Darkhaast

~ 22 ~

It was that time of year again when the Goenka's grew sullen, and the Birla's grew worried. One family mourned the loss of their precious daughter. The other grieved for their son, who was alive, and yet his soul was void. Akshara's barsi was approaching, and they both grew weary of Abhimanyu. He was like a ticking time bomb to Akshara; no one could contain the explosion. Manjari would try, but seeing him like that - drunk and distraught - broke her heart. Harsh and Abhimanyu's relationship was too fraught for comfort. Harsh's protests around Abhimanyu's marriage undercut the sincerity of his condolences. Mahi and Aarohi, all too familiar with losing a soulmate, sought to give him space. The latter busied herself with Roohi, Abhir, and Ayra.

"Ahmed, did your interns finish their rounds this morning?" Mahi asked as Faiz checked the charting from the night shift. His interns stood behind him, like chickens waiting on mother hen.

"Yeah. Their assessments show all patients are stable, and I'm sending them down to check the patients in the ER."

"Okay, can I borrow two for my appendectomy this afternoon?" The interns beamed with the prospect of surgery. It seemed morbid but the opportunity to slice and hold real organs was what they lived for and seldom would Peds and ER rotations allow for such experience.

"Sure. You can take Aluwhalia and Iyer." Without looking up from his papers, Faiz could tell they were excited.

"Thanks!" Mahi turned to the interns. "I'll see you in OR 4 at 3:30 pm, scrubbed and familiar with the case."

"Abh kade kyun ho? Scatter." Faize instructed. The interns dissembled.

"You're so mean to them."

"Yaar, humare seniors ne humare saath bhi yehi kiya tha na." He justified. They walked towards the reception, reviewing patient notes when he asked about Abhimanyu.

"Kaise hai woh?"

"Pata nahi. Subhe se mili nahi hoon."

"If he's anything like last year, we better run." Only patients were spared of Abhimanyu's angst. His glares cut off every glimmer of happiness, whether that be Mahi's humming or laughter among the staff.

"Can you blame him?"

"Dr. Mehra," Abhimanyu's stern call straightened their spines as they looked at each other, dreading that he overheard. "Can I speak to you about the Ped's budget?"

"Yes, Dr. Birla. I'll be right over."

"Abhimanyu, can we have this conversation while we walk to the canteen? Some lemonade would really help my brain understand the numbers." She put forth her doe eyes. He agreed.

Abhimanyu seems good, Mahi noticed.

"Hi, can I get a blended lemonade with peach juice-"

"a splash of guava juice, agave, tossed with vanilla sweet cream foam and toasted honey toppings for the lady." Abhimanyu recognized him from Joesph's bar - he strutted in with the same glint in his eyes that the stranger had when he pulled Mahi into a dance. 

"Stalk kar rahe ho mujhe?" Abhimanyu was astonished when Mahi sipped the drink and started walking with him, seemingly forgetting Abhimanyu's presence.

"Agar kar raha hoon, phir?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Phir," Mahi gently tapped his cheeks in a faux slap.