Acquaintances

1. Hello Ajooni

"10L normal saline and 4L DNS in the evening." I said instructing the caretaker as the trainer stands with his arms folded over his chest.

"Will he recover?" He asked, as I look at him.

"He will, only if you let him rest and recover properly. This is a major surgery and you need to get a proper written order from your local veterinarian before you even move him from walk to trot. I know he is one of your champion horses but please give him time."

"Dr. Saab. This isn't our first stint with colic. I've been working with horses for 26 years. I know the protocol." His sly confident smile was clear.

"And I've done 26 such surgeries in the last 4 months alone. Horses in race tracks are sometimes sent back to the course too soon. Warning you is part of my job." I say removing my gloves and throwing it in the bin after I had bandaged the sutureline.

The veterinary assistant in the course returned with the new horse trainer on toe. He was an amicable man in his late 20's in contrast to the grumpy old trainer who had stopped seeing horses as soulful creatures and was just invested in the profit that they earned. "The rest is up to you. Prescribed antibiotics twice a day, I.V. for seven days and painkillers to be stopped in five days. The sutures will be removed in 12 days and only then can we think about exercise. Cleanliness of surroundings and the incision site is a must with fly repellant being sprayed thrice a day."

"Sure mam. We won't give you a chance to complain. Umm... and If it's not a... problem... There is a race supposed to start in an hour and half. We would really like it if you attend." He said, as I look down at my dirty scrubs. I wanted to respect his invitation but I wasn't  sure if I had something proper to meet the elites of Delhi.

"Sure. I'll go to my room and change. Apologies if I'm a little late."

"No worries, mam. We owe you so much. You flew in at such short notice and came to our aide. Mr. Bajaj would be thankful if he could be here right now."

"It's my job, Saurav. It was nice meeting you and do tell Mr. Bajaj, it was an honor to be here." I say, and take my leave hoping to be able to find a dress for the occasion.

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I twirl in the short beige cocktail dress and look at my reflection in the mirror as my eyes looked harder at the figure standing before me.

The small mole under my chin reminded me of a special friend.
"You look like Madonna with this." He used to say when we were done with our homework and tired of playing. We would sit on the swing in our garden as he stared at me with subtle affection.

"Madonna had them here." I would say pointing to just below my lips.

It felt weird being in the same city as him and not being able to see him. It had been 12 years from the time when we were inseparable from the hip. We had just started our tenth standard when he left.

I didn't even know where he lived. Even if I did, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to talk to him.

He was a big man now. Like he always wanted to be.

My phone's alarm rang, telling me I should be out of the room by now. I wear my heels and slide my hands through the long straight hair tied in a high pony to unknot any tangles before running out.

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I sat looking at the beauties in the corner ready for race as the center of attention for the crowd seemed to shift somewhere towards the entrance.

I kept looking at the horses, unless the newcomer VIP settled along with the crowd.

And that's when I turned to see what the buzz was about. My eyes blinked thrice unable to believe if this was real as my left hand goes to my right hand and I pinch myself.

This didn't feel real. My lips curved in a small smile as I noticed Riya Verma, daughter of two prominent actors and a model herself hanging off his arm.

The smile faded and I hated being here. Why was I here? To see a race?

To keep the heart of a trainer who asked me with so much respect?

I didn't even know the trainer. I could just go to my room and eat Pringles,  unless it was time for my flight.

My eyes went to Riya's beautiful figure as Pringles seemed like a really bad idea at how quickly I was gaining weight.

I loved horses, but races had never been my scene. I wasn't born with the class to handle the socialites here. Nor was I groomed for that.

His smile widened as Riya said something in his ear and somehow I hated myself even more.

It had been 12 years. He wouldn't even recognize me, so why was I being affected.

I shouldn't have agreed to be here, I thought to myself again.

But I didn't expect to see him on the race tracks, dressed in his khakis and Burberry sunglasses.

I acted like I got an urgent text and got up, ready to walk out. I walked towards the partition and saw a huge crowd.

I could wait, but I wasn't a very patient person. So, I turned towards the exit on the opposite side navigating a longer way to avoid his gaze.

I would hate it even more if he saw me and didn't remember who I was. He wouldn't and that was a logical fact, but I still lived in the fantasy that sometimes... just sometimes when things get harder he lies on a terrace looking up at the star and thinking what would I be doing in my little town...

"Ajooni." He called out and I froze at the familiar voice. I couldn't believe my ears as I turned to look at almost 6 feet of swagger walking towards me.

"Shub?" I said, as his lips curled in a genuine smile that almost took my breath away.

"What are you doing here in Delhi?" He said, and I felt like I was in his lawn stepping over his mother's seedlings of coriander all over again.

"I... I... was..." I stutter as his smile broadened, the surprise settling in.

"Are you nervous?"

"I am here because a horse had colic and needed emergency surgery and then they requested me to stay..." I say taking a deep breath and bringing my wits about to myself.

"Oh yes, you wanted to become a doctor. So, I guess...Congrats, Dr. Ajooni Randhawa." He said, as I smiled.

"And you wanted to become a cricketer. Congratulations for that... Mr. Shubman Gill."