The Doctor & Me

Part 11

"Hey. Salam-alaykum." A voice he's familiar with on the other line. "Waalikumussalam." Ifkar answered to his wife.

"Malam ni you takde pape kan ? Keluar makan jom. Please." Diana pleaded. Briefly. Because they were both busy and she dislike personal calls during working hour.

"Yeah yeah sure. Okay waalaikumussalam", Ifkar answered in a hurry. His eyes never left the monitor. Taking in the details from the radiologists report. Processing the information with his cerebrum.

His colleagues next to him laugh at listening to their conversation. He didn't mean to eavesdrop but in that tiny room it's hard not to listen to a phone call in front of your face. They were both reviewing the medical notes.

When both the husband and wife are doctors, it's hard not to talk in points. Only the important things to say. No need to elaborate. Ain't no one got time to be cheesy when they are at work. "Balik awal hari ni?", Ibrahim asked.

"Yes. Trying to finish everything before I get off work." Ifkar replied. In surgery department, apart from long hours in OT where he assisted some operations, there is not much work to be done. This is his fifth posting and now he's quite efficient in managing himself.

He got home at 6 that day. Diana already at home falling asleep on the couch with the TV on. Well, she should not be sleeping after Asar. She will have headaches later. It is not good to sleep after Asar they were told growing up. He went to  sit next to her and his weight shifting the couch wakes her up.

"Oh hey you dah balik." Diana said as she came to consciousness. She rubs her eyes. But she is still sleepy. So she went to snuggle at Ifkar's left shoulder. It feels so good to sleep next to him. Her hands travel to his clothed torso pulling him closer. She felt him relaxed and they both sit silently on the couch.

He played with her hair. It's so soft. And smells of shampoo. He rubs her arms. Feeling her smooth skin under his fingertips. Her breathing stabilizes to a vibrating purr. She's sleeping again he guessed. But he let her anyway. She must be tired from work. And he could use that silence.

They both woke up when the wall clock struck seven and a pitiful rooster cried out from the outside.

"Hey sayang. Bangun !", Ifkar nudged Diana and when her lashes trembles open, she sees his back leaving to his room. She yawns once and head to her room too.

She's sleepy and tired but she needs food. And she wants nothing ordinary.

After Maghrib that night, Ifkar waited for his wife in the living room. He was checking his phone for emails and messages, mostly from the family and friends Whatsapp group. He received tonnes of those messages but none which requires prompt action. Most of them are conversations about activity of daily living which Ifkar regards as nothing important.

Diana came out minutes after when he was absorbed in reading those silly messages.

"Haa ! Whatsapp girlfriend !", Diana teases. Ifkar commented nothing and went straight to the door. No point in delaying their dinner. He is quite hungry after a day of hard work.

"Nak gi mana ni ?", Ifkar reverses his Wolkswagen from the parking lot. The car moves gracefully under Ifkar's professional manouver.

"Sunway !"

A smiled for Ifkar. Well somebody is quite excited for dinner. Ifkar droves to their destination as Rascal Flatts What Hurts The Most serenades them.

It was his favourite singer. Along with Nickelback. And SOAD. Oh he can't choose. He likes them all. His taste in music is not singular. Oh and he even listened to those Kpop Diana made him listen to. Big Bang and what not. Well if she likes them, Ifkar sees no reason to hate them.

He didn't have much choice anyway. She likes Kpop. If he stops her from listening to those, she won't stop listening to them. She will stop listening to him. He can't let that happen when he is so much in love with her.

That night, Ifkar feels happy. To be able to go out with Diana with her being carefree and relaxed. Unlike her usual avoiding state when he tried too hard to break in.

"Nak makan apa ni ?", Ifkar asked as they descend down the escalator of the gigantic mall, Diana's favourite place to kill time with girlfriends.

"Hmm...", Diana tries hard to decide. She feels like eating Korean that night. And McDonalds too. And choc fondue. Oh how to choose she whimpers.

"Korean okay tak ?", Diana suggested.

Ifkar shrugs his shoulder, a little annoyed. Lagu korea, drama korea. Makan pun korea ? Ifkar complain dalam hati. Tapi on the external, he agrees to whatever Diana wants.

Diana did that little food dance she always did when she gets excited about food. Place your two index fingers onthe side of your head like a rabbit's ears and wiggle them forward and backward. Just like the Chok Chok dance by Super Junior.

She gave him her brightest smile. Little that she knew, he fall in love again at the sight of her beaming face. Slowly he crept his fingers to hers and intertwined them. Diana, too preoccupied with the thoughts of dobokki and bibimbap, let him held her hand.

Well, she feels good. And holding hands makes they both feel good. This seems like an advancement to their roller coaster ride relationship. With Diana's insecurities of him leaving, and Ifkar's worries about her out of nowhere showing up ex-fiance.

Slowly, perhaps unnoticed, they grew comfortable around each other.

Authors note:
Hi guys. Please be easy with those spears and screwdrivers. Allow me to say my last words before you guys stab me to death for not updating.

Well, as I mentioned, I'm in my final year and I'm not really busy but I have a lot to study. But I didn't cause I was feeling shitty. So uhm, I'm sorry. Please be patient with your under-the-sea writer.

Till then,

Your depressed writer,
Aina.