“Before you step into my house, remember, this is the woman you both need to respect in order to step foot here. Talk as much shit as you want about me, not about her. Not even by mistake.”
“Actually,” Ritu interrupted. “I was going to say the other way. Noshittalking about Nilay. We can sit down and talk anything else.”
“Is she your doctor?” Sanket inquired.
“Ritu is in the room. You can ask her yourself.”
Sanket gaped at her — “Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.”
“Let’s sit. We can talk then.”
Nilay offered them the distant armchairs and occupied the long sofa with Ritu. As soon as he did, she slid closer to him. All he needed was a hint, because his arm reached out and splayed behind her. He leaned back.
“What happened?” Sanket asked. “What are the doctors saying?”
“Would you like to answer that?” Nilay looked at the woman under his arm. The doctor.
“It’s better you do,” she met his eyes. “I cannot divulge any medical information without your consent.”
Nilay turned to the senior Patels. “I had two heart attacks…”
“Two?”
“The most recent was last week. They found a block, cleared it via angioplasty. I am fine.”
“And you are his doctor?”
“I work with his cardiologist, but I performed his angioplasty.”
“Are you… Will he recover?”
“Yes.”
His father cleared his throat — “Is it… dangerous?”
That’s when they all looked at him. His shoulders were hunched, the proud ego in his eyes hooded.
“I mean,” he said. “For the future.”
“It’s not another weakness, Daddy, if that’s what you mean.”
“I did not mean that.”
Nilay was stunned.
“No,” Ritu finally voiced. “It is not dangerous. Nilay will make a full recovery and resume life as usual.”
His father nodded, the wrinkles on his face visible today.
“Is it because of… what happened that day?” His father’s eyes met his and Nilay recognised the tenderness, the fear, the arresting of life as they knew it when his mother had passed.
“Nobody can pinpoint such things,” Ritu clarified professionally. “Prolonged stress over a long time usually contributes to it, at times it’s one traumatic event. In either case, we don’t like to dwell on what’s passed. It’s how you treat it going forward that is important.”
His father nodded, too many nods today. His age was now showing in every unhinged fold of skin tittering under his jaw.
“Thank you.” He said to Ritu. To him, he said nothing. Only stared. Then began to nod his head — “You should come to Dubai and take a break.”
Nilay did not respond.
