Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 104 - Part 2

As the day ended and everyone retreated to their rooms, the celebrations for Ashwin’s farewell winding down with laughter, cake, and memories, the corridors of the hotel finally grew silent.

Virat stepped out of his room quietly. The video of Ashwin’s farewell, posted by BCCI, was already making its rounds, with fans pouring in comments. Some were happy, others emotional, and Virat knew people would notice just how much the day had affected him. But right now, none of that mattered.

His mind felt heavy. He had made sure Anushka and the kids were fast asleep before slipping out. The chill outside welcomed him as he walked to the terrace. The drizzle had picked up again, soaking the city in a reflective silence. Rubbing his palms together, he settled in a quiet corner, knees pulled up, his gaze fixed on the sky. The stars were faint behind the clouds, but still, they shone.

What he didn’t notice was Meera entering the terrace as well, her hair slightly damp from the drizzle. She rubbed her arms against the cold, squinting through the dim light until she spotted Virat. A small smirk tugged at her lips.

“Didn’t think I’d find you here, Kohlito. What happened to your ‘sleep early, train hard’ philosophy?” she teased softly.

Virat looked over, startled for a moment, but then a small smile broke across his face. “Cheat day, I guess.”

Meera raised an eyebrow as she walked over. “Cheat day, huh? For sleep?”

Virat chuckled faintly but didn’t reply. Meera furrowed her brows slightly. There was something different about his tone. Not wanting to intrude, she hesitated. “Can I sit beside you, bhaiya?”

Virat looked at her and nodded. “Since when do you ask? Come, sit.”

Meera settled beside him on the cold ground, hugging her knees close to her chest for warmth.After a few moments, Virat looked over at her and smirked. “What about you? Why are you up here instead of snoring away?”

Meera huffed, mock-offended. “Excuse you, I don’t snore.” She laughed a little before sighing. “Insomnia hit. I was missing Ayan and Aru Di. Didn’t want to wake up Arjun or the others, so I came here.”She looked over at him. “And you? What’s keeping you awake?”

Virat exhaled deeply, his breath visible in the cold air. His gaze drifted back to the stars. “I lost my dad on this day… years back. 2006. December 18th.”

Meera turned to look at him, her face softening.

“The loss still feels the same,” Virat continued, his voice carrying a weight of pain and nostalgia. “If anything, it hurts a little more with each passing year. People tell you time heals everything, but that’s not true. You don’t heal from it; you just learn how to carry it.”

He paused for a moment, the sound of the drizzle filling the silence. “Ash’s retirement today… it just added another layer to the day. Another moment I’ll never forget.”

Meera didn’t say anything, letting him speak as he stared up at the endless expanse of stars.

“You miss him more on nights like this, don’t you?” Meera asked after a while.

“Yeah,” Virat admitted, his voice softer now. “But tonight feels heavier. Ash retiring, everything… it makes me think about how far we’ve come and how much has changed. Life keeps moving, but some parts of it feel frozen, untouched by time.”

Meera nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest. “I get it. I think that’s the thing about memories. They’re eternal, no matter how much the world changes around you.”

Virat looked back at the sky, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips. “Dad used to tell me, ‘You can lose a match, but you’ll never lose yourself as long as you remember where you started.’”