Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 41

Evening had settled quietly over the house, casting the garden and surrounding streets in soft amber hues. Meera, needing a moment to herself, had slipped out for a walk. She wandered along the narrow paths just beyond the house, letting the crisp air brush against her skin. Thoughts drifted aimlessly—how good it felt to be around everyone again, how she wished this warmth could last forever, and how complicated everything still was beneath the surface.

Back at the house, the living room buzzed with low conversations. In the children's playroom, bursts of laughter erupted—Rishabh and Shubman were locked in an intense battle of catching toy fish from a plastic pond. Their gleeful rivalry was punctuated by shouts of victory and exaggerated groans of defeat, like two children completely lost in their game.

In the main room, the atmosphere was different—heavier but intimate. Rahul sat on the couch, tense and distracted. Athiya stayed close to him, her hand resting on his arm, sensing his unease without prying. Virat leaned forward, concern etched on his face as he watched Rahul in silence. Rohit, legs sprawled lazily on an ottoman, broke the quiet with a knowing glance at Virat.

"Tu puch na," Rohit muttered. "Kya problem hai Rahul ko? Khudka blood pressure kyun badha raha hai?"

Virat gave a weary smile. "Ziddi hai. Kuch nahi batayega."

Hardik, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, stretched his back. "Baitho yaar. Main hi puch leta hoon." He turned to Rahul with an easy familiarity. "Kya chal raha hai, bhai? Spill."

Rahul exhaled deeply, his shoulders slumping. "It's Meera. I'm struggling with the idea of her going back to the academy." His voice was low but heavy with emotion.

Athiya gently squeezed his arm as everyone else leaned in, knowing how much he'd kept bottled inside.

"I know she's built a life there," Rahul continued, rubbing his palms together anxiously. "And I know how selfish this sounds... but I just can't make peace with it. After everything—after seeing her in that hospital, so broken and weak—and then losing her again to that life..." He swallowed hard, his voice faltering. "I just don't know if I can keep living with the fear of losing her, again and again."

Hardik gave him a sympathetic look but didn't interrupt, letting Rahul spill everything he'd been holding back.

"When I finally met her again," Rahul whispered, "I thought it would be different. I thought we'd get time. But she left... And now, here she is. And I feel like—" His voice cracked, frustration and helplessness rising to the surface. "I feel like every time I let her go, I'm risking losing her for good."

Virat shifted closer, his hand resting on Rahul's knee. "I get it, Rahul. We all do." His voice was calm, steady. "But you know as well as I do that holding on won't keep her safe. It'll only push her away."

Anushka, who had been quietly observing, spoke up gently. "We'd all love to keep her here, Rahul. You think I don't feel the same way? I hate the idea of her leaving again." She glanced at Virat, who gave a small nod, understanding her unspoken fears. "But the reality is... her life is out there. She's built a family at the academy—Ayan, Arya, and Arjun. That's where she belongs, too."

Ritika, sitting beside Rohit, nodded in agreement. "Meera's happiness is tied to that place, Rahul. You've seen how alive she becomes when she talks about them. Taking that away from her... it wouldn't be fair."

Rahul's jaw tightened, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I know that. But it doesn't change how I feel." He looked down, shaking his head. "I just... I'm scared. Every time she leaves, it's like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Rohit leaned back, arms folded behind his head. "You think keeping her here will fix that? If she stays, it won't stop you from worrying. It'll just give you a different kind of fear."