Shadows Of The Stumps

How Many More?

Arjun walked into the garden like he hadn't just dropped a life-altering bombshell at breakfast. Hands in his pockets, sleeves lazily rolled up, the breeze ruffling his already rebellious hair.

He spotted them instantly — Meera with her casted leg stretched out, Shubman lounging beside her like they were two college kids skipping class.

Meera was lounging with her casted leg stretched out on the bench, cotton candy all but finished, and Shubman was half-draped beside her like the resident sunshine sibling. Both looked up at him with narrowed eyes and half-grins.

"Chale madam?" Arjun asked, casually patting the handles of the wheelchair.

"Hospital ka appointment hai. You can't charm your way out of this one."

Meera instantly groaned. "I'm not going."

Arjun raised a brow, already smirking. "Okay, aur reason?"

"I'm not going," she repeated, folding her arms. "Unless you're wearing that hoodie."

Shubman instantly perked up. "Wait, you are actually doing that?"

Arjun's smirk deepened as he slowly — very slowly — unbuttoned his coat with exaggerated drama. And there it was. Beneath it, loud and proud in bold letters on a bright pink hoodie: I ♥ My Sister.

Meera's jaw dropped. "You're actually wearing it?!"

Arjun shrugged like it was no big deal. "Tumhe laga main hospital le jaane aaya hoon bina tayyari ke?" He gave her a pointed look. "So now you have zero excuses left. And I know you're throwing tantrums, Noor. Chal ab. Let's go."

Meera groaned, half-flattered and half-annoyed. "You're such a show-off."

"And you're such a baby today," he shot back fondly.

Shubman laughed, already standing. "Okay, I'm officially leaving before this becomes a sibling romcom. Meeru, I'll see you later, okay?"

Arjun nodded. "Yeah, you go get some rest. You've got training again with Rahul in the evening."

Shubman mock-saluted. "God help me."

Meera grinned as he walked off, then looked at Arjun. "You really wore that hoodie just for me?"

Arjun smirked. "Of course. How else do I win points before forcing you into the hospital?"

________________________________________

The car moved steadily through the shaded roads, sunlight flickering through the trees like lazy Morse code. Meera sat in the passenger seat, blowing soap bubbles out the window — a bottle of the tiny toy tucked between her fingers like it was her stress ball. The bubbles floated and popped against the glass, vanishing just as quickly as her thoughts scattered.

Arjun drove quietly, letting her be.

Until her voice cut the silence.

"Who's my doctor, by the way?"

He glanced at her. "Naresh Kalra."

She groaned immediately, her head thumping back against the seat dramatically. "Oh no. Not him. He hates me."

Arjun chuckled. "That's because you're a menace. You never listen. You once threw a blood pressure monitor at him."

"I didn't throw it," she muttered. "I nudged it aggressively."

"That thing flew across the room and knocked over a chart stand."

"Well... he was annoying," she grumbled, blowing another bubble.