Beyond the Meadows (A HulRat Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

By the end of July, Rahul was undergoing match simulation training at the NCA. With the Asia Cup squad selection a fortnight away, his physio was optimistic about him clearing the fitness tests in time.

Occasionally a bunch of doubts stirred inside him; he'd been out of cricket for three months now, and wouldn't it be counterproductive for the team if he was allowed to walk into the squad before a tournament, displacing guys who had been in kicking form lately?

But Rohit had made it very clear that the moment he was fit, he would walk into the squad.

"Whether you're declared fit before the Asia Cup or before the Australia series, you'll play. And I'm telling you beforehand, you'll play at 5, so keep yourself mentally prepared. Your position has been played with enough, you're past that stage now."

"Otherwise who plays at 5?"

"You. No otherwise."

"Who plays at 4?"

"Ideally?"

"Um," said Rahul. "Yeah, ideally?"

"I'd rather not say right now," said Rohit. "But you will be at 5, that's all you need to know. Clear the tests quick."

"What if I clear them after the Australia tour?" asked Rahul slyly. "Who do you want at 5 then?"

"Look," said Rohit in a dangerous voice. "I don't have a viable backup plan, so you focus on what you're supposed to be doing instead of interrogating me. All right?"

"All right," conceded Rahul hastily.

__________________

In the first week of August, after Rahul had returned from training that day and Athiya was out with some colleagues, he got an unexpected visitor.

He opened the door to find Anushka smiling at him, and offering him a bundled-up Vamika to hold.

Rahul took her in his arms and kissed her head. He'd never realized how long it had been since he'd seen her. Months.

"Why is she dressed like this?" he asked.

"This city's always too chilly--"

"Well, you chose the rainy season. Where's Virat?" Rahul asked, looking around.

"I didn't invite him along," said Anushka bluntly. "I thought I needed to talk to you alone."

Rahul thought he had a pretty good idea what this was going to be about. "Er, okay. Come inside. D'you want tea?"

"Tea? You're offering me tea? What am I, a stranger?"

"No! I just--"

Simba came gamboling down the stairs at full speed. Vamika shrieked with delight and tried to squirm out of Rahul's arms violently to reach the floor. Slightly terrified--in spite of more than enough experience with Agastya and Vamika, he still got terrified with toddlers--Rahul let her down. The moment he did, the two of them were rolling together on the floor, overjoyed.

"Your face," teased Anushka. "Still haven't gained confidence with babies, have you?"

"It's not like I have one to practice on." Rahul went to get the teapot anyway, because his mother had drilled into his head that he was old enough to be a proper host, and tea was to be served to all guests, not just the stranger ones.

"I'm pregnant," said Anushka, who'd followed him into the kitchen. "We're expecting around the beginning of next year."

Rahul dropped the pot, which hit the carpet and cracked. Anushka clicked her tongue.