The morning air in New Zealand was crisp and fresh, but the atmosphere within the hotel was tense.
Myra's mood was particularly low, a stark contrast to her usual vibrant self. Today marked her parents' anniversary—a bittersweet reminder of loss and love.
Only Shubman, Shahneel, and Sara knew the significance of the day.
Myra and Abhishek were in the team lounge, as the team was prepping for the day's practice session. Myra was already on edge, her mind a whirlpool of emotions.
Abhishek, oblivious to the underlying cause of her mood, inadvertently triggered an argument over something trivial.

“Hey, can you pass me the strategy notes?” Abhishek asked, not looking up from his phone.
Myra, lost in her thoughts, didn't hear him.
“Myra?” he called again, a bit louder.

“What?” she snapped, finally looking up.

“The notes. Can you pass them?”

“Get them yourself,” she retorted, her tone sharper than intended.

Abhishek frowned, taken aback. “What’s your problem today?”

Myra’s eyes flashed with annoyance as she got up and headed towards her room.

Shubman, Sara, and Shahneel watched the exchange, their concern deepening.
After Myra stormed off, Sara approached Abhishek with a determined expression.

“Abhay, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Ab tumhe kya hai?” he replied, still frustrated from the argument.

Sara’s eyes narrowed. “Listen, I don’t know tumhare aur Myra ke beech mai kya chalta rehta hai, but I’m telling you right now, today is not the day to mess with her.”

Abhishek raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Sara took a deep breath, her expression softening. “Today is her parents' anniversary. They’re both gone, and this day is really hard for her. Shubman, Shahneel, and I are the only ones who know, and she’s already on edge. Agar tune use kuch kiya toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga.”

Abhishek’s annoyance melted away, replaced by a pang of guilt. “Shit. I just thought she was in a bad mood.”

Sara nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m telling you. She’s been through a lot, and today is a rough reminder of what she’s lost. Just… go easy on her, okay?”

Abhishek sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I get it. Thanks for telling me. I’ll try to make it right.”
Sara gave him a small smile. “I know you will. Just be patient with her.”

__________________________________

Myra sat alone at the outdoor table, her thoughts heavy and her heart aching. The day had been rough, starting with the argument with Abhishek and worsened by the weight of her parents' anniversary. She stared at the untouched plate of food in front of her, unable to muster the appetite to eat.

Abhishek, noticing her solitude and feeling a twinge of guilt, approached her cautiously. He took a deep breath before speaking, hoping to mend the damage from their earlier confrontation. “Hi.”

Myra looked up, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and weariness. “Hi,” she replied softly, as she sighed deeply recalling the argument in the morning .

They sat in silence for a few moments, the distant chatter from inside the restaurant a mere background noise. Abhishek finally broke the silence. “Look, Myra, I’m really sorry about today. I didn’t mean to make things worse for you.”

Myra sighed, a heavy breath escaping her lips. “It’s okay. I’m not really in the mood to fight today. Honestly it wasn't even your fault.”

Abhishek nodded, relieved. “ Do you want to talk about it?”

She hesitated but then decided to share. “Aaj mere mom dad ki anniversary hai. They died in a car accident when I was seventeen. It’s always a hard day for me. Pata hai, what's more wierd, jab woh they na tab mujhe ek baar unki anniversary yaad nahi rehti thi. Ab toh.. chhodo.”

Abhishek’s expression softened, his eyes filling with sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Myra. I swear I had no idea.”

Myra nodded, appreciating his sincerity. “This is the reason I became a trauma surgeon. I wanted to save lives, to make sure no one else had to go through what I did. Somewhere the daughter in me would feel at peace. But some days, it just feels like a little too much.”

“You’re strong, My, a lot.” Abhishek said, admiration evident in his voice.

“I don’t feel strong. Most days, I feel like I’m barely holding it together,” she admitted, giving a small smile while her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Abhishek reached out, placing a comforting hand on hers after hesitating a bit.“We all feel that way sometimes. But you’re not alone. You have Shubman, Sara, and even us, the team. We’re here for you. Chin up, soldier. You're making them proud.”

Myra offered a small smile.

They sat in silence for a while, both lost in their thoughts. The night was peaceful, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the trees around them.

Breaking the silence, Myra asked, “Ek baat puchu?”

“Of course,” Abhishek replied.

“Why do you hate me? I mean the first time we met, honestly you felt visibly annoyed by my presence.” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Abhishek sighed, looking away for a moment before meeting her gaze. “I don’t hate you, Myra. I don't think I ever did. I know it seemed that way, and I’m really sorry. You just reminded me of someone from my past. Someone I wasn’t ready to face again.”

“Who?” Myra asked, curiosity piqued.

“Thi ek,” Abhishek began, his tone heavy with old memories. “We were close, but things didn’t end well. Seeing you, your energy, your passion… it just brought back memories I wasn’t ready to face. And instead of dealing with them, I took it out on you. That wasn’t fair.”

Myra listened intently, her expression softening. “We all have our ghosts.”

Abhishek nodded. “Yeah, we do. But I shouldn’t have let mine affect how I treated you.”

“ That day, when I saw the look on your face when you saw me. Iswore to myself , I hated you. Somewhere it's my fault as well. So, Truce?” Myra asked, extending her hand.

“Truce,” Abhishek agreed, shaking her hand.

A smile tugged at Myra’s lips. “You know, you’re not as bad as I thought.”

“Thanks, I think,” Abhishek replied with a chuckle. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

They shared a laugh, the tension between them easing. The night felt lighter, and they found comfort in their newfound understanding.

They continued talking, sharing stories and laughing about lighter topics. The conversation flowed easily, and they found themselves enjoying each other’s company.

“Do you remember the time you tripped during the team’s photoshoot?” Myra teased, grinning.

Abhishek groaned, covering her face with her hands. “Oh, don’t remind me! That was so embarrassing.”

Myra laughed. “You looked like you were trying to do some kind of weird dance.”

“I was trying to save myself from falling flat on my face,” Abhishek retorted, laughing along.

Their laughter echoed in the night, filling the air with a sense of camaraderie that had been missing between them.

As the night wore on, they found themselves talking about their dreams and fears, opening up in a way they hadn’t before.

“I’ve always wanted to travel the world,” Myra confessed. “See all the places my parents used to talk about.”

Abhishek nodded. “I get that. I’ve always wanted to climb a mountain.”

“Really?” Myra asked, surprised. “That’s amazing.”

“Yeah,” Abhishek said, smiling. “Maybe one day, when I’m done with cricket.”

They sat in companionable silence for a while, both lost in their thoughts. The night was peaceful, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the trees around them.

Eventually, Shubman appeared, looking exhausted but happy. “There you two are,” he said, joining them at the table as he hugged Myra with a knowing look.

Myra greeted, her smile reassuring and genuine.

“Did I miss something?” Shubman asked, glancing between them.

“Just a deep conversation,” Abhishek replied with a grin.

Shubman raised an eyebrow. “Should I be worried? Phir se jhagda mat karna.”

“No,” Myra said, shaking her head. “We’re good.”

“Alright then,” Shubman said, smiling. “Let’s get you to bed, Myra. It’s been a long day.”

“Yeah,” Myra agreed, standing up. “Thanks for tonight, Abhay.”

“Anytime,” Abhishek replied, watching as she and Shubman walked away.

As he sat there, alone again, Abhishek felt a sense of peace. The night had turned into something unexpected—an honest, heartfelt conversation that had bridged the gap between them. And perhaps, just perhaps, something more.