Posted:
Originally posted by: ronitfan
I wish I'd not called her sweetheart the other day. Well, technically, I was not calling HER anything.. she just happened to be where Richa, the nurse was supposed to be.. Richa, who usually messed up appointments and x-ray scans because she was a little forgetful.. why on Earth could not recognize her.. even if it was her back that faced me that day?
And then she walked away with a huff and a puff.. calling me everything I deserved to be called. And I just stood there like a bumbling idiot... unable to tell her how hopelessly in love with her I was. that day, when I saw her figure recede from the room, something in my chest constricted.. a big lurch.. I did not know when she became so important to me.. when I fell deeply in love with her.. it was inexplicable...she felt like oxygen, like life support, like CPR and everything that follows..I was a lost case._______________________I know this sounds/reads REAL lame but I just wanted to put SOMETHING out there..Will continue at the earliest and update the titleThis one's for you, Rachna! 😃
I stood there in the hallway, watching her talk to the nurses.. she was new to the administrative team and had quickly learned to manage both sides of the job - nursing and managing hospital operations. There was a twinkle in her eyes that was seen only in the eyes of those who knew exactly what they were doing and enjoyed themselves in the process.. twirling the pen in his hands, he wished she'd look at him once. But it was a futile exercise, she was so absorbed in her work. It was then that Nachiket realised.. it hit him at once.. she was not that kind of a woman who needed a man to complete her. She was fiercely independent, vivacious, outgoing, self dependent and supremely confident.. (drop dead gorgeous, his brain added almost instantly) .. she had everything going for her.
And here he was, the heir to a multimillion estate of his grandfather.. who had everything going for him as well, and yet, nothing. He had his good looks, his money, the usual line of interns and nurses throwing themselves at him, a great social circle, two best friends in the form of Karan and Dimpy.. but still he felt his life was useless. He never really thought about things like the meaning of life before he fell in love.. everything fell into place automatically it seemed. His life was on auto-pilot before a someone called Ragini changed his course forever. Suddenly, he sought meaning in everything he did.. a gold medal in college was enough,he wanted a personal legacy. Best friends were not enough, he wanted to be a worthy friend.. owning a hospital was not enough, he wanted to build it into a world-class institution.. wanting Ragini was not enough, now he wanted to be worthy of Ragini.. because she had changed everything..
She had given his life meaning..
He slowly walked back into his cabin and watched her walk past his cabin without as much as a second glance at him. Sure he owned the hospital but she would be damned if she let Nachiket have any power on her whatsoever.. she could have quit the job the moment they stumbled across each other but she did not.. she simply did not care.. that's what he thought... may be she was indifferent to her.
That was far from the truth..
Coming face to face with Nachiket was a strange experience for her.. she had broken all contact with him when she returned his grandfather's estate to him.. how she had wanted to visit the house once again.. to take in its sights and sounds.. oh it was a beautiful house.. she used to stroll with Dadaji on his wheelchair to every corner.. he had lovingly built the house and shared all his memories.. she hated Nachiket for spoiling her association with Dadaji..even if the association was after his death.. she had wanted to distance herself from him as much as possible.. as soon as possible. She had changed her number instantly.. and then the day when they came face to face.. she was livid.. all his accusations and suppositions about her character and about her 'trick' to get his money came rushing back to her.. she did not want to see his face.. She stormed off.. yet his presence affected him a strange way.. she did not know what to call it yet.. but she swore she would not interact with him unless absolutely required. She was just not interested.
Days rolled into months and Nachiket buried himself into work and medical practise more and more as he tried to distract himself from Ragini.. from his love for her that would just not leave him alone. His love for her surprised him.. it was like a friend had told him .. love is like falling asleep.. a little, a little and then all at once. Yes, that's what it was... all at once.. he did not know when thoughts of her pervaded every waking moment.. when she became the first thing he thought of when he woke up, and the last thing he thought of her before going to sleep. But he did not pursue her. He was still trying to be a better person for her.. yes he would approach her again, but only when he had worked hard to make something of himself.. something and someone who would deserve her forgiveness and earn her acceptance, truly.
It thus came as a heartbreak to Nachiket when she saw Ragini warm up to Sahil, his brightest intern. Sure, he was charming and good-looking, had a great future and was closer in age to Ragini than he was.. but Nachiket saw a shade of his younger self in Sahil.. charming, yet arrogant with a dash of irreverence and frivolousness. He had been the same and worse when he was younger.. he did not want Ragini to go through what other women had gone through with him... He rung up Sahil's professor at college and found out more about him. He had always been a womaniser, he had been told.. had a string of girlfriends and even drank at times. Nachiket worried over the news... he felt insanely protective about Ragini and the thought of his hands all over Ragini .. over Sahil doing something wrong to Ragini just enraged him. He was feeling so helpless, so out of control.Oh, what was he going to do?
He almost laughed at his situation.. at himself. How much he'd changed.. how much she'd changed him.. he was upset because Ragini now had the hots for a younger Nachiket. Sighing, he hung his head from the back of his chair.. clutching his temple in anguish.. he had to tell her.. this was not going to be good..
Ragini and Nachiket usually avoided looking at each other in the hospital corridors.. they did not even exchange pleasantries.. so it was extremely awkward when Nachiket caught Ragini at the secluded water cooler and asked her to wait for a minute because he had to tell her something. She was confused.. and looked at the floor restlessly, asking him to continue.. he did not know what to do.. he had never done something like this.. he was so shocked at the level of concern and care whirling inside him.. he could not even string together a proper line at the moment..
Ragini.. it is about Sahil..
Ragini's gaze darkened at the mention of Sahil yet she did not speak.. waiting for what he had to say..
Please be careful about Sahil, Ragini..
What was he doing?! He mentally whacked himself..
Actually, don't date him at all.. he's a flirt Ragini.. he is just taking advantage of you.. he's not a good person.. I know people from his college.. he's a womaniser.. he..
She cut him off midway and snarled at him dangerously..
Stop before you utter another word, Mr.Nachiket Khanna. I will date who I want, when I want.. you are no one to interfere in my life. I don't know what has struck you that you are showing so much concern about my private life. Sahil's a great guy.. don't try to paint him as a person who's like you.. because what you said about Sahil applies to you.. you're a womaniser.. you take advantage of people.. and..
Her voice trembled..
And you're not a good person, Mr.Nachiket Khanna..
Tears pooled in her eyes as she remembered his accusation and she walked away without as much as another look at him.. He just stood there with a crumpled paper cup in his hand.. this was a new low. Was this what she thought of him?
He was not even a good person?
End of part 2
