"When I clearly told you to book whole-day appointment slots with Doctor Priya and that I would pay for it, why didn't you book it?"Ram spat at the receptionist, his frustrated voice echoing through the corridor.
"Because I asked her," there came a voice from outside a hospital room.
"And may I know who you are to cancel them?" Ram asked, walking towards the owner of the voice, a woman wearing blue doctor's scrubs along with a mask and a head cap, her hands folded near her chest.
"The one you want to meet," the woman, who was none other than Priya, answered. She was on a ward round when she heard the commotion coming from the reception.
"I want to meet Dr. P......." his words trailed off as the realization hit him. It was enough to make the top businessman of the city scared of the consequences for the little stunt he just pulled.
"Just wait in my cabin; I will be there in a few minutes," Priya spoke, reading through his expressions.
Without a word more, he turned on his heels towards the waiting area where he had made his mother sit.
' Ek aur ameerzada ', she thought to herself as he went.
( One more rich-brat )
'Ram, tu kitna gadha hai, abhi agar Dr. Priya Jaan ko dekhne se mana ker deti to,' he chided himself on the way.
( Ram you fool, what would have happened if Dr.priya denied seeing Jaan )
.
.
.
.
.
Tapping of shoes echoed through the otherwise silent cabin.
"Ram, aa jaegi Doctor, itna bechain kyu ho rha hai," Shalini spoke to her son, keeping her hand over his thigh to stop his restless movements.
( Ram the doctor will come, why are you getting anxious)
'Jaan ko kya batau kya ker ke aya hu abhi bahar,'
( How do I tell Jaan, what I just did outside)
"Are Jaan, aapko to pata hai meri abhi meeting hai k...," his sentence was cut short as the door opened and the same woman from minutes back came in.
( Jaan, you do know that I have a meeting in....)
"Hello aunty, sorry aapko wait kerna pada," Priya greeted Shalini while giving a side-eye to Ram.
( Hello aunty, sorry you had to wait )
"Are koi baat nahi beta, aap apna kaam hi ker rhe the ye mera nalayak beta hai na isse wait nahi hota," Shalini spoke with a smile.
( No problem my child, you were just doing your duty . This spoiled son of mine doesn't have an ounce of patience)
Priya too smiled back, "Kaise ho aunty aap?"
( How are you aunty)
"Main to hamesha hi acchi rehti hoon beta, ye jabardasti mujhe doctor ke pass leke chala ata hai, lekin pehli baar tumhare jitne pyaare doctor pass laya hai, tum batao tum kaisi ho,"
"Main to khush aur healthy hoon."
Baffled Ram looked between them, figuring out whether they had met before upon hearing the type of conversation they were having.
Clearing his throat, he intervened, "Aap dono ek dusre ko pehle se jaante ho?"
"Nahi," both replied at the same time and chuckled, continuing their conversation.
'Ye konsi communication skills hai jo mujhe mere PR agency ne nahi sikhayi.'
Their conversation, after a few minutes, smoothly transitioned towards the elephant in the room, without Shalini even realizing it.
"Aunty, aap sacchi-sacchi batao, time se dawai lete ho na?" Priya asked.
"Are beta, vo kadvi-kadvi dawaiya, vo ganda sa soup roz do baar din mein lena padta hai, itna mana kiya hai in sab ko par koi sunta hi nahi hai meri, lekin ab tum mat dena mujhe vo sab please," Shalini answered making a face.
Ram, who was going to protest, kept his mouth shut on seeing Priya's raised palm in his direction without Shalini's notice.
"Arey aunty, aap tension mat lo, main ab aapko badiya dawaiya dungi aur diet plan bhi change kar dungi, lekin uske pehle check-up kar le"
"Arrey sorry beta, main bhi kaha tumse baat karne baith gayi, dhyan hi nahi diya aur bhi patients honge," Shalini apologized.
"Nahi aunty, tension mat lijiye, aaj kam patients hain, thanks to a certain someone," Priya replied, moving her gaze towards Ram, who was scratching his forehead due to embarrassment, for a fleeting second.
( Don't worry aunty, their ain't much patients today, thanks to a certain someone )
The duo made their way towards the small section within the room separated by an opaque glass.
Ram too had stood up along with them but was stopped by Priya, so now he was sitting back in his place, restless. . . .
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"Arey aunty, aapki pehle ki reports se ab mai improvement hai, good job," Priya spoke to her as they came back minutes later.
Ram immediately looked up with hope which soon came crashing down as he realized Priya just said those words for Shalini's sake.
"Aunty, aap waiting room mein aram se baithiye, main Mr. Kapoor ke sath aapke diet plan and medications discuss kar loongi."
"Dr., main Jaan ko chhod ke wapas aata hoon," Ram spoke about to get up but was stopped by Shalini.
" Are tu baith main chali jaungi", she spoke standing up. "Apna dhyan rakhna beta," Shalini spoke to Priya.
The trio exchanged smiles, which soon turned into sadness as Shalini stepped out.
Ram and Priya shared eye contact, which was quickly broken by Priya as she moved her gaze down upon seeing hope lingering in his eyes; how could she maintain it when there wasn't even a single ray of hope.
"Aunty knows?" she asked.
Ram shook his head, "She only knows that she has a BP problem."
Meanwhile, outside her cabin, Shalini walked towards the waiting room with unshed tears in her eyes. She knew something was wrong with her, but what? She doesn't know.
No one knows;
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So that was it ;
Second update in a day, meet you on Saturday 😁
~shivangi
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YOU ARE READING
Meant to be......together !!
General FictionA not-so-typical arranged marriage romance: Ram Kapoor, owner of the famous food delivery start-up 'India Eatz', is among the richest businessmen in the country. Despite having both wealth and power, he felt like a failure when he wasn't able to do...
