Father of the Bride

Chapter 6- Kintsugi

"I don't love casually.
When I love it's fierce.
It's my soul ripped wide open
and raw. It's my whole heart
on display. It's all I have 
and everything I know, handed
over to you like a gift. 
And I hope you unwrap it 
gently."

___________________________________________

Waiting in the noisy hospital Mahnoor read Feroz's text message. Her nephew was in touch with Ayaaz and informed Mahnoor that he would be back in 12 days time. That was enough time for Amirah to get over the shock. Mahnoor planned to cement the gap and cook a meal so everyone could sit together and talk it over.

A young Health Care Assistant called her into a private room and checked her weight, height and blood pressure. Dressed in a fitted black draped dress which pleated around her neckline, the young Health Care assistant admired her style and her nude heels. 
"I've just come from the office." Mahnoor brushed off the compliment. 

Thankfully last night she waxed her legs and moisturised them this morning after her shower. The south Indian female consultant, Dr Ramayan had examined her previously and carried out scans and found no obvious displacement. Mahnoor was thankful she was seeing the same female consultant who had warm soft hands and understood her medical history.
"Mahnoor Qureshi." Called the nurse in a blue tunic uniform and led Mahnoor into the consulting room.
There was a distinct smell of disinfectant in the large consulting room. On the right was the blue examination couch with a roll of blue roll running along it. In front of her was the doctor's desk pressed against the wall. Nurse Jenkins stood beside the desk with the brown buff folder going through Mahnoor's notes.
"Please take a seat." She instructed Mahnoor.

The doctor had yet to arrive, so Nurse Jenkins confirmed Mahnoor's date of birth, address and telephone numbers. Mahnoor stretched her leg feeling a spasm making her muscles rigid.
"That's wonderful." Nurse Jenkins smiled. "I'm afraid that Dr Ramayan has been called out on an emergency."
Mahnoor was disappointed.
"However, we have called another orthopedic doctor who is one of our Harley Street specialist." The nurse smiled like there was a celebrity among them. "You'll be in safe hands." Nurse Jenkins assured.
Harley Street? Mahnoor zoned out of the conversation trying to figure why it was so familiar. Where had she heard that before?
At that moment whilst her mind was trying to crack the mystery from behind, the door opened and the doctor arrived. The nurse welcomed the doctor but Mahnoor eyes were fixed on the cold tap staring in a day dream. It hit Mahnoor. It wasn't a patient who went to see a doctor; it was a doctor who owned a clinic on Harley Street! Khizar Khan! He is an orthopedic surgeon. Mahnoor heart plunged to her feet when the nurse called out.
"Welcome Dr Khan!"
Mahnoor's stomach tied in a knot. She couldn't turn around. Instead she bowed her head hoping to shrink away and covered her face with her left hand, paralysed in her chair when she breathed in his familiar ice cool aftershave with subtle notes of lavender

With his back to the patient, Khizar sanitised his hands with alcohol gel. When he turned he stopped in his tracks. It was Mahnoor. Her feet crossed over tucked under the chair, she was dressed in a chic lavender hip length jacket, her hair tight in a tidy bun with loose strands outlining her cheeks. His heart pounded like it was going to burst out of his chest. He tucked his ID badge into his shirt and took a deep breath blocking out his emotions. He had to treat Mahnoor like any other patient. He had to be professional.

"Are you okay Ms Qureshi?" Asked the nurse noticing her brow knit together and her cheeks flush pink. Mahnoor glanced at Khizar's black trousers, white shirt and the stethoscope hanging from around his neck but she avoided his gaze. Her mouth was dry and words were stuck. Should she say something? She didn't know how to react, frozen in shock. Out of politeness she mumbled and replied to the nurse.
"I'm fine."
Ploughing through the awkwardness, Khizar continued like a true professional disengaging his emotions as it was part of his job. He clicked on the computer screen and began asking Mahnoor questions.
"I haven't had a chance to read your file, I'm covering for Dr Ramayan." He scanned the notes. His tone was professional, distant like he met her for the first time.
"Could you briefly explain to me the problem?" He ran his hand over his hair looking at the screen.
Mahnoor swallowed hard, she sat back and looked at her hands.
"I'm having a few problems with my knee." She pushed through the awkwardness. "Recently it's gone from bad to worse and I had to stopping-" She paused realising her sentence didn't make sense.
"-it's stopped me from doing things due to the severe pain." Her armpits hot and clammy, Mahnoor zoned into the doctor-patient meeting. She focused on the pain throbbing in her left knee and how it was causing problems. She needed a diagnosis. Scan. Help. Medicine. Anything so she could get back to her salsa classes, and Saturday morning jog with Sheetal.
"How long has that been going on for?"
"A month or so."
"Can you describe the pain to me a little bit more? When it comes on." He took out a pen from the top of his shirt pocket and began to scribble on his notepad.
"It's usually when I start running. The pain starts at the back of my knee it feels there is a space and it lasts until a couple of hours after I finish running. I have to sit for a while." She explained looking at his hands as they wrote on the notepad.
"Do you get the pain other time?"
"Rarely, sometimes it gets stiff when I sit or stand for a long period and I have to put pressure on it."
"Have you ever found the knee has given way? Does it ever lock in one position?"
"No"
"Do you get pain when you walk up or down the stairs?" He asked.
"Only up the stairs"