"Alright, I believe I have made it clear, every department should follow the stipulated schedule. Inspection body is expected to visit the institute in upcoming week. All departments will be given a prior intimation regarding the same." Dean rose from his chair. Others stood out of respect until he left the meeting hall.
"Dr. Kulkarni, the institute relies on your department this year. Only department of Obstetrics and Gynecology can be trusted with this task of making an impression on Inspection body since unworthy people have been assigned to control other departments," Dr. Deshmukh muttered to one of his associates making sure his words reached Jyotiraditya. Sparing a side glance to the man he decided to leave.
"Since when has this institute turned so petty offering a position as high as Head of Department to inexperienced kids?" Dr. Kulkarni added.
"Since the time a few experienced people decided to pay more attention to their own clinics, especially when it's strictly against the rules. People complaining about me being at this position should be happy that they were only demoted, because with their outside work being brought under light; possibilities were infinite." Jyotiraditya spoke in a low threatening tone.
"Whatever trick you've played to get in, it isn't going to work for a long time. I have been here more than two decades; you don't understand the internal politics as much as I do." Dr. Deshmukh said grinding his teeth.
Jyotiraditya grunted, "Don't forget you're talking to a Bharadwaj. We make the rules here. The politics you mention is only a way to catch our eye."
Dr. Deshmukh snickered, "We have heard enough tragic stories about Bharadwaj siblings. You, your pathetic excuse for an elder brother or your sister who's non-functional-"
That was last thread of Adi's patience, his hands immediately moved to the man's collar, eyes blazing fire, "How fucking dare you?"
No. He wasn't supposed to lose his cool this easily. Anger and violence were not going to do him any good. What was he thinking attacking a man almost twice his age?
Taking a deep breath he let go, "Mind your words, Dr. Deshmukh. I respect you and that's the only reason you're still a part of this institute."
"Oh, you don't. You're all just spoiled kids who were served everything on a silver platter." The man coughed vigorously, as Adi started to leave.
He sighed sauntering through the corridor. Words really spread faster in their circle. He was better off from these things. But how long was he supposed to run? Moreover, did he actually care about what people think?
It was already thirty past ten, usual time for his ward rounds. Then he also had to brief final year students about an admitted patient of heart failure. Later on, after three he had to check upon post graduate residents handling casualty patients.
In the evening, on his way out, Jyotiraditya crossed surgery casualty. Recognizing kids from his morning class, he paused for a moment. Three of them were learning how to give stitches. It probably was a road traffic accident patient with minor cuts here and there. The late comer kid opened suture packet. Holding the forceps she meticulously stretched the wound edges enough for a needle to pass through. Her friends observed carefully as she completed a few stitches. Then she looked at boy standing next to her, "You wanna try?"
The boy, whose name he recalled as Arush, took the needle holder timidly while staring at their patient's nasty wound only to keep it back in the tray, "I would rather be happy prescribing him some meds. Not everyone is fond of surgeries and bloodshed, Neeta."
Jyotiraditya chuckled hearing the boy's response. Oh, they had been just same, a few years back. Shaking his head, he walked further and her words started ringing in his ears, 'Suturing is such a basic skill, Adi. Every doctor should know it.'
'My dream isn't to be a surgeon, Kuhoo. I would treat them without any operative procedures.' He had smirked.
'Please, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be thinking of being a surgeon. You helped me discover it. So, I would say, it's more of your dream to see me as a neurosurgeon,' His girlfriend was certainly unaware of her own potential back then.
'It is. It is my dream to see you reaching the heights. Together, we'll grow and be the best versions of ourselves,' had been his reply.
Glass doors opened automatically, as he walked up to exit. Driver brought his car and Adi settled in. Air outside was cold but humid. Mumbai had always been the same. He wouldn't be surprised if it started raining in January. But then he didn't enjoy the rains anymore, she had taken it away. How merciless of her to leave him only with memories? Oh, he did not get to complain about this. He made that pathetic choice, or maybe it was just fate.
Jyotiraditya sighed looking out of the window, chilly wind hitting his face as they drove through marine drive. He wasn't wrong though, it did start raining a few minutes later.
'I love the rains, Adi,' she had whispered.
'And I love getting drenched with you.' He had simply rested his forehead on hers as she battled those sticky eyelashes to clear her vision off the droplets. Could life be any more beautiful? He would rather hallucinate this woman, be an insane for once and for all. But no, he was too much in tune with his reality to lose threads of sanity, no matter how much he wished for it, his dear grandfather would never let it happen.
Screeching sound of brakes fell on his ears as their vehicle came to a halt. Adi looked at his driver for an explanation who already was staring angrily showing his head out of the window saying, "Humari hi gaadi mili thi marne ke liye. Ab hata ise jaldi."
The vehicle behind his one came to a halt. The chain followed till a few other cars as well, what followed was a traffic jam with mindless honks deterring the sound quality of environment.
"What in the world is he doing?" Adi muttered under his breath sliding the door open only to find his mid-thirties driver fighting with a late-teen who was probably a tea vendor.
They had accidently hit the boy's handcart while crossing the road. Cart was lying in middle of road, its wheels still rotating due to the impact of collision. Biscuits had scattered everywhere from the broken glass vessel and kerosene stove lay upside down.
"Ek baar bola hua bheje mein nahi ghusta tere, main apne raste... bhaiya aap?" The boy paused in between his quarrel with driver as Jyotiraditya walked towards them.
"Chotu?" He uttered recognizing the tapree-wala.
Helping the young man in moving the cart and his other belongings to a corner of road, Adi took a seat on one of the raised cemented ends. Traffic cleared as quickly as it had formed; a few passerby mumbling curses in their direction.
Heavy rain had transformed into mild drizzle. Tea vendor settled his cart properly organizing all ingredients and asked, "Chai piyoge bhaiya?"
Resting his elbows on hard platform beneath, Adi stared at the dark cloudy sky, "Banade."
"Humesha wali?" The boy asked holding the lighter.
Adi nodded, turning towards left for a moment and then shaking his head finding the space empty. Of course, the golden times wouldn't come back. She wouldn't be sitting there every time smiling at him.
"How are you, bhaiya? I haven't seen you here for years." Fumes coming out of the boiling liquid mixed with wind adding a subtle fragrance of world's best tea in the surrounding as she used to call it.
"I'm good, wasn't in the city for last few years. You look the same chotu, just that now you've grown beard," He glanced at the vendor.
The boy smiled, "How is didi?"
Adi let out a humorless chuckle, "It's been years since I saw your didi. She probably is leading a better life, in a better city."
"You both didn't resolve your fight?" The boy filtered scorching hot tea in kullads and walked over to the driver who was standing near their car, then moving to his long lost customer.
"What fight?" Adi frowned while taking the tea.
"Years back didi came to me and had asked to handover a note if I see you. I waited for a few days but couldn't find you. And then I forgot about it." The boy took a seat beside him.
"Note?" He asked being clueless.
Vendor glanced at him confused for a moment, only to walk back to his cart. Opening old wooden trunk meant for string money he earned, the boy searched for some time and then took a worn out piece of folded paper giving it to Adi.
Unfolding it, Adi stared at the material inside, indeed it was her handwriting. His fingers moved on their own accord brushing against the pearly letters, mind trying to feel closer to the woman who wrote it.
'I'm leaving, Adi. You won't see me ever again. That's what you want, right? I never thought I would say this, but let me tell you, for the first time you've made a grave mistake. I tried to make you understand, but you're really adamant. Last time we met, it was bitter. I can't help but feel hatred for you at the moment. But if you ever need me in future, you'll always find me by your side. Because unlike you, I never made any false promises. - Kuhoo'
Inhaling a long breath, Adi stared at the paper, only to realize it was getting wet due to raindrops. Keeping it in his pocket, he took out a two-thousand rupee note, "Thank you for preserving it for so long, Chotu. Please keep this."
"I can't take this bhaiya. Looks like I failed to give it at the right time. What does it say?" The boy mumbled dubiously.
"That didi will always be there with me. And you are meeting me tomorrow in Bharadwaj institute of medical sciences. Staff there will definitely love to have this tea every day," Adi forwarded him a visiting card and the money before getting up.
Driver swiftly got into car, turning on the ignition waiting for Dr. Bharadwaj. He sat inside and they drove towards his mansion.
Malabar Hills was an upscale residential area in South Mumbai. Jyotiraditya had spent all his childhood and a few years of adulthood there. As the car stopped in front yard of Bharadwaj mansion, driver rushed to his side opening the door.
Both his parents were out for some fancy diner with a few associates. Dearest grandfather had been out for a political meeting in Delhi for the last week. It was only he, his elder sister and her daughter in the mansion.
Nitya, his four year old niece was already asleep till the time he reached home. Finishing their dinner, as he moved to the in-built bar in the room on left of the grand dining hall, Ananya, his sister stopped him.
"Stop this madness, Adi. Ever since you came back from Delhi, you've only been drinking. You should be happy dadu isn't home. But you know right, he is coming tonight. The flight would be landing any second." Ananya tried to explain.
"You really think I care about it anymore? I'm not some drunkard Anu di but this city, its every fucking corner reminds me of her. I can't. I need to go back but he won't let me," Adi muttered.
"I'm sorry darling. At least, I wanted your love story to be a successful one. But we can't fight the fate, right?" She mumbled.
He grunted, "Not fate di. It was him. It was me. It was this fucking world against me."
"I'm sorry," She whispered.
"You don't have to be sorry di. The one who should be doesn't even think that it was a mistake. Tonight I won't let this go. This time he has to answer me. She wanted to stay, you know. Despite everything she wanted to stay," Adi's voice was laden with sorrow.
Ananya left tapping on his shoulder. How was she to make him understand anything? At least he had someone to blame. But what was she supposed to say regarding her failed marriage or about their eldest brother Vedang? Thinking of the history, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something ill-fated about love stories in Bharadwaj family.
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'Ye khara samandar mera gavah hai
ishq hai mera ya hai mera gunaah hai,
tujhko saja aur adalat bana loon
Aa shiddat bana loon tujhe.'
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