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.

"Have you called any one from your family ?"

"I.. I didn't, I didn't want them to panic so-."

"Dr. Choudary." The door was unceremoniously opened and a nurse came rushing in.

"Dr. Choudary, there is an emergency. The Obstetrician has incised the bladder along with the uterus, the delivery is complete but the obs isn't able close the bladder."

"Allah !" Yusuf groaned. "These obstetricians are butchers and not surgeons." He cussed making the nurse and Alia laugh.

"Go do your duty doctor." Alia said encouragingly.

"I'll be back in some time, then we'll get you discharged and I'll drop you home okay ?"

"Alright." She said and smiled at him.
Alia watched him talk to the nurse as he left, it had been two years since they had separated but she would lie if she said she wasn't  still in love with him.

Alia had pictured her entire life with Yusuf, they were meant to be, everyone knew they were.
But there were times that Yusuf preferred being a doctor more than being Alia's other half.

She had thought about it a million times after she had let him go, had she made the right choice ?
She knew that Yusuf was still climbing to be at the peak of his career, she knew the responsibilities of a doctor, had she been too demanding, had she made the biggest mistake of her life by letting him go.

The trail of these questions had haunted her for the past two years as they were haunting her today.

The ringing of phone nearly missed her ear, as she was so deep into her thoughts.

"I thought you were never gonna pick up." The voice from the other end said as alia placed the phone next to her ear. "Were you asleep ?" The voice inquired.

Alia pulled the phone away to see the name on the screen.

'Nur.' It said. She realised she had picked Yusuf's phone, which he had probably left behind in the hurry.

"Yusuf ? Are you not going to say a word ? I offer to treat you with ice cream, I'm sorry will you now speak to me ?" Meher ranted.

"Uh.. I'm alia." Alia said through the phone.

"Ya Allah sorry, have I dialled the wrong number." She said in panic. "Sorry I -."

"No." Alia interrupted Meher. "It's his number, Yusuf's number."

"Aap kon ?" Meher asked suspiciously. (Who are you ?)

"Dr. Alia Ali, we met at the cafe the other day." Alia explained.

"Oh doctor Alia, it's so nice to hear your voice again. I'm so sorry I didn't know Yusuf was busy, I -."

"No actually, he had to come to the hospital, some emergency case." Alia said . "He left his phone back before entering the OT, I'll ask him to call you when he's out." Alia said softly.

"Sure. Thank you so much." Meher said sweetly. "Please tell him to call me, I'll be awake till he calls." She informed Alia.

"Okay, good night." Alia said and cut the call.

Alia placed the phone down on the metallic table adjoining the bed, her thoughts consumed her again.

•••

If Yusuf could, he would hit the Obs for his horrendous mistake. He sometimes failed to understand how did such people land a license to practice.

After suturing up the new mother, Yusuf stepped out from the OT. It had been a long-long day.

"Dr. Choudary." A voice stopped him on his track.

Yusuf turned around to find a junior resident standing.

"Yes ?"

"Your car keys." He said extending his hand with the keys of the Mercedes dangling from his finger.

"Oh... thanks." He said and took the keys and walked back towards room 410.

Before entering the room he stopped by the nurse station and ordered for the discharge papers. Since the case was being handled by Dr. Farhan, the formalities would take time as she was in the ER busy with another case.

Yusuf knocked on the door and entered Alia's room.

"Hey, the discharge papers are being made, you can go change out of these colourless hospital clothes and then we can leave." He said in a go.

"That.. that's great." Alia replied with a small smile, quickly brushing away the stray tear on her cheek.

"Next time, please, I beg you keep your antidote on you. You were lucky this once alia." He said looking at her meaningfully.

"Yes your highness." She said involuntarily using the name she used to refer him with then they were together.

A long moment of silence later, alia cleared her throat.

"Sorry I .. uh .. I just-."

"It's fine, we have both moved on to better places from our past." He said with a small smile. His words pricking her unknowingly.

Was her love so easy to forget, he moved on from her, from their memories so easily, even when she had been the one to break things between them. And here she was still sulking over the man.

"Give me your hand, I'll take out the IV drip." He said taking her hand.

"Uh.. you forgot your phone, I didn't realise that it wasn't mine and picked up the call. It was Nur.. I mean Meher."

"Nur ?" Yusuf asked in panic, he unknowingly dropped her hand and picked up his phone which was kept on the table.

"It's 3 am." He said under his breath.

"She..she said she would be awake, you.. you should call her." Alia said choking on her breath.

It didn't take Yusuf a second to dial Meher's number.

"It took you two hours to call me." The voice on the other end of the phone complained.

"Are you okay ?" Yusuf asked.

"Yes." Meher said rolling her eyes. "You just saw me."

"I saw you four hours ago Nur, a lot could happen in four hours." He said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Uffo Yusuf." Meher sighed. "I'm fine." She reassured him and Yusuf visibly relaxed.

"Why are you awake till 3 Meher ?" He asked. "Are you really okay ?"

"Don't call me Meher, it sounds weird coming from you." She said scrunching her face in distaste.

"Fine. Nur Jahan." He chuckled. "What's wrong Nur ?" He asked in nearly a whisper, as if talking to a small child.

"Nothing is wrong. I wanted to ask aap breakfast may kya lenge?" (What would you like for breakfast)

"Is this a joke ?"

"No. Isme mazzak wali konsi baat hai ? Agar hum aapse puchenge nahi toh -." (Why would I joke with you ? If I don't ask you -.)

"Aap mujhse kya nashta banana hai ye puchne ke liye raat ke 3 baje call kar rahi hai ? Are you -." (You are calling me at 3 am to ask me what my breakfast preferences are ? )

"I called you at one, you called back at three." Meher corrected him.

"I..uh .. what do I do with you ?" Yusuf sighed.

"You have breakfast with me."

"You are crazy Nur." Yusuf said running his fingers though his hair.

"But you love me Yusuf." Meher replied back sassily making him stop his action.

Yusuf stood there, frozen in time and space, one statement from the woman had made him forget how to breath or his heart to beat.
The second felt like century, Yusuf took in a sharp breath.

"I'll .. I'll see you for breakfast." He said softly. "Go to sleep now and don't play with your phone."

"Yes sir. Good night sir."

"Good night Nur." He whispered and slid the phone in his back pocket.

He turned around to face Alia sitting against the head rest.

She looked at him and smiled, a smile which didn't reach her eye. Yusuf from two years ago would have noticed the half hearted smile, the smile masking the pain.

"She is a lucky girl." Alia said looking at him. "You love her, don't you."

Yusuf ran his fingers through his hair and started at his shoes for a few seconds before looking up at the lady who had put forth the question whose answer Yusuf did not want to say out loud.

Yusuf took in a long breath and looked at the face waiting for a reply.

"I love her." He said and broke the silence and the last bit of hope in Alia's heart.

AN: hey so I finished this chapter yesterday and since I'm already done with a chapter I don't want you guys to wait for an entire week to read it.

Thank you so much for such lovely and supportive comments and ofc the votes

Lots of love
xoxo