one. And many "Will you not introduce us?" "how old is she?"    were thrown their way. Avyanna, feeling overwhelmed by the excitement of so many players, buried her face into the crook of his neck. Rehan hushed them, as he soothingly rubbed his shy and overwhelmed sister's back. Ivaan soon stepped in taking her from Rehan's hold, going back to play with her, while Sameer lightly tickled her, having gentle smiles on their faces.

Rehan sighed, remembering the confrontation with his brothers changing them completely to how they are now.

Flashback...

As Rehan requested, more like demanded, Sameer, Avinash and Ivaan settled into the living room waiting for Rehan as he had gone to tuck Avyanna into her crib. Sameer and Avinash exchanged confused glances but saw Ivaan didn't looked as confused as them but kept quiet. Soon Rehan settled beside Ivaan on the Couch.

"We need to talk. About Avyanna. And about Mom."   said Rehan, frustration clear in his voice. Ivaan put his arm around his shoulder, expression soft, ready to support his younger brother in the conversation. Avinash looks away, while Sameer keeps his eyes glued to his phone, the weight of his responsibilities evident in his posture.

"She's four months old, and you both haven't even looked at her properly. Like she's not a part of this family." Rehan said, his voice trembling slightly. Sameer finally glances up, his face showing signs of exhaustion. Avinash keeps quiet, shifting uneasily in his seat.

With a tired sigh, Sameer spoke, "I am doing everything, Rehan. I just took over the company. I don't have time to sit around--"

He was cut off when Rehan spoke, frustration building, "Sit around? That's not what we're asking you to do. We're asking you to be here. You've buried yourself in work, Avinash bhai in his books- but we're still a family. Avyanna is 'our' sister, and she deserves more than to be ignored because you can't deal with what happened."  Avinash swallows hard, his eyes darting between his brothers but not speaking up. Sameer clenches his jaw, guilt flickering across his face.

"Look, we get it, Sameer bhai. You've got a company to run. Avinash bhai, you've got your studies. But pretending she doesn't exist... that won't bring Mom back."  Ivaan softly spoke, trying to ease the tension.