Sukriti's POV
"Mom! Mom! Wake up! My mom isn't waking up, and her forehead is bleeding." Then, my dad, pulled me out of the car, and I lost consciousness.
The shrill sound of my alarm, a familiar interruption for the past twenty years, pulled me fully into the present. I meticulously made my bed before heading to the washroom to freshen up. The clock read 6:30 AM, I had a lot of time to prepare breakfast.
As I finished, my grandmother, a figure of constant criticism, appeared.
"Breakfast is ready, you can eat it. I'm going to the hospital, "Sukriti stated, her voice devoid of emotion.
"Go wherever you want, it makes no difference to me," her grandmother retorted, her words laced with a familiar taunt.
With that, she left the house, settling into her car and driving off to her hospital.
Sukriti arrived at the hospital, heading directly to her cabin. She had barely settled when her PA, Priya Sharma, entered, presenting the day's schedule.
"Good morning, Dr. Sukriti," Priya greeted, a stack of files in her hand. "Here's your schedule for today. You have your usual patient rounds starting at 9 AM, followed by a departmental meeting at 11."
Sukriti quickly reviewed it, then rose. "Thanks, Priya. Let's get these rounds done." She headed to the patients' ward for her routine check-ups.
As she concluded her rounds and was making her way back to her cabin, her steps faltered. There he was Kushal Malhotra, the love of her life, surrounded by children, his laughter echoing through the corridor. She stood transfixed, admiring him, captivated by his appearance and the joyful way he interacted with the children. His dark hair fell casually across his forehead as he bent down to speak to a small boy, and the genuine warmth in his smile made her heart ache with a familiar longing. She watched the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed, a sound that resonated deeply within her. It was as if time itself had paused, allowing her to simply absorb every detail of the man who still held such a profound place in her heart.
Priya's voice, her assistant's, pulled her from her reverie. "Dr. Sukriti? Dr. Sukriti, are you alright?"
Sukriti blinked, shaking her head slightly. "Yes, Priya, just... lost in thought for a moment."
," Piya's voice took on a more urgent tone, "there's an emergency case. We need to perform surgery immediately. A severe trauma case just came in."
Sukriti nodded, her gaze lingering on Kushal for another moment before she turned and swiftly made her way to her cabin.
"Alright, Priya. Tell the O.T. staff to prepare. I'll be there in a minute." She changed from her formal attire into her scrubs and headed straight for the operation theatre, the urgency of the situation overriding all other thoughts.
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Kushal's POV
I woke up and completed my morning routine before heading to the hospital.
Upon entering my cabin, I settled into my seat and began reviewing various departmental reports. Moments later, my PA, Sumit Khanna, entered, presenting my schedule for the day.
"Please, Bhaiya!" another chimed in.
I chuckled. "I'd love to, but I have a very important meeting soon. How about I tell you a story instead?"
"Yay! A story!" they cheered, gathering around me. I spent a few precious minutes with them, weaving a short, engaging tale that held their attention.
My PA then approached. "Dr. Malhotra, the meeting regarding the medical consignment starts in fifteen minutes."
I nodded. "Thank you, Sumit." As I was about to leave, a little boy tugged at my hand.
"Please don't go, Bhaiya," he pleaded, his eyes wide.
I smiled, bending down to his level once more. "Hey there, champ. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. And then, we'll play 'pakdam pakdai' together, just you and me."
His face lit up with a wholehearted grin. I gently ruffled his hair, and he giggled, a sound that warmed my heart. I then stood up and headed towards the meeting room with Sumit.
As we walked, I saw Sukriti approaching from the opposite direction with her PA. We exchanged a brief smile as we passed each other, a silent acknowledgment amidst our busy hospital lives. We both entered the meeting room, settling into our respective seats as the discussion began.
The hospital director, Dr. Sharma, began the meeting. "Good morning, everyone. The primary agenda today is the new medical consignment. We're facing some budget constraints, so efficient inventory management is crucial. Dr. Verma, could you start with the overall hospital needs?"
Dr. Verma, head of internal medicine, presented his department's requirements. "For internal medicine, we're looking at increased demand for certain antibiotics and diagnostic kits. We need to ensure a consistent supply, especially with the upcoming flu season."
"Thank you, Dr. Verma," Dr. Sharma acknowledged. "Dr. Sukriti, from the surgical department, what are your priorities?"
Sukriti spoke clearly and concisely. "For surgery, timely delivery of sterilized instruments is paramount. We also need to secure a steady stock of specific sutures and advanced wound dressings. Quality cannot be compromised, even with budget considerations."
"Agreed," Dr. Sharma nodded. "Dr. Malhotra, how about the pediatric ward?"
I interjected, "For the children's ward, our focus is on child-friendly medication formulations and specialized equipment for neonatal care. Delays in these areas can be particularly critical for our young patients The discussion continued with various department heads presenting their needs and challenges. There was a constructive debate on resource allocation, with each doctor advocating for their respective areas. The atmosphere was professional, focused on optimizing the hospital's operational efficiency while ensuring patient care remained top-notch.
After the meeting concluded, I noticed Sukriti speaking with her PA. I waited a moment, and as their conversation ended and her PA departed, Sukriti turned to leave. She paused, however, when she saw me.
"How are you, Sukriti?" I asked, offering a warm smile.
She returned the smile. "I'm fine, Kushal.
What about you?"
"My situation's pretty bad, honestly," I replied, shaking my head slightly. "So much work, you wouldn't believe it."
"Well, I'm in the same boat," she commiserated.
An idea sparked in my mind. "Hey, you know, it's been ages since we properly caught up. We've both been so swamped with work. But I don't have too many commitments today, so how about we go somewhere? We can call Jeevan too. What do you say?"
She brightened. "Yes, let's do it! It's been too long since I've been out, aur mera dimag bhi kafi kharab ho Gaya hai."
"Uske liye dimag hona bhi chahiye" I teased, a playful glint in my eye.
"Woh toh mere pass bahut hai!" she retorted, playing along.
"Sang mai bhusa bhi," I quipped.
She narrowed her eyes playfully. "Apna muh tudwana hai kya tumhe?"
I laughed. "Okay, okay, fine! Let's go. Let's finish up our work; I'll inform Jeevan as well."
She agreed. "Okay, bye, Kush."
"Bye," I replied. Hearing her call me "Kush" felt oddly familiar and comforting, a strange feeling I chose to ignore as I returned to my work, a renewed lightness in my step.
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The sprawling campus of University buzzed with intellectual energy. Modern, glass-fronted buildings stood in harmony with older, ivy-clad structures, all surrounded by lush green lawns and vibrant flowerbeds. The university was renowned for its progressive research and diverse student body, drawing aspiring minds from across the nation
Inside one of its lecture halls, a young man, undeniably handsome, dashing, and charming, commanded attention in his sharp black suit. This was Jeevan, a professor whose charisma was almost as captivating as his intellect. While a flutter of admiration rippled through the female students, Jeevan remained singularly focused on his lecture, oblivious to their admiring gazes. A few students were deeply engrossed in the complex concepts he elucidated, while others eagerly awaited the bell.
The class concluded with the chime of the bell, and students began to disperse. As Jeevan prepared to leave, a voice interrupted him.
"Jeevan Sir!" a boy called out.
Jeevan turned, a warm smile gracing his lips. "Yes?"
The boy approached, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "Sorry for troubling you, sir, but..."
Jeevan gently cut him off. "You are not troubling me, dear. How can I help?".
The boy offered a grateful smile. "Actually, sir, I'm having a doubt about this topic. Could you please clarify it for me?"
"Of course," Jeevan replied, his smile unwavering. He patiently began to re-explain the concept, breaking it down into simpler terms. After a while, the boy's face lit up with understanding.
"Thank you, sir! You are wonderful; you explained it in such an easy method!" the boy exclaimed.
Before Jeevan could respond, a sarcastic voice cut in. "Wonderful hai toh kya hua? Hai toh najayas hi!!" The speaker was Amit Kumar, Jeevan's academic rival, who then strode past without another word.
Jeevan's blood boiled, but he remained silent, a painful constraint holding him back.
The boy who had witnessed the exchange looked at Jeevan with concern. "Jeevan Sir, please don't pay attention to his words. He's just like that. You're a really good person! And we know what kind of person you are, so please, don't mind his comments." He offered Jeevan a reassuring smile.Jeevan offered a weak smile in return, unable to articulate the turmoil within him. He left the room and walked out of the university, the desire to go home overwhelming him. He settled into his car, started the engine, and drove off, his mind replaying Amit's cruel words: "You might be wonderful, but you're still illegitimate." The words echoed in his head, each syllable a sharp jab to his heart, fueling a reckless fury that made him oblivious to his surroundings. He drove without truly seeing the road, consumed by the stinging injustice and the pain of his past.
Suddenly, a small girl appeared in front of his car. With a jolt, he slammed on the brakes, narrowly avoiding impact. The screech of tires snapped him out of his trance. He looked at the child, who stood frozen, wide-eyed with fear. Jeevan quickly got out of his car and approached her. The innocent sight of the cute child instantly dispersed his earlier turmoil. He knelt to her level.
"Hey!! Are you okay dear??Where are your mommy and daddy, little one?" he asked gently.The girl pointed towards a nearby library. A woman in a lavender floral-printed kurti was emerging from it, walking towards them.
Jeevan's gaze followed the girl's finger, and his eyes widened in shock. He whispered, "Roshni..."
Roshni, equally stunned, stopped in her tracks upon seeing Jeevan. They stared at each other, a heavy silence hanging between them, until the little girl hugged Roshni's legs.
"Mummaaa!" the girl exclaimed.
Jeevan was utterly shocked and confused by this revelation. "Hey!" he managed to utter.
Roshni offered him a weak smile. "Hi." "How are you?" he asked, trying to process the situation.
"I'm fine," she replied simply.
"Do you work here?" he inquired, gesturing towards the library She merely nodded. An awkward silence settled between them again until Jeevan looked at the little girl. "What's your name?" he asked her.
"I won't tell you! Mumma said not to talk to strangers," the girl declared defiantly.
"Avi, don't say that, darling. This uncle is Mumma's friend," Roshni interjected gently.
Avi then looked at Jeevan. "Hello, uncle! My name is Avi!"
Jeevan smiled genuinely. "Hello, Avi! You're very cute!"
"Hehe," she giggled, delighted.
Roshni then looked at Avi. "Come on, baby, it's time to go home."
Jeevan looked at Roshni, a question forming on his lips. "Are you going alone, or is your husband coming?"
Roshni met his gaze, and after a long pause, she said softly, "I'm divorced.".
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