Dr Neil's hotel room:
Dr Neil is sitting on the chair in front of a small coffee table with a mug full of hot coffee in one hand and Ragini's note in the other, deeply engrossed in thoughts. "It cannot be her, I mean what are the odds, of all the hospitals in the world.. she will be working here, where I am going to be inspecting.", "World is so big. I know, we once upon a time lived in this city, but may be she would have moved to another city like me, not wanting this city to remind her of us."
He looks at the Note in his hand. and his thoughts continue..
"ok, If she is not, then problem solved.. I can just get done with my job and go back", "But what if she really is.." his heart skips a beat with that thought and he gets excited.. "I will actually get to see her everyday" he gets lost in "her smile, her innocent face, her cuteness, her habit of adjusting the glasses every so often, her livelyness, the jingling of her anklets and bangles.. I want to meet her, will she be the same?"
Just then his phone rings.. its Pam
After making sure he has reached safely and is doing fine.. Being the possessive, protective sister she is, She asks him to beware and careful, as he is in a city that broke his heart.
Pam: Just get your work done and get out of there.. I dont want you to bump into wrong people.
Neil: Come on Pam, what are the odds?
Pam (with extreme animosity in her voice): I dont know about that but let me remind you what we have been through because of her. She has sucked the life out of you and pushed you in the darkest darkness. Have you forgotten how the kids have struggled without her.. have you forgotten their cries at night? You have even stayed away from your kids as you felt that they would inevitably remind you of her and you didnt want to be reminded of her in anyway. Kids are deprived of your love coz of her.
Neil (irritated and enraged, shouts): Pam enough, I havent forgotten anything.. I am not a kid, I will take care of myself.
And he cuts the call..
He now looks at the note.. and bristling with anger, he crumbles it and hurls it to the ground.
Enraged and tears filling his eyes he growls, "Darn, why cant I get this woman out of my world, even after so long..". Almost everyday in the last 15 years, even the most insignificant thing has reminded me of her..even today its the same..even now..even this damn coffee..
FB: She always had to remind Nachiket to drink his coffee, before its gets cold, he somehow always kept doing other things, until the coffee turned cold and would then start complaining about the coffee being cold. So she made sure, he drank it when it was hot.
With that thought he almost instantly picks up the coffee and sips it.. "Did I just drink the coffee, coz I heard her tell me!! Argh!!"
He goes into the bathroom and vigorously splashes cold water on his face.
Calming down, gaining control of himself, he pacifies his mind.. "Anger and hatered are not going to help me get over with the next few days..its going to make it harder..Let me accept the fact that I cannot shake her off my mind or life..she is going to be there no matter where I am. But I should also accept that she cannot come back into my life. I have lost my love for ever and its irreparable. I dont want to create more miseries for myself, so I am going to do just what I came to do. Dr Neil K is the BEST cardiologist and a true professional to the core. No one can deny that or take that away from me. I dont care for anyone except my work. I am a bloody cold blooded workoholic"...
It was not the first time that these chain of events were occuring. In the last 15 years, almost every night, if he wasnt drinking, he would endup in this state, and would make peace the same way to prepare himself to face the next day. It somehow got him through the day until next night".
Morning, Patel residence:
Ragini,is getting ready, when Ashaben comes into her room, to make sure she is ok after last nights incidents..
Ashaben: Are you ok beta
Ragini: Yes ma, I am fine.. I need to go to the office early, to get everything ready for the acclaimation. There is so much work to do.
Ashaben: last night..
Ragini: dont worry ma. I know the kids miss their dad. I think its natural for any child without dad, to miss their father. The recent turn of events have made the kids to behave the way they did yesterday. They are upset.. I am sure, this phase will also pass and we will over come this. We have been through 1000 such situations and have always managed without anyone's help. So, even this time, we dont need anyone.. We will fight it out ourselves. I will FIGHT ma and not fall weak.
Ashaben: I am happy that you have compromised with the situation and have not broken down.
Ragini: Have Aarav and Nishi woken up?
Ashaben: yes
At breakfast table
Ragini (with a stern voice): "you 2 listen, if you think that dad will come and solve your problems, then you are wrong! Get that thought out of your minds. We have to deal with our own problems. We have done it all these years. I will fix everything. It may not be the way you want it, but it will be in a way that is best for our family. Now, go to your classes and I will see you in the evening. I have to go now, and might be late in the evening."
Nishi and Aarav stay silent and Ragini leaves..
Nishi: Mom will never understand, she, as always thinks she is right. Our bad luck!!
HospitalRagini reaches hospital and is greeted by Dr Aman..
Dr Aman (letting out a sigh): Ragini thank god you are here.. I was so tensed.. I really needed you here.
Ragini: I am here now sir, dont get tensed. I will first go and prepare the schedule for the surgeries tomorrow. I will see you later..
She goes into her cabin, sees the files gone and is happy that the process of getting the acclaimation is progressing. Her eyes then fall on the 2 notes sitting at her desk...
She picks up the first note and reads "Ms Patel, thank you for the files. Looking forward to working with you -Dr Neil K", she smiles a slight smile and is appreciative of his gesture. She puts it away.. She then picks up the second note and she freezes..she feels her body shiver. Staring at it and with tears threatening to fill her eyes, she carasses the note with the other hand, feeling every stroke and mark letter.. her hand stops at the intimately familiar smiley face. Her heart doubles its pace with every beat announcing his name. "This smiley is his!!! she exclaims. "This note.. How is it possible? no this cannot be.. I should inquire.." tensed, she runs to Dr Aman's cabin with the note and shows it to him.. (composing herself) "Sir this note, do you know who left it?". He says "I have no idea..", he reads it ("Thank you for choosing me as your partner.. hope we as pair, will rock!! -(smiley face)") and looks at her happily surprised.."Ragini you have chosen a partner? congratulations.. I am sure if YOU have chosen him, then your pair will definitely rock!". Ragini gets irked with his words and not wanting to explain anything, walks back to her cabin.. constantly staring at the note and trying to make some sense of it all.
She comes and sits in her chair, "This is Nachiket's writing". Her heart reaching the top speed at the thought of that name, "I cannot be wrong about that, and this smiley, its his trademark. He would always put it on his notes to me. Just 2 nights ago, when I had opened up our older notes, this simley was all over the place. I know, its definitely him". "Is it possible that he was here, but when? how? last night was that a dream? or something else?", she puts her hand to her head, sits there, unable to decipher anything.."
She puts the note on the table away from her.. in the corner and opens her laptop to start work. Every alternate second she keeps looking at the note, unable to concentrate on her work, she lets out a big sigh.. This was the least problem that she expected/wanted in life, which already has innumarable issues.. Her heart is in no way helping her, its constantly screaming "Your Nachiket is here!! The one person who I have craved for. He wrote this for me!!" The contents of the note hardly make sense to her..but the smiley face is staring back at her and is saying so much.
She rests back and closes her eyes.. all the happy times flash by her eyes.. His handsome face, his whispers, their laughter, their celebrations...A smile manages to creep on her face.. She opens her eyes to look at the note again. "She could now clearly see his innocent happy face in that smiley". There is an unnoticed, wierd sort of happiness in her heart, and a mild glow on her face. She curses herself for feeling delighted..
Suddenly the strong practical Ragini Patel takes charge, as if in defence.. "Be practical Ragini!! why will he come here and all of a sudden? Nothing has changed, that could bring him here.". "And there is already so much going on at.. why are you even thinking about him". "I have thrown him out of my life..his deeds are unforgivable and the pain he has caused is unforgettable. I dont want him in my life, in any form.. I hate him! he doesnt even deserve my thoughts". "This man is not worth it!!" she declares and walks out of the cabin to do other work...
Rest of the day goes by with conscious involvement in work.
5pm the party is about to start and everyone is ready seating around the stage. Dr Neil has not arrived yet and has informed Dr Aman, that he will be arriving a few minutes late. Ragini, asks Dr Aman, if there is anyway to avoid dancing.
Ragini: "I really dont like dancing and am not interested.. is there anyway for me to get out of this?".
Dr Aman: Ragini, you cannot escape. Dr Neil is from US and you know how liberal they are in US. the partner backing out is considered an insult! just do a few steps and get out. why do you want to create a scene by backing out?"
Ragini (unwillingly): ok..
Dr Aman: What song do you want.. new or old, fast or slow..
Ragini: Any old song will do.
The dance competition begins, First up are Dr Aman and Devika. They give their performance, Dr Aman obviously goofing up a few steps.
Dr Devika (after getting back to the table where Ragini, and Dr Pallavi are seated, disappointed): Kya Dr Aman..
Dr Aman: Sorry.. I was tensed..
Next up, Dr Pallavi and her husband. They do a pretty decent job.
Dr Pallavi (returning to her table): how it was?.
Ragini: It was very nice.
Dr Devika (being the honest person she is with besties): "Ok ok tha. It looked more like 2 friends dancing than a husband-wife dancing (laughs). You know that fire, that passion was missing.. toh phika phika laga."
Dr Pallavi (sad..): "Thats the exact problem I have been trying to solve. We are good friends but we dont have that fire.. I wish some one would tell me what I could do to re-kindle the fire."
Ragini: Achcha tha, tu tension mat le.
Next up Ragini and Dr Neil. But Dr Neil hasnt arrived yet, so Dr Aman, requests that their performance be pushed to the last. After about 6 other performances.. they announce, "lastly we have Dr Neil and Ragini". Dr Neil is still on the way. Dr Aman, requests Ragini to get on stage.. She walks to the stage and says since Dr Neil has not arrived, I think I am spared. Just then someone shouts that Dr Neil is here. Ragini is standing in the middle of the stage, not sure what to expect. The lights go off. A silhoutte of a well built tall man appears in the dark at the back of the stage. Ragini is unable to see his face in the darkness. He walks upto Ragini.. and stretches out his hand..
TO Be continued..
comment:
p_commentcount