Asfi-Zubi - Love will find a way!

You were always my guiding star-- Part 6

The next two days Zubiya did not see Asfi and had the distinct impression he was avoiding her. She heard her boss mention about some dinner that she was going to with Dr Asfand as part of his donor presentation. Not that Zubiya expected to be invited, but she did hope that he would meet her somewhere and as much as she tried to rack her brain, she couldn't come up with any way to meet him. The only relief was that Dr Wyn left early evening to join Dr Asfand for his dinner diplomacy and the residents were now all relaxing. Zubiya listened to the gossamer threads of gossip being spun into colorful existence by Greg and Avi.

Greg: ( doing a silly mimicry of their boss Dr Linda)- So our Dr Wyn –does she want to win the attention of the delicious Dr A from Pakistan? If she did not why did she give up her evening pleasure of biting the heads off of her residents for a boring fundraiser? Has it ever been heard that she left office early for a dinner? Man, that woman dosent need to dine, she probably just eats some batteries and oils her joints on a Sunday.

Nicole: Yes she does laugh around him a lot. I actually get scared when I see her laugh, My poor heart cannot deal with shocks.

Avi : Yes but I don't think the doctor is really interested, is he?

G: And besides, he is already married, isn't he?

N: Of course not.

Zubiya looked up quickly. Nicole was quite vehement and certain. Dr Avi also seconded her. The more Zubiya thought about it the more certain she felt they were right. She tried to recall why she had become sure he had gotten married and realised all of it was indirect evidence.

That evening Zubiya and Laura were sitting together chatting and folding clothes, when Zubiya received a call. She looked at the time of 9 pm and hoped it wasn't from the hospital. She picked up and Asfand was on the line.

A: Hello Zubiya.

Z: Hello

A: Main tumhe disturb toh nahi kar raha hoon? Tum hospital mein ho?

Z: Nahi main apne ghar par hoon aur aap mujhe disturb nahi kar rahe hain.

A: Tumhara ghar hospital ke paas hi hai na?

Z: Ji, 1 mile ki doori par hai.

Z: Kya aap is waqt free hain? Mujhe aapse kuch baat karni hai.

A: Okay .( hesitatingly) Can I meet you for a cup of coffee now somewhere close to your home?

Z: (smiling to herself) There is a coffee shop open near my house till late. How much time will you take to reach?

Zubiya spied Asfand as he got out of the cab. It was clear he was coming from some formal dinner, dressed as he was in a formal charcoal grey suit, a silver-grey shirt, carrying his overcoat over his arm. Zubiya's breath caught in her throat and her heartbeat increased. She wished he looked less distractingly attractive so she could be more in control. She looked down at her jeans, her university sweatshirt and running shoes ruefully. She shrugged her shoulders and then firmly put away the thought, because she never felt under-confident about anything now. She greeted him with an open smile.

Asfand looked at her across the small intimate table under the romantic lighting. This was probably the first time in their lives they were alone in a public place. And to think that they had both to travel so many miles and years for this to happen. He thought sadly that only if she hadn't run off that day, the woman he was looking across at could have been his wife. He watched her as she insisted on getting the coffee and went to the counter. The barista behind the counter obviously knew her and they both shared a laugh at something. Asfand, stared at her intently as if trying to commit this to memory, she was dressed like a student, her jeans looked as if she spent her life in them because they molded her, an over-sized sweat shirt with UCSF emblazoned in yellow on the blue, with her hair tied up in a careless messy bun, her face scrubbed clean and shining, not a hint of any artifice. He wondered if this is what her face looks like when she wakes up in the morning and then thrust the thought away forcefully. Somehow, she looked so perfect, so confident, so at home in this environment, the thought of an exotic butterfly came to his mind again. Thinking back to the complex ridden girl he had met four years back, locked inside her own misery and self -punishment, he again couldn't believe that she had turned her life right side up with so much elan. That thought was so bitter-sweet, he didn't know if it made him sad or happy.