The Marriage Contract

49 - Strip Tease

The entire day, from the moment he left his cabin, Abhimanyu had a bright smile plastered over his face. He felt good. Happy. Satisfied. Content. He greeted his patients happily, actively listening to their stories, laughing with them. No doubt he enjoyed his work, but today...it just felt different. Better.

He checked his watch as he entered his cabin to file the notes from today's consultations. 8pm. 2 more hours and he'd be able to go home. Normally, his back would start hurting, his neck would start to feel a bit of a sprain coming on, but today, he felt absolutely fine.

Abhimanyu had barely taken a seat on his desk, when he heard a knock on is door.

"Come in." He called out just as Dr. Manav, a junior colleague walked in, his eyes flirting on the edge of hesitancy.

"Dr. Birla. I have a question to ask you."

"Ah, Dr. Manav, what can I do for you?" Yeah, he was in a good mood and nothing was going to ruin it.

"I...I know I'm scheduled to work this weekend, but I...can't."

"And why not?" Abhimanyu looked up at the junior doctor, displeased by his request.

"It's Valentine's Day and my...fiancée and I made plans to go on a mini getaway. I was going to inform you earlier but it just slipped my mind. I'm sorry. But don't worry, Dr. Rohan agreed to cover my shift."

Abhimanyu pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, if you already have your bases covered, what do you want me to say?"

"You are my senior sir. I know I should have talked to you before. Informed you. It was a mistake on my end, and if you need me to say, I will. I'll cancel my plans." He added quickly. "It's short notice, I understand."

"No, it's okay. You already made the plans. Why cancel them? But from next time, I would appreciate more than a three day's notice." Abhimanyu waved Dr. Manav off, unimpressed by his last minute plans but feeling a little bit generous. Especially where love was concerned.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Sir! I promise to give you a two even three weeks notice next time." Dr. Manav turned on his heel to leave when Abhimanyu stopped him.

"Make sure to leave Dr. Rohan notes about your patients so he's able to attend to them to the best of his abilities. He may be attending to them in your absence but they are still your patients."

"Yes, yes, Sir." Dr. Manav nodded his head in understanding before exiting Abhimanyu's cabin.

~*~

After Dr. Manav left. Abhimanyu's mind kept wandering back to what he'd said. Shit. Valentine's Day was around the corner. And he had made no plans because frankly he did not give a damn about Valentine's Day, the day of love before.

Sure, he used it has a day of picking up sad, lonely girls who were easy lays but other than that, he could've cared less.

But shit! With Akshara, he strangely...wanted to spend it. Do what the guys —boyfriends, husbands, partners, normally did for their girlfriends, wives or partners.

Abhimanyu pulled up his calendar to see the Valentine's Day was this weekend. Which meant in exactly four days. And he had no plan set in motion.

Just as he thought of possible gifts for Akshara, his phone rang and a name flashed on screen he hadn't heard from in over 3 months.

Kairav Singhania.

His friend from college. CEO and heir to Singhania Industries. His best friend. Granted he lived miles away and was busy taking over the world, but still, he was Abhimanyu's best friend.