Fitoor

Chapter 42

Mishti Bose

"Yo! Where are you headed to?" Harper questioned me.
"It's fucking 3 in the morning. Ofcourse my apartment." I groaned, stretching my back. I had just finished another important surgery, and good news is that I'm free for the rest of the week! No appointments, no drilling human brains. Just me and my luxurious penthouse in London.
"What about tonight? Up for a swim in the ocean of vodka?" She wiggled her eyebrows.
"Please! No. Last time we had to sit at a dingy police station with a weird ass pervert staring like he'd eat us. No way in hell I'm doing that again." I cringed.
"Common! My choice wasn't that bad." Harper protested.

"Yeah. Except that it could involve life risk. Please exclude me from your adventures." She gave me a death stare.
"Fine. What about that new cafe? We'll go by evening, have a stroll and get back to my place for a movie marathon?" I suggested. Her eyes immediately brightened up.
"Sure! We can watch all of the Harry Potter movies! Or wait, what do you think about Marvel?" My smile faltered. I used to do this with Niha. Lord knows where she is.
"We can watch Conjuring." She flipped me as I laughed.
"Alright. Let me know when you get ready." Harper nodded and walked back into the ER.

I reached the parking lot and sat inside my car. Though I liked to use public transportation for most of the travelling, I preferred my vehicle during a surgery. I couldn't be trusted in a bus or metro after watching so much blood and brain matter. 3 years did not settle me to stick to London. I was yearning to visit other places. I missed the comfort India brought along with it, but I'd never set foot in that country again. Not after what happened.

3 years ago

Mishti settled in the apartment that she shared with her roommate Harper. It was small but enough for two people. She couldn't afford any other place with her loan and other obligations. She wouldn't have to think about all of this, once she finished her PG. She would earn in crores, and buy herself a big flat, that's what Mishti thought. As soon as she set her bedspread and made herself a warm and nice tea, her phone started ringing.

She winced at the caller ID, her mother. She was too heartbroken to realise what she had done. Even without bidding goodbye to her family, she had left. And now a call from Nitya was enough to fill her with guilt. Sighing, she picked the call.

"Hello? Maa, aap-"
"Mishti. Dadi, she chale gache. Gata shoptahe."
(Dadi, chali gayi. Pichle hafte.)
"Kya? Maa, tumi ki bolcho?" She asked frantically.
(Kya bol rahe hai aap?)
"Dadi humesha ke liye chali gayi, Mishti. Mai tumhe batane wali thi par-"
"Seriously? Tumi ki bolte yachele? Kokhon? Ami maror por?" She shouted.
(Batane wale the? Kab? Mere marne ke baad?)

"Mishti! Chodke tum chali gayi. Agar idhar hi rehti to aise kuch bhi nahi hota. You could have stayed." Nitya's blames were too much for her.
"Nitya! Kauke kichu bolar dorkar nahi. Bhaag ke jaane walo ko aur kya hi bologe? Is parivar se uska rishta, usi din khatam hogaya jab wo bin bataye chali gayi. Agar kisi ne usse baat ki, to aap bhi is ghar ko chodke jaa sakte ho." Vijay Bose declared.
(Kisise kuch bhi bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai.)

And that day, Mishti Bose really felt alone, not just that she was miles away from her family, but she was no longer a part of it.

I sighed and started the vehicle. Driving the empty streets, I reached my penthouse after 45 minutes. The moment I stepped inside, I sank to the floor, closing my eyes. I don't know whether Harper's Marvel suggestion triggered those memories, or the conversation with Fahad, the day before. Immediately reaching for the sleeping tablets, I gulped them with water to calm my nerves down. My anxiety had worsened the panic attacks. Being a doctor, I couldn't handle my mental health issues.