Chapter 4

*Palak Pov*

"Dr. Palak! One of the patient is asking you to visit the room." I stopped checking my schedule and glanced up to see the nurse looking at me as waiting for my reaction.

How I wish she is not being that obvious? I can guess who is that patient, but I could be wrong too. However, from her expression it is confirmed who can that be and I need not think about any other possibilities.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken his words too lightly a few days back when he said he will pursue me and he is definitely doing that.

If he had disturbed his treatment because of this somehow, I would have complained to the senior. However, he is disturbing only my personal schedule and in a way as if asking extra help from his assigned doctor.

The major problem is, everyone already realized what is going on and enjoying it in a whole new level. I can't complain in a major way as he is not disrespecting me and actually taking no as no but just making moments where I have to give such answer.

"Are you going to go, Dr. Palak? The patient is Mr. David." she asked still waiting.

"Of course! We shouldn't ignore a patient, right?" I asked back standing up and walked out of the room ignoring others.

"What is the problem, Mr. David?" I asked, reaching his room and gave a nod to his manager who is sitting on the couch.

"I just heard your senior is going to examine me this coming Monday. What does it involve?" he asked, frowning at me.

I paused, hearing his question, realizing I mistook the situation completely as there is no bouquet he is offering or no food he spread on the table asking for a dinner date or any movie playing on the television. He actually looks quite serious right now.

"You need not worry about it at all, Mr. David. He will just check the progress and depending on that the therapy will change if needed." I explained and glanced at the manager who is actually glaring at me as usual.

I stopped myself from reacting to it but ended up smiling at him. I can totally understand his reaction because of yesterday's incident.

After they called me to the room and displayed the food items, I calmly left the room and warned the attending staff to make sure the patient is taking the diet that is recommended and nothing else.

So, they just barged here and gave a small talk to the manager for bringing all the items here from what Tina told me. I guess the talk was not just a small one based on his reaction.

"You are smiling at him? He is really pissed that the nurse is checking each baggage he is bringing to this room." I glanced at David, who is not as pissed as his tone suggests but actually has a small twitch in his lips.

"Is that all, Mr. David?" I asked looking at him.

"My manager can drop you home. I would have done that if not for my leg." He suggested, pointing his leg and I can see his manager doesn't have such idea right now to do so.

"He will be your substitute? Then shall I go on a date with him instead of you, Mr. David?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

"So, you actually do want to go on a date with me." I cleared my throat, hearing his words which were not the one I was expecting.

"And no need to be so formal. You can just call me David and remove the prefixes, Palak. See? I have just done that." He added and I know I have to leave this room right now before he talk about something else.

Not saying another word, I walked out of his room and bumped into a nurse standing outside the room. I shook my head at her in disapproval as it seems she is here to listen to our conversation and spread the gossip.

"Come on, Dr. Palak! We all are really bored and this is providing the needed entertainment. Don't blame her." I glanced up to see Tina walking towards us.

"You are right! I should scold you instead of others." I frowned before gesturing the nurse to leave and she rushed off.

"Is today's call another setting to ask you on a date?" she asked curiously and cleared her throat looking over my shoulder.

"Are you gossiping about me, Palak?" I ignored that voice and started walking away with Tina following me.

"When is his appointment with Dr. Rohit?" I asked, reaching the office when I found a trainee looking at his records.

"Monday evening at his therapy time itself, Dr. Palak." He informed before walking away while Tina still stared at me with questions.

"That is the reason he called me." I explained and she slowly nodded.

"Is he worried that Dr. Rohit will suggest him to extend his therapy for another month?" she asked frowning.

"Why do you think it will be his diagnosis?" I asked frowning back.

"I am not questioning your work at all, Dr. Palak. But he is still in need of help for you to walk sometimes and there are just two more weeks he is scheduled for." She replied in a hurried tone.

"I am not misunderstanding you. Even I thought that would be the case last week, but not anymore. You need not worry about it." I assured her smiling and walked towards the lockers to change and leave.

I found his manager near the entrance lost in his phone. I continued to walk without disturbing him, but before I could pass he glanced up with an irritated expression.

"I am ordered to take you to your home." He uttered without hiding the fact that he is no where interested in doing so.

"I think I am more than capable to go to my home." I mumbled, shaking my head when he took a step to follow me after I passed him.

"I need to follow his orders." He commented and just continued to follow me.

"It's your wish, but I need not follow his." I pointed out before ignoring the car he started walking towards and just followed the path I take everyday.

"I knew I will be troubled to do this kind of stuff." He grumbled but continued to walk with me.

"Just two more weeks and you need not do any of this stuff." I assured him not ignoring his comment.

"And you can just tell him that you gave me company. I will not point out otherwise." I added, glancing at him.

"How can I trust you? And I always do whatever he asks me to." He ignored my suggestion and continued to walk with me.

"Even I can't trust you, right? I don't even know your name and you want me to display the home, I stay." I pointed out.

"I am Satish and manager to David for the past five years." He finally introduced himself.

"Five years? That's a long time to be with someone. You never wished to go near another player or other sports?" I asked glancing at him.

"No! I started my career with him and he allowed me to stay even when I made so many mistakes. Why would I want to quit from being his manager." He replied shrugging.

"And you are talking very casually with me." He added frowning.

"I think we are of same age or maybe I am older than you. Why shouldn't I talk casually?" I asked and we finally reached the building I stay.

"No! I am five months older than you. And don't you feel tired to climb all those stairs every day." He replied and I turned around to stare at him in shock.

"How do you know that? Wait! I shouldn't feel surprised that you actually know it right." I answered myself sighing while he shifted on his feet hearing my words.

"If you really care about him then you need to stop him from doing all this stuff. There is no way I will get involved with someone and that too my patient." I added before walking inside and climbed the stairs feeling anger with all this.

It was kind of fine until now, but this is like too much. I should warn him tomorrow and maybe have a word with senior about all this too. He knows what is happening, but didn't say a word as I never complained about this, but I can't keep quiet anymore.

****

I forgot all about the matters relating to the hospital when I realized I have another major trouble ahead that needs to be crossed over.

Playing with my phone while contemplating about it will definitely not going to solve any of it, but I continued to scroll down the contacts and finally pressed the one contact I need to talk with right now before twelve.

Don't be so scared, Palak. It's just a call and it is a right thing to do. I took a deep breath after a long encouragement to myself and finally called the number.

When no one picked it up, I shifted it to cut the call, but suddenly I can see it got picked. Placing it back to my ear, I calmly whispered, "Hello!"

"What is it, Palak?" I closed my eyes, hearing the cold tone and cleared my throat.

"Happy birthday, Sandhya Di!" I finally wished and waited for her response.

"You remembered? Thank you, Palak. Now, if there is nothing else..." she trailed off, but I can sense a change in her tone.

"Wait! I... I just want to know what is happening about your marriage. You know I can't get any proper reply from Bhai no matter how many times I may ask him. Is everything fine now between our families?" I asked using all the courage I can use.

She didn't say anything for a few minutes and I know the news is not good. I could be the one hurting her right now by talking about all this. It is a right thing to just wish her again and cut the call.

"You still don't know what happened, Palak?" her question stopped the words from my mouth.

"I don't know anything about your matter." I replied frowning.

"The ties between our families are completely cut off and leave the marriage matter, we don't even see each other face to face." she explained and I can hear the pain in her voice.

"I am sorry!" I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"If it was just that then maybe I would have been fine because I know the shortcomings in your brother. But... but I can't believe he even rejected our baby." She continued and I nearly dropped my phone.

"You are pregnant?" I asked in a shocked tone.

"I was pregnant, Palak. I couldn't save my baby and it is my fault too. When my family were hell bent on getting me married to someone else as soon as possible, I should have left them without saying a word but I ended up telling them about my pregnancy. Because of that everyone just pushed me with their words towards the worst decision I have ever made in my life." She replied sobbing.

"Sandhya Di!" I whispered in shock and felt the tears rolling down my cheeks.

"I tried talking with your brother because of my family pressure, but even he left my hand. That was my weakest moment and I only had the thought that I will never be able to raise a baby with all these people surrounding me and that I am not strong at all. I ended up killing my baby. I am at fault, right? I should have fought more and saved both of us." I don't know what to tell her hearing all this.

"No! I know our families are similar in the way they behave and their ideologies. I can understand the pressure you were in, Di." I mumbled brushing my tears away.

"It's already more than two months, but I still can't believe that I made such a big blunder to myself. When I told him, there was no response at all and he just stared at me blankly. Why did I even love him?" I took a deep breath to control my tears.

I listened to her for a few more minutes while assuring her not to hate herself so much. I don't know what I am saying is right or not and I wish there were some way to know the right words to utter for her sake but I am completely clueless right now.

"I am leaving India and going to settle with my Aunt in Canada, Palak. I am going to start my life again and I will not return back. I just wish you will have a good life and stay away from your family as much as you can. I don't want to see you hurt. We were never close, but I know you always treated me with respect and I really liked you." With those parting words she cut off the call.

I placed my phone away and just stared at the wall with her words repeating in my head. This time I didn't stop the tears and let them flow thinking about the baby and the pain she went through alone. I wish she can really start her life anew forgetting all other things.

I opened my eyes slowly and realized I am still sitting on the bed and glanced at the time to see there is enough time for me to go to the hospital.

However, I don't think I will be able to move at all with my headache and swollen eyes. I took my phone and messaged my senior and Tina regarding my leave before lying down properly and drifted off into sleep.

****

"What happened, Dr. Palak? You don't usually take leave like that on the spot. Is something wrong?" Tina asked the moment I stepped into the room.

"Did I troubled everyone with my sudden leave?" I asked, taking the file she placed at my table.

"No! Everyone shared your work and it was not at all trouble, but your patients definitely asked about you." She replied and I gave her a nod.

"But it was a major trouble with Mr. David. He took the session for only half the time he generally takes." She added to which I again gave her a nod.

"Dr. Palak! Mr. David is asking for you." I frowned at the file hearing the intern words and sighed not wishing to do this right now.

"How does he even know I didn't take leave today?" I asked Tina and she just looked around not giving any reply.

"He asked me about that and I just replied. But I am not the one who told him that you just came." She finally replied when I continued to look at her.

"I am patiently waiting for these two weeks to be over. And I really wish you wouldn't treat him as anything else other than one of the patients." I mumbled before walking away to meet him and find out what reason he has now to talk about.

I suddenly slipped a little feeling dizzy and held onto the wall realizing I didn't have anything since yesterday morning. It is better if I have something from the canteen before the patient arrives.

"Is something wrong, Mr. David?" I asked, walking into his room after feeling some strength to walk towards his room.

"Were you sick yesterday?" he asked, frowning while staring at my face and I didn't reply anything to his question.

"Are you still mad because he knew about your details?" he continued with those questions and I just stood in silence.

"It was in your record, Dr. Palak. As his manager I need to know a few things before hiring someone as his doctor. We took it from your chief and not through any other way." This time his manager joined the conversation and I just gave him a nod.

"Is there anything else?" I asked, wishing to go to the canteen right now and have something before I lose my conscious.

"I am tired to come to the treatment place today. I want it to be done in this room itself." He suddenly announced and this time I stared straight at his face.

"Dr. Rohit will be checking up with you tomorrow evening." I reminded him, but he doesn't have any reaction to that.

"Fine!" saying that I walked off from his room and reached the canteen with a few minutes left before I need to go back to the treatment room.

****

By evening I realized I should have taken another leave for today instead of coming to work. Somehow my mind continued to revolve around her words, no matter how much I try to push those thoughts away.

Yesterday I realized one thing which escaped my mind when she was explaining. All of this happened during that time and this just made my thoughts to get jumbled even more.

I don't know how to deal with all this realizing so much happened during that time which I just found out. This just messes up everything and brings forward new perspective to the events.

"Do you want us to bring the equipment to his room?" Tina asked when it was time for his treatment.

"No! I am not going to use anything and will just make him do exercises. No need to trouble yourselves with that." I replied, walking towards the elevator to reach his room.

When I stepped into his room, he is sitting on his bed looking at the television and his manager is nowhere in sight. He followed my instructions not saying a word and finished all the exercises earlier than every day.

"I will take my leave, Mr. David." I said giving him a nod.

"Wait! There is still some time left until the time allotted to me ends." He pointed out the clock and I gave him a nod to continue.

"What actually happened, Palak? Are you feeling fine?" he asked repeating the morning curiosity.

"Just ask something relating to the treatment, Mr. David." I mumbled, feeling more than tired with his questions.

He is asking all the right questions that can trigger my tears right now and I don't have any strength to stop them at all. I need to hurry to my home and let them out.

"It's okay! You can tell me if you need someone to share something important or I can lend my shoulder." He said, patting his injured one first before shifting to the other one.

I smiled, looking down and brushed the tear away immediately when my eyes blurred. Did he do a course on what to say when someone is feeling emotional or what?

"Thank you for that, but I can survive." I mumbled clearing my throat.

He took hold of my hand and pulled me towards the bed before I can realize and made me sit on it. I stared at him, frowning while he continued to hold my hand.

"Just sit here for some time and then leave. I will be turning around so you need not look at my face." saying that he shifted a little showing his back to me and released my hand.

"If you stand up then I can shift to the couch too." He added when I shifted to leave.

"I will not tell anyone what you will do now and I can even turn deaf from time to time." Those words just became too challenging for me to continue to hold on and the tears just rolled down.

As promised he didn't say a word and I just cried but didn't make a sound covering my mouth. I know I have to stand up right now and leave this room when I felt my eyes closing on their own, but somehow I didn't want to leave and stay alone right now. Is it fine to depend on someone like this during the time when you feel less guarded about everything?