cross road

Chapter-9

Raghav was on the phone with Atul, wrapping up the final details of his company's transition. A few formalities remained, and Raghav needed to visit his office to sign some important documents before the transition was complete. As they were also discussing the inauguration of their new office next week, someone patted him on the back, causing him to startle. He turned around and saw Pallavi. Both were taken by surprise; she stumbled onto a stone and fell to the ground, pulling him down with her.

They landed beside each other on the ground. Raghav fumbled for his phone and, in the dim light, turned to Pallavi. "Can't you give me an hour alone? Isn't it enough that you've been bothering me all day?" he snapped.

Pallavi stared at him in disbelief. "Have you lost your mind? You haven't said a word since morning, and now you're snapping at me. What's your problem?" She shoved him in the dark, got to her feet, and said, "Don't ever speak to me like that again," before storming off to her home.

Raghav chased after her, but she managed to slam the door shut before he could reach her.

Pallavi entered the kitchen, yanked a bottle of water from the fridge, and drank it in one gulp. Her anger toward Raghav was mounting; he was driving her mad, day after day.As she tried to calm herself, she heard a voice behind her that made her jump and scream.

"What do you think, if you close the door on my face, I can't get in?"

Raghav swiftly approached her, covering her mouth with his hand to keep her quiet. She struggled to push him away, but he held firm.

"Promise me you won't scream and wake up the whole neighborhood, and I'll let go," he said.

Pallavi nodded, and Raghav cautiously removed his hand from her face, though he didn't move away.

Pallavi exhaled deeply and met his gaze. "What are you doing here? Is there something more you need to say?"Raghav pressed closer, pinning her against the kitchen counter. "Stay away from Mitul. He's emotionally vulnerable, so don't try to get involved with him."In response, Pallavi stepped on his foot, forcing him to retreat. "Don't tell me what to do. You're neither my uncle nor my boyfriend, so keep your opinions to yourself."Raghav grimaced, looking down at his aching foot. He hissed before meeting her eyes again. "Consider this a final warning. If you don't heed my advice, the consequences will be much worse than you can imagine."

Pallavi closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and tried to steady herself "First you thought i am trying to impress your father being better daughter than you and today you are accusing me of hitting on Mitul. i would rather say you work on your insecurities before judging me"

Pallavi's words struck him deeply, hitting a sensitive spot. She seemed to understand his emotions from his words in a way that no one else could. Determined not to give her the upper hand, he simply said, "instead of questioning back on my own question—work on addressing what i have said earlier instead."

Despite explaining herself, Pallavi felt a surge of anger when he ignored her thoughts completely. She managed to control her emotions, took a book from the shelf, settled into the work desk she had set up earlier, and began reading.

Raghav shoved his hands into his pockets and approached her desk. "One more thing," he said, "I've received a complaint about your morning jogs disturbing the townspeople. This isn't your city; it's a small town, and your lifestyle affects those around you. If you're so desperate to jog, go to the nearby forest and jog however long you want"

Pallavi considered reacting to his words but quickly realized that her lack of response might irritate him more than any reaction could. So, she simply shrugged and replied, "Okay."

Raghav's eyes flashed with anger when he didn't get a reaction from her. He wanted to throttle her but restrained himself. He lingered for a few more minutes, hoping for some sort of response, but when none came, he left through the secret passage, angrier than when he arrived.

It had been a week since Pallavi's argument with Raghav. She had overheard that he had gone to the city on business. The morning passed quickly with a steady stream of patients. Pallavi noticed that she was receiving more patients at her temporary setup than at the inpatient facility. When she checked with one of the nurses—who liked her as much as she liked the nurse—she learned that these patients had previously gone to the nearby city or used home remedies because no one was helping them. Since her setup, many patients had recovered faster and better, which had relieved them and earned her their respect. As a result, more patients were coming to see her.

Pallavi felt a sense of relief that she could help people in some way. She missed her old hospital, not just her colleagues but the experience she had gained. She had planned to pursue a career in neurology, but life had other plans. Nevertheless, she had an entire year to prepare herself. She had applied to a prestigious hospital in Australia and, given their requirement of a minimum year of experience in general practice.

After finishing her outpatient duties, Pallavi heard crying coming from the ward. She hurried to the scene and saw a young women holding her 5-year-old child, who had died. The child had developed pneumonia, which the family had ignored for a month, mistaking it for a normal fever. By the time they realized it was serious, it was too late.

Pallavi's heart ached at the sight. In her city, patients with complicated conditions could be saved, but people in this small town were dying from diseases that were completely curable.

After completing her shift, the image of the child's face lingered in her mind. She couldn't even bring herself to eat dinner, let alone sleep.