Broken But Beautiful

37. Three Black Shirts

Nandini

"Yash, remind me what I have today," I asked, putting on my apron. Early sunlight flooded my eyes from the small window in my cabin. I picked up the files from the table while Yash narrated my schedule, "You'll be attending some patients from 10 to 2pm, then you've a surgery at 5:30pm. Dr. Sen will lead the team, will brief you about it at about 4:30,"

"Thanks, Yash," I said, checking the time. 9:30am. I sat down and was about to dial Alya when she entered the cabin. 

"Hey Yash," she greeted, "And hello best friend,"

"You two chat, I'll grab your regular coffees for you? I'm going to get myself one," Yash said with a smooth smile. I returned her smile, nodding. She left. 

"Looks like no one's been informed about the massacre yet," Alya said, opening her own laptop opposite me, "I thought your cabin would be full of flower bouquets by now,"

"I know right," I scorned, "Strange of Madhav Mehta. And now that I think about it, I'm surprised he has even just let me be since that day at my parents' house,"

"I don't know," she replied, "For now I'm keeping my eyes open for anything. When's your schedule starting?"

"At 10," I informed, opening my own laptop. Both of us remained silent for a while. 

After about 7 minutes our coffee arrived, but not with Yash. 

"Good morning, ladies," the door clicked open and Madhav showed up, holding two cups in his both hands and a self-pleasant smile, "Yash was struggling with three cups, so I picked up yours. Nandini, your black coffee. Alya, your latte,"

I stared as he placed the coffee mug beside my laptop. Suddenly I didn't want coffee anymore. 

I inhaled a sharp breath and looked up at him, "Can I help you with anything, Madhav?"

I kept my tone flat, unreadable. I could only hope it was good enough for the 'better understanding' that now Madhav, and I, apparently have. To my relief, his smile remained intact as he replied, "Yeah. Not only you, actually. I was hoping to catch Alya too,"

Alya and I passed a short glance. Then Alya spoke up, "But it's kinda 9:45 already, and both of our schedule starts-"

"At 10. I know," he winked her, "Relax. I just need to discuss some things about the engagement,"

There we go. I knew Madhav Mehta's cheerful early morning greeting could not be good news. I felt the familiar empty feeling of last two days slowly and steadily sinking back inside me. 

"First things first, we need to settle the hall booking," Madhav started, "I strongly suggest Grand Hyatt, but if Alya and Dhruv have already made any other choices-"

"Hold on, Madhav, hold on," Alya interjected, frowning already, "What hall are you talking about? We've already decided Dhruv and I are getting engaged in our house, like we were supposed to last time. All the decoration's already planned-"

"Alya," Madhav shook her head, chuckling at us like we were four years old and simply didn't understand how world works, "That was until Nandini and I decided to get engaged. Your house may be okay for your and Dhruv's engagement, alright, but now that Nandini and my guests are adding up-"

"I don't have guests, Madhav," I said simply. Hell, I didn't even have cousins. 

"Of course you have, Nandini," he shook my words off, "All your colleagues are going to be invited, aren't they? Then you must've some college and school friends apart from-"

"I really don't, Madhav," I replied, "And about hospital colleagues-"

"Even if you don't," Madhav cut me off, "I have guests, Nandini. And many of them are high VIPs. There's no way we can invite them-"