DESTINY....together forever

Chapter 8

The day had been exhausting, both emotionally and physically. Srishti's mind was cluttered with everything—her hectic schedule, the fight with Sahil, and the lingering thoughts about Chris. She had been trying to avoid any interaction with him, but the universe had a strange way of testing her patience. Fortunately, after their initial tense encounters, she had managed to steer clear of him—until today, that is.

After her shift at the hospital, Srishti decided to take a walk in the park near her house, seeking some quiet. She had barely settled on a bench when she heard soft sobbing nearby. Startled, she turned and saw a little girl sitting on the ground, clutching her knee. Srishti's heart squeezed as she hurried over to the child.

"Hey, sweetheart," Srishti said gently, crouching down beside the girl. "What happened?"

The girl, probably around six years old, sniffled and looked up with big, teary blue eyes. "I was playing and... and I fell." She wiped her nose with her sleeve, her small face streaked with tears.

Srishti smiled softly, recognizing the girl's vulnerability. "That looks like a nasty scrape. Where's your mum or dad?"

The girl sniffled again and shook her head. "Auntie's home. Daddy's at work."

"Let's get you home, then. I'll help you," Srishti said, offering her hand. "Do you live nearby?"

The girl nodded and accepted her help, holding Srishti's hand tightly as they made their way to the house. To Srishti's surprise, the girl led her down a familiar street—right toward her temporary abode, Aunt Malory's house. The girl pointed to the adjacent house.

"Here," the little girl said, wobbling a little on her feet. Srishti helped her inside and called out, "Hello? Is anyone home?"

A flustered voice called back from another room. "I'm coming!"

Moments later, a young woman probably in her mid 20s appeared. Her eyes widened with worry when she saw the girl.

"Oh, Ella! Where have you been?" the woman exclaimed, rushing over to the little girl. "You scared me!"

"I'm sorry, Auntie. I just wanted to play," Ella said softly, looking down at her scraped knee.

Srishti gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, she's fine. Just a little scrape. I found her in the park."

The woman sighed in relief and gave Srishti a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for bringing her home. I was looking for her just now."

"It's no problem at all," Srishti replied warmly. "I'm just glad she's okay."

"You're a lifesaver," Ella's aunt added, brushing her hand through her hair. "I'm watching her today while her father's at work, but this one is always sneaking off."

"Kids," Srishti chuckled, kneeling down to pat Ella's head. "You take care of that knee, alright?"

Ella nodded, still a bit shy, but managed a small smile before Srishti took her leave.

The next morning, Srishti arrived at the hospital for her new posting in the pediatric trauma center. She was prepared for another day of chaos but found a strange calm in the children's laughter and the genuine resilience they displayed. There was something particularly rewarding about working with the kids—watching their small faces light up, seeing them recover and laugh despite their injuries.

Srishti was finishing up her rounds in the paediatric trauma ward, her attention focused on a little boy with a cast on his arm who had been particularly quiet since she entered. She crouched beside his bed, her voice soft and cheerful.