My Reckless Surrender (#IFFA2019) Ongoing G

Chapter 9

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Khushi yawned while stretching. She blinked open her eyes. Swinging over to the side of the bed, she drew the dark curtains open. It was raining. Well there goes her plan for her garden.

Khushi turned around to find her cat still sound asleep. Poor guy. Who knows what he is up to during the night. She sat next to him on the bed and examined his paw that had seemed burnt. It was coming along much more nicely but she still wanted a professional to have a look at it.

She glanced at the clock. It was 11 AM. She had seriously become a deep sleeper ever since she started living here.

Shaking her head, Khushi went to the kitchen and made a small breakfast. She wasn't that hungry. While munching on her scrambled eggs, she grabbed the laptop Arnav had bought for her. A few days ago she had told him she was bored after she finished gardening and cooking and waiting for him. The next evening, he came home with the latest laptop on the market.

Arnav is such an ideal husband, Khushi gushed in her head. She was very lucky to have him. If only he wasn't so busy at work all the time...

Khushi shook her head to clear her thoughts. She turned on her laptop with finger recognition. It opened almost immediately. Pulling up google, she searched for a vet or animal hospital nearby. The nearest one was about two miles away. What was strange was that it was a human and animal hospital combined. Deciding to take the risk since she didn't want to all the way to the city, she pulled up their hours. Huh. Only open after 4 PM to 4 AM. How strange.

Khushi looked over at the time in the corner of her screen. It was now 12 AM. Arnav would probably be home by his usual 6 PM. She decided to leave at 3:30 so hopefully she wouldn't have to wait long in line. Until then she'd do some cleaning and get ready.

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Arnav, the cat, seemed very nervous and anxious as she walked outside on the sidewalk with him in her left arm while the right carried the umbrella. He had tried to even escape her clutches a few times unsuccessfully. Khushi didn't understand why he was so uncomfortable. Did he have an intuition that told him he was being taken to the vet? She knew most animals were not fond of the vet but she wasn't even sure if her cat had ever been taken there. Was he even vaccinated? If not, what if he caught a disease already? She doesn't even know where he disappears off to at night!

Feeling even more worried, she fastened her pace and unintentionally squeezed Arnav in her arm. He let out a strangled meow.

Khushi relaxed her arm immediately "Sorry buddy. Just worried about you. I'll only be able to relax once the vet tells me you're okay and if you've had your vaccinations"

Arnav immediately began trying to pull himself out from her arm. He let out several more meows in protest but Khushi didn't hear any of it. He was her responsibility and if he got sick or something worse happened, she didn't know what she'd do.

She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the hospital logo she had seen online. Arnav's meows had quietened down for a few minutes but when he saw the logo, his reaction was opposite too Khushi's. He tried scratching her, pushing her, and even attempted to bite her. His meows were a pitch higher and much more consistent. He was like a tape on repeat. Khushi tried to hush him and call him down but he wasn't having any of it.

And that is how the duo had managed to gather much unneeded attention from the patients, both animal and human, and from several doctors and nurses.

Still trying to reign control over her misbehaved kitty, Khushi went to the receptionist "Hi. Can I see a vet?"

The receptionist nodded and began clicking away on her computer "Has your cat ever been here before"

Khushi shook her head "No"

"Male or Female?"

"Male"

"Name?"

"Arnav"

"Age?"

Khushi bit her lip "I'm not sure. I had found him and took him in"

The receptionist nodded "Has he had any vaccinations?"

"I..I'm not sure about that either" Khushi said nervously trying to get Arnav to stop climbing over her shoulder.

The receptionist glanced at Arnav "He's quite talkative"

Khushi pursed her lips "He usually isn't. I don't know what's wrong with him all of a sudden"

The receptionist nodded. She waved down a male nurse "Get Doctor Sameer"

The nurse was just about to do that when he bumped into a female doctor "My apologies Dr. Kashyap"

The woman nodded at the nurse. She looked strangely familiar... Her voice sounded familiar too as she spoke with the nurse.

Wait a second. Was this the woman Arnav was talking to on the day of their wedding? The woman looked up and caught her eye.

She widened them and quickly approached Khushi "Oh. My. Gosh! Are you Khushi?" she squealed.

Well this wasn't really how she was planning to greet one of her husband's exes.

"Yes" Khushi said wanting to sound confident.

"You have no idea how long I have been waiting to meet you! Come come with me"

Khushi was completely taken aback by the woman's friendly demeanour. Surely she recognized her as Arnav's wife right?

Not wanting to sound too rude on her end, she decided to use her cat, who suddenly was too quiet and had gone still, as an excuse "I have to get him checked"

The woman looked at Arnav as if noticing him for the first time. Slowly a Cheshire-like smile grew on her face "I'll check him for you"

"You can?" Khushi said dumbfounded.

"Yes yes I am a vet as well as a human doctor. Now follow me" she said leading them down a hallway.

Funny. She didn't even look that old.

Khushi entered a room that had all the supplies she'd imagined needed for pets. She put Arnav on the table. He immediately tried to flee by jumping down and running to the door but Dr. Kashyap closed it on his face. He glared at her. She only chuckled and swooped down to pick him up. Arnav gave a good fight but he was no match for her.

"Dr Kashyap-"

"Lavanya. Please call me Lavanya"

Khushi looked a bit baffled but did as told "Lavanya. My cat, his paw was burnt. I'm not sure if he's had any vaccinations before or if he could have caught something by now..."

Lavanya waved her hand "Don't worry. Let me just give him a once over" she began patting him down "So how's married life treating you? Is Arnav being a good husband to you?"

Why would she want to know that? Khushi wondered. Was there anything she needed to worry about...

Lavanya chuckled "Also, just to make sure we've established things, I am only a friend of Arnav's. Nothing more. Never was more"

Khushi's cheeks turned pink. Was she that predictable? But at least she felt a bit more comfortable with her.

"Arnav's a wonderful husband. He's more than I could have asked for"

"Are you in love with him?"

Lavanya must have poked Arnav too hard because he hissed at her looking ready to pounce. She, in return, just patted his head.

In love? Khushi did feel strongly for him but she wasn't sure if it was love just yet. However, at the rate that they were going at, she wouldn't be surprised if she did fall in love with him.

"I-I don't know" she replied in a small voice.

"Surely-"

Lavanya was cut off when Arnav scratched her across her arm.

Khushi gasped "Oh my goodness! I apologize on his behalf"

Lavanya chuckled before covering it "It's fine. What else can you expect from a feisty kitty"

Arnav showed his claw to her in response.

"Anyways" she continued "He seems in good shape. I can honestly say he's done great without the need for vaccinations. I don't think you'll need to worry about him"

"So he won't be receiving any?" Khushi asked confused.

"I think he's fine without them" Lavanya assured, giving the cat a sly wink.

"Okay thank you" Khushi said "I also had another question actually. Is he healthy enough for kittens?"

Arnav let out a screech. He jumped off the table and began scratching at the door but the two ladies ignored him.

"Well yes from his side" Lavanya grinned "It's actually mating season. But you would need a female too. Speaking of which, the hospital is actually giving away lots of animals for adoption. Follow me"

And that is how Khushi went home with a beautiful white cat and a grumpy black cat.

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"I'm gonna name you Princess" Khushi cooed, scratching Princess' ear while she ate from her new bowl.

Arnav arched against her leg and let out meows begging for attention.

Khushi chuckled "C'mon buddy. I got you a girlfriend. Now I want lots of kittens from you"

Arnav hissed at the other cat and padded out of the room.

A few minutes later, Arnav, her husband, came in. He wrapped his arms around her from the back "Hey beautiful. Did you get another cat?" he said frowning at Princess.

Khushi turned around in his arms "Yes Arnav" she grinned "According to the vet, mating season is near and they will start trying soon"

Arnav winced "I don't mean to rain on your parade honey but I've known that cat for quite a while now. He's never taken an interest in females regardless whether it was mating season or not"

Khushi frowned "Are you sure? Maybe he will take an interest in her"

Arnav grimaced "Just...don't be heartbroken if he doesn't do anything with her"

And he was right. Arnav, the cat, had zero interest in Princess. Even Princess had purred at him enticingly so many times and attempted to seduce him, at least according to Google. However, Arnav would just turn around with his tail up in the air and walk away.

Well at least in all this, she had become good friends with Lavanya.

Khushi sighed watching Arnav turn and walk away from yet another one of Princess' charms. She grabbed her computer and searched up 'Can cats be gay?'.

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khushiforever2019-07-14 17:39:13