Several days passed. The girl secured a job in a city. She moved into a rented room, gathered her certificates, and proceeded to her new workplace. Four new assistant doctors had been selected along with her.
"You are all assistant doctors and will be assigned to senior doctors," the coordinator explained. "A surgery is currently underway. After it's completed, the senior doctors will come and select their assistants. Based on their choices, we will assign you." she said.
Only the five assistant doctors remained. Among them were two boys and three girls, including her. They conversed, "An operation is going on, right? Shall we go and watch from outside?". Some agreed, some didn't, but eventually, they all went and observed the entire operating theatre from outside. There were three senior doctors, four nurses, and 3 junior doctors.
"Do you know the operation has been going on for three hours?" one of them whispered.
"Really? And it will take one more hour?" another gasped.
"Wow, what kind of operation is it?" They discussed the operation for a while. As the lead surgeon continued the procedure, one of the other tall lead surgeons looked up sharply at them in anger and frustration.
"Hey, go open that door!" he commanded the nurse. He took two steps closer and fumed at all assistant doctors in anger, "Senseless fellow. Are you all doctors or roadside rogue's? An operation is happening here, And you want to gossip only hear in this entire hospital? Leave this place, stupids", he roared.
The girl and the others were stunned. He returned to the operation, muttering to the nurse, "If they remain in this block, you don't want to know the punishment I give to them. send them away! If I see them anywhere near, you will be working day and night without going to home for a week".
The nurse came out and gently urged the group, "Why are you here, dear? Please go outside. He will do what he told. ".
"Who is he, sister?" one of them asked.
"Oh, that's Dr. Abhijit. He's a very renowned surgeon, the senior-most here, despite his age. Extremely strict, and as you just saw, very short-tempered," the nurse explained, leading them out of the building into the garden.
One of the assistant doctors with them asked, "Is he really that strict, sister?".
"Strict? He's beyond strict, dear. Even the Dean is afraid of him. That strict! "
"What, even the Dean?".
"He shows zero tolerance for mistakes, berating everyone from nurses to doctors and even the Director,Dean" she confirmed.
They all looked at her in shock, "Even Director, Dean?!"
she nooded.
"Oh, so he's Mr. Perfect, then?" the female assistant doctor remarked, imagining his 6 foot plus and well-shaped manly figure.
The nurse chuckled softly. " when it comes to his profession, he is indeed Mr. Perfect, just as you said. But he's far from Mr. Perfect outside of work; he has every bad habit imaginable. ," she clarified.
"Oh, wow!" the female assistant doctor exclaimed, twisting in admiration.
The nurse looked at her, "fools" she thought, smiling.
"Now, one of you will become his assistant," the nurse informed them.
"I wish he would choose me!" the same female assistant doctor gushed, twisting with anticipation again. Everyone looked at her with a peculiar expression. But she is in her dream world with that bad boy,well sculptured manly figure
"They all say that now, but tomorrow they'll be crying, saying 'I can't do this job,' and resign. Think about it, that's what countless assistant doctors before you did" the nurse cautioned.
"Why?" another male assistant doctor asked.
"It's not something I can explain, dear; you'll understand when you experience it," the nurse said with a knowing smile, then left.
The group explored the hospital, commenting, "It's a huge hospital, isn't it? Second top in the city. The first one handles more outpatients, but this hospital does more surgeries."
After touring the hospital, they returned to their assigned room. As time passed, the operating room door slowly opened. One doctor after another emerged. Among them was Dr Abhijit, the tall surgeon they had encountered earlier. A female doctor accompanying him said to Abhijit, "Doctor, please select an assistant. They are in that room".
"Why do I need an assistant now? Don't you want me to be happy? its such a waste of time," he replied, a hint of his characteristic bluntness.
"Please, Dr. Abhijit, you must take one," she insisted.
"Whatever" he signed in an Accusatory tone, stopping at the door and looking at the group inside.
Though she wore a mask, he recognized her instantly by her eyes. "You? What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice sharp with surprise.
She, unable to recognise him due to his mask and operation apron, looked around at the others, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. Slowly, he removed his mask and cap. The moment she saw him, she was shocked. The other doctors, meanwhile, had selected their assistant doctor's department-wise after interviews and departed, leaving only the two of them in the room. After everyone left, Abhi locked the room, pulled up a chair, and sat down, his gaze fixed on her. He gestured for her to remove her mask. Recovering from her shock, she slowly took it off.
"I thought you might have escaped, but you've fallen right into my hands," he said, his eyes scanning her from head to toe.
He then looked at her neck. "Where's the mangalsutra ?" he asked.
"It's inside," she mumbled, twisting nervously. She was terrified.
"Did you get rid of it already?" he pressed.
She remained silent.
"Come to my room," he invited, moving towards the door.
She felt uneasy. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"Oh, 'what do you mean, sir'?" he mimicked. "I'm a very senior doctor here, so call me 'sir'. And why are you so hesitant to come to my room, my dear wife?" he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
She frightened, glanced outside the room. "Shhh, please, never call me that. Just pretend you don't know me," she pleaded.
He felt a surge of annoyance. Was she implying he was chasing after her?
'Does she think that I am unfit to marry her?! ME, the senior-most surgeon in this city.' His ego was deeply bruised, and his anger flared.He led her firmly into his room. "So, what do you plan to do now?" he asked.
"I'll do my job," she replied softly, her gaze fixed on the floor, not daring to meet his burning eyes.
"You'll do your job? And do you think I'll let you? Because of you, all my luggage was lost that day. My research work, instruments, and equipment parts I brought from abroad – all lost. They were so important, so much was lost because of you!" he accused.
"Why is it my fault? You were the one who got off and left," she retorted.
"Oh, I got off and left? If you hadn't shown up, I would have gotten back on! Do you know the value of the equipment that was lost because of you? it's irreplaceable. Do you know how difficult it is to get all that back, you foolish girl?" he shouted at her.
"If they were so valuable, then go file a police complaint! Shouting at me won't help," she countered.
Just then, a nurse knocked on the door. He gave the nurse a serious, questioning look. "Sir, the Dean is calling for you," the nurse informed him.
"I'll come. But first, from now on, she is my assistant doctor. Prepare the papers; I'll sign them," he declared.
The nurse cast a sympathetic glance at the girl.
"You go, I'll be there," he told the nurse. The nurse left.
"From this moment, I'll show you what hell truly is. You've challenged me, and now you're finished," he warned her, his voice low and menacing.
The nurse returned and knocked again. "They're calling, sir," she announced.
"Sit down. I'll be right back," he told the girl, then left the room after she sat down.
She looked around his room, noticing so many awards,prizes…. He was indeed a prominent doctor. His name was Dr. Abhijit Krishna. "His name is nice, but why does everyone call him Abhi or Abhijit?" she wondered. Just then, the nurse came in to collect a file.
She asked the nurse. "Oh, dear, whatever you do, don't call him Krishna," the nurse warned. "Just call him Abhijit or Abhi. He doesn't believe in God at all. Be very careful," she advised before taking the file and leaving.
"Abhijit Krishna, Tulasi." She thought to herself in deep thought. Whatever, 'oh god please help me and guide me' she prayed in her heart and left.