Plans Change, Chaos Ensues

Elias Matthews adjusted his tie as he strode toward the elevator, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor of the executive wing. His day had been meticulously planned—reviewing quarterly reports, handling board member inquiries, and attending a dinner meeting with potential investors. Yet here he was, breaking his routine to head down to the ER.

Sophia’s endless praise for this new nurse, Arjun Patel, had stirred a flicker of curiosity in Elias. He wasn’t one to act on whims, but Sophia’s enthusiasm, coupled with her track record of excellent judgment, made him wonder if this Arjun was as remarkable as she claimed.

As the elevator doors opened with a quiet ding, Elias stepped inside and pressed the button for the ER floor. He barely had time to exhale before his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with the name “Carlton Industries.”

“Not now,” he muttered, but the persistent buzzing continued. Resigned, he swiped to answer. “Elias Matthews speaking.”

“Mr. Matthews, we have a situation,” the caller began briskly.

Elias’s brow furrowed as he listened to the details. Carlton Industries, a major supplier for the hospital expansion, had botched an order, potentially delaying the project by weeks. The elevator stopped at the ER, but Elias remained inside, pressing the button to return to the executive wing.

“Send me the contract and get legal on the line,” Elias instructed sharply, his plans for the evening derailed. Business, as always, came first.

---

Meanwhile, in the ER...

Arjun Patel was having a day. The kind of day that made him question all his life choices.

After the file-dropping fiasco earlier, he had resolved to redeem himself. He moved through his tasks with extra caution, double-checking everything to avoid another embarrassing mishap.

“Patel, can you grab me a saline kit from the supply closet?” Sophia called out. She was busy stitching up a patient’s hand, her movements efficient and precise.

“On it!” Arjun replied, eager to prove he wasn’t a walking disaster. He hurried to the supply closet, muttering a quiet pep talk under his breath.

The closet was a small, cramped space, with shelves stacked high with medical supplies. Arjun spotted the saline kits on the top shelf. Stretching on his tiptoes, he reached for the box. It didn’t budge.

“Okay, no problem. Just pull harder,” he told himself.

He gave the box a firm tug, and it came free—along with a cascade of IV bags and, to his horror, an oxygen tank perched precariously above.

Time seemed to slow as the tank tipped forward. Arjun froze, his brain screaming at him to move, but his body refusing to cooperate.

“Patel, duck!”

A strong hand grabbed his arm and yanked him backward just as the tank crashed to the floor with a deafening clang. Arjun stumbled, colliding with Adam Carter, who had appeared out of nowhere like some ER superhero.

“You okay?” Adam asked, his voice tight with concern.

“I—I think so,” Arjun stammered, his heart racing.

Sophia arrived moments later, her eyes widening at the sight of the fallen tank. “What the hell happened?”

Adam kept a steady hand on Arjun’s shoulder as he explained. “The tank almost hit him. If I hadn’t pulled him back, it could’ve been catastrophic.”

Sophia’s expression softened as she crouched to check Arjun for injuries. “You’re lucky, Patel. That thing could’ve seriously hurt you.”

“I’m sorry,” Arjun mumbled, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Adam crouched beside him, his tone gentle but firm. “It was an accident, but you’ve got to be more careful. Next time, ask for help if something’s out of reach.”

Sophia nodded, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We’re not mad, Arjun. Just glad you’re okay.”

Arjun nodded, his shoulders relaxing as the tension eased.

Once the adrenaline wore off, the situation took on a more humorous tone. Adam smirked, nudging Arjun with his elbow. “You know, if you wanted attention, there are less dramatic ways to go about it.”

Arjun groaned, hiding his face in his hands. “I’m never living this down, am I?”

Sophia laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Not a chance. But hey, you’ve officially made our day more interesting.”

The three of them worked together to clean up the mess, their camaraderie growing with each shared laugh. Adam teased Arjun mercilessly, while Sophia’s warm encouragement kept the mood light.

“You’re lucky you’re so likable,” Adam said as he helped restack the shelves. “Otherwise, I’d have half a mind to ban you from this closet forever.”

Sophia chuckled. “Don’t listen to him, Arjun. You’re doing great—accidents and all.”

For Arjun, the embarrassment of the incident was outweighed by the bond it created. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of belonging, despite his clumsy tendencies.

Back in the Executive Wing...

Elias had just finished his final call of the evening when Thomas appeared in the doorway, looking unusually flustered.

“Sir, there’s been an incident in the ER,” Thomas said.

Elias frowned, setting down his pen. “What kind of incident?”

“One of the new nurses—Arjun Patel—was almost seriously injured. An oxygen tank fell, but Dr. Carter managed to pull him out of harm’s way. He’s fine, but it was a close call.”

Elias’s chest tightened inexplicably at the mention of Arjun’s name. His first thought was the potential liability—an incident like this could tarnish St. Jude’s impeccable reputation. But there was something else, something deeper that unsettled him.

“Is he still working?” Elias asked, his tone sharper than intended.

“Yes, sir. Dr. Carter and Dr. Matthews are keeping an eye on him, but he’s fine.”

Elias leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled as he processed the information. He didn’t know why the idea of Arjun being in danger affected him so strongly, but he couldn’t shake the feeling.

“Keep me updated on his condition,” Elias said finally.

“Yes, sir.”

As Thomas left, Elias stood and walked to the window, gazing out at the city lights. His reflection stared back at him, inscrutable and composed, but his mind was anything but calm. The curiosity he’d felt earlier had deepened into something else—something he wasn’t ready to examine too closely.

Meanwhile, in the ER...

As the shift wound down, Arjun found himself seated in the break room with Adam and Sophia, sharing snacks and stories. The earlier incident had become a running joke, with Adam mimicking Arjun’s panicked expression and Sophia dubbing the supply closet “the danger zone.”

Despite the teasing, Arjun felt a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long time. These weren’t just colleagues—they were friends.

As they laughed, the door swung open, and a senior nurse popped her head in. “Arjun, you’ve got a call. Line three.”

“Thanks,” Arjun said, excusing himself to answer the phone.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips as he heard her familiar voice.

“How’s my boy doing?” she asked, her voice full of warmth.

“Surviving,” Arjun replied, his tone light.

“Just surviving? You better be thriving, Arjun Patel,” she said teasingly.

Arjun chuckled, the stress of the day melting away as they talked.

Elias’s Thoughts Linger

Back in his office, Elias’s thoughts kept circling back to the ER and the young nurse who had somehow become a topic of conversation at his family dinner table. He glanced at the clock. It was too late to visit now, but he made a mental note to check in personally tomorrow.

For now, though, there were more pressing matters. Or so he told himself.

Arjun is a dedicated Clumsy worker ,chaos follows him everywhere but thats part of his innocence.

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