There You Are

Chapter 3

Arham's POV:

Though there were nurses who could have given her first aid, I felt a strong desire to do it myself. So, we walked together to my cabin.

The moment she entered my cabin, the air changed. It was filled with the sweet, intoxicating smell of jasmine flowers (mogra phool). It was a scent that brought calmness, making the room feel peaceful.

I stood close to her, but not too close, respecting her personal space. With a gentle touch, I applied the ointment. I was careful not to hold her hand, as if there was an invisible line I didn't want to cross.

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She might have misunderstood my actions. The way she exited my cabin, the door closing with a firm, almost harsh click behind her, suggested her discomfort.

I had always been careful to maintain a professional distance, but perhaps I had unknowingly crossed the line.

I was lost deep in thought when my phone's abrupt ring snapped me back to reality.

Glancing at the screen, I saw my mother's name flash. Answering the call, I greeted her.

"Assalam alaikum, mom?"

Her voice was cheerful, as she replied, "Walaikum assalam, Arham. I've sent you some photos on WhatsApp. Take a look when you can and let me know what you think of them." she said, her words tumbling out in a rush before she ended the call.

Before I could even process her words, a junior doctor came in with the news of an emergency case.

Without a second thought, I rushed after him. The patient was a young boy, his face contorted in pain. I quickly assessed his condition, suspecting kidney stones.

Once the patient was stable, I returned to my cabin. I sank into my chair, my thoughts returning to the photos my mother had sent. I unlocked my phone and opened her chats.

As the photos loaded, my breath hitched in my throat- They were pictures of her.

Confused and slightly uneasy, I dialed my mother's number.

"Mom, whose photos are these and why did you send them to me?" I asked, my voice taut with concern.

"Pyaari hain na? Kaisi lagi tumhe?" she asked, ignoring my questions.

I was taken aback "Mom, what's going on and why did you send me those?" I asked her again.

"You remember my friend Sabiha, that's her only daughter, Areeba." she finally explained.

"Tumhare hospital me hi internship kar rahi hain, you need look after her, maine tumhari baat pakki kardi hain uske saath." she said, without giving me a chance to respond.

This was a lot to take in. I mean, how could this be? Was it just a series of strange coincidences or was there more to it?

"Mom mujhe aapki koi bhi baat samjh nahi aa rahi hain, mai apse ghar aakar baat karta hoon." I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. I ended the call.

A sharp pain surged through my head, like a thousand needles pricking my brain. I leaned back in my chair, massaging my forehead in a futile attempt to alleviate the pain. I closed my eyes, hoping for some respite, but all I could see were her captivating jet black eyes.

Her image was so vivid in my mind that I didn't even realize when I drifted off to sleep right there on my chair.

I was jolted awake by persistent knocks on the door.

"Come in," I said, my voice hoarse from the sudden awakening.

The door creaked open to reveal her standing there. The sight of her took my breath away. My eyes were transfixed on her face, unable to look away.

She walked towards my table with a grace that was almost ethereal. She pulled out a handkerchief from her bag and handed it to me.

"Uh-your..." she said, her voice trailing off.

"How's your hand now?" I asked, accepting the handkerchief from her.

"Better, thank you, sir," she replied, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"You can call me Dr. Arham," I said, hoping to ease some of the palpable tension in the room.

But my words only seemed to add to it. She smiled awkwardly and introduced herself, "Areeba Aimen."

"Are you new here?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Um..yeah, I'm an intern here, in the nutrition department," she answered, her eyes meeting mine for the briefest of moments

"Have you had lunch yet?" I inquired, mom's word echoing in my mind- tumhe ab uska khayal rakhna hain Arham.

"No, not yet." She responded, her voice slightly shaky, revealing a hint of awkwardness.

In that moment, I found myself wondering, was a blush creeping up her cheeks, or was it just the awkwardness of the situation making her seem so? It was hard to tell.

"I was just about to head to the cafeteria, you could join me if you'd like." I suggested, trying to make the situation less tense.

She paused before answering, her eyes flitting around as if searching for an escape route.

"Uh-um..okay." she agreed with a hesitant nod, her eyes revealing a mix of surprise and relief.

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