“Phew!” She sighed, looking at Anu Madam sitting behind her desk. The luxurious sitting room was blessedly empty. “Did I come here on the wrong day?”
“No,” Anu Madam smiled. “The intern from Cath Lab called to inform you were running late. I took the liberty of pushing most of your morning appointments to noon.”
“Thank you! Thank you! You are a savi…” her words trailed off as a familiar figure emerged from the restroom alley. Cobalt blue silk shirt, cream pants fitted to his waist, reports under his arm. Ritu trailed her eyes up, and his bored expression was just as bored. But. He was looking at her again like he had that first time. Giving her that condescending once-over. She tautened.
That day she had worn a loose tunic that hid most of her heavy hips. Today… the scrubs were comfortable but traced her shape more than what she preferred for OPD consultations.
She cleared her throat. And Nilay Patel’s eyes snapped up to hers.
“Good morning,” she snapped quietly.
“Good morning, Doctor.” His response was civil. Respectful. Just as he had promised last week.
“Mr. Patel was the only appointment I couldn’t push. He was ready to wait,” Anu Madam informed unhelpfully.
“Thank you, Anu Madam. Come in,” she nodded to Nilay Patel.
————————————————————
Ritu entered the office that was already chilled with the AC on and lights bright. She set her bags on the platform behind her desk.
“Sit.” “You look like you…”
“I what?” She turned, reaching for her cap and pulling it off.Say something insulting and see what I do, she glared at him.
“Like you can do with a breather,” he managed.
She closed her mouth.
“Ok,” she took a deep breath, setting her cap down. Ritu reached for her phone and opened the timer. “You have one minute. Say whatever cutting, insulting nonsense you want to say. I will not judge or take it at face value. After which, I will say what I want for one minute. And then we will behave professionally.”
His bored, morose face split into an amused frown.
“Don’t look condescendingly at me. You have a minute.” She set the phone face up on the desk and hit start.
“Are you ok, Doctor?”
“Fifty-five seconds now.”
“I can come back later if…”
“Dare you start pretending to be sane and turn this on me.”
A smirk curled his cruel mouth. It didn’t look cruel when he did that with it.
“I have nothing cutting to say today.”
“I saw you give me those looks outside.”
“What looks?”
“Like you think I am the dirt under your toenail.”
“But you aren’t.”
“I know I am not. I said youthoughtit.”
“Oh, right. Ok. I did not think it then.”
