The summer sun spills on the white marble tiles, like a splash of yellow paint on a new canvas. The wooden clock ticks frustratingly slow, almost as if mocking my helplessness and anguish. My feet tap rhythmically on the floor in a futile attempt to display my consternation and aggravation. My heart pounds against my chest practically fighting my bones in an attempt to fall out. A melancholic feeling settles inside of me, haunting my soul. Just as I am about to give in to my distress, the door swings open, and in comes Akriti, my best friend, wearing her white apron.
“I am so sorry Nat. The surgery took longer than I expected.” Akriti apologizes, still trying to catch her breath from the day she has had.
A soft smile creeps onto my sunken face, as her bubbly energy fills the room. “Chill Akriti, I understand, it must not be easy to be the best cardiologist in the state, that too this goddamn beautiful” I reply heartily, which causes her to laugh amusedly.
She settles down next to me, all signs of mirth replaced by perturbation and sympathy. “Natasha, I really wish that things could’ve been different, but we’ve no other option” she begins, and dread paralyses my body once again as the events of the past few days come rushing back like a torrent.
“We’re going to have to open your heart” she continues commiseratingly while silently wrapping me in a tight embrace as I break down into tears.
***
I sit at the edge of my bed, finding it physically impossible to get myself ready for the dreadful day. The past two days felt like a tumultuous blur which came and went in the blink of an eye, leaving me stranded to get through today despite my strong protests to the universe.
‘Grow up Natasha. Stop being such a baby! The faster this ends the better, just finish it off now, it’s just an open heart, no big deal’ I reprimand myself vainly, my words dripping with sarcasm.
Grudgingly, I get myself to the car and begin driving towards the hospital, not bothering to change my night clothes or make myself look presentable. Despite the scorching heat I find myself shivering and trembling. Blood screams in my ears and my nerves feel like they’ve been set on fire. It feels as if I am melting and freezing at the same time.
Finally I reach the hospital after what feels like a torturous eternity. I rush up the stairs like a bat out of hell, not bothering to wait for the elevator. I storm into Akriti’s office, wanting to get over with this as fast as possible, and there she is, standing tall with a bottle of whiskey in her hand and a sneaky smile on her face.
“You ready to open your heart? I told you that Sharma boy would turn out to be a scum, but you thought I was crazy, and as the story goes you were the one in mad in love” she says waggishly, before bursting out into full blown laughter.
This woman!