“I have nothing cutting to say today.”
“You cannot say what I said!”
“I can say whatever I want to say,” she grabbed the cuff, and he began to roll his shirt sleeve. She noticed he didn’t wear cufflinks today, only a plain buttoned cuff. Was it for his day’s high street fashion or to be an easier patient?
He remained silent as she plugged the stethoscope into her ears and started pumping the machine.
“Any pain, pressure,discomfortthis week?” She asked, daring him with her eyes to make a joke.
“No,” he replied civilly. “In fact, I have been feeling good. Energy is back.”
“And the diet?” She asked, noting the upper value. 120. “I see you are eating better.”
“The stethoscope whispered to you?” He smirked. Not insultingly. Naughtily. He could be something other than snobbish? This was a first.
“Your cheeks did,” Ritu noted the next reading. 80. Perfect. She tugged the velcro of the cuff, slinging the stethoscope around her neck. “120/80. Good. What have your evening readings been like?”
“Mostly 130/80. On Sunday, it was 120/80 even at night.”
“You were home and relaxing.”
“How do you know?”
“The cameras in your house.” She pushed the pole back.
“Nowyouare being sarcastic.”
She went and sat down on her chair — “You are right, I shouldn’t have. I meant to say…”
“I didn’t say I mind. Your brand of humour is new and fresh coming from a…”
“A woman? Wow, god forbid they laugh?”
“I meant a doctor in such a serious niche.”
Ritu shut her eyes, then nodded. She reached for his reports and his GP’s covering letter, detailing his week’s progress. Things looked good. Really good. His cheeks were fuller, in his own words his energy was up, and his BP was under control. He was also behaving civilly. Maybe his bear-on-steroids mood had been a side effect of his angina episode.
“Doctor, I need to fly out to Patan this weekend for a shoot. For a day.”
“No harm in flying, but keep a sorbitrate handy. In case of discomfort, pop it under your tongue. Don’t strain yourself there. Are you going alone?”
“A few of my team members will be travelling with me.”
Ritu glanced up from his reports. “Do they know about your condition?”
“I don’t have a condition.”
She bit her tongue. The bear was back on steroids.
“I mean…” he corrected. “They don’t. Nobody does except you and Dr. Rajiv. I run a global enterprise, not to mention live under regular media scrutiny. I am not followed or anything but news like this, if it leaks, is not a good look for me.”
“Any other reason?”
“No.”
He was too quick in that retort. Ritu did not probe. It was none of her business.
“I would suggest informing one of your team members at the least. It would help in case there is an emergency.”
