"A reward for saving a life, isn't it?" Nihan asked.
"In other words, A reward for risking the survival of this hospital which is a livelihood of thousands of workers. It must end with your dismissal. Thanks to Dr. Harshad, reduced to a suspension. You can go now.."
Nihan didn't reply. She knows, it doesn't matter.
In one morning, everything is turned upside down. The road ahead is torn apart. For almost one month, she has to live her life away from her likes and dreams. She didn't think she would ever be in this situation even for a moment. As she was about to walk back, she turned to look at him, remembering something.
"Sir, what about Dr. Barish khan's body?" She asked.
"I heard his son is in jail somewhere in the US." Krishna kumar replied in a lazy tone.
"Then what about his body?" She repeated her question.
"Besides, no relatives were found here.. we will wait for two days . After that we will think about what to do."
"Leave him to me sir. i will do all rituals for him as his daughter.." Her voice sounded sad.
"Here it is again..! It has some rules and regulations, kid. If any of his relatives come and shout tomorrow, how would you answer?"
She felt the man was right. Suddenly she became very sad.
"Anyways, let me wait for two days.. If no one comes after that, let's consider. " Krishna kumar's voice softened. Those words spread comfort in her distressed thoughts.
Mira and Harshad were waiting impatiently when she came out.
"What happened?" Mira asked. Nihan put the folded sheet of paper in her hand and walked away without paying attention to the two of them. After reading it at a glance, Meera and Harshad followed her.
"Suspension??" Mira asked as soon as she reached her.
"Yes.. for saving a life. And then three weeks suspension so that you guys don't learn anything from my heroic act." Nihan stopped and looked at Harshad. "And Thanks to Dr. Harshad. To get rid of the dismissal and put it in suspension"
"Is the doctor in angry mode..??" Harshad asked with a small laugh.
"What else..? Now, in the next month, the elders should discuss it in a law suit and decide what my career should be.. like unbelievable..!! " Nihan sat in the chair she saw in front of her and started biting her nail. Mira sat next to her.
"My dear Nihan.. don't worry like this.. it's only a matter of three weeks. Isn't this a punishment for people to see? They know better. If you hadn't, the old man would have been dead today. "
"Mira is right.. They will make a positive decision for you.. Don't worry.." Dr. Harshad opined.
"Just think of how to get rid of this tension and beat these days. You got such a huge leave Nihan....."
Nihan wanted to find solace in Mira's excited words. It doesn't matter just tying thoughts to the past. Nihan got up as many things decided.
"Are you coming??" She asked. Meera and Harshad looked face to face, unable to understand her question.
"I am starving. Can we have dinner?" Nihan looked at them and smiled.
"Then, it's my treat today.." Dr. Harshad said happily.
"No need.. You are the one who gives up half way" Meera's mention made him dissappointed but it made Nihan laugh. As the moments passed, the harsh moments passed away from their speech and thoughts and filled with new things.
***
Around 8 am, the private jet reached Mumbai airport. Abhay got into the car which was waiting for him outside the airport.
Nihan ran through the Netaji subhash chandra bose road with empty thoughts in her head. She stopped on the beach of the Marine Drive, holding her chest tightly. She ran more than usual. The mind must be calm. That was the goal.
She stood there looking at the sea. Not like the usual, The waves have great force. Like a lonely despairing lover, it hits rocky heaps continuously.
As she simply looked at it, thoughts began to hurt her heart. Her parent's dream, her goal, is everything going to end in halfway? She asked herself.
She had not even dreamed that she would have such a dawn with so much confusion. A life that changed in a single day. Like waiting for something more. As if it is trying to navigate the paths they had not yet known. Like someone calling from somewhere in between. Like someone giving you the strength to rise from the fall and walk forward.
At the same time, a black Benz car parked near the beach and Abhay got out of it. He walked forward, aiming for the steep stones that bent down to the sea. He stood there, gazing into the raging waves. He stared at the sun, visible and hidden between the sky and the cloud.
At the same time, Nihan's phone rang when he was standing on her right side in two or three feets away. She picked it up. Her eyes widened as she heard something from the other side. panic was visible on her face.
"I am coming..." Saying this, She started running back the way she came.
As if a wind came and said a secret, Abhay khanna just stood there staring blankly at the empty path. Like looking for something which was lost in desolation.