Next morning,
Rohit woke up first only to see Virat was still sleeping. He didn't wake him up remembering that he had the nightmare yesterday. He noticed Virat had held his hand tightly. He slowly removed it from the grip of Virat only to notice his hand was warm. He touched his forehead to find the same warm skin.
He knew it was due to the nightmare yesterday. He quickly got up and freshened up first. He called the team doctor who just prescribed a paracetamol, it was not that serious.
"Vi wake up! Virat" Rohit said softly waking him up so that he could have some juice and have the tablet.
"I don't want to" said Virat burying his face in the pillow.
"U should have something. Get up and then you can sleep again after you have your medicine" said Rohit waking him up and making him sit so that he doesn't sleep again.
Virat freshened up a little. He felt tired than usual. He sat back on the bed closing his eyes and resting his head on headboard.
"Vi chal have thoda juice, u will feel better" said Rohit entering the room.
Rohit helped him have the juice and gave him tablet.
"U okay?" Rohit asked seeing him silent. He was worried if he was in pain or something like that.
"Ya just a little tired" said Virat closing his eyes.
After sometime, Rohit noticed Virat was more silent than usual like from the time he arrived here. He was talking and behaving normally but today he was more silent and lost. He knew he was a bit sick but Rohit expected to whine about medicines or juice but nothing like that happened nor he asked about Mahi bhai which was strange. As he always asks for bhai when he is sick specially on tours away from family.
"Arey you guys didn't come for breakfast" said Jaddu entering the room followed by Ash, bhuvi and Mahi bhai.
Rohit gestures to speak in low voice as Virat was starting to doze off.
"What happened?" Mahi asked seeing Virat dozing off on Rohit's shoulder.
"He has mild fever, little warm" Rohit whispered.
"Did something happen?" Ash asked.
"He had a nightmare yesterday night. From morning he was little tired due to that. And one more thing is that.."
"What is one more thing Rohit" Ash asked.
"Umm he is very silent from morning! Like zoned out and lost. He was normal from the day he came back but today it's completely different which am unable to understand" Rohit whispered and informed that to Ash.
"Ohh.." Ash thought about the pattern. This was unusual than what was at his home. He wasn't zoned out like this.
"Let's observe today and then we will see, don't ask anything" Ash said and everyone agreed as Ash spent time with him in recovery, he knew the best.
Virat woke up after an hour feeling a little better physically. He saw everyone there with him.
"Great, you got up.. you know Mahi bhai made your favourite halwa today" Rohit said.
Virat just nodded at that and went to wash his face. He came out and collided with Ab.
"Careful biscuit", said Ab holding him by his shoulders.
"Sorry" Virat said and on that didn't know why Ab just hugged him. Virat closed his eyes hugging him back.
Ab patted his head, "all okay?" He asked breaking the hug to which Virat just nodded.
"Abhi kya Puri family history puchega? Bas hua na!" Jaddu whispered angrily to Ash seeing Ab talking softly to Virat.
Ash chuckled at that but now he was worried about Virat. He had read about mental health a bit. How at times the person can be really happy and other times he can be really zoned out. But all he want to know was Virat's reason why he felt lost all of a sudden.
"Jaddu take everyone outside" Ash said.
"Why?" Jaddu asked to which Ash just said, "do as I say!"
Jaddu just made a face on that and took everyone outside. Ash assured Rohit who was unsure of leaving Virat like that.
"Virat" Ash called softly sitting in front of him as he didn't even notice everyone going outside.
"Hmm?"
"What's wrong?" Ash asked softly to which he didn't get any reply which was having him worried now.
"Where is Rohit?" Virat asked not seeing him around.
"Do you want me to call him?" Asked Ash to which he didn't receive any answer. Ash anyways dialed Rohit's number.
"Ash!" Virat called after a min.
"Ya?"
"I got the nightmare about me giving up and Rohit was crying beside me" said Virat with moist eyes, "I am really scared. Will I be okay? How will step onto the field with these thoughts? How will I practice again? Will Rohit and others leave me? What about my love and my daughter? This is so blurry" He said holding his head with his hands.
"Vi" Virat heard Rohit's voice from the door. Virat just looked at Rohit with tears flowing from his eyes which he couldn't control at all.
Rohit just engulfed him in a hug.
Ash was gonna leave but Virat held his hand indicating not to. Ash understood it will be difficult for him to talk to Rohit about the thought he had and was having.
No matter how hard you try, it is a long process of recovery be it any physically or emotionally. It requires time. You have to go through the ups and downs of it.
Ash couldn't help but think that seeing Virat shedding tears.
______