Pia walked in limping slightly on her foot, it was better than before, still sometimes it hurts. She walked towards the reception to find out where her boss is. She was told to go to third OT and that all the team is there waiting for her instruction. Why? She has no idea, once she had reached there, she found two nurses and a surgical assistant there. "Dr. Ray we are all ready and prepped for the operation. We need to know if we can begin mam" Pia nodded.
She was changing her clothes when someone came in she hid behind the curtain seeing him, he looked tired, and exhausted. Christopher was prepping himself for surgery, "Nurse help me with this," He called. She walked towards him and helped him put on the sterilized surgical clothes.
He felt her small hand on his back tying the mask. He knew this touch he can recognize it anywhere. Pia, was so close to him and this closeness, in this small space and in this tiny room was affecting him too much. "All done sir" She whispered. "Thank you, Miss Ray," She gasped. "You don't need to be surprised Miss Ray, once I memorize something, I never do forget that." She chuckled bitterly. "Somethings are better when they are forgotten sir." With that said she walked away.
Christopher knew he had told her about forgetting what happened that night between them, but he himself cannot forget that, and to think that she can become someone else's still, it is something which is making him angrier and annoyed, he was irritated. He can see how many young doctors around this place wanted her, wanted her to be with them. And students too sometimes forget that she is far much older in age. And it irritated him so much.
Though it just was a business marriage still, he cannot help it. And that makes him angry, that he cannot control his silly desires for someone he met just few weeks ago. It shouldn't even matter, she just was someone he is marrying to keep the word he had given to his father. But still, he had agreed, she didn't she still can back out and find someone who is not him. And that's bothering him a lot.
Also, he doesn't know why. He don't even like her that way, love is a expression which is absent from his life. His career is his only love and only thing that matters, then why it bothered him if something bad happens to her. Like when she walked she was limping a little like she was in pain. It bothered him, why? He don't know. He doesn't care, at least he shouldn't but now, for some reason he does.
"Sir, the patient is ready, and Dr. Ray is waiting for you in the OT," The nurse told him, her voice took him back to reality. "Thank you, let's go," They entered inside the OT and Pia was setting up a camera for some reason that too without his permission that had angered her. "Who gave you permission to set up the camera inside the OT, that too in front of a patient who is in this much critical condition?"
"Sir, I thought, it may benefit our class if they see a practical procedure how a surgery is done. Since, none of them is here it can..." "I asked who gave you permission Miss Ray, if I may remind you, this is my property you are standing, this is my hospital, you cannot do anything you please to." She was shocked, "I am sorry sir," "No Miss Ray, you don't get to say sorry every time you make a mistake and then just think you will just be forgiven."
She looked down. "This is my working space Miss Ray, This is my personal territory, so you need my permission for pulling any kind of stunt such as this, and you don't think I can provide my students with live feed if I wish to? This is advanced level surgery, not for everyone. I thought you might learn something from this, by assisting me. I have called for you, just you Miss Ray, I am just plainly wrong, you do not wish to learn anything, you just want to make a video and show that to your students, don't you? So, they will do what? Surpass me and start operating themselves? And praise you as a very good teacher? Do you even respect your profession?" She stood there numb hearing his words.
His harsh words. "I was right about you Miss Ray, you just an attention seeking woman, get out of my sight now." The nurses and the assistant that present there were shocked at his outburst, the things he said wasn't making sense, at all. She walked out of the OT and sat at the bench with her head down and her eyes watering.
The words he said still revolving in front of her eyes. Attention seeking Woman, she always hated this phrase, she hated it so much. It reminds her of her past she had thus so hard tried to forget. But that is her past, something that had made her, something that had made her what she is today, how can she just forget who she was once? How can she forget it? How can she forget from where she belongs from?
Pia was sitting as she saw the OTs light turn on. She saw the patient's family sitting consoling each other. At one side there was a woman, she was so silent looking down on the floor. Pia walked towards her and settled down beside her, she looked at Pia.
"You are with him?" Pia asked. "He is my husband, we were about to go for our second honeymoon, now, he is fighting for his life. And that too after all these things. We have fought so hard, so hard to be with each other, all the pain all the suffering, all that, and for nothing." She started to hyperventilate.
"It's alright miss, it's alright, no need to panic, Dr. Woodland may be harsh, may be irrational but he is one of the best neurosurgeons the world had ever seen. I believe that your husband will be alright Miss. I believe he will be alright. Your husband is in good hands Miss, he will be fine, I know he will be." Pia told her. "aren't you also a doctor?" She asked Pia. "Yes, that I am. I am an intern here." Pia told her.
Pia looked at the watch two hours had passed since the operation had started. She wonders how he was doing in, she still was in cloths for the surgery, she thought, if doesn't need his help, she might just do some of her own work. Then she looked at the girl whom everyone left here alone. She knew the best course would be if she had helped her. She should stay next to her. So, Pia stayed there as the woman next to her prayed.
The nurse came out suddenly very much red eyed. She looked like she was crying. "What happened?" Pia asked. "Dr. Ray, you haven't gone home yet?" The nurse asked wiping her eyes. "Something happened isn't it?" Pia asked. "N...Nothing mam, nothing, sir is just like this always in bad mood, always angry, it is nothing new for him insult his own hospital staff. I should have known when he was trying to take out the clot I shouldn't have disturbed him, I was just handing him a scissor when he snapped at me." She informed.
"There was something he was utterly concentrating on, not moving for minutes, I thought he might need help but he snapped." Another nurse came out crying with the assistant. "Hmmm... Give me some gloves please, I will see what is his problem."
"But Mam, I should warn you against this, he can just snap again." Pia smiled. "He cannot insult me more than he already did, Can he? And even if he does, I am past the point where I can care about his words."
The nurse handed her a pair of gloves and she entered the OT silent. "I have told you I do not need..." Pia didn't listen to his words she just held his arm, moving it around the clot, and then guided his hand so that he can take it out. When he had done, she pulled back and let him complete rest of the procedure, whenever he stopped, she assisted him silently without saying a word. The operation was long, it was almost eight A. M. in the morning when they had finished. Thankfully, the patient was out of danger. They had finished the final stitches and she threw the gloves away.
She walked out of the OT and the woman stood and walked towards her. She asked Pia about the operation. "It was successful, but we have to keep him in at least seventy two hours of observation, Don't worry you can go to your second honeymoon soon enough lady." Pia said. " It's Dalia, and my husband his name is Victor." She nodded. However, this action wasn't gone unnoticed by certain someone.
She was tying her hairs when he came in barging. "Before you start complaining about me gathering attention, I want to tell you that I was just giving her the good news, I wasn't taking credit for your work." She said taking her bag and walking away. He held her arm. "When I was stuck, how did you knew about my blind spot?" He asked.
"Oh that? I noticed it, and beside you have a very rare genetic condition sir, it might sometimes related with eyesight disorder, not very difficult to figure out when you spend half your waking moment with your boss."
She gently took his hand off her arm. "Do I have any more thing left to do sir?" She asked. "Why?" He asked her. "Why didn't you just reported me? You know I cannot be a surgeon with such an disadvantage, why didn't you then reported me? You could have just..." "I am not like that Sir, in spite of all the insult, all the cruel words you had said to me, I still respect you and your work. I have learned a lot since I have came here, and I am well aware of the fact that if, you weren't inside that OT, that patients wouldn't have survived."
"Sir, I know it very well that there are seldom doctors who true to their profession exists, and no matter what you did with me, you are a very good doctor, and I know very well, that what you will do inside your clinic, scooped up and writing journals, you will very much be helpful to many in the field like today, I haven't saved him, you did, And I respect you for that, not giving up. And again, I am sorry, if I had caused you any trouble." Pia said and walked away from him.
She felt someone hold her dupatta. She gasped for a moment stopping momentarily. Then she turned around and looked at Christopher who was holding the edge of her dupatta. And then she pulled her towards him slowly. He left it once she was in close vicinity of him. She didn't want to be here, not when it can lead to many, many bad things.
"Let me go sir, I have work to do" She whispered. "Your leg needs a brace, why you keep hurting yourself on purpose like this?" He asked. "I don't, I am fine and we shouldn't be here this way" She whispered. He caged her between the lockers and him. "Why not?" He whispered. "Because this is inappropriate, and..."
"And?" He asked his lips slowly touching her neck. She closed her eyes, feeling his lips on her skin, and it had awaken something a desire hidden deep.
"And you are going to be my brother-in-law in few days, i...I cannot..." He pulled back looking at her. "you cannot? Why you cannot little pixie? What are you afraid of? Breaking your sister's heart? Or there is something else? Something you left everyone unaware of? Some hidden reason for which you are denying the obvious?" He asked.
"What is that obvious?" She asked. "That you want to be kept by me. You want that, you want me to be by your side, for rest of your life you wish I keep you for me. Because you cannot forget how good you felt sleeping next to me. Your skin over mine..." He whispered inching closer and closer. And then he claimed her lips. She felt it all of his intensity but she can smell alcohol on his breath. He was drunk again. And that too after doing such a major surgery. He shouldn't drink on duty.
She pushed him away But he kept a firm hold on her. "Tell me little Pixie, why you always flutter away, why don't you wish to be caged by me? All I want to do is have a little bit of your company, keep you just for me, and my eyes. Why it is wrong for me to desire you? I don't understand why you don't give in..." He whispered. Then he left her hand and turn around picking up the bottle he kept down and drinking.
Then he tried to kiss her again. "Don't sir, you don't know what you are doing. You are my sister's fiancé and this is inappropriate." She told him. "If I was yours you would let me do the unthinkable here don't you little Pixie?" He asked caging her again.
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