The tires of his silver Mercedes screeched to a halt in front of the ER (emergency room) . Yusuf hopped out of the car and gave the keys to a junior doctor walking by.
"Park it." He said authoritatively.
He rushed in through the door towards the nurse station.
"Good evening Doctor Choudary. I thought your shift had ended." The head nurse greeted him.
"It did. I got a call, for Alia." He said in a breath. "A woman was admitted, Alia Ali."
"Oh right." She said with recognition. "It was an anaphylactic reaction*, luckily the restaurant called the ambulance and warned us."
(* they are an exaggerated allergic reactions, due to triggers like food products or insect bites or some plants, can be fatal.)
"Where is she ? How is she ?" He asked with an undertone of panic in his voice.
"She is doing good now doctor, shifted her to a private room. Room 410, her consulting doctor is Dr. Farhan."
"Thank you so much." Yusuf said and took the flight of stairs to the fourth floor. He walked down the familiar path, smiling at the staff who greeted him.
Standing in front of the door, he took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Alia lay on the bed with iv line attached to her, an oxygen mask assisted her with her breathing.
She looked up to see who had entered her room, her eyes widened with shock on seeing the person standing on the door.
"Yusuf ?" She said her voice muffled due to the oxygen mask.
"Hey." He said taking a step into the room. "How are you ?" He asked taking a seat on the metallic stood by the bed.
"I'm fine." She said pulling out the mask.
"Don't remove that." He said in protest.
"I'm fine, it was just for precaution." She said giving him a small smile. "How are you here ?"
"The hospital called me up. I'm your medical emergency contact I believe."
"I.. I'm so sorry, I haven't.. I haven't changed it, I'm so sorry." She said looking down at her fingers in embarrassment.
"It's fine alia." Yusuf reassured her. "So you had sea food ?"
"Fish sauce. I didn't know it was fish sauce, my face started developing rashes, I asked the restaurant if my food had sea food and they confirmed. I'm glad it didn't turn out serious."
"You need to be more careful alia, carry your antihistamine injection with you." Yusuf said disappointed . Alia was a doctor who knew about her medical condition, he expected better from her.
"I know." She said in almost a whisper.
A long pregnant pause followed.
Alia cleared his throat and said, "I'm really sorry I had no idea they would call you, I'll change my emergency contact as soon as I'm out, sorry for troubling you so-."
"It's no trouble alia, relax." He said giving her a small smile.
"How long are you in Lahore ?" Yusuf asked to make a conversation and get rid of the awkwardness floating and occupying the air surrounding them.
"A month. My cousin is getting married, Maya, if you remember her." She said.
"Yes of course. Is she getting married to .."
".. Danial bhai, yes. Nothing could deter their love." She chuckled.
"Well give them my best wishes." He said with a small smile and she returned one back to him.
YOU ARE READING
Meher •completed•
General Fiction•completed• When I was six, Baba had got me my first doll. I vividly remember her, my best friend. I had named her Sameera, she had huge eyes and wore a red bridal outfit, I would play with her all the time and one day I wed her off, wed her to anot...
