Preetha yells as soon as she understood what Arhaan said,

Preetha: What do you mean by that?

Arhaan: Relax.Take a deep breath now.

He is loudly inhaling and exhaling,

Preetha(impatient): I don't wanna do yoga with you.Just tell me what's happening?

Arhaan: Ok ok.So Aunty told I mean persisted Karan to meet this woman.He maximum avoided it but she is adamant.I mean what can he do when she has been nagging him.

Preetha: For what?

Arhaan: For his marriage.

She closes her eyes controlling herself,

Preetha: I am telling you Arhaan if you use 'his marriage' another time I will make sure you will not be there for your marriage.

Arhaan(widened eyes): Karan is right you really are a dragon.

Preetha(sternly): Get to the point.

He huffs,

Arhaan: Since Jaanu and I decided on our marriage Aunty is pestering him for his. Elders don't know about you so he was not able to convince her. She keeps on sending girls photos and arranging meetings. He tried but she is hard you know. Not wanting to hurt her, he decided to meet only to reject them. 

She closes her eyes angrily listening this,

Preetha: Why didn't he tell me?

Arhaan: He doesn't wanna disturb you with these. He said you are already managing a lot of work and he doesn't wanna bother you by adding another.

Preetha(sarcastic): Or is it because he could go to dates every weekend with others?

Arhaan:Nah.You know him right.He shifted to India just for you.Do you think he did all this to choose another person?

She calms down,

Preetha: Whatever. Your friend needs a lesson and I will teach him.

She cuts the call and stomps from the room.

She is hastily walking through the hall without looking at her family who is having dinner but Sarla sees her,

Sarla: Mickey? Kaha ja rahi ho?

She suddenly stops not at all expecting her question,

Preetha: Me....mei....Meera ke paas ja rahi hu ma.

Sarla: Abhi tho aayi ho thum?

Preetha: Ha ma meri notes uske paas reh gayi.Usi lene ja rahi hu.

Varun: Tho kal subah lelena.Its already 8:30 now.

Preetha: It's very important jiju.(mumbles) I should go get what's mine.

Mahi: Haa?

Preetha: Kuch nai.Mujhe jaana hein.

Raghuveer: No need.I will call the driver.He will get you what you want.

Preetha gulps but immediately an excuse strikes,

Preetha: Apko pata hein papa wo hostel mein rehti hein.And outsiders are not allowed there.

Raghuveer: But...

Preetha: Please papa.Mein abhi aathi hu na.Bye.

Before anyone says anything she strides out,

Mahi: Take your car Mickey not that scooty.

Preetha: Haaa.Haaa!

She yells running outside and everyone get into their food except Raghuveer.

He keeps on looking at the way she went,

Sarla: Raghu?

He comes out of trance and looks at her,

Sarla: Kya hein?

Raghuveer: Mickey!

Mahi and Varun look at each other,

Mahi: Usne kya kiya papa?

Raghuveer: Mein use samaj nai pa raha hu.

They all wait for him to continue,

Raghuveer(deeply): Kabhi kabhi mujhe lagtha hein ki wo meri beti hein sab kuch jaanta hu uske baare mein par kabhi kabhi lagtha hein ki kya sach mein mein uska papa hu?

Sarla caresses his shoulder,

Sarla: Kya baath kar rahe ho Raghu?

He sighs looking at the wall infront,

Raghuveer: I don't know if she is different or acts different.I mean see I thought she would do MBBS and become a doctor just like us but she chose MBA.I didn't like it but she got me convinced. So I started sending her applications to World Universitys when she told she would study in Mumbai itself.I didn't like it but she convinced so I talked to the Chancellor here.But she told me she would get into the college only through the entrance test.I argued,she didn't listen.Juggling between hospital and preparation, finally she cracked it and got scholarship.I thought that's what she wanted but she came with fees receipt next day and asked me to pay.I didn't understand if she wanted me to pay then why had she gone through such an exhausting journey for the exam? (Helplessly) Why does she always want to have everything in a hard way? Why can't she just sit back and take what she got? Why would she complicate things?

Mahi and Varun lower their eyes thinking about what he said,

Raghuveer: I am afraid about her future Sarla.We understand her but will her  future family would understand? What if they don't?

They knew Raghuveer and Preetha's decisions always conflict but they didn't knew he is so worried about her,

Sarla: Aise math kaho Raghu.Wo choti hein.Zindagi mein kuch karni chahthi hein
Wo samaj jayegi aage aage.

Mahi: Ha papa aap pareshaan na ho. Usse mein baath karungi aur dekthe rehna Micky ko bahut acha parivaar milega aur acha ladka bhi.

Varun: Bilkul mere jaisa.

She slaps his arm,they chuckle making the environment light with Raghuveer wishing the same.

In her car,

Preetha is driving towards the Mariott thinking about what Arhaan said, specifically about a person.

Preetha(mumbles): Sahana Luthra.

Changing the gear, she rewinds the first and last encounter with her.

SPANDANA

Few months into Karan and Preetha's relationship one afternoon,

Preetha is in borivali branch located in the suburbs for a monthly visit.There is not much rush in the hospital so is enough to hear what's going on at the Emergency Room.

A lady is talking to the ER doctor,

Lady: I am leaving.

Doctor: Sorry Mam you need to wait. It's important.

Lady: But why? We did all the formalities why should we stay?

Completing her work, Preetha is on the way to the exit with her assistant beside when she heard the commotion at ER.She glances at that side and her assistant fills in,

P.A: Probably an emergency case Mam.

Nodding, she walks ahead but stops when she hears loud voices. She can see it's disturbing the other people at the waiting hall so decides to check.

As she enters, she sees two doctors talking with a lady more like the lady is shouting at them,

Preetha: What's going on?

The doctors get attentive immediately at her voice,

Doctor: Good Afternoon Mam!

She nods to the greeting,

Lady: Who is she? Another white coat? This hospital has more doctors than patients.

Preetha: Isn't it a good thing? More lives can be saved.

Smiling, she comes inside and stands at the middle,

Preetha: Unfortunately I am not one. May I know your problem Mam?

Lady(pointing doctors): They are my problem. These people are restricting me though I did everything what they said.

Preetha looks at him for an explanation,

Doctor: Mam an hour before we have got a serious injury case. The patient is an old man of 50 years with injuries on head and fractures on leg. Mrs.Roy(showing the lady) brought him with some local people. According to them, it's a car accident. We treated him and now he is ok but as this is an accident case we have to inform the police. I was asking her to stay and give her statement but she is not willing.

Roy: How many times I have to tell you there's no need of police here?

Doctor: It's the rule Mam we should inform them.

Roy: Listen to me, let us go and send him to his home after his recovery.There's no need to involve a third person in it.Both of us will not have any problem.

Preetha remains silent all the while assessing the situation. She observes the patient.The injuries are bad.His physical appearance is bad and she could say that he is a daily worker. Poor man! He had to go through such a bad accident because of her careless driving and here she is behaving irrationally.Preetha gets irritated at her,

Preetha: That's not our policy Mrs.Roy. We work by rules here.

Roy: What do you mean?

She directly looks into her eyes,

Preetha: Even though you don't want you have to stay.

Roy glares her,

Roy: Do you know who I am? You bloody.....

She gets stopped by a woman whom Preetha doesn't notice before,

Roy: Did you hear what she said Sahana?

Sahana stops her friend in time. She calms her down, pulls her back and takes her position,

Sahana(gently): It's her first time acc.... dash so is bit disturbed. Don't mind.

She says looking at everyone.

With a pleasant smile,she looks at Preetha,

Sahana: It was not intentional or impulsive.Happened in a blink of an eye though we were careful. Like any other we didn't leave him there we brought him here and paid for the treatment. I hope you will close the matter here itself.We don't want any trouble for helping.

She looked like a calm and composed woman by her attire ,voice and her words but Preetha could sense the threat beneath so she too responds in the same tone.

Preetha: If it's a simple dash Ms.Sahana he wouldn't be lying unconscious with bandages around his body. And if not for the local people you sure would have left him there itself like any other. Am I right?

Sahana: Wrong. We would have helped any person in such a state.But I guess you trouble the people who helps.It's not the right thing to do.

When Roy did the accident Sahana is the one who is stubborn to help him. She knew it's thier mistake and want to rectify it without making it big.They managed the local people but not the doctors.

Preetha: We are just discharging our rightful duties Mam. Informing police is our responsibility.

Sahana: You are unnecessarily dragging the matter.We will leave and forget about this.

Preetha(gently): I hope you wouldn't let go the persons who made the accident if the patient was your father.

Sahana was rooted at such a response,

Sahana(lowly): You don't know who I am.

Preetha: Do you know who I am then.

Sahana is a person who assess the other with minimum words,she realizes Preetha has something in store so she asks directly,

Sahana: What do you want?

Preetha: That's the right question. 2 lakhs and an apology.

She answers without beating around the bush while Roy steps forward,

Roy: But we already paid?

Preetha: That's for the treatment and this is for not revealing your secret dash.

They both are too surprised by her bluntness of asking the bribe infront of many while everyone knew she is gonna give the money to the patient.

As she thinks that notifying the police will give nothing to the victim.They use their influence and come out so she makes them pay for what they did.

Sahana: Why do you think we will give you?

She is little bit curious of Preetha's confidence,

Preetha: Of course you will because you wouldn't want the CCTV footage to go out.

Their eyes widen as they look at the cameras around the ER.They understood that everything got recorded.Roy gets so angry seeing Preetha smirk,

Roy: Iski toh...

She lunges towards Preetha but Sahana controls her as she knew they are trapped.

Roy: This is too much.You know what do whatever you want.I don't care.We are leaving.

Preetha: You don't care Mrs.Roy but media cares....... a lot. Once this footage is out you will become the evening headlines.You can happily leave if you want to be their object of debates.

Roy glares her angrily while Sahana understands that it's a dead lock for them.

Sahana: What if you use it again for money?

Preetha: It will be deleted on the spot.

Sahana: Account details?

She agrees in a second as she is a woman of less words and also she doesn't want to deal with this anymore.

Preetha smiles,

Preetha: Neha?

She calls her PA who gives her the hospital account details.Sahana makes Roy transfer the amount,the security deletes the footage and they are about to leave without a word when Preetha stops them by her hand,

Preetha: Ek aur baaki hein.

Sahana: Kya?

Preetha: Apology. To our doctors.

Roy: Why should we apologise?

Preetha: For your indecent behavior when they did nothing but serve you.

Roy(angrily): Listen you I did everything just because (pointing sahana) she told me to.Otherwise I wouldn't have given a penny to your useless threats.Do not make me angry.

Preetha(firmly): Look Mrs.Roy just because doctors are at your service, don't think they are your servants.Treat them with respect because they treat you with care.And If you don't apologise now I will file a case on you for your abusive behaviour with them.You know how strict the laws are now.

That's enough for Roy to shut her mouth.She looks at Sahana once and then at doctors,

Roy(reluctantly): Sorry!

Apologizing she leaves angrily while they feel happy.

They look at Preetha gratefully as sometimes without the support of higher authorities they won't be able to do justice to their profession. And today Preetha did exactly that which earned their respect and confidence.

But Sahana stops beside Preetha,

Sahana: Fir milenge!

Just like that she walks away.

By the time the memory ends she sees herself in the parking lot of Mariott.

Preetha: Jarur milenge.

Then she didn't knew Sahana is Karan's mother when she did she knew there will be definitely a problem in the future as Sahana seemed as a women of esteem.

And continues in the next part........