Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 38

Meera shifted slightly, still resting her head on Virat's lap while Rahul kept his gaze on the stars above. The gentle sound of water lapping at the edge of the pool filled the silence before she spoke.

"Anna," she began, her voice soft but steady, "I didn't tell you everything because... well, I was scared. I was barely 15 then, and you were just 17. You had your own battles to fight. I didn't want to burden you with my fears."

Rahul turned his head slightly to look at her. "You weren't a burden, Meera. You could have come to me."

"But our parents—" she paused, drawing in a shaky breath, "they had already given up on me; they blamed me. Seeing them like that broke something in me. I thought if I ran away, maybe I could escape the pain. I was scared that if I stayed, I'd drag you down with me."

Rahul felt his heart ache for her. "You were never alone, Meera. I would have stood by you, no matter what."

"I know that now," she said, looking into his eyes. "But in that moment, all I could see was the chaos around us. I thought I could protect you by keeping it to myself." Her voice quivered as she spoke. "I was just trying to survive."

He reached over, intertwining his fingers with hers. "We were kids, Meera. You did what you thought was best. I just wish you had trusted me enough to share it."

"I didn't know how," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It felt like the walls were closing in, and I thought if I ran, I could breathe again."

"You didn't have to run from me. You know that, right? I was your brother; I would have faced it all with you." Rahul's voice was firm, filled with emotion. "I just wanted to be there for you."

Tears welled in Meera's eyes as she squeezed his hand. "I know, and I regret not reaching out sooner. I thought I could handle it alone, but it only made everything worse."

Rahul nodded, understanding the weight of her confession. "The important thing is that you're here now. We can face whatever comes next together. And look at you now; you're a strong lady."

As they spoke, they didn't notice that Virat had slowly slumped against the wall, his eyes drifting shut.

"Look at him," Rahul said, breaking into a soft chuckle. "He's fallen asleep on us."

Meera smiled lightly, her heart feeling a little lighter despite the weight of their conversation. "I guess he was more tired than we thought."

"Yeah, but I'm glad he's here. You know he cares about you too," Rahul said, squeezing her hand gently. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"Okay," Meera agreed, her voice more certain now. They shared a quiet moment, comforted by each other's presence, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like a weight had been lifted.

Gently, they shifted to get up, and Rahul pulled Meera into a brief hug. "Only good things now, Meera. I promise."

She nodded, whispering back, "No more running away, I promise."

Rahul placed a tender kiss on her forehead, a gesture of reassurance. "Now, let's take this man back into his room, shall we?"

They chuckled softly as they leaned down to lift Virat, careful not to wake him. As they carefully laid him on his bed, they spotted Anushka waiting for them, a warm smile on her face as she patted the kids to sleep.

"Go get some sleep," she said gently. "Everybody else has already turned in."

"Thanks, Anushka," Rahul replied, a sense of gratitude filling his voice.

He walked back to his room, his eyes falling on sleeping Athiya, he swiftly embraced her, feeling her warmth envelop him. She stirred slightly, even in her sleep, responding to his presence with a soft sigh.

Meanwhile, Meera decided to check up on everyone, making her way through the dimly lit house. She felt a warmth in her heart, grateful that they were all together again.

She knew of Rahul and Virat and hence, she tiptoed to Rohit's room. Peering inside, she found him sound asleep, one hand resting gently on Ritika's forehead, the other protectively over Sammy. A chuckle escaped her lips at the sight. She quietly crept in and draped a soft blanket over him, careful not to wake the sleeping trio.

As she moved to the next room, she hesitated outside Arjun's door. Curiosity piqued, she opened it gently. To her surprise, but not shock, she found Arya curled up next to him.

They looked so peaceful together, and a grin spread across her face. Meera couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the two. She quickly grabbed a sticky note from the table and wrote a playful message before leaving it on the bedside table: "Goodnight, lovebirds! Don't forget to wake up for breakfast!"

Feeling satisfied with her little round of checks, she finally made her way back to her room. As she opened the door, she found Ayan awake, propped up against the headboard.

"You haven't slept?" she asked, a playful glint in her eyes. "I was waiting for you."

Meera laughed, slipping under the covers beside him. "I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay."

Ayan's expression shifted to concern as he studied her face. "You look tired, and I can see a few bruises. Let me check your injuries before we sleep."

She nodded, her heart swelling with appreciation for his care. As he gently examined her arms and shoulders, his fingers brushed over the bruises and scrapes she had tried to ignore. "You really should take better care of yourself, Meera," he said softly, his voice laced with worry.

"I know, I took care of the serious ones these are minor." she replied, giving him a reassuring smile.

Ayan finished his examination, satisfied that she was more or less okay. "Just promise me you'll let me know if it hurts more than it should, alright?"

"Promise," she said, leaning in closer to him.

He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her as they settled into a comfortable position. Meera felt the tension from the day slowly melt away in his embrace.

"Now, with all that taken care of, I can finally sleep," Ayan murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

They nestled into each other, wrapped in the comfort of each other's presence, and soon enough, the gentle rhythm of their breathing synced, leading them into a peaceful slumber.

That night, everyone slept soundly, smiles gracing their faces, comforted by the love and understanding they had finally found in each other.