Continued...
Both Roja and Arjun's eyes met. Arjun instantly remembered Roja's proposal the previous day and turned away. He wiped a small teardrop. Roja too felt guilty for hurting Arjun's feelings and out of guilt, she couldn't meet his gaze. She too lowered her eyes.
Arjun quickly walked away unable to stand there any longer. After ARJUN left, Roja thought to herself
"Cha. Naa Romba avasara pattuten. Avar manasula enna irukku nu theriyama palagina konja naal laye propose panniten. Avar Ippothan Enna oru nalla friend ah accept panni irukkaru. Nethu Avarode varthaigal laye Athu therinjidhu. Avar manasula etho oru kaayam irukku. Namma friendship athukku maruntha irukkum nu nenachu irukkaru. Aana Naa Antha kaayatha athigama kaaya paduthiten"
Arjun went inside his room and settled down. Already there were many sick, crying children waiting for his treatment, with their parents/guardians. He had to tend to them. So forgetting his personal life completely, he got engrossed in treating them as usual.
An hour later, ARJUN felt slightly tired and weak. It was unusual as arjun never felt like that before. But still he didn't take it too seriously. He continued to treat his patients. However as time passed...ARJUN realised that he wasn't normal. He felt himself and knew that he had a fever. He quickly wore his mask so that his little patients don't get infected because of him.
Arjun thought to himself -
"Lighta fever irukku. But athukaga Namma rest edukka koodathu. Inniki Especially neraiya appointments irukku. Paavam, Inniki vera paediatrician um illa. Antha Pinju kozhandainga Enna nambi thane irukku. Enakku oru light fever, but anga evlovo kozhandainga romba udambu mudiyama irukkanga. Namma mask pottachu. Yarukum ethuvum paravathu. So Namma paatuku Namma velaiya pappom"
However things didn't turn out as expected for Arjun. He became weaker and weaker but still held on with determination.
Meanwhile, one of the doctors called Roja to run an errand for her. Roja hurried to do it.
Arjun was having a tough time. He could barely stand but managed to check the kids sitting and wrote medicines on a sheet of paper. However at one point of time, his health gave up. He fainted whilst checking a small 5 year old girl.
Roja was just walking past Arjun's room after finishing the work the doctor had asked her to do. She saw that ARJUN had fainted through the half open door. She quickly rushed inside
Roja panicked seeing Arjun faint and called for help
"Doctors! Please Inga vaanga. Dr. Arjun ode room ku immediately vaanga"
A few patients who were there in his room went outside and brought a few docs to his room. Roja gently tended to ARJUN. She held his head in her palm and felt him. She felt her heart sink when she realised that he was burning. Without wasting another second, she took the thermometer from the drawer and checked his temperature. It was 104F! Roja's heart nearly skipped a beat!
Just then some doctors came in to treat Arjun.
A few mins later....
Arjun was made to lay on a bed. He had regained consciousness too. Roja was standing close to him along with a couple of other nurses. She was really really worried for him.
Arjun's weak gaze fell on Roja.
He was kinda surprised to see her as he didn't expect her to be there next to him, after the previous day's incident.
Just then, ARJUN remembered his patients.
"Oh no! I was checking some children. I feel unconscious midway while doing so. Where are my patients?"
An anxious Arjun tried to get up, but he felt too weak.
When one of the doctors saw Arjun doing this,
Doctor : Arjun Enna panringa
Ippothan conscious eh vanthurku. Ungaluku high fever vera innum irukku. Neenga nalla thoonganum.
Arjun: no doctor, please. I need to get back to my patients. Inniki innoru paediatrician Dr. Geeta kooda illa. She's on leave. Ellarum Enna nambi than vanthurkanga. Ippo Naa mudiyathu nu sonna paavam vera hospital thedi poganum. Antha kastam vendam. I feel better, I can treat patients
Roja smiled inwardly at these words of ARJUN. Although she was concerned for his health, she loved his sincerity as always.
That's when the other doctor's words pierced through Roja's reverie bringing her back to reality.
Doctor : Neenga sonna kekkava poringa Dr. Arjun😀Do it as you please. But ore oru request. Oru staff ah unga kooda help ku vechikonga because you're very weak.
Arjun looked around trying to find the right person. Roja was yearning for him to choose her.
That's when the doctor pitched in
Doctor: I think roja will be the right person. Naa avala join panna anniki la irunthe paathutu irukken. She's very sincere and able. Plus ungalukulla oru nalla friendship irukku (Doctor said not knowing the previous day's incident). Neenga Roja vaye help ku vechikonga ARJUN.
Arjun reluctantly agreed. He couldn't refuse as everyone knew that they were good friends. And if he suddenly refused then he might be asked to explain why. So to avoid further problems, Arjun agreed.
Soon after, Arjun started checking his patients once again. Roja helped him in every possible way.
At one point of time, Roja saw that ARJUN was very weak and was struggling to write the prescription. That's when she suggested
"Arjun sir..." She called him like she used to before.
That's when ARJUN turned towards her and gave a surprised look.
Roja: Erm..sorry..Dr. Arjun.
Neenga Romba weak ah irukkinga. Naa ungalode help ku than Inga irukken. Naa vena onnu sollava. Neenga medicine name ah enkitta sollunga...Naa patients ku ezhuthi kuduthuren. Appdi panna Neenga patients ah Check panna pothum and prescription la sign mattom potta podhum
Arjun thought it was a good suggestion. So he agreed.
For the next couple of hours, the same thing went on. Arjun checked patients, then told Roja what she needed to write while she paid rapt attention to his words and swiftly wrote down whatever he said. She seemed to be keen and enthusiastic in learning new stuff. And whenever ARJUN needed to put an injection, Roja helped him there too by getting everything ready for him. Arjun smiled at her.
In this way, working together, Arjun checked and treated more patients than he usually would.
When it was all done, Roja was still working tirelessly cleaning up Arjun's table, putting everything in place. Arjun, who was much better by then, walked upto her. He spoke -
"Thank you for all your help Roja. That was really needed. And I saw that you were really enthusiastic about learning the name of medicines and what is used to treat what. I appreciate that. Thank you, you may go. No need to clean the table. I can manage"
Roja was surprised and extremely happy. Although ARJUN didn't sound very friendly like before and spoke more formally maintaining a distance, she was very happy to hear his appreciation.
Arjun however felt uncomfortable thinking about the proposal and maintained his limits and distance with her. He felt that she had helped him, and it was his courtesy to thank her and hence he did. Beyond that, he couldn't even see roja as a friend. He could see her only as a staff as her proposal kept pricking him. He walked away silently, unable to stay with roja alone in the room.
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Two days later.
It was the day of Doctor's Assosciatiom party and the honouring of Dr. Elangovan and all the eminent doctors around the city had been invited. Arjun had received the invite too and he was looking forward to the function as he admired Dr. Elangovan and his sincere service to mankind. He sometimes looked up to him as his role model too.
He chose his best outfit and got ready. He started off for the function in his car.
Meanwhile at Anbalayam Ashram, Roja was feeling uneasy. She had fear in her heart and mind. She knew that Dr. Ashok was attending the function too. And she also knew that after the incident of foiling the blood forgery, Ashok was looking for an opportunity to destroy Arjun. She felt that he might insult Arjun or do something else at the party. Unable to stay there at peace, she decided to go to the function too. Being a nurse she was free to attend the function. So she also got ready. She took her scooty and drove off.
———————————————————
At Ashok Selvan's house
Ashok was also fully ready and he wore an evil smile to his match outfit. More than seeing Dr. Elangovan getting honoured, which didn't matter to him at all, he was keen to see ARJUN finally getting killed at the function. He has already done everything for that. He had an evil smirk on his face. His evil eyes were gleaming as he pictured Arjun's dead body. It made his heart jump with joy.
"Imagination laye ivlo super ah irukke. Ayyo..nerla evlo super ah irukkum🤩Antha kan kolla kaatchi ah paaka ennala kaathu irukka mudiyalaye.
Inniki than da Intha Ashok ku Diwali, Pongal, Vijayadasami, ella pandigai um. Ennode ore ethiri Arjun azhiya poraaan....🔥"
He started off in his car too followed by goons in smaller cars. All three - Roja, Arjun and Ashok were heading to the same place, with different motives....
What is going to happen next?
To be continued.
Thanks for reading ❤️