Part 51
It felt as if time stood still. 10 years back they parted to go their own ways but destiny had brought them together once again, face to face.
Both stood there, oblivious of their surroundings, oblivious of their own emotions. Frozen.
Sid had least expected to meet Riddhima after so many visits to Sanjeevani. But he knew he surely was not dreaming. Why fate was so cruel. He did not want any association with his past, the people who left him behind who killed his faith in love and relationships. Why was it that everytime he started to get comfortable with his life, his surroundings his existence that fate played a cruel joke on him. 'Riddhima' as the name echoed in his ears the images of his past were coming rushing to him Every memory which he had kept at bay. He continued to stand there dumbstruck as each image flashed in front of his eyes. With every passing moment, his face told a story of his past. The lady was the one who made him believe in love again, who gave a new meaning, a new motive to his life. He lived for her happiness, to see a smile on his face. She was the one for whom he could endure any hardship. He could stake his life for her. She was the one whom he married knowing well that she preferred death over walking the path of life with him. All for only her honor which he himself had tarnished with his blind acts of fury. But she indeed was whom he loved and respected the most in his entire life, whom he married not once but twice. What a strange relationship they shared they were never friends, despite marrying each other twice they did not live together as man and wife nor were they lovers yet they always came and stood next to each other trying carry forward the non-existent relationship. And that's what it all was both the times it was nothing but a facade. She always pretended she loved him wanted him but her heart alway was with her lover. She betrayed ever relationship as for her the only person who mattered was armaan.
Riddhima who had so carefully avoided this moment for weeks did not know how to react. She knew he no more thought of her affectionately. He did not even think of her. He did not want to remember anything about her. She no more mattered to him. Then how come he was here to meet her. Did Juhi tell Sid about her? But somehow it did not matter now. He was here to meet her. Whatever came her way she would welcome it. She stood there trying to decode the change of emotions on Sid's face. She waited for Sid to break his silence, to hear him take her name. It was 10 years since she had heard that.
They both didn't know how long they stood there. Sid still was coming to terms. He kept staring at the person in front of him. He did not remember what he was there for. His limbs felt numb. He was finding it difficult to handle his own body weight and wanted to let go of everything.
Riddhima kept watching him intently He looked as if he would crumble any moment. She wanted to rush over to help him. Something held her back. She struggled but stood rooted to her spot. Her vision blurred with the tears in her eyes. Why did she feel so helpless she did not know?
Sid's numb finger let go of the weight of the sanction and it fell onto the floor with a thud.
The noise was enough to startle him and shake him out of his daze. He looked at the file fallen at his feet. He snapped back to reality. He bent down to pick it and once again looked at the person standing in front of him. He had to get the sanction letter signed from this person. He closed his eyes to steady himself and images once again flashed in front of his eyes 'Shilpa's photo hanging on the wall with a lamp burning in front of it ...Rohan with his small shaking hands emerging the ashes' He opened his eyes to once again find the lady who had betrayed every relationship in her life standing in front of him. Rage reflected in his bloodshot eyes.
Riddhima could not bear to see Sid like. She wanted to comfort him. She could not handle his look in his eyes.
Sid could no longer bear the sight of that lady took a few steps back flattering at every step. Riddhima wanted to stop him but she wanted to call out to him but choked on her words.
Nothing mattered to Sid now and definitely not Riddhima. He quickly turned around and briskly walked away from there leaving a crumbling Riddhima behind.
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Sid stood there in Juhi's office trembling with rage. He looked at the file in his hand which was instrumental for this. Without a second thought he threw the file away and walked out of the office. He did not want anything to do with this place anymore. All that he wanted to do right now was pack up leave for Panchgani. He had made up his mind. He was taking Rohan along with him as soon as he could. He did not want anybody near Rohan. 'Nahi chahata ki ko hamari zindagi mein ab... hume kisiki zaroorat nahi hai' He made his way towards the exit.
Riddhima still stood there dazed. The look in Sid's eyes still traumatized her. 'Sid'. She murmured. She continued to stand there like a statue.
While near the nurse station the doctor assigned for Sid's patient was frantically searching for Sid. Due to the sudden development it seemed apparent that the surgery had to be preponed. Finally, he gave up searching and got the attendant to make the announcement 'Dr. Siddhant Modi... you are required in the ICU Please report immediately'
Riddhima hearing Sid's name came back to reality. 'Sid!!!... oh my God... kya hua ...Sid ko kyu bula rahe hai ICU mein... the thought scared her. Kya Purva??? Without a second thought she went across to the nurse station where Sid was required.
Sid who was on his way out of the hospital heard his name being called out asking him to report to the nurse station. He immediately stopped in his tracks. 'Yeh main kya kar raha hoo... main kisi aur ka ghussa uss patient pe kaise nikhal sakta hoon... Main ek doctor hoon ...main aise kaise behave kar sakta hoon... itna selfish kaise ban sakta hoon ...meri pehli priority mere patients hai... aur koi mere liye mayane nahi rakta...' Sid always remained true to his his name and his profession.
Riddhima reached the nurse station to find the Dr. Abhay whom Juhi had assigned the responsibility of the case.
Riddhima: Dr Abhay yeh announcement aapne karvayi...
Dr Abhay was very nervous that Riddhima was enquiring about it. He knew sanctions were yet to be sort so he was just dreading a firing from Riddhima for not keeping her in the loop. 'Dr Riddhima actually ...Dr Juhi ki ek patient hai ...humne aapko batane wale hi the ... in fact Dr. Modi ne unke liye fees liye bina surgery karne wale hai ... We are very sorry ma'am ... we did not.
Riddhima was not interested in knowing the entire background story By now she had understood that Sid had come to meet her to get the sanction form signed.
Riddhima: Dr Abhay ... it's ok ...Sid...I mean Dr Siddhant kaha hai ... woh ... yaha nahi aye kya ...
Dr Abhay: I don't know ma'am woh actually aapko hi milne gaye the lekin ... ab kahi nahi mil rahe hai ... woh aap se nahi mile...
Riddhima now completely scared. Sid was upset and angry She knew every time when he got angry he used to keep it bottled up and punishing himself She had to find Sid even if it meant bearing his wrath. Also she knew if that is Abhay had made an announcement calling Sid urgently that means the situation was critical.
Riddhima: Patient ...Sid ...ka ...I mean Dr Siddhant ka ... he is stable or is there a problem.
Dr. Abhay: Ma'am we feel that we will be not able to wait till tomorrow morning if we have to operate we have to operate right now... of course we need to check with the surgeon but ...he is not to be seen ...
Riddhima: Dr. Abhay ...kya team ready hai ... OT ready hai... paper work done hai ...
Dr. Abhay: Team stand by pe hai aur OT bhi ready hai ...sirf ...paper work thodha baaki hai aur aapke aur Dr Modi ke sanction form pe signatures chahiye... aap permission de rahi hai na iskeliye...asked nervously
Riddhima: Yes... assist kaun karege ...
Dr. Abhay: woh ek problem hai ... par mein kar sakta hoon ...
The nurses and attendents had already begun gossiping about this. It anyways seemed too good to be true situation for everyone that such a skilled surgeon was not taking fees and his previous patient's family bearing all the remaining costs.
Riddhima was trying to think how to work out a solution She was worried for Sid and the patient. Firstly she could not digest the fact that Sid of all person left the patient behind. He was never so. And now that he had done so she was knew that there were bigger chances that he may not return. She had to do something to bring him back.
As she stood there racking her brains for her solution she overheard the nurses gossiping about how these foreign return doctors pretend to charity but are there all for money.
Riddhima tried to ignore the statements made against Sid Riddhima turned to Abhay and asked him to continue with the work.
Dr Abhay: par kya fayada even after the announcement Dr Modi toh nahi aye hai ... waise yeh jo log keh rahe hai woh kuch galat nahi hai ...shaayad...
'Enough everyone ...' Riddhima screamed 'I will not tolerate anyone talking like this about any doctor out here. As for Dr Siddhant Modi you do not know him so please think before you speak I will not tolerate such things said about him... Aur aap Dr Abhay ...aap chinta mat kijiye Siddhant ajayega...aap paper work khatam kijiye...
She asked the attendant to locate Sid number in the records and inform her about the same. And stormed out of the place As she passed Juhi's cabin she noticed all papers lying scattered everywhere. When she checked, they were the same sanction papers which Sid had gotten for her to sign. The sight broke all her hopes. She now thought Sid was not going to be come back.
Sid reached the nurse station to be told that Dr Abhay and Dr Riddhima were looking for him. The person whom he wanted to avoid wanted to meet him. He laughed at irony of life. There was a time when he would have given anything in order to be Riddhima's priority list. And when today he did not even want to see her She had come seeking him. He ignored the information and asked the nurse to send Dr Abhay to Juhi's cabin.
Riddhima started collecting the papers and arranging them in order. Her heart was not ready to accept that Sid left. 'Woh kabhi aise nahi tha... har situation ko samne se face kiya hai ... jab gas leak hua tha tab bhi saab kuch bhool kar armaan ko usne hi bachaya ...woh kabhi bhi apni personal life ko professional life pe haavi nahi hone deta... par kya aaj ... nahi dil nahi maan raha hai ki tum itne badal gaye...'
Sid walked into the cabin to find Riddhima picking up the last of the papers. There was this awkward silence. Sid did not understand why Riddhima was there and was searching for him. Her presence bothered him only to the extent that he did not know what to expect from her. Unpredictible as she always was. Her life with him was just a facade which she put up to fool the world and him. He did not have time to decode her. He was on a mission and his aim was to complete it successful in the least possible time to enable his exit from the place.
Riddhima fidgeted with the last of the papers to place them in order every now and then nervously steeling glances at Sid. Her belief in him in her faith in him was proved correct yet again. She felt immensely happy to see him there. But she could not show the same. What if Sid misunderstood it?
Both did not understand what to say do or how to behave. Both looking away from each other stood there for the other to break the silence or leave the room.
'Sir aap aa gaye? Hame laga tha ki aap...'
Sid started by the sudden question thrown his way: Aap ...Dr Abhay.?
Abhay nodded.
Sid: Aapne announcement kiya tha...
Abhay: Sir we feel we may need to operate sooner. Aap ek baar patient ko check kar lijiye...
Sid: agar karni hai toh saari tayaari ho chuki hai kya...
Abhay: Haan Sir. Meine Dr Riddhima ko saara update de diya hai...
Before Riddhima could speak sid started. 'Chaliye hamare pass jyada time nahi hai...chalte chalte aap mujhe update de dijiye... Taking the file from Abhay he quickly signed it and handed it back to Abhay. He looked at Riddhima 'Thank you for the sanction Doctor' and left from there.
Abhay was finding this extremely wierd. Riddhima who typically was always very uptight was standing there all nervous. Inspite of the fact that; what she had said earlier that evening at the nurse station had indeed come true. He brushed his thoughts aside and handed the file back to Riddhima as she had not signed it and left leaving Riddhima alone in the room to wonder 'Thank you for the sanction Doctor'
Link to the next part
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