Chapter 7

Part 7:

Sanjeevani locker 9:30 pm…

Shilpa was stuffing her coat into her locker. She was about to leave when her eyes fell on Armaan's cabin. She paused and read the tag on the cabin door… Dr Armaan… she sighed, thinking about Armaan and suddenly she remembered the basket ball match, the private moment in Armaan's office. She was smiling thinking about those beautiful moments when their conversation in the afternoon flashed in her mind. And she stiffened.

Armaan loves someone else… Shilpa ab toh use bhul jaa… who tera kabhi nahi ho sakta… but mujhe kyun aisa lag raha hai that I am missing something… even Sid gave me that weird look today in Armaan's cabin… yeh ho kya raha hai…

While Shilpa was busy thinking about all this, Armaan was heading for his cabin, lost in his thoughts.

Why don't these people understand? How can I talk to Shilpa if I don't know what I want? Even I don't know what I feel for her yet… am I giving this feeling more thought than is required?? Oh, this is such a mess…

He turned to left and for his cabin. He wanted some lone time before doing or saying anything. But as soon as he turned, he looked up and stopped. Shilpa was looking at his cabin, a sweet smile adorned her face. She really is beautiful… Armaan thought. He smiled naughtily.

He went towards the locker room door and looked at her from behind. Very carefully he went near her ear and whispered her name…

"Shilpa…"

She whirled around, the files in her hand falling down because she was startled. She looked at him with wide eyes, their color changing with the light. Armaan couldn't move his eyes from hers. Shilpa was staring at him too, lost in his lovely eyes. Suddenly Shilpa broke the eye-contact and bent down the same time that Armaan did for retrieving the files that had fallen down. They reached for the same folder and when their hands touched it was pure magic. Armaan looked up at Shilpa to see if she had felt that current too. Her eyes mirrored the same expression of surprise and passion. Shilpa snatched her hand and stood up with the files in her hand. Armaan sighed, picked up the rest of the folders and got up. Shilpa reached for her files and Armaan gave them to her.

"Armaan!! You scared me!!" Shilpa tried to sound normal, her heart was racing at the speed of lightning.

"Well… you were lost in your thoughts… so you can't exactly blame me for exploiting that golden opportunity. So, what were you thinking about? " Armaan asked.

Shilpa blushed. This is so embarrassing… Shilpa tujhe bhi abhi hi iske thoughts mein khona tha… ab kya karu… kya batau ise??

"Well, I… I… umm… no… nothing important…" Shilpa stammered.

The corners of his mouth lifted as Armaan asked "Then why are you stammering? And why are you all red and blushing? Just who exactly were you thinking about? " Armaan teased.

She flushed, and started to turn around, trying to get away from him. But Armaan was faster, he held her hand and twirled her towards him, clutching her hand and holding her close to him as she banged into his chest, facing him with her hand locked behind her. She looked at him and whispered…

"Armaan, chodo mujhe… what are you doing?"

"Answer the question and I'll let you go." Armaan smirked.

"I don't know what you're talking about… let go Armaan, what if someone sees us…?" Shilpa tried to free her hand and in the process shifted all the more closer to him.

"Oh no… I am not letting you go so easily… first answer the question."

"What question?? Armaan stop joking around and leave me please… koi dekhlega…"

"To dekhne do… pehle answer my question and I will leave you… tum abhi kiske bare mein soch rahi thi??" Armaan looked at her, pulling her towards him, willing her to take his name.

"Armaan…" Shilpa pleaded, looking around to check if anyone's around.

"Answer first…Madame…" Armaan smiled. She looked so sweet all nervous and scared.

"Arre kisike bare main nahi soch raho thi… aise hi I was thinking about Sanjeevani in general…"

"Jhuth… you must think I am a fool if you think I will buy that!!!" Armaan said and moved closer to her. She started bending her head backwards… and Armaan started towards her. He was so close she could smell his scent, the distinct tang of his cologne, spicy and sexy. He reached her ear and murmured

"Just the thought of Sanjeevani wouldn't put such a lovely smile on your gorgeous face…"

Shilpa looked away and turned a deep shade of red.

"Shilpa!!! " someone called.

Armaan looked in the direction of the voice and Shilpa started fidgeting.

"Armaan please let me go… koi aa raha hai… chodo Armaan…" Shilpa said.

"Toh answer dedo, aur main tumhara haath chhod dunga…"

"Armaan do be a kid… please try and understand. I will tell you the answer pakka… leave me…"

Armaan looked at her and released her hand as soon as Sid turned the corner.

"There you are!!! I have been calling for like an hour or so… Good you didn't go home… I was just leaving… do you want me to drop you?" Sid asked.

Shilpa looked at Armaan, still trying to get her head around everything.

"Arre Sid, don't worry I'll drop her home…" Armaan offered, hoping to spend some time alone with her.

"NO!!" Shilpa interrupted. "I… I'll go alone. I wouldn't want to bother you guys…" she finished.

"No bother… " both of them replied in unison.

"And did you forget that I drop you home every day?" Sid asked. "Come on… grab your bag and let's leave."

Sid dropped her every day? But why? Doesn't he have a date with Riddhima or something… hamesha kabab mein haddi banta hai…Armaan thought? He didn't want Shilpa to go with Sid.

"Okay…" Shilpa smiled at Armaan "Bye…"and started off with Sid.

"Armaan if she feels something for you, she will turn around…" Armaan said to himself as he watched Shilpa walking away.

"Palat…"

But she kept walking…

"Palat…"

Shilpa and Sid reached the Sanjeevani main gate.

Armaan closed his eyes, and prayed that she turn around. "Palat…" he whispered to himself.

He opened his eyes to see Shilpa turning around to look at him. She smiled and waved her hand towards him saying "Bye."

He smiled, his dimples flashing. He waved back and happily jumped in the air. "YES!!!"

Next day in Sanjeevani:

Armaan was checking some of the patient records. "Armaan chodo koi dekhlega…" Shilpa's face from yesterday flashed in front of his eyes, her expression cute when she turned around and waved good bye. Armaan smiled, an unknown happy thought making its way into his head. Shilpa ka mujhpar inta gehra asar… yeh mujhe kya ho raha hai… aisa toh maine kabhi Riddhima ke liye bhi feel nahi kiya… nahi I cannot fall in love again… knowing it has given me only trouble… that stupid plan of mine is playing tricks on me…

His pager beeped. Report to Dr. Shashank's office immediately.

Dr Shashank… he's back? Armaan stood up and started towards his cabin. He was just about to enter the cabin when Shilpa came from his right along with JP and someone he had not expected to see… Muskaan.

"Muskaan!! Hey!! How are you?? what are you doing here?" Armaan asked rushing towards her.

"Oye Armaan!!! Kaisa hai hero? M good… just landed in Mumbai, this morning… !!! aur bata??"

"Yahan suddenly kaise??" Armaan asked hugging her.

"Suddenly Riddhima and Sid ki shaadi ke liye!!! Atul anji and rahul are also going to reach sanjeevani by today evening…"

"Oh…" Armaan replied.

Shilpa noticed his weak response. Her heart went out to him. So he hasn't really moved on. What were you thinking Shilpa?? Ki who tujhe pasand karne laga hai?? Huh… She interrupted them.

"I'll catch up with you guys soon." Shilpa said walked off, not wanting to see Armaan so sad because of Riddhima.

"I know you are hurting Armaan, I know you haven't moved on… I can't even begin to imagine how hard this would be for you." muskaan said.

Armaan smiled. "I have accepted it. If it means Riddhima is happy then I am happy… I am just sad the you---"

"Dr Armaan, Dr Riddhima, Dr. muskaan and all the interns are requested to report in dr Shashank's cabin immediately."

"We'll talk later." Muskaan said and Armaan nodded.

Armaan and Muskaan started towards the cabin. They noticed the somber atmosphere at once. Dr Shashank was looking really serious and Sid was a little worried too… stood by the door along with all the other interns and Riddhima at the opposite end of the door.

"Well doctors, I have called you here to discuss a very important matter with you. Dr Sid has just informed me that Mr. Anant who was doing fine yesterday is in coma right now…" Shashank said

"What? " Shilpa and Riddhima shouted together, and everyone else was really shocked as the patient looked really fine yesterday.

"But how did that happen?" Riddhima asked.

"Well, he was given excessive amounts of wrong medicines. Not only was the tablet wrong but even its dosage…" Shashank replied a little mad.

"We have informed his family about it, and though they are upset Dr Sid here has convinced them to not go the police. But this is not a thing to be taken lightly, so we have decided that whoever was responsible for this should be punished."

Everybody was curious to know who it was. "So, the doctor who is responsible for this is going to be suspended from sanjeevani for four days. Well, as you all know we maintain a record of all the attending doctors at the nurse station and the last doctor to have attended Anant was…"

Everybody looked at each other, anxious to know the poor doctor who had done this.

"Dr Shilpa…" Shashank completed. All eyes turned to Shilpa.

Shilpa froze. I am responsible for deteriorating that person's life!! No it cant be possible. I am not that careless…

Shilpa was just about to deny the accusation when she remembered…wait but Riddhima di was suppose to check in after me… does that mean it's her who's responsible. But if it's her then she shouldn't know about this. She's already going through a lot right now. And her career will also get affected if I say anything right now.

"But sir, Shilpa cannot have done such a careless mistake." Dr JP said.

"Yes sir, she is a very promising intern…" Armaan said, not ready to believe that Shilpa could do something like that.

"I understand that she has done it unknowingly but she needs to be careful, so it's important that she learnt a lesson early in her career. Dr Shilpa you are suspended from sanjeevani for four days… I want no more discussions on this you all may leave." Shashank said.

"But ---"

"Dr Armaan… I said you may leave."

Everybody left his office. Soon the only people in his cabin were Shashank and Shilpa only.

"Sir… I am really sorry to have disappointed you like this. But i promise you this, I will make you proud one day. I will becme a successful doctor like you… My moth--- I mean someone once told me that "Samay aur atma-vishwas se toh dilon mein bhi pyaar bhara jaa sakta hai, toh agar yeh tumhare paas ho toh tum kuch bhi paa jaoge" (Time and faith have the power to heal and nurture love, and if you have these then nothing can stop you from aceiving your goals in life)" Shilpa finished and walked out of the cabin.

Shashank, who was sitting in his cabin, couldn't move if his life depended on it. To say he was shocked was a understatement. Suddenly a memory flashed into his mind.

Flashback:

"Shashank don't lose hope so soon dear…" she said.

"But there's nothing that can be done in her case. I don't know what I am going to say to her family. They all had such high hopes." Shashank replied.

"Samay aur atma-vishwas se toh dilon mein bhi pyaar bhara jaa sakta hai, toh agar yeh tumhare paas ho toh tum kuch bhi paa jaoge" she said.

"Magar---"

"Shashank you are a doctor. You have done all you could have for her. Even her family knows that. You cannot blame yourself for something you can't help!! I am not saying that you don't do anything about it, but stop beating yourself for it." she said.

Flash back ends…

"Smriti…" he turned his chair and removed a photo from his pocket. (In this ff, smriti is not Shashank's first wife and nor is she anjali's mother…)

"Why did you leave me? Aaj agar tum hoti, toh hamari…" Shashank head snapped up. He suddenly recalled what Shilpa had told him…Riddhima di is very lucky that she has a father like you… is it possible… no but how can it be… she's dead!!!

well, that was my first attempt at something dramatic... and somethng romantic... lemme know if you like the arsh scene...i really would appreciate your comments so that i can improve on the coming parts...

That's it guys!! sorry m ending it at such a crucial point in the story, but have to because of these exams.. Next part coming up soon… it has all the answers you want and some really cute arsh moments along with the reunion of the entire old gang of DMG!!!!

Lemme know of you like it!!! please do comment and silent readers hit the like button, so that I know if I should continue…