Silent Sufferings Of Love

12-Conciliated

I was writing my pending notes on ventricular systoles in the library when Riya arrived, "I need a favor from you, kanika."

"Right now?"

"Yes", she said taking a seat beside me.

"Okay, tell me."

She took out some files from her bag, "these are sonography reports of my aunt. Can you please submit these in the hospital on my behalf? I actually have an important thing to catch up on right now, and the hospital will close down soon."

"yeah, no problem", I took the files from her and quickly packed my bag.

I was about to go, when she again spoke up, "Is Ishaan absent today as well?"

"...yes"

"Have you talked to him?"

"No. not yet", I said and left for the D.Y Patil hospital's building. I'd tried to call him yesterday evening, but he didn't pick up, and I was devoid of a phone right now.

***************

I went towards the reception desk, behind which plenty of men and women dressed up in crisp white kurtas waited with smiling faces.

"excuse me", I said to one of the receptionists, "could you tell me where is the gynecology department?"

"yes ma'am, 2nd floor, C -wing, 3rd cabin on the left.", the amiable receptionist with big round glasses answered.

Following her instructions, I went towards the cabin, submitted the report and was going back to the college building, when I heard a man shouting.

"how dare you spoil my shirt!?", the man was looking like somewhat 40-45 years old, and it seemed like he was scolding one of the nurses who had accidentally spilled over a glass of water on his shirt.

"I am extremely sorry sir. let me bring you a tissue paper..." the scared nurse apologized.

"you low class nurses! Aren't you trained properly?", the man insulted more. It was now getting immoral.

I was about to say something when a girl's voice echoed through the corridor, "Is that the way you talk to a medical staff?"

It was Ritika.

She walked nearer to the nurse, signaling her to go. She was still wearing the white coat and stethoscope hanged down her shoulders. Looking at which, the man assumed her of as a doctor.

"Actually, you doctors are even worse." the man said, "you're just scamming everyone! let the patient die, but your money should be made! Your hospitals should get made!"

Ritika stood silently, staring at the man as he said, "You all doctors are the same! Getting tests done for no reason, then taking your cut from the laboratory. You take money from the pharma companies, and then prescribe their medicines only. You sell kidneys! On top of that, you don't release a dead body till the hospital bills are cleared."

It was getting more than enough now. Who gave him the right to insult doctors like that?

I looked at Ritika, whose eyes were down casted towards the ground, not having an answer to the man's insult.

"Oh, uncle!" I said walking towards them, "should we stop getting tests done? Should we stop prescribing medicines? How else will you get your treatment done then? And all of your anger is just for the doctors? can't you speak in front of corrupt police and politicians? When you come for treatment then you have all the respect for us, and if a doctor can't save a life then he's worthy of a beating?"

I stopped short to take a breathe and continued, "when the patient's life and death is in our hands, the feeling just gives us stress. Do you know, 80% of doctors are in stress all the time? It's not just a Nobel profession, it's a stressful profession as well! Moreover, what do you think? That it's easy to become a Doctor? It takes five and a half years to complete MBBS and three years for the post-graduation! And it takes at least ten years to make a name for yourself!"

I said to ritika, "yeh log fraud babao ko paise dene mein bilkul nahi katraate, but when they have to pay the doctor's fees, then it's a problem." I turned towards the man, "haan, kamaaenge paisa! We'll save lives and earn money as well!"

"You're just a Doctor, not God! And who are you to save lives? Don't be so Arrogant!", the man retorted.

Finally, Ritika spoke up, "It's not arrogance, It's Pride. Not everybody becomes a Doctor for the money, there are also some fools that can't stand the pain of others. But idiotic people like you won't ever understand that!"

"Hey, shut your mouth girl! Else I'll.... ", the man raised his hand to hit her when I stopped him,

"What will you do, uncle? At least see where you're standing right now. See?", I said making him look at the crowd of doctors and students gathered around, and continued,

"Seen? All of them are doctors. They'll beat you up, and won't let you die either. Meet him", I pointed at a random doctor in the crowd, "met? He'll break your legs, and then do the plaster. After the plaster, he'll be the one to break your head", I then pointed at another doctor, "and this madam here, she'll bandage you up, then break your teeth. And uncle, we don't have any dentists here. So you have two choices, okay? Either you can get your treatment done here silently, or the door is over there. Leave."

The man engulfed in rage, looked at Ritika, then at me, and stomped towards the exit door.

Soon, the crowd also went back to their respective works. We stood in silence for some time.

She then walked towards me, "Thank you Kanika, for helping me today"

"If you really want to thank me, then please accept my apology. Can't we be friends again?"

"let me think, umm...okay but, there's one condition." she said, making me more nervous.

"say it..."

"you will treat me a free coffee today", she said jokingly, and we both laughed together.

"okay! done then", I said hugging her tightly, "yaar, I missed you!"

"Everyone's watching us.", she said pulling away.

We then went to the nearest café, for the 'coffee treat' that was on me.

"I knew you wouldn't be mad at me for a long time", I said placing our coffee cups on the table.

"why?"

"You're like a matchstick; you burn with intensity, but for a very short time."

"Haha. Very funny.", she said mockingly. "you got no other thing than a matchstick to compare me with?"

"Whatever, it suited the best."

"so? How're you and Ishaan doing hmm? How far did both of you go?" she teased.

I slapped her arm lightly, "hey, nothing happened okay!"

"I didn't see him today, is he absent?"

"yes...", I said and told her what happened yesterday after the lecture.

"Practical's starting tomorrow, he would surely come. Talk to him then.", she said after listening to the whole thing.

" hopefully"

"Kanika...", she looked at me.

"what?"

"I'm sorry as well. I think I overreacted that day. Maybe I was wrong about Ishaan."

"No. no, don't apologize, both of us were at the fault. Let's just forget that it ever happened."

"yeah, cheers to the new us!", she said lifting up her cup, and I did the same.

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