Hey guys! I'm back with an update again...
This chapter is special for me because when I had first tried writing SNT, I had considered beginning it from the very last scene in this chapter...but then, things took their own course and I decided to start from the very beginning of DMG to establish the characters more before approaching that scene. That scene has ofcourse been modified a bit from what it was originally intended to go as...but nevertheless, it's still pretty special to me...more so because I had to struggle quite a bit to write it.
Ok, that's the end of the bhashan😆...moving to the chapter then...hope you guys like it 😳
CHAPTER 18: A twist of fate
Cafeteria:
Angie smiled to herself as she waited at the counter for her cup of coffee. Dr. Keerti's announcement yesterday about the latest IOTM scores had totally made her day. The award ceremony was scheduled for this afternoon and she could barely contain her excitement. IOTM will be mine, finally! she thought to herself in satisfaction. All her hard work would finally bear fruit. After a very long time, her gut instinct was very strong….it was finally her time…she would get her due this time. And Papa, she continued to herself he would finally….
Her coffee arrived at that moment, bringing her out of her musings. She took the mug from the counter and with the smile still on her face, and a new bounce in her step, headed out.
Corridor outside the path lab:
Angie walked out with the lab reports for one of her patients in her hand, glancing at her watch as she did so. Just three more hours to go! she thought to herself. As she glanced up from her watch, she noticed a little girl peeping around from the edge of the corridor wall. Angie paused and looked at her in puzzlement. As soon as the girl saw her, she instantly moved away from the wall and disappeared from view. Angie hurried over quickly and turning the corner, managed to catch up with her finally.
"Hello!" she said to the girl, noticing that she was in a hospital gown and clutching a stuffed toy elephant in her hand. "Are you lost?"
The girl just stared back at her and didn't say anything.
Looks like she's from the children's ward, thought Angie to herself Maybe she just wandered off and can't find her way back now
"Did you forget where your room is?" asked Angie, trying again.
The girl clutched the toy elephant closer to herself and continued to just stare back at Angie.
"Let's get you back to your room then, alright?" said Angie, thinking that she should be taken to the children's ward.
She signaled a nurse passing by to come over. "Sister, can you please take this little girl back to the children's ward? I think she's lost her way."
"Alright, Dr. Anjali." replied the nurse and started forward towards the little girl.
"No!" the little girl finally spoke up, startling both Angie and the nurse for a moment.
"It's alright," said Angie gently, trying to calm her down. "She's just going to take you back to your room…"
"No!" she repeated more vehemently. "I…I want Dr. Atul! Where is he?"
"Dr. Atul?" said Angie in surprise.
And in that moment, the elevator across the corridor opened with a ding and Atul walked out. He paused in surprise suddenly when he noticed Anjali and Mili in front of him.
"Mili?" he said, walking forward towards them, "What are you doing out here?"
"Your patient?" asked Anjali.
Atul nodded in reply and then turning to Mili, said, "What happened, Mili? What are you doing outside the ward?"
"I think she lost her way," replied Anjali before Mili could reply, earning herself a glare from Mili for that. "I was just asking the nurse to take her back to the ward."
"That's alright," said Atul smiling down at Mili reassuringly and taking her hand, "I can take her back now."
"Ok," replied Anjali in the polite tone that she had maintained since yesterday. That tone that was now really starting to get to Atul as he now looked at her, wondering in an insane moment if he was better off when he got the snooty treatment. This seemed to pinch even more for some reason.
Mili watched Atul as he talked at the lady doctor. There was something about her that seemed to make him unhappy, which in turn deepened Mili's resentment against her. She hadn't liked her much sinch the moment she saw her anyway…she seemed a little snooty. But it looked like she'd done something to upset Dr. Atul as well and that definitely made her the bad guy in Mili's book.
She tugged Atul's hand, trying to remind him that she was still there and that they needed to go.
"Oh sorry, Mili," replied Atul in an apologetic tone, coming out of his reverie, "This is Dr. Anjali," he motioned towards her.
"And Anjali, this is Mili,"he told Anjali, motioning towards Mili.
"Hi, Mili," said Anjali smiling at her, "Nice to meet you."
Mili gave her a disgruntled look and then turning away, tugged at Atul's hand again. Anjali looked at her in puzzlement, wondering why Mili seemed to have taken an instant dislike to her.
"Uhhh…she's a little moody sometimes," Atul murmured to her in a low tone to avoid Mili from overhearing.
Anjali nodded in understanding, still very polite.
And with that, Atul and Mili left for the children's ward and Anjali headed off to see the rest of the patients for the day.
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Meeting room, Corridor outside:
"Have you uhhh….tried telling her how you feel?" Sapna asked Atul as they both walked towards the meeting room where the IOTM ceremony was going to be held.
Atul replied with a look that clearly implied that she was crazy.
Sapna sighed, "Never mind, I forgot who we were dealing with for a second here. Hmmm…ok, so tell me again exactly how far you've managed to progress? You're friends now, right?"
"Yep," replied Atul, "Finally managed to achieve that feat with great difficulty," he grinned.
"Bravo!" laughed Sapna in reply. "Chalo kahin to pahunchi baat!" she winked at him. "Aage ka hum dekh lenge ab…I have two three ideas floating in my head. Let's get this ceremony out of the way, then we'll discuss them at length, theek hai?"
"Ok," he smiled back at her. "Waise why do you sound as if this ceremony is such a chore…aren't you hoping to win the award?"
"Kahaaaaaan yaar!" said Sapna morosely, "Mere points to abhi bhi bahut low hain, no chance whatsoever."
"Haan yaar," Atul sighed, "No chance for me either, my scores are about the same as yours. Oh well, we'll try harder next time."
"Buhhhhht," said Sapna rounding on him with a teasing grin again, "Aapki jaan-e-jigar to lead mein hai so you must be super thrilled, hmm?"
Atul just shook his head at her in exasperation at the way she never lost a chance to tease him about Anjali.
"Yes I am," he replied. Then he added a little quietly, "I hope she does win it…It's very important to her…She's worked very hard for it."
"Aww Atul, you are tooo sweet!" said Sapna, touched by the way he spoke about Anjali in that moment, "Accha chalo, ab enough mooning over your lady love," she added hurriedly as they had now reached the meeting room. "Let's find a good place to sit now…uhhh…" she scanned the room looking for good spot, and finally, "Aha! Found the perfect one!" she said, pointing to a spot. "Come on, let's grab it before someone else does."
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Atul and Sapna ended up sitting right across the aisle and one row behind where Armaan and Anjali were sitting. Armaan waved an enthusiastic hi to both of them while Anjali just smiled and nodded politely. Riddhima soon arrived as well and after throwing an irritated look at Armaan who made quite a show of getting up and offering her a spot next to him and Anjali, she proceeded to hurry over to Atul and Sapna and squeezed in between them. Armaan placed his hand over his chest and mouthed an 'ouch' as he pretended to be devastated and slumped back into his seat. Angie shook her head at him and poking him sideways with her elbow, murmuring at him to stop his nautanki. Riddhima meanwhile rolled her eyes and turned to talk to Atul and Sapna in excitement about the upcoming ceremony. During a break between her chatter, Atul glanced over and tried to catch Anjali's eye but she was busy talking to Armaan, laughing at something he had just said. Atul expelled his breath in irritation and then turned back to talk to Sapna and Ridz, but his mind invariably drifted back to the days when she would laugh just as freely with him. Would that Anjali return to him again? he wondered.
Soon, Dr. Shashank and all the senior doctors at the hospital arrived as well and the ceremony began.
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After the general greetings and introduction, Dr. Shashank stepped forward.
"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Without taking too much more of your time, let's get straight to the reason we're all here today. All our interns have worked very hard this past month and each and every one of them deserves the Intern of the Month Award for their efforts. However, such is competition…that there can only be one winner," he said.
"This month the competition was very close and the winner won by a slim margin of just one point," he continued. There were murmurs of surprise and excitement from the audience at that.
"And not drawing out the suspense now….the winner of the Intern of the Month Award for this month is…."
Angie was at the edge of her seat, a huge smile on her face, waiting to hear her name being called out….to walk up to Dad and receive the plaque from him, to have him look at her with that glowing look of pride on his face…to have all of that….just once this time, please God, she sent up a last minute prayer and held her breath.
"…..Dr. Riddhma Gupta!" announced Dr. Shashank finally and applause broke out.
Anjali unconsciously rose halfway out of her seat, the momentum of a name being called out propelling her, before she finally realized which name hadbeen called out. Then she froze in shock, her head snapping towards Ridzie who seemed to be quite shocked herself. Slowly she sank down back into her seat, unable to believe what had just happened…unable to think.
Atul felt a jolt of regret when he'd heard Ridz's name being called out and he instantly turned to look at Anjali. She seemed to have gone numb with the shock and as he watched her sink back into her seat slowly, her pain seemed to slice through him in that moment.
"Oh my god!" Ridz's exclamation made him turn towards her again. "I…I…can't believe it! Sapna, Atul…I….oh my god!" she said, feeling at a loss for words to convey her happiness and excitement.
Sapna smiled at her and said, "Congratulations, Ridz! Now don't just sit there yaar! Your award is awaiting you," she motioned towards the mini stage where Dr. Shashank was standing beaming at her as he held the plaque in his hand.
"Thank you so much, Sapna!" Riddhima hugged her, a huge grin on her face and then turned and hugged Atul as well. He hugged her back and said, "Congratulations, Ridz." He was happy for her, but worried about Anjali.
"Thanks, Atul," she replied and then finally got up to go and receive her award, beaming as she climbed up the steps to the stage and received the award from her very proud father.
"Congratulations, Dr. Riddhima," said Shashank as he handed her the award and started to clap for her, the pride visible beaming on his face.
"Thank you, Dr. Shashank," replied Riddhima, grinning back at him in happiness.
Anjali watched the entire exchange, just staring at both of them in complete numbness.
As Riddhima got off the stage, everyone rushed forward to congratulate her.
"So….," said Armaan, "Basket managed to win this time, huh?? Who would've thought? I guess congratulations are in order than," he said with an affected sigh, getting up as if it was a chore to do so.
Anjali slowly got up along with him as well and he never noticed the marked change in her demeanor, his attention too focussed on getting through the throng of people surrounding Riddhima and thinking up of the best way to irritate her while congratulating her at the same time.
Anjali watched Riddhima standing near the stage, Dad flanking her one side and Sapna and a host of other people surrounding her, all waiting to congratulate her. Shashank looked up in that moment and caught her eye. She instantly dropped her gaze and turned around to leave, unable to bear being there for another moment.
"Dr. Anjali," he called out, halting her in her tracks. "Won't you congratulate Dr. Riddhima?" he said, a hint of reproach in his voice.
Anjali closed her eyes and calling on all the strength inside her that she could muster, she turned around again and slowly walked back towards Riddhima.
Shashank watched her approach and wondered why she looked so upset. Did a prize matter to her so much that she couldn't even be happy for her own sister? Was she really so selfish? Had his parenting truly been such a failure?
"Congratulations, Ridzie," said Angie in a low voice, managing to muster up a small smile, once she finally stood next to Riddhima.
"Diiii!" Riddhima turned and gave her a warm hug. "Thank you sooooooo much!"
Angie glanced up at Shashank for a moment from over Riddhima's shoulder but quickly dropped her gaze again and turning, hurried out of the room, leaving Shashank to wonder if it had been a trick of the light or if the brightness in her eyes had been…?
"Dr. Shashank, Dr. Mittal is waiting to meet you in your office." A nurse walked up in that moment to inform him.
"Alright, I'll be right there," he replied and glanced back only to see that Angie was no longer there. He sighed to himself and then hurried off to his meeting as well.
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Fire Escape:
Anjali sat on the ledge in the fire escape, her knees drawn up and her arms encircling them tightly as she rested her head her head on them and cried her heart out. She felt broken inside, betrayed for some strange reason, and she didn't even know by whom. But all she could do in that moment was cry, cry at being so close to seeing her dream fulfilled and watching it shatter in front of her eyes, cry at the injustice that always seemed to be meted out to her when it came to her father, who never ever seemed to realize what SHE felt for even a moment! "Why, god? Why?" she cried out aloud as she sobbed uncontrollably.
By the time Atul managed to find her, she had subsided a bit, but still had her head bowed between her arms and was shaking with a few tears still remaining. He watched her through the glass window of the fire escape door, his heart tearing up at watching her in so much pain. He rested one hand on the glass, wanting desperately to reach out to her in some way, but wondering if she would allow him near her at all…especially at a time like this.
As he watched her, another sob seemed to escape from her curled up form. Without another thought, he pushed open the door to the fire escape and stepped down into it.
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Anjali glanced up quickly as she heard the fire escape door creaking open and was stunned to watch Atul step in. She quickly averted her face, wiped the tears on her cheeks and sat up straight, bringing down her knees in the same motion.
Atul walked down the steps slowly, one step at a time, looking at her all the time.
Anjali heard him getting closer with each step, but she didn't look up, continuing to stare away from him at the wall opposite to her.
"What are you doing here, Atul?" she asked in her coldest tone, determined not to betray any sign of weakness.
He didn't reply, but continued to walk down the steps until he was finally standing in front of her. She still didn't look at him. He paused there for a few moments and then slowly sat down beside her.
"I said…what are you doing here, Atul?" she repeated again, her tone even icier.
Atul turned to look at her again, but he still didn't say anything.
"Have you gone deaf? Can't you hear? I'm asking you what the hell you're doing here, huh??" she said, her voice suddenly losing the iciness and rising in anger and frustration.
Atul finally spoke, "Anjali…."
"Don't Anjali me!" she lashed out, suddenly turning around to look at him, "Do not, Do NOT try to pity me! Do you hear me?" she cried, tears pooling in her eyes again, breaking his heart.
He reached out a hand towards her, "Anjali, please…"
She slapped his hand away, "Don't touch me!" she shouted. "Don't you dare touch me!" she jumped up from her seat.
Hating the fact that she was unable to stop crying and he was here to witness all of it, she turned on him and all the bitterness inside her just spilled out.
"If you're here to be 'sympathetic' in some way, Atul, then let me inform you that I DON'T need your 'sympathy' or your 'pity' in any way! Do you hear me?? In any way! You're the LAST person on this planet that I would need sympathy from!" she scoffed at him.
He looked down and didn't say anything, sensing the hurt and pain behind her words and the need to hit out at someone…anyone.
"And regardless," she added, "Who ARE you to pity me anyway, huh? And do I look like I need your sympathy in any way?"
Atul closed his eyes, almost unable to bear the raw pain in her eyes, her pain becoming his own….so tangible, as if a thousand shards of glass were embedded in his heart.
"So keep your pity with you and get lost, Dr. Atul! Because I for one, DON'T need it at all! I am perfectly alright! Perfectly. Al.." her voice broke for a second, but then she heaving a deep breath in, she repeated. "Alright."
There was complete silence for a few moments as Anjali waited for him to say something in reply, but Atul continued to stay silent.
"Why don't you just go away!!" she shouted at him again, "Just.go.away!! I don't want you here, you hear me??! So just get lost! GET LOST!" she lashed out, sobbing again now, her tone a combination of pleading and anger.
"Go Away!" she cried again, balling her fists at her sides now, feeling utterly helpless, shattered. Slowly, she sank down to her knees, holding her head in her hands, her body racking with sobs.
"Please," she said softly, finally spent, "Please…" not really knowing what exactly she was pleading for, or to whom.
Atul got up and walking to her, slowly sank down to his knees in front of her. He reached out and slowly took both her hands in his. She looked up at him and watched as he reached out a hand and gently wiped the tears from each cheek, shaking his head gently. A few broken sobs escaped from her again, the look in his eyes undoing her even more for some reason. He squeezed the hands he held, shaking his head at her again. Slowly, she subsided and her sobs reduced to sniffles. Atul smiled at her slightly, a smile she wasn't able to understand fully, and reaching out slowly, he brushed the back of his hand softly againt one tear stained cheek. And as she watched, one single tear escaped from his eye and landed on their joined hands. She glanced down at the tear and then glanced back up at him again, only to see that he still had that slight smile on his face as he looked back at her her…a smile of…she didn't know how to describe it…but…it was a smile that seemed to say…I understand… and a thousand other things that she couldn't quite fully understand, but seemed to reassure her in some way…to soothe her in some way.
And that very smile seemed to finally unravel her completely and she threw her arms around him as if holding on for dear life. Atul automatically put his arms around her as well, hugging her close, trying to soothe her as much as he could. She burrowed her head into the crook of his neck and started to cry once again, unable to understand why, but it was if a dam had burst inside her and she just couldn't stop crying. Atul smoothed his hand down the back of her head, murmuring softly to her, "Anjali, Anjali…it will be ok…."
"Why? Why always…?" she cried harder.
"Shhhh, Anjali" he said, rubbing a hand down her back, "Shhh now…everything will be fine…"
He continued to do so for a while until finally she subsided completely. She loosened her grip around him a bit, but continued to rest her head on his shoulder, not really knowing why, but needing the contact for some reason.
Atul too continued to hold her, brushing her hair down her back slowly, savoring this unexpected and magical twist of fate, savoring that feeling of finally being complete in a way he had never thought possible.
And so they both sat there holding each other, two people as different from each other as night and day, yet in that moment, none of those differences mattered. In that one magical moment, nothing else mattered but the fact that they were there with each other, for each other, completing each other.
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