Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 25

The sun had barely crept into the room when Ayan woke up, stretching lazily. He blinked groggily, only to realize the bed next to him was empty. Meera wasn't there. A small wave of panic surged through him, but he shook it off and quickly got out of bed. After freshening up, he rushed downstairs, his footsteps soft on the wooden floor.

The sound of giggles and laughter greeted him as he stepped into the backyard. There, in the middle of the lawn, was Meera. She was playing with Sammy and Vami, both kids squealing in delight as she chased after them. Rohit stood nearby, chuckling as he watched the chaos unfold.

Ritika who stood there exclaimed, folding her arms with a grin. "I seriously can't believe you're Sammy's dad, Ro. You look more like the kid here!"

Anushka, who was sitting on the lawn with Athiya, handed little Akaay to Virat, who instantly began cooing at the baby, a soft, doting smile spreading across his face. "Who's my little champ?" Virat murmured, as Akaay gurgled in response.

Rahul, who had just entered the scene, couldn't help but laugh at Ritika's comment. "Not his fault, Ritsy bhabi! It's Meera's influence," he said, grinning at his sister. "She's a monkey, after all!"

Meera, who was still running around with Sammy and Vami, whipped her head around at Rahul's comment. "Excuse me?" she shot back, eyes wide in playful disbelief.

Soon, the entire backyard turned into a madhouse, with Meera and Rahul sprinting after each other like characters straight out of Tom and Jerry. The kids clapped and giggled, cheering them on as they darted around the lawn, narrowly avoiding the chairs and tables.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" Athiya shouted in mock annoyance, throwing her hands up in the air as she watched them race past her. "You two are impossible!"

Ritika shouted in a no nonsense tone, "Stop you two right now."

Virat, still holding Akaay in his arms, leaned back, laughing. "Finally, some peace and quiet," he joked, though the twinkle in his eyes showed he was loving every moment of the chaos.

Ayan stepped out onto the lawn, laughing as he took in the scene. The whole family was in hysterics, and it was hard not to get caught up in the infectious energy. Ritika, however, spotted him from across the yard and narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh no, Ayan, don't think you're off the hook just because you've been watching from a distance!"

Anushka, who was standing beside Ritika, leaned in toward Ayan with a soft smile. "Trust me, don't get too comfortable. Soon, you'll be joining them-and you'll get your punishment too."Ayan chuckled, feeling warmth spread through his chest as he saw Meera, Rahul, and the kids still tangled in their playful battle.

The moment lingered between them, a deep connection of understanding and love passing in that shared glance. They had been through so much, and though time had passed and life had taken them in different directions, their bond remained unbroken.

Virat and Rohit, who had been watching from the sidelines, exchanged a look. There was something profoundly beautiful about the way Rahul and Meera interacted-an unspoken understanding between siblings who had weathered life's storms together. Grateful smiles spread across their faces as they looked on, thankful to be part of a family that, despite all the madness, had so much love to give.

The calm after the tender sibling moment didn't last long, as Meera, with a playful glint in her eyes, suddenly broke into another sprint. "Oh no, you're not catching me that easily, Anna!" she called over her shoulder, laughter bubbling up in her voice.

Rahul, laughing heartily, immediately gave chase. "We'll see about that, Meera!" he shouted, picking up speed. The kids cheered wildly, encouraging their uncle to catch their fast-footed aunt.

Ayan, who had been standing by with his arms crossed and a fond smile on his face, decided to join the fun. "Meera! You fool!" he called out, " you're going to fall!" His words rang out over the lawn as he ran after her, half-amused, half-exasperated.

Meera, caught up in the fun, looked back at him mid-run, her long hair whipping around her face. "I'm not going to fall!" she retorted, barely dodging a lawn chair.

But Ayan's prediction turned out to be right, as Meera stumbled just a bit, giving Rahul the perfect opportunity to grab her by the arm. With a triumphant grin, he spun her around, and in the next second, had her pinned, laughing hysterically as he started tickling her mercilessly.

"No! Anna! Stop!" Meera shrieked, doubling over in laughter, trying to break free from Rahul's tickling attack. But there was no escape. The kids and the rest of the family watched on, utterly amused by the chaos unfolding before them.

As the chaos of the morning slowly settled, Kaka appeared at the doorway, wiping his hands on his apron and shaking his head in mock frustration. "Lunch is ready, but I swear, if you all keep running around like this, the entire house will be upside down by evening!" he grumbled, though the twinkle in his eye betrayed his fondness for the family.

As everyone began to retreat indoors, Virat and Meera exchanged a glance. "Salads, Kaka! Don't forget the salads!" Virat called out, flashing a thumbs-up to Meera. She nodded in agreement, "Yes, please! We've got to balance out all those sweets from yesterday."

A collective groan came from Rohit, Rahul, and the others, with Rohit dramatically rolling his eyes. "Oh great, just what we need—rabbit food," he muttered, though a mischievous grin betrayed him.

Meera grinned and gave his arm a light jab. "C'mon, Ro Bro, it's for your own good! After all that running, you need real fuel."

"You can keep your salads, Meera," Athiya shot back, looping her arm comfortably around Rahul's. "I'm sticking with my favourite rasam rice."

A chorus of chuckles followed, but before the laughter could fade, Virat smirked and casually tossed in, "Yeah, Athiya, we can see how much you love that rasam rice."

Athiya's cheeks instantly flushed pink, but it was Rahul's reaction that sent the group into fits—his ears turned a deep shade of crimson, and he stared intently at his shoes, trying not to laugh too hard or draw more attention.

"Ohhhh! Look who's blushing now!" Rohit hooted, nudging Rahul with a sly grin. "This must be some very special rasam rice."

Athiya playfully shoved Virat, cheeks still glowing. "You are the worst!" she said, trying not to smile, while Rahul gave a helpless little cough, visibly torn between embarrassment and laughter.

Ritika, still laughing herself, raised her hands dramatically. "Spare these two, you idiots! Show some mercy."

"Oh no, no!" Anushka chimed in, joining forces with Rohit as she leaned closer, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Rohit's right—we need to investigate this rice romance. Are we talking plain rasam rice, or is there a special masala blend we don't know about?"

Everyone burst into laughter, the sound ringing out like a chorus of joy. Athiya playfully swatted at Anushka, her cheeks still tinged pink from the teasing, while Rahul groaned and buried his face deeper into his hands, wishing he could disappear. "You guys are impossible!" he muttered, his voice muffled, but the way his shoulders shook with suppressed laughter gave him away.

Virat, unable to contain himself, doubled over, laughing so hard that he had to lean against a nearby wall for support. In a moment of camaraderie, he swooped in to shield Rahul's face from the teasing crowd, playfully declaring, "Alright, alright! Let's save our poor Rahul from this embarrassment and head to the food before he really does die of humiliation."

Rohit, still grinning, added, "Yes, let's distract him with some of that 'delicious' rabbit food!"

With a mock-serious nod, Virat guided Rahul away, throwing an arm around his shoulders, while the others followed, still chuckling at the lively banter. The camaraderie was infectious, and despite the earlier teasing, Rahul couldn't help but feel grateful to have such a fun-loving bunch around him.

With everyone finally seated for lunch, Kaka continued his mock frustration, shaking his head at the mix of healthy salads and heavier dishes now spread across the table. But in the laughter and chatter that followed, there was nothing but joy and contentment in the air.