Arranged marriage was an age-old story that Khushi, the youngest of the infamous Gupta family, who revolutionized and dominated the trading market for generations, knew well.
For it was the only thing she heard growing up.
But that neither prepared...
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"What do you mean there is no doctor called Raizada here?!"
"I am sorry Ma'am, but-"
"Are you new here?"
Khushi froze as she passed by the hospital's reception, hearing her youngest sister-in-law badger a thoroughly annoyed nurse. A week had passed since Arnav's departure to London, and there was still no news of him. By this point, Khushi gave up waiting for a message, telling herself that if something bad had indeed happened, then she would have known about it.
Instead, she resigned herself to studying full-time for her intern exam, which was scheduled for early next week. She was relieved to know that her medical books, at least, had not betrayed her – they still offered her the same peace and acceptance as her college days.
There was, however, the tiny problem of her erratic nanad, who seemed to have stopped by the hospital to pay Khushi a visit.
"Lavanya?" Khushi called, running to the reception desk, hoping that there wasn't too much damage. "What are you doing here?"
Lavanya turned around. "Thank god you found me! They are telling me you don't work here!"
The nurse –Sona– was outraged. "But she was asking for Dr. Raizada ma'am and you-"
"That's fine, thanks Sona," Khushi interrupted, dragging Lavanya away before things got worse.
"What?" Lavanya asked. "She was clearly incompetent! I'm going to ask Jeejaji to look into this hospital-"
"Please don't!" Then dropping her voice, Khushi added, "They don't know that I am married to Arnav."
Lavanya was confused. "But why? It was all over the news-"
"Yes, yes, but doctors don't really watch Business Weekly, okay? I go by Dr. Gupta here."
"Does Arnav embarrass you?"
Khushi didn't understand why this silly point warranted so much discussion. "No, what embarrasses me is that he is the trustee of this hospital. I don't want to be seen as the one who got in on a recommendation, okay?"
A line appeared on Lavanya's forehead. Before she could answer, however, they were joined by a jovial Ved.
"Hey, wanna go get lunch? I am taking a study break," he said. "Who is this?"
Khushi bit her lip, hoping that Lavanya had enough sense to stay quiet. "Er, she is my friend. And no, I can't go for lunch. I have to check up on some patients."
"So you are gonna make your friend wait?" Ved asked with a wink.
"That's mean Khushi," Lavanya cut-in, fluttering her eyes. "I am starving. Let's go have lunch."
Ved grinned and held out his hand. "Hi, I am Ved."
"Lavanya," she answered, shaking it. "So let's go?"
