Darkhaast

~ 6 ~

"That looks healthy," Kabir commented. He searched the entire hospital for her, only to find her crisscrossed on a bench in front of the hospital. 

Looking at the long, melting cheese pull, her mouth watered, and she went in for a big bite of extra cheese, thick-crust pizza topped with a whopping amount of creamy garlic sauce. "Yum," she moaned with delight as she scarfed it down. 

Kabir dangled a napkin in front of her.

"Huh?" Her eyes narrowed, perplexed. He gestured to the remnants of the dipping sauce stuck to the corner of her lower lip. She took the napkin to clean it off but accidentally swatted the chunk of sauce onto her scrub bottoms. 

"Mahiiiiiiiii," Kabir groaned, and her cheeks flushed with heat. 

"Oops," she said with a cheeky grin.

"Tumhe dekh kar koi bhi guess kar sakhta hai ki tum doctor ho."

"Mujhe dekh kar log aur bhi bahot galat fehmi palte hai, par woh mera masla nahi hai." 

"Baat to sahi ki," Kabir paused, "tumhare masla logon ki soch nahi, apne paperwork finish karna hai." Thud! He let a stack of files drop next to her.

"Khadoos," Mahi muttered while taking another bite. 

"Kuch kaha?" Kabir's eyes narrowed like a school's headmaster. She shook her head. The sun shone on her short caramel and rosy curls. Even after a 14-hour shift, it retained its bounce and volume while she carried her smile. Sure, her skin creased with weariness, but the joy of watching the sunrise and a hot, sizzling pizza was all she thought about. 

 "Acha suno na," she caught his hand, lightly swinging it, "files ko mere desk pe rakh do na, main baad mein kardogi." With a head tilt and a smile, she could charm anyone. 

"Okay."

"Thank you!" She triumphed like a child after winning a race.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?" Kabir inspected her files. He didn't think she'd be so quick to complete the paperwork. For all her mischief, her work was precise. 

"Done and dusted, chief." She stood in front of his desk with her hands behind her back, a soldier bidding farewell. The pediatric team hoped time spent reminiscing about her cases would sway her decision in their favour. Alas!

"Very well then. You are officially off duty, Dr. Mahi Mehra." He extended his hand, but she reached for a hug instead. 

"Thank you for everything," the vulnerability in her voice surprised him. "Khadoos," she added. "I can officially call you that, right? Now that I'm off-duty, of course." 

"Mahi," she didn't take his exasperated attitude seriously, for the corners of his lips turned upward, and he shook his head, trying to suppress his grin. This was the Mahi he knew and adored. 

"Shalini Bhabhi aur baki staff ko mera pyaar dena." Her packed suitcase and cat carrier were waiting at the apartment. Her flight was in three hours. 

"Tum khud kyun nahi keh dehti?" Kabir opened his office doors. 

"Surprise!" The pediatric staff blew confetti whistles, and some kids from the floor ran into Mahi's arms. There was a 'We love you' banner hung above the reception desk. 

"We're so happy you're staying," Shalini came forward with a large chocolate sheet cake on a moving tray. 

"What?" She asked her husband. Kabir was moving hand, held straight and with palm down, horizontally across his throat, gesturing, "Cut it out." When he saw Mahi noticing him, he looked like a deer caught in headlights. "She's still going." The room sighed. 

"Dr. Kabir, aapse itna bhi hua ke aap usse rokh lo?" She heard a nurse say, to which Kabir shrugged. 

Naman stood on the chair and snatched the banner, revealing another behind it. This one said, 'We'll miss you'. 

"Arey, itne utre utre chehra kyun banare ho? Party toh abhi bhi chalu hai." She gathered the children around the cake. When they wouldn't let up a smile, she pulled out her phone and played some music. "Sing it with me, 'koi kahe, kehta rehe, kitna bhi humko dewana..." By no means was Mahi a good singer, but she could always get a crowd going so much that their voices, in unison, were superior to the original. 

Shalini joined her husband, Kabir's side and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're losing a good one, Shaan." 

"I know. I never thought she'd leave, too." They reminisced about the many interns who joined the hospital alongside her. Some didn't make it to their fellowship, others opted for another hospital, but Mahi didn't waver until she made a place for herself. But after he passed, they knew the day was near.  

She could hear Nayan's voice in her head, "You sure about this? You're uprooting your entire life?" 

"It's nothing I haven't done before," she'd respond nonchalantly. Deep inside, she knew it wasn't the same as before. For one, she was coming home with a baby. A baby that wouldn't stop meowing. 

"Breathe, baby, breathe," Mahi coaxed Ellie with pets as she carried them through the airport check-ins. Ellie was flopped against her chest, more restless than usual. With a suitcase, a carry-on, a cat carrier, and a heavy backpack, Mahi sprinted through the airport. Since the flight landed in Udaipur, only one name was on her mind: Naaz.