You're My Home | Complete ✔

Chapter 1

{Two years ago}

The ER was a total frenzy that day. Pagers had been going off all around and the voices of the attendants resonated across the halls. Some screaming, some wailing and some just fell silent after a while. Shifts in the ER were the most tiring ones. Every day there would be more deaths in an ER on an average than in the other hospital wings. Then again, doctors have to accept it as a part and parcel of their lives.

She was walking with her eyes fixated on her pager, which was buzzing constantly, when she bumped into a man. She looked up to meet a pair of worried eyes looking here and there as if he had lost something precious. Maybe he did.

"May I help you sir?"

"Yes I'm looking for Mrs. Nadia Yasir. I was told she was brought here. I-I'm her grandson."

"Oh yes, Mrs. Yasir. She was brought in about half an hour ago after she suffered from a heart attack, but don't worry she's fine now. She's in bed number umm....three. Come I'll show you the way."

He followed her; quite relieved that he didn't have to hear the bad news he'd been worried about. His grandma was well over eighty and had suffered from a cardiac arrest once before as well. Naturally, he got tensed when there was a call from the hospital.

"Oh God, I didn't die yet beta. I'm too young and beautiful to die anyways," Nadia exclaimed when she saw her worried grandson entering. Even at this age the woman had a great sense of humor. The doctor and the nurses broke into giggles.

"Daadi....seriously, I might just pass away before that if you keep doing things like this." He went around and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the forehead.

"He's right you know. You did suffer a massive attack. We've given you antiplatelet agents and other blood thinning medications for now, but looking at the condition of your heart I'd definitely suggest an angioplasty."

"Should I be worried, I mean she is going to be alright right?" He seemed to get a little anxious.

"No, no, nothing to worry about. An MI is not something uncommon at this age, plus the risks are greatly reduced after surgery."

He turned towards his grandma who was rolling her eyes.

"Hear that? You are having the surgery. I don't care how many days you'd be stuck at the hospital. I want to see you all hale and hearty again."

"Oh I wouldn't worry much about that," doctor interjected. "Angioplasties are a small procedure. She will be discharged in no time. I'm just waiting for the attending cardio-thoracic surgeon to give it a nod and we can wheel her in to the OR. Till then you can complete the formalities."

"Sure." They walked up to the lobby where she handed him some papers, which he signed without hesitation.

"You're her only next of kin? Sorry, I mean as her doctor I just wanted to go through some family history."

"No we have a big family back in Pakistan, but not here in New York. It's just us." He handed the papers back to her, this time with a smile.

"Okay, I'll update you as soon as I get her labs back, mister......"

"Armaan. Armaan Yasir." She smiled. Just as she was about to walk away, she stopped shortly at his question.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch your name. It's a big hospital so it'd probably be a bit difficult to go around looking for a doctor with a beautiful smile without a name."

She chuckled at the playful comment.

"Well, I'm sure you'll come across more faces with a 'beautiful smile', but it's Dr. Samara Wasim."

"Pakistani?" And there it goes again.

"Why? Do all desi Muslims have to be from Pakistan? Indian." she added sternly.

He smirked.

"Well then, nice to meet you Dr. Samara. Hopefully we'll be seeing each other soon?" She flashed a wide, sarcastic smile and walked away without an answer.

*******

Two days after the surgery, Samara had almost forgotten about her interaction with him, until she didn't. She ran into Armaan again while running some post-op tests on Nadia.

"Assalam-u-alaikum doctor." He greeted her with his ever so charming smile and vivacious persona.

"Walaikum Assalam. Haven't seen you in a while."

"Glad to know I was missed. Anyways I'm the kind that girls don't usually forget about." He said it with all the confidence, and Nadia just laughed at his antic.

In your dreams. Samara didn't think about him at all, or so she would like to believe. They had talked more before and after the surgery that took place two days earlier, but that was on a more formal note.

She silently ran the tests and overheard the unusual grandson-grandma conversation they were having about tinder. It was rather funny, but also cute to see an eighty-four year old lady chat so cheerfully about online dating. After she was done, she asked Nadia to take some rest and came out of the room. Need not say, Armaan followed her too.

"Hey wait up a second!" She turned around to see him advancing towards her.

"I just wanted to thank you for what you did, and are doing. I mean I get that it's your job, but you seem to be doing more than just that. I haven't come across many doctors who are so personally invested in patients. Daadi gives me all the updates."

Samara genuinely liked it when somebody appreciated her work.

"It is my job to take care of my patient's needs and make sure that they're healing well, both physically and emotionally. They're my responsibility right? Moreover, I like doing it the way I do, so please don't thank me."

He was impressed, and Armaan Yasir is not the kind of guy you can impress easily.

"Nice. Well so, maybe when you're free we can have some coffee together maybe. Or tea if you're the chai kind."

Chai kind? Just as she was beginning to feel this wouldn't get anymore awkward, it got ten times more awkward. She liked guys who were straightforward, but this one was bit too candid to handle.

"And what makes you think I'd have coffee with you? We barely just met each other and aren't even friends."

"Yet. But we could be. I'm not that bad of a friend you know."

"Look Armaan, I-"

"See, there's a start! You just called me by my name, dropping the formality. C'mon it's just coffee, not like I'm asking you out on a date or something," he paused momentarily, "Oh my god, please don't tell me you thought I was."

Haye Allah!  She rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving him to laugh all by himself.