Four - Vivaan

Vivaan stared at his phone screen.

Hi.

That was all he had written in the last half an hour. And he hadn't even sent it to her yet.

Come on, Vivaan. You can do this. Just a greeting.

He stared some more at his phone, then gave up and put it away. When he had left Payal's house three days back, they had exchanged numbers, and decided to find a time to meet up via text. Unfortunately, Vivaan realized there lay a huge disadvantage between them. Their professional lives.

Vivaan was doing his residency, which basically meant he could rarely leave the hospital, and that too, not longer than a few hours. There was no fixed time to leave either. On the other hand, Payal too had a busy life. She normally left for work early in the morning and returned home late. Her timings were just as erratic as his. Finding a time that suited both of them was going to be a nightmare.

His phone beeped a notification. Picking it up, he was surprised to see Payal's message.

P - You've been typing from half an hour. The curiosity is killing me. :p

Vivaan blinked, and then laughed. Laughed long and hard. She really knew how to break the tension. Wiping tears from his eyes, he erased his earlier greeting and typed a reply.

V - It's 2 in the morning. I figured you wouldn't notice. Normal humans are asleep at this time.

Her response was prompt.

P - Are you implying I'm abnormal? :p

Vivaan sent a couple of laughing emojis, then typed a quick question.

V - Work keeping you up?

Putting his phone down, he waited for her response. And waited. But there was no response. He was just about to check whether she read his message when his pager rang. Picking it up, Vivaan left his room, leaving his phone behind.

***

"What does the ABGA show?" Vivaan asked his junior.

"Metabolic acidosis." Said Akshay, just as the monitor started beeping signaling an arrest.

"Compressions." Vivaan told Akshay. Turning to the nurse, he asked for bicarbonates. "Also call Dr. Verma. And have anesthesiology on standby just in case. Then come back here."

"How long has it been?" he asked the other nurse.

"Two minutes." She replied.

"Akshay, switch with me." Vivaan ordered, just as Dr. Verma came in.

"Update me on the condition." Dr. Verma said. Akshay related the condition while Vivaan continued the chest compressions.

"Asystole." He whispered as he checked the rhythm. Climbing up, he started with the compressions again. Meanwhile, Dr. Verma shouted "Charge to 200 joules!"

"Clear!" Vivaan stopped the compressions and stepped down.

Dr. Verma pressed the paddles on the patient's chest and abdomen. Vivaan waited for a reaction, finding none, he climbed and began the next round of compressions.

"Again!" came Dr. Verma's order.

***

"Keep monitoring his condition." Vivaan told the nurse. "I will check on him during the next round. If there is any problem in the meanwhile, please page me."

"Yes doctor." Said the nurse.

Exhausted, Vivaan made his way to the on-call room, only to realize he had left his phone in his room. Groaning, he fell into a slight jog so that he could reach it quickly. Once in, he quickly snatched up his phone and a couple of energy bars before heading back to the on-call room. There were four messages from Payal.

P - Not really. I have become so used to sleeping late, I just can't sleep before 2 or 3 am. Why are you awake?

The other messages were spaced out over the next one hour.

P - Hello?

P - Asleep?

P - I guess you are. Good night. :)

Vivaan smiled, checking the time. It was 4.30 am. She had to be asleep by now. But he typed in a response nonetheless. She would reply when she saw it.

V - No, I'm on a night shift. I got called in for an emergency in the middle of texting you. Sorry to keep you waiting.

Smiling, he kept an alarm to wake him up in one hour's time and lay down on the bed.

When the alarm rang, Vivaan quickly switched it off so as to prevent the other doctors from waking up. Stretching, he continued to doze in and out for another fifteen minutes before he finally had the courage to make his way to the washroom and wash his face and hands.

Stepping out, he exited the on-call room, shielding his eyes from the bright light (no one switched the lights on in the on-call room, since others were asleep, so it was perennially dark). Squinting as he checked his phone, he saw that Payal had messaged him just then.

6 am. So, she had basically slept for four hours at the maximum.

P - Why are you apologizing? Saving a life is obviously the priority here.

Smiling, he typed a quick reply as he waited for his coffee.

V - Why are you awake? Shouldn't you sleep a little more given you sleep late?

P - Tell that to my boss. He wants us at office bright and early at 9.30. I don't have a choice really.

Vivaan laughed.

V - Sleep early then.

Her response was so prompt he was sure she was holding her phone in her hand.

P - Hahaha. Like I haven't heard that before. Are you sure you're a doctor?

Vivaan snickered into his coffee.

V - That would be the first suggestion medically anyway. But I could get you a certificate that says you have a sleep disorder and need to sleep a proper 7 hours. Will that work?

Her reply was a load of laughing emoticons.

P - Thanks but no thanks. I will just be asked to quit my job.

V - Ouch.

P - Don't you have rounds or whatever it is that resident doctors do? How are you free enough to text me?

V - I have to make time of course. Balancing my coffee cup in one hand and texting you with the other.

P - All this mehnat for me? :p

Vivaan smiled. He had never flirted with anyone before. But he liked how they had switched to it so soon.

V - Why? Would you prefer I don't text you at 6 am in the morning?

P - Feel free to do so. I just don't want to 'burden' you.

V - Again, ouch.

P - Sorry. Went too far. I'm cranky and haven't had my first cup of chai yet.

V - It's okay. I get it. But just to set the record straight, I always have free time to do what I want.

P - Oh. So, you what you want to do right now is to text me?

Vivaan thought on what his reply should be for a moment. Would she agree to it?

V - No. What I want to do is to talk to you.

P - Aren't texting and talking one and the same?

V - How about I video call you right now? Then I'll consider it talking.

Her response was slow in coming.

P - If you think you'll see the same woman who was in a sari and all dolled up as three days ago, forget it. Call only if you aren't afraid of seeing zombies. :p

Vivaan stared at her reply. Was that her usual wit, or was it something else? Curious, he called her, holding the phone upright as he put his coffee in his other hand. A second later, she accepted the call.

She was totally dressed down in her pyjama bottoms and a worn -out t-shirt. Her hair was now pulled into a ponytail and her face was scrubbed free of make-up. The gold chain she wore the last time he saw her was still there; and under her eyes, he could see the dark circles that were covered so artfully by make-up the last time he saw her. Despite it all, she looked so fresh and bright, he couldn't help but smile.

"Hey." He said.

She smiled, seeming ten times more pretty than she was a second ago.

"Hey yourself." She replied. "You look like you've stayed up all night."

"I'd say the same for you." He shot back, even though his smile wouldn't melt from his face.

"I suppose." She said nonchalantly. A second passed and then they both burst out laughing.

"But you do look cute." She amended, after a bit. Was that the light? Or was she blushing?

"Okay, now that that's past, I guess we don't have to worry about one finding the other unappealing in any circumstance." Vivaan teased, hoping to ease her insecurity. "You look just as beautiful, with or without the make-up."

Now she was definitely blushing. "I don't take kindly to flirting." She said, mock-stern.

"Oh, but I'm not flirting." Vivaan said, still keeping his tone light. "It's a genuine compliment. People who define themselves by their thinking and feelings never need something as shallow as appearance to look beautiful. They are beautiful, irrespective of what they wear, or look like."

She laughed, the sound like that of a tinkling anklet. Just like her name.

"I'll have to give you that one." She said, still smiling. "So, how's early morning in a hospital? That is, for a non-patient."

"Pretty much the same as it is for a patient." Vivaan joked. He flipped the camera on his phone so she could see. "See? White halls, bare floors, and the smell of ammonia and bleach and a dozen other chemicals. Which of course, you can't smell right now." He said, flipping the camera back to himself.

Payal wrinkled her nose. "I remember the smell of ammonia and bleach from my chemistry lab classes in school. Even after so many years, it's burned in my head. Can't ever forget it."

"You were a science student?" Vivaan asked, surprised.

"PCMB" she said, proudly. Then she suddenly dropped her voice. "I was prepping for medical entrances you know. It was my number one career choice."

Vivaan stared at her. She had to be lying on this. "Are you trying to win brownie points on this with me?" he asked her, his smile giving away the joke hidden in the question.

"What, no!" she waved a hand at him. "that's your job. Not mine. Besides why would I lie about my choice of subjects in school?"

"Oh really. Med entrances huh." Vivaan quickly sifted through his medical entrance exams syllabus in his mind. Too primitive. He had studied far too much advanced to decide which question would be too hard. But then he thought, why not take the chance and have some fun?

"Why is heparin given to patients prior to a surgery?" he asked.

She blinked, surprise plain on her face. "What?" she asked.

Vivaan made a go-on gesture. "I just asked you a question." He prompted.

She scowled. "Cos heparin is an anti-coagulating agent. It keeps the blood flowing and prevents clotting and resultant issues during an operation." She answered.

Now it was Vivaan's turn to be surprised. "Okay. Which is the rarest blood type?"

"Are we playing quiz your profession or what?" she grumbled. "The Bombay Blood Group."

"And what is that?" Vivaan quizzed again.

"It's also called hh blood type." Payal didn't even pause to think. "People with this blood type lack the H antigen which in turn creates the A and B Antigens. So, they can donate blood to almost everyone in the ABO system but cannot receive blood from anyone unless that person is also Bombay Blood type. It's extremely rare to find people having this blood group, so it's a risk if you have this blood group."

Vivaan continued to stare at her for so long, she looked down awkwardly. "What? It's common knowledge. And it's also interesting to read about."

"I don't want it to sound like a lame pick-up line, but you really are kinda perfect for me." Vivaan whispered.

Payal looked away, color rising in her cheeks again.

"Uh" he stammered. "I mean, you seem quite interested in the area overall. What made you take up law then?" he asked.

She continued to look away, still awkward. "Long story. I'll tell you later. I have to get ready for work, or I'll miss my train." She spoke slowly.

"Oh." Vivaan looked at the watch, surprised at how quickly the time passed. "Sure. I need to get going as well. We'll talk later. Bye!" he greeted.

She merely smiled and cut the call.

And so, a routine was set. Vivaan and Payal would text each other whenever time permitted, and a conversation would hence carry on. If there occurred a time when both of them were free for a bit, either one would call the other and before long, it would be one hour that they had been talking.

Even though he barely ever saw her in person or video called her after that one time, Vivaan learned a lot about Payal from their chats and calls. They were little things, things she probably let him know unconsciously, such as her dislike for plain curd, her habit of falling asleep with her earphones in, her ability to tune out everyone and everything when she read a book she liked, her impossible obsession with Korean dramas, her fondness for old hindi songs, and her love for samosas and street chaat. He was fairly sure he inadvertently revealed just as much about himself as she did, but he didn't know if she found it as adorable or attractive as he did for her.

Despite the minor differences in personal tastes, what surprised Vivaan was how alike he and Payal were. Like him, she too, was highly principled, having a conscience that may well be her enemy. Payal hated lying or disappointing anyone she was close to, just like him. Most surprisingly, Payal was also just as old-school as him. Despite coming from a progressive family, Payal preferred tradition to modernism. She enjoyed doing things as per tradition and being close to her culture, just as much as she accepted modern trends. She was a true blend of the two concepts, just as Vivaan aspired to be. He remembered when the alliance had first come by, and how worried he had been about Payal not being able to adjust to his family's culture. He couldn't have been more wrong about it all.

"That's my cue." She said on call, one morning while in office. "I'll, um, I'll text you later?" she asked, tentatively.

"Of course." Vivaan said, staring at his dorm ceiling. He was lying in bed after a long shift. "You do realize though?" he asked.

"What?"

"That we haven't spent a day yet where we've not texted or called each other." Vivaan said. He imagined a flush creeping up her face at his words.

"I'll catch you later." Vivaan said, when she didn't respond.

"I guess." She eventually whispered. He could hear the shyness in her voice.

Vivaan smiled as she cut the call. He stretched out in his bed, closing his eyes as he remembered the first time he saw her. And the time he video called her.

That evening, his father called.

"Namaste Baba-sa" he greeted.

"Jeete raho Vivaan. (Stay blessed; may you live a long life)" His father said on the other side. "How are things going on at the hospital?"

"All okay Baba-sa." Vivaan said. "How is everyone at home? Is Ma-sa eating her medicines on time? And I had told Aryan and Avika to take care that Kaki-sa does not exert her knees so soon after surgery. But they don't call to update me only. Then they say I scold them too much. And Mansi? Is she studying well?" He asked.

"Jab itni yaad aati hai to kabhi kabhi ghar aa jaaya karo milne sab se." his father joked. "It feels as though despite living in the same city, my son hasn't come home in the last few months." (If you miss everyone so much, come home and meet us also sometimes.)

"I'm sorry Baba-sa. Things are a little hectic here." Vivaan said, staring at his hands. He did miss his family, but his residency was just as important.

"So, there is no time for family, I understand, but have you at least managed to meet Payal in between?" his father teased.

"I haven't met her in person. Either I'm busy here or she is at work." Vivaan said, causing his father to laugh. "We have been talking over phone and chat though." He added.

"And how is that working out?" his father asked.

"I don't know Baba-sa. It is the best arrangement for us, since she is as busy as I am. And talking on phone means we are well within our limits too, since we aren't even meeting in person." Vivaan said.

His father started laughing. "That's not what I meant beta. Though I'm glad you both worked something out around your busy schedule. But are you able to find the answers that you sought?"

"We haven't really talked much about that day yet. I feel...I feel I should wait a bit before I broach that topic with her again." Vivaan said, hesitant to anger his father, since it was clear he wanted to hear his decision.

It was quiet on the other hand for a while, then his dad spoke. "Vivaan, I understand your hesitance, and your confusion too. But beta, you must understand our concerns too. It is not hidden that we had visited Payal's family for a proposal. It is almost three weeks since then, and you both still haven't given an answer. Such delays may not bother us that much, but it will hamper Payal's prospects. She is a woman, Vivaan; and as harsh as it is to say this, our society is cruel. It will always question the bride first, always blame her for an alliance not happening, irrespective of her involvement. And as long as you hesitate to make a decision, her family is bound to wait. They cannot discuss her alliance with another family until we answer, you know that right?" he explained.

Vivaan swallowed the lump in his throat. "I understand Baba-sa." He said.

"That is all I wanted. I don't want you to make a rushed decision, my son. But I want you to be clear about the implications of the step you both have taken." He said.

When the phone call ended, Vivaan stared unseeing at his laptop screen - currently showing a journal article on use of AI robots to carry out sutures in heart surgeries - mulling on his father's words.

Should I really agree to this marriage?

Glossary

Mehnat - A hindi word synonymous to the term "effort".

Chai - Tea

Samosa - An Indian snack. It is a fried or baked pastry filled with a savory filling, usually spiced potatoes and onions.

Chaat - refers collectively to the savory snacks often found on the roadside in India. Chaat is usually had as a starter, or in between meals. It is characterized by fried dough, along with a mix of various ingredients, including sweet and spicy sauces, condiments, and spices. The word originates from the hindi word "Chaatna" which means "to lick" (as in, the food is so tasty, you will lick your fingers clean).