"Arohi, that's such a pretty dress, woh Birla toh flat hojayega" Suruchi complimented her roommate.

"This looks good?" Arohi who was thinking about changing her dress, asked Suruchi.

"Of course it looks good, Goenka"

"All right, thanks" Arohi said, sighing in relief.

"Wait- Goenka, are you nervous?" Suruchi gasped.

"Wh-what? Kuchh bhi"

"Oh my God, the great Arohi Goenka is nervous to go on a date?" She asked, in a teasing manner.

"Chuup kar!"

A sigh left Arohi's lips as that particular memory came back to her. She once again glanced at her phone.

Nothing yet.

"Dr. Arohi?" Abhimanyu's voice was heard as he knocked on the door. She stood up, in respect for her boss. "Please come in" she said.

"I heard that you are Mr. Agarwals new doctor" he started, sitting down on the chair in front of her.

"Oh yes. He used to be your patient, right?"

"Yes" he nodded "He was one of my first patients in this hospital"

"Oh"

"I want to see his files"

"Okay, just a minute"

While Arohi looked through the files of her patients, Abhimanyu looked around in her cabin, looking at how she has decorated it. It was rather plain and simple, except for a few photo frames here and there, and her degrees and awards.

"Here" she said, handing him the file. "And I'm also sending it to you on e-mail"

"Hmm, looks fine to me. Dr. Arohi, take care of him. He should be your priority right now. He is diva, but we have to tolerate all of it. He not only has a personal connection with me, but he's also a major donor of the hospital."

"Yeah, I figured. He acts like he's the owner of this place" Arohi said with a smile, "Don't worry, I won't let you down"

"I know you won't" he replied, "When is the surgery? I don't see a date here"

"He isn't agreeing to one single date. He actually cares for his work more than his own life" Arohi said, and Abhi groaned.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him" he said and Arohi sighed.

"If I had known that you know him personally, I would have came to you before"

"That's alright, you know now. Also, I'll assist you in the surgery."

"Oh, okay" Arohi was a little surprised, but didn't show it.

"I'll get going now, good day Dr. Arohi"

"Good day, Dr. Birla"

🍁

6 p.m.
No message.

Arohi got ready to leave as her shift ended. She locked her cabin and walked away, but while she walked, she suddenly got a desire to have some coffee.

"Ek coffee leke ghar chali jaati hu" (I should have a coffee before I go home) she muttered and made her way to the cafeteria.

"One cold coffee" she said, handing the money.

"Yes, Dr. Arohi is doing Mr. Agarwals surgery."

"And Dr. Birla is assisting her."

"He's assisting her so that he could clean up her mess if she screws up. He has to make sure that she rises in higher ranks"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Abhimanyu Sir's wife is not a doctor, Neil doesn't work here anymore, so who will succeed Dr. Abhimanyu? Dr. Arohi Birla" the doctor said, stressing on the word 'Birla'.

"And by the time, Dr. Arohi retires, they'll make sure that there is a new Dr. Birla, ready to take over the Chief of Surgery post. Probably Parth and Shefali's son" he continued.

"I mean, it is a family business after all"

"This hospital will never let us, the deserving candidates to progress. Only nepotism works here"

🍁

Arohi walked in her house, tired and sulking. Her day was ruined because of her husband and the discussion of the other doctors which she had overheard. She sighed out loudly, plopping herself on the sofa, throwing her bag beside her.

"Lata Kaki, jara paani dena please!" (Lata Kaki, please give me some water!) she shouted to one of the househelps.

"Laayi, didi!" (Okay!) Lata kaki shouted back, pouring Arohi 'chhoti bahu' a glass of water.

She came out in the living room and handed her a glass. Arohi chugged it down in one go.

Just then, Akshara descended down the stairs wearing a black top, blue jeans, golden hoops and a gold bracelet. Arohi turned her head towards her.

"Kaha jaa rahi hai, madam ji?" (Where are you going?) she asked.

"Date pe!" (On a date!) she answered with a grin.

Arohi faked a dramatic gasp and asked,

"Abhi jiju ko pata hai kya?" (Does Abhimanyu know?)

"Of course not" she replied, giggling and Arohi burst out laughing at the little joke.

"Kiss baat pe has rahi aap Goenka sisters?" (What are you laughing at, Goenka sisters?) Abhimanyu asked.

"Your wife is going on a date with someone!" Arohi said.

"Oh yes I know, she's going on a date with Clive Bixby!"

"Isn't that Phil from Modern family?" Arohi asked him, squinting her eyes.

"Yes and no" Akshara answered.

"What?"

"Basically, Clive Bixby is Phil from Modern Family, but for this Juliana" Abhimanyu pointed at Akshara "It's me. I am Clive Bixby"

"Ugh, so you two are going on a date? That's not interesting for me at all. I mean aren't you guys dating for 100 years? And aren't you married for 200 years?" Arohi replied, and Akshara groaned her eyes.

"Shut up, stupid" she said but immediately regretted it, as she didn't want to created awkwardness between the two.

"Whatever, you guys are old anyway, you should go out and have fun" Arohi said with a teasing smile on her face.

"Arohi! Your sister might be you old, but I am young!" Abhimanyu retorted dramatically.

"Whatever you would like to believe" she replied.

"Aye, don't forget I am your boss!"

"Are you going to exploit your power?"

"Tum dono kitne bore ho!" (You two are so boring!) Akshara declared randomly and the two gave her a weird look. Abhimanyu flashed a toothy grin but Arohi's mind diverted to something else.

"When did I say that the restaurant is bad? I just said that I like Curry Magic! I didn't even criticise your favourite favourite restaurant!"

"You never say anything directly! Sab indirectly bolti ho!"

"Oh my god, you're reading too much into it!"

"No, you always do this! You never appreciate others!"

"Oh my god, you're so dramatic!"

"No you're-

"You both are so boring, ewwww" Suruchi stopped their fight "First date and y'all are already acting like a married couple" she said.

"Whatever, you both should leave, nahi toh traffic shuru hoga!" (Whatever you both should leave, otherwise you'll have to go through traffic)

"Wait, why don't you join us, Aaru?"

"Oh yes, that would be fun!" Abhimanyu chimed in.

"Are you guys crazy? Matlab kuch bhi, what will I do" Arohi started her protest but even she didn't realise it and in the next ten minutes, she stood in front of the couple, all ready to go with them.

"How was there a dress on my bed already?"

"I had kept it, I knew you would refuse if we had asked you in advance. Abb chaloooo!" Akshara said, holding her by her hand and practically dragging her towards the car.

"Akshu, I still feel I shouldn't tag along"

"Arey Arohi, kabhi toh aapne bade didi aur jiju ke paiso pe mauj karlo!" (Arohi, have fun on your sister and brother in law's money!) Akshara said.

Arohi sighed and muttered "Alright" and sat in the car.

"Where are we going?"

"Curry magic" Akshara replied as she immersed herself in her phone, choosing what playlist to play.

"Oh okay"

"Favourite singer?"

"Shreya Ghoshal"

"Favourite song?"

"Main agar kahoon"

"Favourite restaurant? From Udaipur"

"That's easy, Sujata Restaurant!"

"Seriously!? Curry magic is way better!"

In twenty minutes, the trio reached the restaurant. They listened to songs and talked about mundane things throughout the small drive.

They got out of the car and Arohi saw a man standing in front of the restaurant. The shirt, it looks familiar. That has to be Neil...

She walked towards him, taking long strides, and just then he turned around.

"Neil" she said softly.

"Not bad, Goenka, not bad. You look good today" he said in a teasing manner. But Arohi couldn't care for that joke. She looked at him, tears clouding her vision and wanted no time in embracing him.

Arohi stood in front of Neil Birla, who was awestruck looking at his date.

"Whoa, Goenka..."

"What?" Arohi was extremely nervous, and she didn't even know why, but she didn't understand Neil's reaction, and got a little insecure and worried.

"You look...amazing" he breathed out.

"I do?" She asked, confused and he nodded vigorously at her.

"Thank you" she replied. "You don't look so bad yourself"

"I love you, I love you so much" she whispered in his ears, clinging onto him.

"I love you too, I love you too so much" he whispered back.

"I thought you forgot" she chuckled softly.

"How could I forget? Today is such a special day for me" he replied.

Akshara and Abhimanyu looked at the younger couple adoringly, their love story was still a mystery to the family. All they knew were that they started dating back in medical school and are together since then. Not one other detail of the relationship was known to them, except for the fact that they loved each other the most.

"Abb khaana khaye? Bohot bhuk lagi hai!" (Should we eat now? I am hungry!)

"Of course, bhabhi!" Neil grinned at his sister in law, "Treat's on me, it's a special day for me"

"For us, it's a special day for both of us" Arohi said softly. "Also, weren't you two treating me?" She added, looking at Akshara and Abhimanyu.

"Please, Arohi. I am here because I am not paying" Abhimanyu replied with a grin and the other three laughed.

The four entered the restaurant, chatting along.

"Isn't this our first double date?"

"Yes yes, it is"

Writing this story has become really difficult for me, but anyway. I managed to write this part 😁
Did you like the format of the flashbacks added through the present time or was it confusing? Lemme know.
And seriously please give me some actual comments, I have zero motivation to write this (: