Saps FF: PG5 - A Bone to Pick. - Page 2

"Beta, I've packed your lunch, here, HERE! Don't bring it back. Hey, mind you, don't throw it out! FINISH IT!"

"Why do you still treat me like I'm in grade school? Why would you think that I throw it out?" Asked Sapna, her guard suddenly up, eyeing her mother suspiciously, and circling her as she carried on with her daily chores.

"I don't trust your intentions," replied her mom. She was a simple, yet typical Gujrati woman, her life a small revolving circle, compressed of little happiness's. Such as pride. Pride stemming from the achievements of her daughter, who was a doctor now, interning at a hospital. She, who hadn't been able to go to college, had a daughter who had gotten a degree, and had a bright future ahead. Preferably, with a well-to-do man. Gujrati man, that is.

"It's 7.15. The rickshaw-wala must be waiting, na!? Go hurry!"

"Okay, Okay." Sapna kissed her mother on the cheek and fled out the door. "Awjo. I'll see you in the evening, Maa."

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Sapna headed for the locker room, upon reaching the hospital. The others were missing, with only 5 minutes left till 8.15, their reporting time to Dr. Keerti.

She took her lab coat out, and put it on, while walking to the main hall. To her surprise, all her fellow interns waited there, all before time today. Dr. Keerti wasn't far behind, though. As Sapna came to a stop, and exchanged quick smiles with everyone, her heels could be heard clicking down the hallway.

"Morning, Interns. Dr. Anjali, Dr. Riddhima, you'll be in the general ward today. Dr. Sapna, you're assisting me in the OT. Check up on your present cases, and report in my office at noon. Dr. Atul, I need you in the Pathology Lab. Dr. Mali isn't going to be able to make it, so you're going to be supplying for him. Dr. Armaan, Physiology Unit."

She was already turning to leave. The woman talked at the speed of light. Atul hadn't caught a word of her orders for him, and was looking at her retreating back confusedly. As Armaan laughed at him, and Anjali shook her head, Sapna repeated his orders, imitating the tyrants commanding no-nonsense tone.

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"Dr. Keerti!" Shashank yelled out into the corridor. She stopped, turned and looked around. He walked towards her.

"Good Afternoon. I've been hoping to see you or Dr. Shubanker all day," he told her.

"Anything important, Sir?"

"Yes, actually. I'm going out of town for two weeks. You already know the situation about Mr. Sharma leaving, and his son filling in for him? Yes. He's going to be here tomorrow, hopefully. I'm going to need someone to keep this place together. No one knows how to do that as well as you."

"Don't worry, Sir. I'll watch out." Keerti smiled

"If only we all had such good juniors under command, huh?" He laughed. She nodded at him, still smiling, and turned to leave. The interns would need to be called in for a briefing, and she needed to talk to Shubanker too.

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"Shubanker, I think the interns should be included in these meetings."

"What?" He looked around. "Why? This is the board of directors, Keerti. They're just mere interns, not even full doctors yet," He said, confused.

"They're young. They have ideas, suggestions that could really help. The question should be why not to take their input? As well, they'll get along and relate better with Ayaan."

"Have you asked Dr. Shashank?"

"He put me in charge..," She engagingly replied, smiling. "It's not like he'd mind, anyways.

"As you say then, Boss."

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Sapna stood waiting in Dr. Keerti's office, two minutes before noon, reporting for the surgery, that she was scheduled to assist. Her stomach turned and fluttered. It was nerve-hacking going into surgery, considering all that could go wrong. Especially with Dr. Keerti. It was all she could do to keep from biting her nails. She sent up a little prayer, looking at the ceiling. Izzat bacha lena, haan? The door opened, and in came Dr. Keerti, sending all thoughts of prayer fleeing.

"Good, you're here." She dropped a stack of files on her desk and went to the shelf looking for a sheet of paper. "I've been meaning to get all the interns together, to tell them about this, but seems like I'll have to repeat myself for each and every one of you." Sapna gulped. "Mr. Swapnil Sharma, the biggest shareholder on the board of directors of Sanjeevani is away on a business leave for two months. In the meanwhile, his son, who's flying in from France will be filling in for his seat. He's coming tomorrow, and I've decided that the interns will sit in on meetings of the board." Sapna's eyes followed Keerti's pen, as she wrote furiously in a file, all the while talking. Such multi-tasking, coming from the Hitler itself was not unheard of, and she marveled as Keerti talked on. "Many are not all for it, this privilege for the interns, but I've decided that to have you all work your brains a little more, you need this exposure. He's around your age, and it'll do you all good to work with someone as the same mindset. Second floor, board office, tomorrow morning, 10.00AM, sharp. Try not to disrepute the hospital or me. For you own good, that is." Feisty, lightening eyes flashed in her direction, with a hint of a smile.

"Ma'am, what is the name of the guy coming in?"

"Ayaan Sharma."

Hmmmmm. Ayaan Sharma, huh? She wondered what the others thought of him.

"Dr. Sapna, If you have stopped woolgathering, get going."

She realized she was still sitting in front of Dr. Keerti, and rushed out of the chair, and the door, almost tripping herself on her way out.

Ayaan Sharma wasn't even here and yet he'd already managed to earn her a few sharp words.