“Why can't you be attentive? You are far too distracted for a surgeon,” Dr. Vikrant hissed through his surgical mask. Dr. Mahika looked around and felt all eyes on her. Her face burned with humiliation. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes threatening to tumble. It wasn’t that she was not trying but nothing could match Dr. Vikrant’s expectations. Wiping away the tears, she checked the patient’s vital parameters before exiting the operation theatre.

“Oh God! Why do I get so nervous in front of this guy?” She mumbled closing her eyes.

She opened her eyes when she felt his presence in the room. Stretching her hand, she offered help when she saw him struggling out of his green scrubs. He thrust his large palm before her and mumbled, “I'll manage”.

“Why does this guy always spew venom?” Mahika jutted out her lower lip in anger.

“Is he pretending or has he erased me from his past or am I barking up the wrong tree?” she pondered, staring unabashedly at him.

The classic crew cut suited his oval face. Small but expressive eyes hid behind his thick, black-framed spectacles. Looking at his long, sharp nose, thin upper lip, and the cleft on his chin, she nodded in affirmation. “It’s him. I am sure, it’s him.” The stubble on his cheeks highlighted his broad jawline. Now and then he pushed his glasses up his nose with his forefinger. This was Vicky’s way of moving the glasses in place and regaining his composure.  She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

Her chain of thoughts broke when Dr Vikrant clicked his fingers in front of her eyes.  She froze for a second and glanced furtively over his shoulders. As if catching her emotions as lucidly as his diagnosis template, he grinned. The grin vanished as fast as it appeared and a nasty scowl replaced it.

“This guy is better off working in Bollywood. He will fit into the role of the ‘angry young man’. The ability to change expressions within seconds is getting wasted in this hospital. He will make for a good villain,” she smirked, thinking aloud.

Watching her lips move, “You said something?” he asked, inching a little forward. She moved her head from left to right like a student caught red-handed by the teacher.

“I need to discuss something with you. Can we talk over a cup of coffee? At the canteen? In an hour, after my rounds?” He bent his 6 feet body to her 5.4 feet level to speak. The scent of his aftershave filled her nostrils, making her feel heady. A slight shiver traversed every inch of her body. Before she could even bat her eyelids, 'Tak, Tak' his shoes clicked on the marble floor, as he marched ahead straightening his coat. Mahika kept staring in his direction.

“Why doesn’t he behave normally? Why is he always scowling and barking orders?  And why doesn’t he speak in complete sentences? Strange guy! “Mahika gasped shrugging both her shoulders.

The curtness of his voice made her feel like she was getting a summons from the court.

*

" Welcome to Care Hospital," he had stated blatantly with a firm handshake when she had first set foot into the hospital, almost three months back.

No! Not a flicker of recognition had crossed his inimical gaze. Mahika had tried to broach the topic many times but each time his cold eyes had splashed a bucket full of ice water over her. Either he was on his mobile, barking instructions, or busy with his patients. She thought it was best to wait for the right time to talk to him.

She had to accept that he was the best surgeon in town. His deft, nimble fingers treated, cured, and healed the most difficult cases. She had also heard that he treated poor patients free of cost. Patients flocked to the OPD to meet him like bees flocked to honey. He answered the volley of questions the patients asked, not once, but repeated them till they were content. His assurances made the worried creases on their faces vanish instantly. His soft, concern-laced talks were only restricted to patients. The rest had to make do with his tirade of rants and piercing looks. It wasn't for nothing his subordinates had nicknamed him Vikrant Tyre, one and the only one, who could crush anyone’s self-esteem in one go.

*-*-*-*

“Date! Eh? With Vikrant Tyre? He has a different look in his eyes when he talks to you. Anything going on?" Nurse Suja, winked at Dr. Mahika. She felt her cheeks go hot but quickly recovered, “Date? He was barking orders at me like a police officer. Didn't you hear?” She bellowed before walking off.
.
She prayed fervently every day that he wouldn’t yell at her in front of patients. That would add ghee to the fire of humiliation already burning bright within her. “How he has changed over the years!”

She cast a glance at the mirror in the washroom. Her hair was all combed backward into a neat French braid. That kept her long, frizzy hair intact for hours. A hint of kajal highlighted her big eyes. She prepped up her chapped lips with gloss and pressed them together. She nodded with satisfaction at her reflection. She had a half an hour break and had to spend most of it with Vikrant Tyre. She bit her lower lip and simpered, as she thought, “I, so look forward to it. I wish he gives me a chance to talk, for once”.

As she walked towards the canteen her thoughts galloped ahead, " Why has he called me?", "Maybe he will surprise me by saying he remembers about our past." The thought brought a smile to her glossy, pink lips.

" Two cups of black coffee, please", he ordered even without checking with her. When the waiter placed the coffee cups on the table, “I don’t drink black coffee.” Pushing her lower lip forward, she moved the cup away towards him.

Mahi’s way of showing anger has not changed, even a bit. Dr. Vikrant pursed his lips inward to suppress a smile.

He ran his fingers through his stubble and then pushed his glasses up his nose with his forefinger.

After downing a few sips of coffee, "Dr. Mahika, a surgeon should have a good hand, eye coordination. You look dazed and distracted in the operation theatre. Your distractions could one day cost someone their life. I don’t want to put the reputation of my hospital at stake. And one more thing, I don’t want you to get too emotionally involved with patients. You must maintain a distance and learn to be professional. Give it your all to treat patients, keeping sentiments aside. Try to gain as much experience as possible before handling cases independently,” he rambled on and on. Within the next fifteen minutes, he had handled two calls from his patients and made three calls to the staff nurse to check how his patients were doing. He kept glancing at his watch from time to time.

Finally, his glance fell on Mahika’s face, looking into her kohl-rimmed eyes distracted him, pushing up his glasses with his forefinger, he turned his attention to his coffee cup and added, "And no makeup and hairdos, please. For God's sake, this is a hospital! " These words stung her like a bee. She was not a teenager to be accosted like this. She was also a qualified surgeon just like him but yes, only that she didn’t have even half his experience.

Mahika stiffened. Looking at the coffee in front of her, " This is where he must be getting his bitter, scalding words", she thought, stifling the choke formed at the base of her throat. When she felt she couldn’t take it any longer, tears cascaded down her cheeks without any warning. She dabbed her eyes with a tissue but that only made things worse. Her breath came in snuffles followed by loud sobbing. This time she let it go, she wanted her tears to wash away the hurt, the humiliation, and his hostile behaviour. The dam of her emotions burst. Covering her face with her palms, her shoulders shuddered as she sobbed. Within a few minutes, she realized where she was and straightened up. She looked around and let out a long breath when she felt nobody had noticed her.

“Yes! I was mistaken all along. I am barking up the wrong tree. The good old past is long gone, however hard I tug at it, it won’t return. I need to close this chapter and move on in life.” Unconsciously, her head bobbed as if in tune with her thoughts.

Seeing her red eyes, kajal smudged cheeks, and face turned ashen with shame something inside him cracked up. " I am sorry Mahi. I didn't mean to hurt you ", moving forward he gently touched her hand.

Hearing him call her Mahi, Mahika looked up at him open-mouthed. Her eyes opened wide and her eyebrows shot up in shock.

" You recognized me? And you played along for the last 3 months Vicky, I hate you for this,” she blabbered amidst her tears, her nostrils flaring up with anger.

Dr. Vikrant’s lips widened a wee bit at the corners and went back to their original position.

" The scar above your eyebrows, your forever darting eyes, and the way you push your lower lip forward when you are angry; all this will never let me forget my-my, dear friend," Dr. Vikrant stuttered and then, thinking about all her past antics he threw his head back and laughed. She had not seen him laugh or smile in the last 3 months. His laughter sounded like the gurgle of a brook. Her eyes captured the moment like a camera capturing beautiful scenery. His eyes looked almost closed through his glasses, the perfect set of teeth flashed at her, and the sudden rush of blood made his face glow.

Mahika melted when she saw his dimpled chin. Her thoughts raced to the past.

Vicky and Mahi had stayed in the same building and had studied in the same school. Though there was an age gap of four years between them, they had become thick friends.

Vicky and Mahi were a sight to beckon as they spent time together. They were always up to mischief; climbing mango trees, flying kites on the terrace, playing in the park; giggling, fighting, teasing, and having loads of fun. Vicky was the fun-loving one who always tried to keep Mahi chirpy and giggly.

Mahi remembered as a teenager she had had a tiff over a game with Vicky, and he had pushed her lightly in jest. As she lost her balance and fell, her forehead struck a sharp stone. Vicky had cried more than her. When he was getting her stitches done, he squeezed her hand till it went numb saying," Sorry, I am sorry Mahi". From then on, he was careful and ensured she never got hurt when they were together. He knew she hated being treated rudely. So, he was cautious and ensured the others in their group, followed suit. He felt miserable to see Mahi cry. “You like Mahi, don’t you?” His friends used to tease him as his cheeks turned deep red.

They both knew that something more than friendship was brewing between them. But they failed to acknowledge it. What began as a small flicker had flared up over the years as wild flames.

Mahi and Vicky used to chat endlessly. During one of those chats, Mahi revealed that she wished to travel and see the world. She was keen on enjoying every priceless moment of life. Vicky gaped at her eyes, as they widened and narrowed as she spoke at length about her dreams and desires. When she had nudged him to share his dreams, “I want to be a doctor. My parents have sacrificed their dreams and are working tirelessly for a better future. When I grow up, I want to work for their secure and comfortable life,” he had asserted. The way his eyes stared fixedly ahead, strongly affirmed his words. Mahi had just stared at him forgetting even to blink.

After her 10^th board exams, Mahi had shifted to a new city with her parents. Gradually, they had both lost touch with each other. But Vicky had occupied an important place in Mahi’s mind and heart ever since.

15 years hence, it seemed like Vicky and Vikrant were two different personalities.

Looking at her small, round face and big expressive eyes lost in thoughts, he moved closer.  He looked away when he felt he was drowning in her ocean-like eyes.

“Why didn’t you acknowledge me on the first day I met you? Why do you keep running away from me? “Mahika questioned raising both her eyebrows.

“Why rake up the past Dr. Mahika? I wanted you to focus on your work. I don’t want any distractions.” It didn’t go unnoticed that he was calling her Dr. Mahika now. It felt like a tight slap on her face.

“Do you know most doctors and nurses working under me flirt with me and try to grab my attention? They know I am the best surgeon in town and the owner of this big hospital. I have no time for all these petty things. My parents, the hospital, and my patients are the only things that matter to me,” his raspy voice lashed out at her. This was the final nail in the coffin. Mahika could not take it anymore. His acerbic words made her realize that she had lost Vicky forever. The guy sitting across the table was a stranger who would never understand her feelings.

Dr. Mahika’s face burned with anger. She stood up, “I don’t want to work here anymore,” she thundered. She walked out of the canteen without casting a glance at him.

If only she had looked back once, she would have caught a glimpse of Vicky looking hopelessly lost. If only she had looked back once, their story would have taken a different swerve.

Dr. Vikrant’s face turned pale like he had seen a ghost and his chest heaved up and down with each shallow breath. He stared at her till she disappeared from his sight. He knew if he had shared his thoughts with her, she would be more than willing to bear his yoke. But he didn’t want her life caught up in tangles like his. He wanted her to be the free bird that she always wished to be. Getting involved with him would mean clipping both her wings.

He sat still, resting his forehead over his hands. He felt a deep pain within like his heart was ripped into shreds. Unbeknownst to him tears had formed in his eyes. Taking off his glasses, he quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand. Wrapping his arms around his shoulders, he tried to compose himself.

He had noticed Mahi the first day she walked into the hospital. He wanted to rush out and give her a tight hug. But the weight of the yoke of responsibilities on his shoulders pulled him back. He put on a mask of pretence in front of her. Mahi’s eyes had done all the talking. He knew deep down the flames of love were still burning bright. He ignored her, insulted her, passed snide remarks, and tried to project a bad image of himself to keep her away from him.

The strong wall of composure broke into a thousand pieces when he saw Mahi in tears. Vicky had rushed to the forefront leaving Dr. Vikrant behind. Vicky would never let Mahi cry then, now, or forever. He wanted her to be always happy. But when Vicky felt he was drowning in her ocean-like eyes, he reluctantly stepped back.

His father had suffered a paralytic attack and was bedridden for the last 5 years. His mother was an Alzheimer’s patient. After his duty at the hospital, he had to rush home to be by his parents’ side. The responsibilities at home and the hospital only seemed to increase with each passing day. He was left with no time for himself. And so, he distanced himself from everyone around him. He hated people showing sympathy towards his parents. Slowly over the years, a bitterness had seeped into his life. His work kept him going and he immersed himself in it.

Dr. Vikrant realized that he would never be able to give time to Mahi or keep her happy.

He knew that Mahi would hear none of these. She would willingly sacrifice her wishes and desires to be with him.  But Dr. Vikrant would certainly not want that. He wanted Mahi to marry someone who would love her dearly and open the floodgates of happiness.

The flames of love he had for Mahi burned brighter than before. He wanted to keep it burning deep within him. He didn’t want his love to burn her life and turn her dreams into ashes. Dr. Vikrant wanted Mahi to have the best of everything in life.

Mahi would never come back to him again, ever.

No, she hadn’t barked up the wrong tree! It was just that the tree felt it was not apt for her.

Heaving a long sigh, he got up. Straightening his coat and pushing his glasses up his nose with his forefinger, Dr. Vikrant walked into the hospital as his shoes went ‘Tak Tak’ on the marble floor.

***