Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 78

A serene calm filled the house as the early morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains. Ritika and Anushka were still asleep, nestled comfortably with the kids beside them, while the men of the house—Rohit, Virat, and Rahul—had just returned from their morning workout. The past few days had been intense, both on the field and off; practice sessions were grueling, as the upcoming tour demanded their focus, while Meera, Arya, Ayan, and Arjun had been equally engrossed in their own demanding schedules.

In the kitchen, Meera and Athiya sat together at the table, sharing a light-hearted moment over breakfast. Meera’s cereal bowl was unusually adorned with a generous sprinkle of chocolate toppings, which she ate with a satisfied grin as they watched one of Rahul's old interviews, laughing at some of his answers.

Just then, Rahul walked in, wiping the sweat from his brow. Catching sight of Meera, he grinned. “I don’t see you these days, Meeru. Kab aati hai, kab jati hai—pata hi nahi.”

Meera laughed, meeting his gaze with a playful shrug. “Yeah, but don’t wait for me, okay? You know how my work is. Crazy hours, but what can we do.”

Rahul nodded, understanding the drill, and moved forward to wrap Athiya in a warm hug. His eyes drifted to Meera’s cereal bowl, and he raised an eyebrow. “Idiot, you’re gonna get a migraine with all that chocolate.”

She rolled her eyes, a pout on her lips. “A little indulgence is worth it sometimes, Anna. Besides, it's breakfast—I can afford a little sugar na, please."

Rahul just shook his head with an affectionate sigh, glancing at Athiya for support. “What can we do with her, huh?”

Athiya grinned, giving Meera a knowing look. “I say we let her learn the hard way.”

Just then, Virat and Rohit entered, with Arya and Ayan right behind them, curious. “What’s even happening here?” Virat asked, amused as Meera turned to him, her pout exaggerated.

“Virat, tell him! I can have chocolate toppings if I want!” Meera said, folding her arms dramatically.

Virat chuckled, throwing her an approving nod. “If she wants chocolate, let her have chocolate.” Rohit shook his head, laughing at Virat’s predictable response.

“Of course, you’d say that—you can’t even say no to Vamika’s requests!” Rohit teased, nudging Virat as Rahul chimed in, “Meera, no chocolates! You’ll regret it later.”

Before Meera could argue back, Arjun casually swooped in and took her bowl. “Arjun bhai!” Meera exclaimed in protest. Turning to Ayan, who was braiding Arya’s hair, she said, “Ayan, tell your best friend to give me back my breakfast! Aren’t you on my side?”

Ayan just laughed, shrugging as he continued braiding Arya’s hair. “Sorry, Meeru. This time, I’m with him.”

Meera groaned dramatically, crossing her arms. “Traitors, all of you! Athiya, you’re the only one who understands me.”

Athiya laughed, shaking her head. “Sorry, Meera, but even I can’t save you from this one—you’re still not getting chocolates.”

Meera threw her hands up in mock exasperation. “Unbelievable! Even my chocolate ally has turned on me!”

The whole kitchen burst into laughter as Meera reluctantly resigned herself to a more sensible breakfast, all while making exaggerated faces of protest.

Rahul wrapped an arm around Athiya, asking with a warm smile, “How are you? And how’s our little one doing?”

Athiya leaned into his embrace, smiling softly. “We’re both doing well, just excited for what’s ahead.”