Her stilted body jerked to life at the excited squeal. Dimple’s arms went around her. “You really came!”
It took Ritu a second to reciprocate. She hadn’t seen Dimple in person since she was a kid. Now it was her wedding. She patted her back, pulling away to look at the girl who had grown into a woman.
“You look very good, Dimple. Congratulations.”
“Doesn’t she?” Maya stood beside her.
“Thank you so much for coming! I know you guys are happier away from this,” she moved her eyes around them. “I am also escaping it. But thanks for coming. It’s been so long! I want photos!”
Ritu chuckled, shocked but not surprised. The Instagram generation saw nothing but reels and selfies. She posed with them both, smiling through the introductions with her fiancé, his family, his dog and a horde of her friends. The dance floor opened up with liquor, and a whole crowd left the seaside seating area to groove in waves like they were already drunk. The party started in its true form.
Ritu felt her potli vibrate. She pulled her phone out.
NILAY PATEL
Nilay Patel ECG.pdf
Nilay Patel Lipid Profile.pdf
Worried, she toggled one report open and skimmed through the chart. Then exhaled.
RITU
Don’t scare me like that
NILAY PATEL
More incoming
Typing…
She bit the insides of her cheeks. This was the first time he had reached out after Patan. She hadn’t expected anything, but was touched by his need to send his reports over. She caught a chair by the sea and began reading, waiting for more reports to pop. They did, one by one, and she reviewed them, one by one. Her breaths came easier and easier with each. He was on a good road back. In fact, she would go as far as to say that hewasback.
That euphoria got her to text him back.
RITU
Wrong chat
Here’s Dr. Shravan’s number
CONTACT CARD
DR. SHRAVAN (INDIA)
DR. SHRAVAN (LONDON)
NILAY PATEL
Just needed a second opinion
RITU
I am not as experienced
NILAY PATEL
I know
