*Palak Pov*

I glanced at the message again, not believing those words, even though I have checked it again and again from the morning. I shook my head to not think about that anymore before glancing at my senior who is working hard to teach the interns about the new equipment.

However, I found him staring at me with a frown and I glanced around to see everyone is looking at me instead of the equipment.

"I am sorry about that." I mumbled switching off my mobile phone before walking towards the senior realizing he asked me to do something but I totally missed.

"Are you alright? You seem lost from the morning itself. You can go home and take a rest. You already helped me with everything for the past few weeks." He whispered when I shifted to take place before him as a patient for demo.

I don't know what pushed me into getting involved with whatever work is present and maybe deep inside I know the reason. It's not like I am angry at him for going out of India for shooting, but for the reason of no contact from him for the past few weeks.

And now he suddenly messaged saying that he is at my house this morning and that too from Satish phone. What happened to his phone and does he expect me to come running to his side after seeing that message?

"I am completely fine, Senior. And I am sorry about that." Saying that I continued to assist him and we finished the lesson after another hour.

After the interns and the newly appointed doctors left, I arranged everything in the original position and turned around to see him helping me out.

"Looks like your friends already left." He commented when we finished the work.

"It's already late, Senior. I didn't expect them to stay back." I said, smiling and he nodded checking the time.

"Let's grab some dinner then." He offered, glancing at me.

"Now?" I asked, holding my phone tightly.

"Yeah! We can't have dinner tomorrow morning, right?" he asked, joking and I just smiled at him.

"I know well that you don't have proper dinner if you are too tired after reaching home. I am sure you haven't changed that attitude from college days. So, let's go out and make sure you have your dinner. But if you really wish to go home, then it's fine." he added, smiling at me before taking his bag from the floor.

I want to go home, but I don't want to go right now too. I sighed before accepting his offer to join him for dinner and we both walked out after I took my bag to reach his car.

"Thank you, Senior." I mumbled when he opened the car door for me and he just smiled at my words which he wishes I don't utter but I can't do that no matter how many years it passed since he asked me not to thank him unnecessarily.

"I can't stop it." I pointed out to which he just chuckled before closing the door.

However, I heard a loud slam of a door, making me glance at the parking lot to find which vehicle that is getting abused by their owners.

"It must be an emergency." He mumbled, sitting beside me checking the same and I nodded thinking that could be it.

"Where shall we go?" he asked, starting the engine.

"Your wish, Senior! I am fine with anything." I replied, smiling and he nodded before driving us to the restaurant near to the hospital.

"Why are you working so hard these days?" that's what he asked the moment we placed our orders.

"So, this is the reason I you asked me for dinner." I stated shaking my head.

"One of the reason and the second reason is that I am hungry." He shrugged and I sighed leaning back to stare at his face.

He just admitted his plan without thinking twice and maybe that was the reason I became this close to him and didn't block him like others during college.

He is as honest as I try to be even though these days I am trying to cross the line and say lies to the people around me sometimes but trying to make it as near to the truth as possible.

"So?" he stressed and I finally sighed before letting him know about my relationship.

"You... you got a boyfriend?" he asked, frowning and I nodded clearing my throat.

"Just a small problem with him. Don't worry about me for this reason, Senior." I continued, but he didn't seem relaxed.

"What is the problem?" he continued asking.

"Something! I will just discuss with him and clear it. I don't want to drag it much by bringing in others." I replied and he nodded understanding my view.

"If there is anything you need to talk about let me know. But you better clear it first before getting yourself tired like this." He advised making me smile.

"I am not tired because of the work, but just because of these stupid thoughts in my head. And I enjoy learning all these things. I will be succeeding you, right?" I asked making him laugh.

"I want you to do that and take over our department in our hospital." He replied staring at me.

"Then why are you always trying to push me to Mumbai?" I asked him frowning not understanding that part.

"I thought it would be better if you get close to your family again and have a good life with them. But I never wanted you to leave if I have to say my personal opinion." He replied shrugging.

"That will never happen, Senior. And even I don't want to go from this place anymore." I stated my decision I was contemplating about for the past two weeks.

I was more than ready to leave this place and settle in Mumbai at least in my thoughts before one month. But after all his disappearance without any contact from him made me feel scared what if he does the same when I am not here but at that place. I wouldn't have my friends, or even my senior with me to hold on to my sanity.

"Are you sure?" he asked, frowning and I nodded smiling at him.

Even though this matter gets settled between us today after I reach my home, I don't think I am confident right now to go to that city by just trusting him. Why am I behaving like this? When did I become this crazy and impatient person?

"Fine! I will never bring the topic of your transfer and let's make our department even better with our efforts." Saying that he lifted his water glass and I lifted my glass chuckling before clinking our glasses together.

****

"Are you sure you don't want me to give you a lift? It's really late, Palak." He asked in a worried tone.

"I will take an Auto, Senior. You just note down the number and you chose the restaurant that is near to my home too." I pointed out and he finally accepted my request after a few minutes but called an Auto by himself and noted down everything before sending me off.

I am fine with him dropping me in his car, but David is there at my home right now and I don't want him to think much about this like I did last time. We already have enough issues, why should there be another one which I can make sure not let it happen.

However, when I reached my home, I found it completely empty and there is no trace of him. I took out my phone and switched it on hoping he actually used the duplicate key I gave him in the morning to enter and not stayed the whole day outside.

But he seems like left the place itself and I don't know at what time he actually left. It is fine if he had left in the morning itself even though I wished for him to wait for me, at least for one day to compensate for one month. The main problem would be if he was troubled by waiting outside instead of in my home.

Wait! Where are your thoughts going, Palak? God! I am confused with everything I am thinking right now. What should I feel about the current situation?

I wish there was a book to guide me because all my emotions are just spread around. One second I am feeling worried about his troubles and in the next second I am disappointed and then I am even feeling anger. With all these emotions I opened the message he sent only to feel shock.

'I am outside your hospital waiting in my vehicle. At what time will you finish?'

When did he send me this? I thought immediately checking the timing and found it to be the time when I was still inside finishing the work.

Did he leave from there directly? I frowned, but sighed, looking around to find some trace of him actually waiting in my home during the day before reaching my room to continue the search.

Without finding anything, I freshened up and decided to just sleep after contemplating for some time what to do with him. However, I sent a message wishing him Goodnight without any other words, to send before drifting off into sleep.

I need not worry about whether I will get sleep or not because of the work I was doing every day and getting myself tired with all this. No one can stop me from sleeping even the disappointment of not being able to see him even today.

****

I woke up with a start, hearing my room door opening slowly, I immediately shifted my hand to take hold of my phone and the torchlight present on the bed stand before lifting the light without switching it on with one hand and unlocking my phone with another.

"It's me, Palak." My fingers paused on the keypad to press the emergency dial before switching on the torch and moved it at the entrance only to see his familiar face.

I took a deep breath before switching it off and laid down again while trying to control my breathing. I don't think I ever felt scared like this before.

"You got scared?" he asked with his voice getting closer, but I kept my eyes closed not knowing how can I control myself from killing him.

"Palak!" he tapped my shoulder and that was the last straw.

"Are you like mad, David? Don't you know how to press the doorbell? Why did you enter my place like this?" I shouted, sitting up and he just sat calmly before me not reacting much to my shouting.

"You gave me this key for me to come without the need for ringing the bell, right?" he asked without raising his voice.

"Then why didn't you just stay here if you knew how to operate that key? Where were you when I reached my home?" I asked, not able to control the pitch of my tone at all.

"Are you mad at me because I am here at this time using the key or for not staying here in your home after using the key?" he asked and I don't know with what he is asking that question as I can't see his face clearly.

"I don't know! Let me calm down first." I whispered realizing I was being more than stupid.

"I should have rang the bell." He commented in between and I sighed before turning on the torch again to glance at his face only to be taken back.

"What happened to you?" I asked, frowning and then turned the light to his whole body.

"You became too weak, David. And your face is like too much. Why didn't you take care of yourself and what was Satish doing?" I continued to ask but he didn't reply at all and I finally shifted the light back to his face only to find his expression filled with anger.

"What happened?" I finally asked, realizing something is wrong right now.

"You went out for dinner with your senior even though you knew I was waiting for you." He simply expressed those words but I felt dread inside.

"Wait! You saw us from the entrance? You were still there when we walked out?" I asked connecting the dots from here and there.

"I was waiting for you from morning and when you didn't come home at the usual time, I drove to the hospital, but didn't enter as I forgot my mask and it wouldn't be comfortable for you if I had entered showing my face. So, I just stayed there waiting, but in turn saw you leaving with him with all smiles. I even tortured my car to stop myself from dragging you away from him and just followed you guys. You had dinner with him while keeping me waiting. What should I think in this situation?" he asked, frowning and I calmly got down from the bed before walking towards the switchboard and switched on the light.

I definitely feel bad right now for going to dinner with senior even though I knew he was here, but I couldn't let go of all my other thoughts.

"Even I was waiting for you for one whole month, David." I said, turning around to stare at him and he is already staring back at me.

"So, you wanted to keep me waiting and make me feel jealous?" he asked frowning.

"If I wanted to make you feel jealous then I would have made him drop me at my place instead of catching an Auto. I was just not ready to see you and not prepared to demand for answers. I have so much to ask and to throw tantrums at you, but at the same time I don't know whether I have complete right to do that. I don't know what is the level until which I can get mad at you and I don't know at which moment I will be crossing the line which needs to be held by each person in a relationship. I don't know any of these and that made me escape to get some more time before confronting you. It was never my intention to make you feel like that regarding Senior and me." I explained without missing a beat and I saw all kinds of expressions on his face from anger to guilt to sadness.

After saying whatever I can utter, I waited for his response because I damn well need it right now to escape from all the doubts that got planted in my head because of his absence.

"And I didn't see your message that you were waiting for me until I reached here." I added to not make him think I was that cruel to make him wait outside hospital.

"I am sorry, Palak. Even if you made me wait wantedly at any place, it wouldn't be a wrong thing to do. It was my mistake to not contact you at all during all these days. I was not supposed to leave for this shoot in the first place and only if either my brother accepted me for the company's brand or the other group accepted me to shoot within India all this wouldn't have happened." He mumbled shaking his head.

"That is not the answer to the questions I am asking, David. I understand the work you do and I am fine if you had to leave for a month or even more, but what I don't understand is no contact from your side. And you never mentioned that you were joining the company where your brother is the CEO." I pointed out, remembering the last conversation we had at the station.

"If I tell you the reason, then it will be nothing but like a teenager whining about his problems." He said shaking his head.

"Even if it is like a toddler whining, I am fine about it if there is a reason in the first place." I stated not giving him a chance to escape.

He just sighed, hearing my words and patted on the bed after which I sat down even though I wish to stay away from him until I can hear the explanation, but I don't want to stand for much longer, if what he has to say is too much.

"My brother didn't like the fact that I was still continuing my profession even though I started working at the company. He felt I wouldn't be working showing my complete ability if I was distracted with other works. Still, he compromised, but was not accepting the fact that I was going to Italy for this shoot for one whole week. So, the first week before I left he made me work on several projects and took my phone away. I tried contacting you through Satish but couldn't meet him too, because of which he just sent you messages from my side once." He pointed out the last sentence.

"I got the message that you were busy." I pointed back the message I received the first week after I returned from Mumbai.

"After that I got busy with my shooting, but then my brother brought me more work even though I was out of the country and Satish was not with me because his CEO was angry at him for not managing my work properly and she had to convince the brand to not sue me. So, there was a new manager and I didn't have my phone and I didn't remember your number and I couldn't even contact Satish. To top of all that I had to work regarding the company projects and meet a few clients. There was not a single day where I was able to take rest." He explained and I finally understood his appearance.

"I returned Mumbai today early morning and I directly started travelling to come near you and I even took Satish's phone from him and reached here. But then..." he trailed off and I closed my eyes, trying to gather all the information he just uttered.

"So, all this is because of your brother?" I asked, frowning at him and stared at him to which he nodded.

"But why is he doing all this in the first place? You don't even like working at the company as far as I can understand, but you are working there without giving a reason. And now to top of dislike you had to go through all this torture. Why?" I asked, not able to stop any question from uttering that entered my mind.

"I am working there because he asked me to. He asked me to give up my profession completely and start working for him. He wants me to take over the company within a few years completely." He replied looking down.

"And you accepted?" I asked him frowning.

"He is my brother." He replied and I can hear the pain in his voice.

I realize I was behaving rudely right now with all these questions. Just because I am not close to my brother doesn't mean there is no such sibling relation which is closer than I can imagine. He is scolding his brother at one side, but then again, there is no real hatred except for confusion.

"You don't know why he is behaving like this?" I asked in a normal tone, letting go of all the anger and every other thought.

"No! But how I wish I know. He always supported all of us to go with our dreams. He has been taking care of us for the past fifteen years after my Dad passed away. Now, he is forcing all of us in this away." He replied groaning and covered his face in frustration.

"It's okay!" I whispered, placing my hands around him and gave him a hug hoping he can calm down.

"Why don't you rest, David? You seem to be completely restless." I added moving back, but he shifted his hands to hug me back tightly.

"I am really sorry for worrying you like this." He whispered tightening his hug.

"I should have realized that something must have happened." I mumbled, but he shook his head.

"You reacted better than I expected. I can see that you were genuinely worried about everything." He said moving back.

"But why didn't you tell me that your brother was the CEO?" I asked before I could stop myself because everything started from here.

"I don't know! I was not ready to express all this I guess." He replied, sighing, and I felt relief that he was able to express himself like this but sad that he is going through all this.

I know he is in a dilemma because of everything that is happening. I went through the same a few years ago when I finally felt that my family doesn't care for me because of which I felt sad and all emotions but also a sense of denial. It is not the same case here because I can feel that there must be a reason for his brother's sudden change. But how can I explain that to him based on just my hunch?

If someone had assured me that whatever I was seeing or feeling was wrong regarding my family, then I may have held on to them for longer which could have resulted in solving everything in our family but now it is impossible. What if it will be the same for him? I don't think he will be able to bear it. But what can I do?

"What are you thinking?" he asked, frowning at me.

"David! I already told you that I am not close to my family, right?" I asked, looking at him and he nodded remembering the incidents.

"But I know that they care for me deeply." I added the words which I don't believe anymore, but I need to tell this lie to make him feel relaxed about his issues.

"And?" he asked after a pause while I cleared my throat.

"There will always be disturbances between the members of the family, but everyone needs to understand the situation of others which will help them to not have major problems. Even though I already have problems with them, I understand their actions as much as I can." I continued giving him a smile before searching for the next words to utter.

"Like... like there was a recent incident like nearly a year back where my brother got into a huge trouble. At that moment I was worried for him and even scared thinking what will happen to him. I got angry at him too, but then when someone told me what actually happened because of which that incident happened, I couldn't help myself but feel bad to think wrong about him. I mean he had his reasons for everything that happened and it felt good that he was able to solve it easily." I explained while he just stared at me without giving a reaction.

"Was it a huge incident?" he asked, staring at me.

"It was some car accident." I replied, to which he frowned.

"After seeing many accident cases it is simple for you, right? I remember you saying that in the beginning when we met regarding some huge accident." He mumbled and I was shocked to see him remembering that day but if I dwell into the details about my thoughts regarding the accidents and how he is slightly still mistaken about my view then this night will not be enough.

"Kind of! But it seems it is the fault of both parties and not his alone. And the fault on his part was because of a very emotional reason. See? Even though he did something wrong there was a reason behind it which made me feel guilty to not think about before and just get angry at him." I explained, remembering just a bit of information I was able to drag from my brother where he was shouting at me to not disturb him or Dad by calling them regarding this incident and even Di just told me what happened that day regarding the abortion.

"So, there could be a reason for your brother to behave like this too. Just think about it and solve these issues with him." I added smiling at him.

I don't care whether whatever I am saying right now is what I believe regarding my family, but I hope I am right regarding his and he feels better and not get sad because of everything that is happening in his life.

"Hey! What happened?" I asked in shock seeing the tears forming, rolling down his cheeks which he immediately brushed away.

"Just give me a moment." Saying that he stood up and walked out of the room while I sat there in confusion.

I shouldn't have got myself involved with his matter? But I got worried with the way he felt about his brother's orders. Ugh! I seriously need a guide for the second time.

After a few minutes, I got down from the bed and started walking towards the living room to see him standing outside and I calmly followed him but stopped hearing his conversation.

"I am sorry, Bhai." I smiled hearing those words and sighed in relief before returning to my room to take out a pair of his clothes so that he can get freshen up.

"Everything is fine now?" I asked, hearing his footsteps and turned to see him standing near the doorway.

"Yes! I will go back to the hotel then." He replied, glancing at the clothes I took out.

"Why? You can stay here." I mumbled frowning.

"He asked me to return to work tomorrow to talk about the dealings I took part in. And it is better if I leave within a few hours. You need to sleep and go to work tomorrow." He explained, but I frowned, not wishing for him to leave.

Anyway, it is my fault to talk about all these emotional stuff and maybe he needs some space too. I gave him a nod and followed him when he started to leave and asked him to take care of himself more.

-----------------------------

i just wrote this in one stretch and there could be a few mistakes... dont mind... uff for this story i think it's a first time i gave an immediate update...

if possible let me know your views regarding how the story is going and everything...

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