Falling in love was completely out of the syllabus for Adah Goel. She had always been laser-focused on one thing: her goal of attaining a medical degree and starting her practice. With countless hours spent studying and a relentless pursuit of excel...
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ADAH
"Just take care of yourself, beta," my father croaked, his voice thick with emotion, the weight of the moment pressing down on us both. Today was the day we had all anxiously awaited, a day filled with hope and trepidation. I had finally secured a spot in my dream college, standing on the precipice of realising my lifelong ambition of becoming a doctor.
My younger sister, Ishika, who had just started tenth grade, piped up with mock enthusiasm, "I'm so happy that you'll be gone!" Her grin stretched wide, her eyes sparkling with mischief. The playful jab was a thin veil over the emotions we were both trying to suppress.
Papa gently smacked her head, the small gesture briefly breaking through his sombre demeanour. We all knew the truth beneath the teasing. The separation would be hard, not just for me, but for all of us. Ishika and I had always been inseparable, our bond built on shared laughter, whispered secrets, and late-night conversations. But growing up demanded sacrifices, and chasing our dreams meant embracing the inevitable distance.
Blinking back tears, I forced a smile and turned to her, trying to inject some humor into the bittersweet moment. "Focus on your boards, okay? I won't accept anything less than an A."
She rolled her eyes dramatically, her signature move whenever she was trying to appear nonchalant. "Please! I'll get an A+ and make you look like a slacker!" Her bravado was infectious, and I couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle her hair one last time.
As we approached the towering gates of the medical college, a surge of exhilaration coursed through me. This was it—the culmination of years of relentless hard work, late nights, and unshakable determination. It was what Mum had always dreamed of for me, her vision of seeing me don a white coat and heal the world coming to life. As a doctor herself, she had seen my potential long before I did. And though she was gone now, I felt her presence, like a soft whisper on the wind, urging me forward as I took my first steps into this new chapter.
"Adah," my father's voice broke through my reverie. He stood there, a few feet behind me, a mixture of pride and melancholy etched on his face.
I turned to him, waiting for whatever final words of wisdom he had. But instead, he hesitated, his hand dipping into his coat pocket. When he pulled it out, I saw it—a delicate silver locket with a gleaming ruby at its center. My breath caught. It was Mum's.
"Papa..." I began, my voice barely a whisper, choked with emotion.
He smiled faintly, though his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Your mother always believed this brought her luck. Maybe it will bring you some too."
I reached out with trembling hands, taking the locket from him as though it were the most fragile thing in the world. The memories flooded back—nights when I was a child, playing with this very locket as it dangled from Mum's neck, tangled in her hair as she read me stories of courage, compassion, and healing. Those moments had ignited the spark in me, the dream to one day become a doctor like her.
