THE HEART BEHIND THE SALUTE ??

VEER POV 🪖

I bent down to touch Maa's feet, her blessing warming me in a way words never could. Diksha had just woken up, her eyes still heavy with sleep, and I gently patted her head before she could even open her mouth to complain. Aarav was snuggled against her lap, his tiny fists curled, his cheeks soft and warm. I couldn't resist leaning down to kiss him, a small smile tugging at my lips. With that, I picked up my bag and walked out with my friend who was waiting to drop me at the airport. Still, one thought nagged at me-why didn't Anvika come downstairs to see me off? Not even a glance... not a word.

Maybe I had been so cold with her these past two days that she no longer cared if I stayed or left. The thought sank deep in my chest as I sat inside the car. My friend started driving, chatting idly about small things, but my mind was elsewhere-stuck on her silence, her bowed head, her absence at my departure.

I had been serving in the Indian Army for more than four years now, and I had left home countless times. Yet today felt different. There was something unusual, some weight pressing on me that I couldn't quite understand. It wasn't sadness, it wasn't hurt, but it wasn't light either. It was something I had no name for.

After forty-five minutes, we reached the airport. I went through the security check-up, my friend waving from a distance. Taking out my phone, I quickly informed Maa that I had cleared all the formalities and would soon board the flight. "My phone will be off until I reach my destination," I told her before hanging up. My voice was steady, but somewhere inside, I still wondered-why did it matter so much that Anvika didn't come to see me off?

I sat down on my seat, fastening the belt, and let my eyes fall on the ticking hands of my watch. A long sigh escaped me as I leaned back against the flight seat, my gaze wandering toward the oval window beside me. The world outside looked still, yet my heart felt restless, as if carrying a weight I couldn't quite name.

I knew this journey would take four to five hours, from Massuri-my hometown, where my maa, Diksha, little Aarav, and... Anvika lived-to Kashmir, where duty awaited me. Massuri had always been the place that grounded me, but with every posting in Kashmir, I had learned to leave behind the warmth of home and wrap myself in discipline, solitude, and the harsh reality of my responsibilities.

As the engines roared louder, preparing for takeoff, I pressed my head back into the seat, bracing myself for the shift-not just of place, but of heart.

I knew this journey would take four to five hours, from Massuri-my hometown, where my maa, Diksha, little Aarav, and... Anvika lived-to Kashmir, where duty awaited me. Massuri had always been the place that grounded me, but with every posting in Kashmir, I had learned to leave behind the warmth of home and wrap myself in discipline, solitude, and the harsh reality of my responsibilities.

But this time, my heart wasn't light. Against my will, her image kept returning-the way she stood at the door earlier, her gaze lowered, her silence heavier than any words. I could still see the confusion in her eyes when I had extended the money to her, as if she had never been on the receiving end of even the smallest gesture of care. It unsettled me.

Why do her eyes haunt me like this? She didn't even come downstairs when I left... and yet, for some reason, it felt like her absence was louder than anyone else's presence. I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the hum of the engine, on the duty that defined me. But deep down, I couldn't ignore it-leaving home today felt different.

After a few hours in flight, the plane finally touched the ground. I adjusted my uniform, slung my bag over my shoulder, and walked out through the bustling airport. Outside, the familiar sight of the military jeep waiting for me brought a sense of grounding.