Chapter-5

"You're a houseofficer?" A random surgery resident came upto my desk and inquired. I looked between him and Amna who was taking a break and simultaneously helping me out at internal.

"Yes, sir." I returned blankly.

"Sir needs someone to assist him in Minor OT. One of you can go." He remarked plainly, pointing to the Minor OT room in the Major area. After saying all that he didn't stop and left.

"Amna! Please can you take over internal for me? I really want to go." I pleaded with her but she didn't need any convincing. So obviously, I quickly got up and walked into the OT room.

"Come in, come in, Madam." Some resident greeted teasingly when I entered. He was sitting on a stool, operating on a patient's foot who was lying on the stretcher.

'Wow.' I thought to myself, watching the gangrenous foot in awe. The entire sole including toes of one foot was covered in rot.

I wore my gloves and started assisting sir with cleaning the wound while he continued to explain to me the procedure in detail.

"How could he let it get this bad? Won't it lead to amputation if he doesn't take care after this, seeing the extent of gangrene?" I asked dabbing on the fresh blood oozing out following curettage.

"It might've started with a small ulceration but he must've ignored it until it got this bad—Madam, please can you get some lignocaine." He said after the patient started complaining of pain.

"Okay, sir." I returned, taking off my gloves.

I had just walked out of the room, when I spotted sir, on the internal navigation desk, writing some patient's form. He immediately spotted me and smiled.

"Madam, where had you disappeared? I was looking for you. You have forms to finish." He returned, grinning mischievously. I decided that he had a contagious smile. For that was the only reason that I couldn't help smiling back as I walked up to the desk.

"Sir, I was assisting in the minor OT." I returned with a smile, hidden beneath my mask. He looked up from his forms.

"Assisting what?" He still had that stupid smirk on his face.

"Sir, debridement of diabetic foot—sir, where can I get lignocaine from?" I had cut to the chase before he could annoy me further.

"From the dressing room—"He was saying when I turned to leave.

"Madam your forms—" he called out after me. I only turned to give him a smirk.

"Of course, sir—on it!" I exclaimed playfully without stopping. After quickly getting the anaesthetic, I came back to find him still there. He looked up when I entered the Major area with that same annoying grin. 

"Madam—" he called out and I made a quick stop near him.

"Who's doing the procedure? Captain Haseeb?" He asked blankly. 

"Um—not sure sir, I didn't read his name—" I returned shortly and only waited for him to nod before turning to leave. I walked back in to continue my assistance. Shortly after that, sir walked in.

"Assalamualaikum Sir—!! I was asking Madam, if it were you who was doing the procedure." He came in as noisy as ever. I looked at him over my surgical mask. He glanced at me grinning mischievously. I turned away with a roll of eyes but the smile never left my face. They continued their dialogue for a few moments before sir decided to drag me in.

"Sir—you know, Madam here is our surgeon." He remarked cheekily, starting to create ruckus as soon as he got here. I continued cleaning away the wound with fresh gauze and didn't look up.

"Oh! Madam you're into surgery? I didn't know—" Captain Haseeb remarked, surprised, but I didn't bother to respond.

"And do you know who Madam is related to, here?" As soon as the words left his mouth, I looked up.

"Who?" Captain Haseeb inquired. I returned my gaze to the patient's foot and began cutting the Gauze into smaller pieces.

"No, nevermind. Madam gave me a very threatening glare just now." I only rolled my eyes at this—very much glad for the mask.

"Oh come on—who is it? I want to know now." He insisted again and I remained quiet once more. Feeling very much like a livestock caught in a pack of carnivores; currently being the target of their amusement.

"No way. You can ask Madam if she is willing to tell you—" he returned grinning, watchful for my response. I only spared him a single glance before starting to cut the saline bottle with a scalpel.

"Careful Madam—we don't want you to cut your hand in the process—"Captain Haseeb broke in. 

"Looks like Madam has never seen the inside of a kitchen—" I punctured the bottle open with a final stab before lifting my eyes to his face. He stood there with that cocky grin plastered on his face. Waiting for me to retaliate but I still quietly hid my smile and returned to pouring the saline on the patient's foot as directed. 

"Madam, please pour pyodine into the surgical bowl." Sir instructed and I started squeezing the bottle into the bowl. 

"Is this enough?" I asked at which sir Haseeb stopped me from pouring more.

"Looks like madam is very fond of ketchup." He remarked lamely and I thought it hit close to home but decided it was pretty lame.

"Madam, how much housejob are you left with?" He just can't stop talking, can he?

"Sir, this is my last month IA." I heaved a sigh of relief.

"So your last month is with us? Isn't it good that we have met before you left?" I looked up with a huge smile on my face, which was definitely visible through the scrunched corners of my eyes. How can one person be so audacious?! I have honestly never met anyone as obnoxious and full of himself as him! And he doesn't even try to hide it.

"No, sir. I would not go that far—" I returned easily and quickly; barely catching myself from laughing out loud and his nonsense. Yet, he kept staring with that same teasing smile. He was a proper flirt, huh? I looked away with a shake of head and continued cutting more gauze.

"Madam, what are your future plans?" He inquired without mockery this time.

"Sir, surgery IA!" I returned enthusiastically.

"Oh! So, I have motivated you to become a surgeon?" He exclaimed proudly, feeling good about himself. I gave him a 'whatever gave you that idea' look.

"No, sir. I was going to pursue surgery from the very start." I returned without sugar coating it.

"That's great! So when are you giving the exam?" I looked away from the patient's foot to him.

"April IA, sir." I added quietly, unsure about it myself. 

"Isn't that great. May Allah help you succeed and you clear your exam quickly!" What's it got anything to do with you, I thought sneering. But said ameen, despite knowing that the chance for my this dream to stay a dream are almost 100%.

"But why would you choose medicine over surgery? You must really be passionate about surgery to go for it." He continued unfazed.

'Gosh! Why is he so persistent. He's really so annoying.'

"Yes, sir." I remarked curtly. 

"Well, you do have a lot of doctors in your family." I looked up at that.

"Yes! But how did you know that?" It came out before I could comprehend what he meant. He watched me with a half confused smile. Later, I realised that he was mistaking me for Fahad bhai's cousin and a lot later I found out the reason for that misunderstanding as well.

"That aside Haider, you haven't told me who is Madam related to?" Captain Haseeb chided in.

"Sorry. I can't tell you that—" He returned plainly again.

"Why does it have to be such a big secret?" He inquired again.

"Because of who Maam is related to." He stated simply. I chose this moment to gave him a look of disapproval.

"Madam is her own person. She doesn't need to be defined by anyone else." Captain Haseeb added calmly and I applauded him mentally. Thank you very much sir. Three chears for you.

"Yes, of course. But it's Madam's association with that person that makes her even more impressive." He added quickly but I wasn't impressed in the least.

"Okay, fine. Then tell me—or Madam you can tell me." I looked between the game these two were playing. I felt like a tennis ball getting struck by one and then the other.

"It's not that much of a big deal—you can tell him, sir." I remarked nonchalantly addressing sir.

"Madam. It isn't a big deal for you—but it can become a big deal for me." He said looking at at the patient and didn't say Fahad bhai's name till the very end. I had to tell Captain Haseeb myself, after sir had left. Turns out 

Captain Haseeb was a course mate of Fahad bhai.

"We should let Madam learn something too—" Captain Haider began and started asking me random questions regarding the patient and his disease. When I didn't know the answer to something he explained it to me properly. 

"Meri Jaan—you have to wrap it like this—" I immediately looked up at him with laughter erupting. Captain Haider was guiding sir to bandage the patient's foot properly. What?! Who says meri jaan in this age?! I was silently laughing at him through this, when some staff came in to call him for a Red call. He left the room for a while to check into that. On coming back he began manipulating sir Haseeb to go in his stead.

"Meri jaan—!" I was still looking at him as he began, when he winked at me as he said it. How can someone be so brash—so arrogant and so comfortable with it?! He makes it look so easy—and the most amazing part was that he did it so it didn't feel inappropriate or uncomfortable. In my entire life, I had mostly detested men—especially those that had the slightest hint of interest in me. I couldn't stand men and their obvious intentions that they would try to cover up uncomfortably as they stared at you—or tried to make a move on you through their slimy behaviour. Sir was obnoxious—so full of himself and so annoying. On top of that he was a thorough flirt—! But he didn't try to hide his intentions. I knew he was playing around and he didn't try to make it look otherwise. I never talk to any guy for any reason except when I have to, for some dire need. He is the first one, whom I can just sit by and enjoy watching him make a fool of himself. It's only for fun—a little past time. So, why not?

After finishing up with sir Haseeb, I got my bag and was leaving the doctor's room when I saw him coming towards the internal navigation desk. He stopped in his place on seeing me coming but I wasn't even looking at him.

"Assalamualaikum!!" I called out before reaching, only to move past him to hug Nida standing behind him.

"You're here early! Your shift doesn't start until half an hour—" I felt him turning to look at me. He must've stood there for a moment before leaving. 

Yes, it's only a game for me.