The love of my life

19. His birthday

June '2019

Another month passed and then another...

Samayra and Daman were still not back to talking frequently. Just a few awkward Hi's and Hello's were exchanged in the corridors.

They both had their ego in place.

Ekansh still had a hard time figuring out his feelings, and hadn't answered her love confession, but they still spend a night together, twice a month.

It was his birthday next week and Daman was excited. She ordered a custom made gift set for him with a Tie, cufflinks, pocket square and broche. She planned to order a bouquet of red roses to be made and she would pick it up on the way before leaving to meet him. She made a small video from clips of all their moments together and recorded her voice for a romantic poem from Amrita pritam that he liked as the background music.

She got herself a new burgundy dress, with a warm white coat and golden hoops paired with a pendant and a ring to knock him off his feet.

She called him the evening beforehand, to ask how much time he could spare for her.

"My friends planned the midnight cake cutting and everything. I'll try to see you tomorrow." He said and she murmured an 'okay' and disconnected.
She called him at midnight and he didn't pick up.

She sent the video and went to sleep in tears.

The next evening, she called and he didn't pick up. He texted her that he loved the video and was busy with friends and they'll hang out some other day.

That night her pillow felt so damp with the tears that she knew she'll have to keep it in the sun tomorrow.

There was no sun the next day as The monsoon arrived earlier, than the answer to her prayers. She didn't call him. She didn't have the guts to get her heartbroken again.

He texted her that evening that he planned to meet her 3 days later, if she's free.

She agreed.

He texted her, after three days that he was busy.

She threw the gift set in trash and cried in her room listening to Nusrat fateh ali Khan.

Her smile started fading a little everyday, as the dark circles under her eyes kept growing. She started becoming the shell of the person that she was.

"Hey, are you okay?" Samayra asked passing by her in the corridor.

"Yes... yeah... Why?"

"When did you visit your oncologist?" she asked as Daman looked aghast.

"Oh, I had my routine check up 5 days ago. Still Cancer free." She said with a smile.

A smile that Samayra knew was fake.

"It's him. Isn't it?" she asked as Daman shook her head.

"I'm getting late. Bye." She said walking away.

"Stop defending him." Samayra shouted as she walked away further.

Samayra walked in the surgery OPD half an hour later, looking around.
"Ummm... Where's Dr. Ekansh? She asked.

"He just walked out. He was saying something about going to the library." the intern, who was Samayra's senior and had a tiny crush on her, trying his best to be useful.

Samayra thanked her and went for the library and found him in the corner.

"We need to talk." She said as he looked up.

"I have my thesis Seminar day after tomorrow. I'm busy."

"What? Your thesis seminar? You're leaving!" She says.