FF~:Human After All:~ Imp note Pg 150:) - Page 25

Thank you Mani, Roshni, Gaayu for reading and liking what I wrote!!:)

Here's my update...!😊

Part 6~ Fate not Coincidence...

Shaan! See who has come to see you??

Chachuu!! What happened to chaachu Daddy?

Meghaa!!

Nothing's happened to chachu, sweetheart, he's just playing Doctor, Doctor..well actually patient Doctor! He's is pretending to be the patient, soon he will say, Mein kahaan hoon? Just like in the movies!!

What? That is soo funny!! Chachuu!! Say it!! Say mein kahaan hoon!!

Mein kahaan hoon??

Megha burst out giggling! OOOhhh!! That is sooo funny!!! So you are not hurt Chachuu??!

No my baby, I'm just pretending, just like you do sometimes, when you don't want to go to school!!

OH! Yes! I say that my stomach hurts...like this!!. She pretended to clutch her stomach and make a face as if she was in pain..and smiled, Then Great Dadi ma lets me stay at home!

What? You do that? I thought that Dadi ma was smarter than that! I will have to warn her!Akshay glares at her.

Shaan burst out laughing, then winced with pain...holding his belly..

Just like that Chachuuu! Thats how I do it!,

Megha declared with a big smile.

Dadi ma is a pushover, Akshay! Don't you remember how we used to make a fool of her when we were kids? She never found out, maybe she did but pretended not to..

said Shaan smiling.

Sambhalke Shaan!! You don't want to ruin those stitches, lagta hai tere stomach ka road map bana diya hai!!... Perhaps you are right bro..Dadi ma never denied us anything and now she's indulging in Megha, naughty girl!!..,

Akshay playfully aimed his fist at Megha's chin, and smiled.

Shaan watched this tender interaction between father and daughter with pleasure. When was the last time he had seen Akshay taking time off work to spend some time with his daughter? Seemed like eons... Perhaps this accident had taught him something after all.

Megha started looking around as if searching for something or someone.. Shaan noticed for the first time that she was holding a small scruffy looking teddy bear in her hand.

Chachuuu! Have you seen the nice Doctor Aunty who gave me this teddy?..

I... don't think so sweetheart!! Why do you ask?..

Did you Dad?...

Megha asked Akshay.

The only female doctor I've seen is Shaan chachu's Doctor Agarwal!!,

he said giving Shaan a knowing wink and grinning broadly.

Shaan uncle, you know that Doctor Aunty is the Best doctor in the Whhhole world!!..

Why do you say that honey??...

Because she gave me teddy!!,

Megha said thrusting the little bear into Shaan's face!

Look isn't he the cutest??After the Ak..uh.Ak see dent (accident,) Teddy was the only one who slept with me and told me not to be scared!! And I was not!!...

Shaan threw a concerned and accusing look at Akshay, not wanting to believe that poor little Megha had had to spend the nights since the accident alone with only a bedraggled stuffed toy for company!!...

Akshay dropped his eyes in guilt and hugged Megha tightly to him, I am sorry baby, from now you won't sleep alone anymore, you'll sleep with Mom and Dad!!

Really Daddy?? Then I can give my Teddy to uncle, to keep him company in this scary place!! Here Chachuuu!!, Megha smiled kindly and gently deposited the bear on his chest.

But, won't you miss him Megha?...

No Chachuu, I will hug Dad and Mom now when I'm scared in my sleep!,

she said smiling adoringly at Akshay, .. Teddy will take care of you, he's a brave bear!!..

Shaan relunctantly nodded his thanks and examined the bear. Teddy looked like a much loved creature.., he was missing his right eye and his fur which had once been snow white was now a dull shade of grey. But he had done well in his inanminate life, he had helped to drive away a little girl's fears...

Hello...ooo!!, visiting time is over for now!!....

Shaan looked up to see a matronly appearing plump nurse enter his room pushing a cart with some paraphernalia in it..

Hokay, Shaan!! Will see you tomorrow then. Megha, say bye to Chachuu and tell him to get well soon!!.. By the way Shaan, Mom and Dad will be around tomorrow!..

Get well soon Chachuuu! see you later and if you see my Doctor Aunty be sure to give her a kiss for me!! And bye, Teddy!!

Bye Megha!..Thanks for coming! I will be home soon!!...

Shaan thought, I wonder what your Doctor Aunty looks like...hmmm...as they walked out.

I am your new nurse from today, my name is Mrs D' souza!

Oh hi! Hello Nurse D'Souza, I am Shantanu Khandelwal, nice to meet you.but where is Nurse Chandni, I thought that she was my nurse..

She got moved to another floor, Accha let me LOOOK at you!..

Nurse D'Souza turned her beady eyes on Shaan scrutinizing him closely as if examining a fascinating insect under a microscope..

Shaan tried to meet her stare but couldn't, he felt himself blushing,. not used to being at the receiving end of a feminine stare especially that of someone old enough to be his mother or even grandmother, for Nurse D'souza was the lucky few women who stopped aging after 45..

Dr Agarwal was right! Only 40+

Shaan was puzzled, 40+..now what's that?..

Itne Gore chikne, bilkul Titanic ke Hero ke samaan..., I wouldn't blame any girl for not doing her job, poor Nurse Chandni..!! Kash mein bhi jawaan hoti..

You mean Dr Agarwal was responsible for shifting poor Nurse Chandni? ( what does she think of herself..,)..asked Shaan irritably..

Well, I think she did right! When Dr Agarwal orders something she likes it to be carried out and she won't tolerate inefficiency of any kind!! Looks like Mr Dhak Dhak here has been distracting our nurses even while he has been asleep,...

she said smiling as Shaan looked around embarassed wishing that he could make himself invisible!

Okay! Lets get to work! Its time for your bath!

Whhhat?...you must be kidding!! A bath?!

Well more or less a sponge bath! You don't want to get bad skin infection do you?? and I also need to change your dressings!...

I..I don't want to do it, besides I am too weak still!

Who said you have to do it?...What am I here for??,

a big smile lit up her plump face..

Is it really necessary now, can't we do it tomorrow?..

Shaan asked.

Of course it is and its our Dr Agarwal's orders! God help me of I don't do what she says!! Now stop dilly dallying and don't be shy, I've seen everything!

Shaan unhappily submitted to Nurse D'Souza's attentions, as she sponged him down efficiently and changed his dressings. She then forced him to eat something called soup but which actually tasted like bathwater. When he complained about it, her standard reply was that it was Dr Agarwal's instructions and for Nurse D'Souza, her words were written in stone.

After an exhausting morning, Shaan could only find Four letter words to describe the mysterious Dr Agarwal and wished fervently to never meet her...

He smiled, thinking that Dr Agarwal was definitely not a bad doctor, she obviously knew how to do her job.Though she sounded like a tyrant... a mean task master, Nurse D'Souza seemed to adore the ground she walked on.. Perhaps she was a crotchety old spinster, with no family, her only passion being her job.. Suddenly he didn't want to meet her anymore, he felt terrified like when he had been summoned to the principal's office in school for playing truant. Why had Akshay winked when he had mentioned her today?.. Was he intent on playing one of his cruel jokes on his unsuspecting brother?...

Hey!! anybody home???.

Shaan was so lost in thought that he almost jumped out of his chair when he heard this... The source seemed to be a well built guy of medium height dressed in blue scrubs who had apparently just walked in to his room. He seemed not much older than Shaan but had an air of haughty indifference about him. He seemed to carry a demeanor of entitlement and Shaan who was an excellent judge of character, took an immediate disliking to him.

This annoying person gave him a big grin and said, Hey so you are up, my sleeping beauty??.. Long time overdue! By the way, I am Dr Deepak Mishra, CT surgery fellow, here to do rounds for my lazy chief!! So how's life in this hell hole man!..

Oh,..Alright doc!....

Shaan was rather amused to hear a future big shot surgeon talking in this manner, definitely extremely poor PR. He stored his name away in his brain as someone he would advise people to avoid at all costs.

So you know what happened to your Beemer don't you?..

he said while barely touching his belly with his hand..

My Beemer??..

I mean your BMW sportster man!! I heard that it was one expensive piece of work..must have cost a fortune..yeah??

What happened to it, nobody has said anything to me...,

Shaan looked at him suspiciously.

Ooooh!! sorry my bad!! , (

though not appearing sorry at all),l... But I heard that it was totalled!! ..You know KHallaaS!!..Mashed up like that!!..he made a finished gesture with his hand.

Shaan didn't want to believe him, for his car had been one of his priced possessions, but he guessed that he was correct., it probably hadn't withstood the impact, perhaps that's why Akshay and his Dad had avoided telling him.

So what yaar!! Ek aur aa jayegi, and this one would be faster and waay cooler!!,

Deepak said with a ghoulish grin, enjoying Shaan's discomfiture and frustration.

Shaan glared back at him, ( looks like the feeling is mutual!!)

Hey Nurse!! Where is Dr Agarwal, have you seen her? I heard that she lurks around here a lot!!

No sir!!,

said Nurse D' Souza who had just walked in, there seemed to be no love lost between her and the young upstart surgeon.

Looks like I've been having bad luck all around! With work and women,

he winked and grinned at Shaan, But I wish you the best man! Take care!!.....

He hurriedly swaggered out, seemingly to chase Dr Agarwal down!

Better you than me, may you succeed in your mission!,

Shaan thought and tried to lose himself in his music again.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Shaan knew that his night nurse had left after handing over to Nurse D'souza, who seemed to have him again today. He actually rather liked her despite the fact that she was an appointee of the fearsome Dr Agarwal. He felt that she was genuinely caring and kind. He heard her bustling around humming tunelessly, seemingly letting him sleep for some more time.

Then somebody stepped into the room. It was a light step, definitely feminine and sprightly, someone unfamiliar.

Awww Shaan when will you give up your wishful thinking, a light step could also belong to a heavyset person who was light on her feet!!..Yes, of course!!

Shaan decided to play a game that he had amused himself with ever since he had been a child. He kept his eyes closed and let his other senses take over. He tried to form a mental picture of how a person looked and their personality by the way they moved, the tone and inflection of their voice and by how they conversed with other people, totally ignorant that he was eavesdropping. And most of the time his hunches were right. That is why he had come to trust his instincts more both in his personal and professional dealings.

Shaan kept his eyes closed and waited to see what that unknown person would do next.

He heard her (of her sex he was sure,) pause at the foot of his bed. He felt the tiny hair at the back of his neck stand up as he felt her eyes gazing at him, undetected. He longed to see the look in those eyes but then that would put an end to this pantomime.

Then he heard Nurse D'Souza turn around and say in her loud cheerful voice, Oh..Good Morning! Dr Agarwal! Sorry I didn't hear you come in!!..

Good Morning! How are you today? Did Mr K have a good day yesterday?.said a low, musical voice..almost downright sensual he would say.

Shaan's heart skipped a beat.. So this was the fearsome Dr Agarwal, he had been dreading to meet? But the image he had been formed of her in his mind was entirely different. He had thought of her to be loud, brash and rude, not soft and..and almost sexy as he was feeling her to be. Could he be mistaken??...

Yes, Doctor! He has been tolerating his diet, though Mr Rajkumar here doesn't find our hospital food very palatable, but then who does? He was up with the therapist and also sat up in the chair for awhile!..

That's excellent! Then he should be ready to go home in a day or two! Has he been up yet? .........Hello, Mr Khandelwal!!??

Shaan heard her footsteps approach his left side. He felt a whiff of her distinctly pleasant scent, perhaps her soap, as she gently tapped his shoulder. He did not open his eyes for fear of his mental image being shattered. He willed his mind to slow down his breathing which threatened to become ragged underscoring his excitement. He desperately was trying to appear deeply asleep and relaxed while inside his nerves were agitated and his limbs tingled with anticipation.

He didn't expect what she did next......, She PINCHED HIM!........

Ouuuchh!!!!!!!.....Shaan shouted, suddenly wide awake!

She threw her head back and laughed, a joyful, happy sound and turned to look at him, a triumphant smile on her face.

Shaan stared back stupefied. Those eyes, those large, beautiful black eyes that were looking back at him were the same eyes that had been haunting him for quite sometime. Was it fate or just a coincidence that they had found him again....

The laughter in your eyes

The scent of your skin

You slowly reel me in

You invaded my dreams

You encroached my senses

Now I am happily helpless

Having lost all my defenses

awwwwww.........simii..............!!luvddd d updateeee...🤗

Simi .... Your words make me visualise each and every detail !!!!

Omg

Can I say that it was simply a masterpiece ??
One of those few updates that I managed to read in time......and totally fell in love with

Your writing is awesome, the medical lingo reminds me of Dr. Robin Cook...whose each book I must have read 'n' number of times....but the treatment is so simplified and straightforward !!
Loved Shaan's little game of senses.....
loved your analogies....like an insect under microscope and he felt as if summoned in princi's office.....

Keep writing !! You are too good !!

WOW!! what an update!!

Hahahahaha....She pinched him....