Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 87

The flight to Australia was quiet, almost eerily so. The soft hum of the engines filled the silence between Meera and Rohit, each lost in their own thoughts.

Rohit leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixed on the in-flight entertainment screen, though he wasn’t really watching. His mind kept circling back to the upcoming series. Every decision, every strategy, every possible outcome played in his head on an endless loop. He was plagued by the pressure—not just of winning, but of leading, of being the rock his team needed. He couldn’t afford a single misstep, not when the stakes were this high.

He glanced at Meera beside him, her face illuminated by the faint glow of her reading light. She wasn’t reading, though; the book lay open on her lap, untouched. Her eyes were fixed on the darkness outside the window, but Rohit knew she wasn’t seeing the night sky.

Meera was somewhere else entirely, her thoughts a labyrinth of loss and grief.

As the hours passed, Rohit finally broke the silence, his voice low and hesitant. “You should try to rest, Meera.”

She turned to him slowly, her expression unreadable. “So should you. You’ve got a lot ahead of you.”

He nodded, though neither of them made any move to recline their seats. Silence settled again, heavy and unyielding.

The touchdown in Australia was smooth, the plane gliding to a halt under the pale morning sun. Meera and Rohit had barely spoken after leaving the airport, their exhaustion too heavy for words. They checked into the team hotel and retreated to their respective rooms, choosing solitude over any interaction.

The next morning, Meera woke with a dull ache in her temples, a reminder of the restless night she’d endured. Rubbing her eyes, she groggily made her way to the bathroom, freshening up in silence. Her mind felt as cluttered as her duffle bag, and when she returned to her desk to retrieve her anxiety pills, something stopped her.

Attached to the bottle was a small note, the handwriting unmistakable:

"Don’t yet. Just open the second pocket."

Curious, she unzipped the side pocket of her bag to find a small pack of peppermint candies. Another note was tucked inside:

"I saw you the other day taking pills. Don’t this time unless it’s really necessary. I’m only a call away, Meera – Harry."

She pulled out her phone and texted him:

"Thodi akal toh hai tujhme."

Almost immediately, Harry responded with a laughing emoji and a simple:

"Always. Don’t let them steal that laugh, okay?”

Shaking her head, Meera popped one of the candies into her mouth. Its coolness spread across her senses, calming her in a way she hadn’t expected.

A little while later, as she stepped out of her room, she ran into Rohit in the hallway. The contrast between them was almost comical. Rohit was dressed in the lilac practice uniform, his duffle bag slung over one shoulder, his cricket bat peeking out from the other. Meera, on the other hand, had chosen a full-sleeved knit top and tailored formal pants. Ayan’s watch still adorned her left wrist, and her right hand carried her coat. Her ID card dangled from her neck, and her hair fell loosely over her shoulders.

Rohit paused mid-step, his gaze lingering on her dark circles. He didn’t comment, instead flashing her a faint smile. “Why are you dressed up so much?” he asked, teasing lightly.

Meera laughed, adjusting her coat. “You’ve got practice, but I’ve got security meetings all day. I can’t exactly show up looking like the homeless version of myself, can I?”