This is my first attempt in
writing a ff, though I'm an avid reader. This mini ff is based on my favourite
pair, the KaSh couple of DMG. Shashank and Padma are riddhima's parents and
Anjali her sister. This story continues from the part where Riddhima leaves for
Chandigarh with
her mother.
This story is set in Munnar- a
beautiful hill station in Kerala. So I've included some characters who are
Malayalis or Tamilians. I may show them to be talking in accented Hindi but
that's not to make fun of them, (I'm myself a Tamilian and wouldn't do that).
It's just to bring authenticity to the story. They will be introduced to you as
we move on with the story.
One more request, my Hindi is not
very good especially where genders are concerned so kindly overlook whatever
mistakes I have made.
QUE SERA, SERA
Part 1
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be
Knock, knock'..
Come in'''.
A: Good morning Dr.Mohan
M: Good morning Armaan, please
take a seat. We have a new patient admitted today. It's an alcoholism case again.
A: OK
M: I had met his wife at the
Delhi Seminar last month. She is a doctor at the hospital where I presented the
seminar. She had spoken to me about him and I asked her to bring him here. She
said he had attended the program of 'Alcoholics Anonymous,' few years ago and
gave up drinking for about three months. But then got back to it. She's now
hoping for a miracle to get him out of it
A; OK sir, I'll do my best. Can I
see them now?
M: His wife has gone to drop
their son at the kid center in our hospital. She should be back soon. In the
meantime I'll introduce you to your patient.
They go to the ward ' a private
room. They knock and enter. Mr. Modi is doing something on his laptop. He gives
them an irritated look and gets back to it.
M: This is Dr. Armaan. He'll be
the doctor in charge of your case.
A: Hello Mr. Modi extending his
hand. Abhi pays no heed.
Dr. Mohan nods to Armaan and leaves. Armaan pulls the chair and sits. We need
to talk Mr. Modi'
Abhi: I've nothing to say to you.
That bitch is the one who needs treatment. You can talk to her. Leave me alone.
You can't keep me here against my wishes.
A: She's your wife Mr. Modi''
Abhi: I don't care. I don't need
her. She can get lost '
A: I don't want to ask any
personal questions. Just some general talk.
Abhi: Don't try to humour me
doctor. Just get out.
Armaan stood up, smiled to
himself, wrote some medications on the chart and left saying "I'll be back
later."
He saw Muniamma wiping the floor
and called out "vanakkam Muniamma, epdi irukkey?" "Namaste Thambi (younger
brother), Hum bagut achcha." He was learning Tamil from Muniamma and in return
teaching her Hindi.
This was a normal dialogue between
the two of them every morning. Armaan had requested all the staff at the
hospital not to address him as doctor. So just as he was Thambi to Muniamma, he
was Chetan (elder brother), to some, Mone (son) to some and Sare (sir) to still
all others and just Armaan to the rest.
He proceeded to the next ward to
see another patient. After chatting up with him for sometime he was walking to
the OPD, when Sister Stella came to him and asked "Ermaan Ward dwendy one (21)
may jo naya patient edmit hua hai usko kya dava deneka?" Sister Stella had worked
in Mumbai for a few years where she had picked up some Hindi. When he looked
towards that ward, he saw a lady enter Mr. Modi's room. He just caught a
glimpse of her and stood still for a minute. It was as if a ghost from his past
had walked by him.Then he just shook his head saying "it can't be her". My mind
is playing tricks again. He smiled to himself thinking "Maybe this shrink
himself needs a shrink."
After 2 hours at the OPD he went
to his cabin and logged on to his computer. There was a message from Rahul with
photos of Rohan's fifth birthday. (The only person from his past life with whom
he was in touch. He had met Rahul last year ago when he had come to Munnar to
attend a short term course at MSHC).
Armaan still remembered the day he
had walked out of Sanjeevani almost seven years ago.
Flashback
After slogging for almost a year
at Sanjeevani, the interns had appeared for their exams. A year in which his
life had turned round 180 degrees. The playboy, casanova Armaan Mallik, had argued
quarrelled, pattawed and fallen head over heels in love with the simple,
beautiful, highly principled but short-tempered Riddhima Gupta. Their
relationship had been one roller-coaster ride with her constantly
dilly-dallying between yes and no.
He still vividly remembered the
holi celebrations, her antics after having the bhang ladoos, her confession and
everything that followed'' He had been in seventh heaven when he walked into
Sanjeevani the following day, but she had just broken his heart to pieces. How
could she not love him after all that they had shared? And the very next day she
had left to Chandigarh
with her mother, just leaving a note for him in his locker explaining that they
were not meant for each other.
A couple of days later their
results had been declared. Dr. Kirti had informed them that Sanjeeevani was
going through a financial crisis so would not be able to absorb all of them as
residents. Only 2 of them would be selected. Riddhima and Armaan were the top
two rankers in the exam. So obviously they would be the trustees' choice. Rahul
and Muskaan had decided to return to Patiala
while Atul was still undecided about his future. But all of them were
dumbstruck when Anjali informed them that Riddhima was to get married the
following week and would continue to reside in Chandigarh, while she herself, was
leaving to the US in a fortnight to pursue a course in hospital management. A
visibly shattered Armaan had walked out of Sanjeevani that day and that was the
last time his fellow interns had seen him. He had never looked back even once.
That day, after walking out of
Sanjeevani he had walked aimlessly along the beach immersed in his thoughts.
How could she walk out of his life like that? And that too after he had changed
himself so much for her. He hated her, he hated Sanjeevani which had brought
her into his life and he hated this city which had given him so much sorrow. He
had to get away. He wanted to go to some unknown place and start his life
afresh.
He remembered his friend, a
senior at the medical college, who had been pressing him to apply for post-grad
at his college, in Chennai. He went home, packed his bag, called his friend and
caught the first flight to Chennai. That's the last place anyone would expect
him to be.
At first he did not like Chennai.
The hot climate, the language, the food, the people, everything was so different.
But he liked the annonymity it gave him and stuck on. He applied and was
accepted into the Masters course in Psychiatry at the Govt. Medical
College, Chennai specializing
in 'Substance Abuse'. After his internship he joined this state of the art
clinic ' The Munnar Speciality
Healthcare Center - a center which specifically dealt with alcohol and drug
abuse.
Munnar was breathtakingly
beautiful town- a haven of peace and tranquility - in God's own country
(Kerala). The lush greenery of the unending expanse of tea plantations,
pristine valleys and mountains, and the spice scented cool air of this town were perhaps partly responsible for
the speedy recovery of the patients at MSHC.
Though Kerala is renowned for its Ayurvedic medicines and ayurvedic oil
massage spas, MSHC had made a name for itself with its team of dedicated
doctors who had expertise in their respective fields. It was both nationally
and internationally renowned with doctors from all over the country vying for a
position in it. Armaan had been working at this
centre for the past 3 years, from the time of its inception. He loved his work,
this hospital and this quiet town which provided a soothing atmosphere for laying
to rest the ghosts from his past.
Armaan was jerked back to the
present by the ringing of his phone.
A: Yes Robert uncle
S: Mone, Mrs. Modi wants to meet
you as you are the doctor in-charge of her husband's case.
A: Send her in.
She opened the door and stood
shocked still. Was it really him? He looked different. His chiselled features
and his well built physique were still the same. But his formal clothes and
demeanour gave him a matured look, unlike the Armaan she had known. He looked
even more handsome. Just then he looked up. But his eyes??
His eyes were transfixed on her.
He couldn't believe what he saw'' She had not changed one bit or had she??'
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