THREE DAYS AGO

 

“Let’s go, Ann, I’m starving.”

A man’s voice sliced through Anika’s concentration.

“Is it lunch time already?” she asked, her voice husky for not having spoken for the past few hours. She had spent the entire morning updating her patient files, so another doctor on her team could continue when she was away on her vacation.

Nathan grinned next to her as she groaned and wiggled her stiff fingers. “Yup. It’s close to two. They are going to close the cafeteria soon,” he said as he moved behind her chair. The chair was supposed to be ergonomic, but it didn't help much, because her back felt stiff as hell.

She sighed as Nathan massaged her shoulders. “You know you could have avoided all this typing, Dr. Patel. Maybe you should rethink this impromptu vacation or at least postpone it.”

She groaned as he loosened some of the tensed muscles. “Nice try, Dr. Smith. Stop sounding like my mom.”

“You know Dr. Patel is right. She’s not thrilled you are going to meet your so called family who didn’t bother to get in touch with her after your dad passed away in an accident.”

“Nathan, please. I’ve been through this already with Mom. I have made up my mind to go.”

“Well, then at least change your mind about letting me tag along with you.”

“You know I can’t let you go with me, Nathan,” she said gently.

He sighed. “I know.”

There was an awkward silence between them. She knew Nathan was thinking about his proposal, and more importantly how she had turned him down.

Nathan was her best friend. They grew up together in the same neighborhood, attending the same schools, and also the same colleges. They even worked for the same hospital.

Nathan was a serial dater who always had a line of women who came and went from his life. She had met and socialized with a few of his girlfriends, but none of them seemed to catch Nathan’s attention for long. It came as a total surprise when Nathan had proposed to her one evening, after having invited her for an elaborate dinner he had planned on a rooftop restaurant.

 

“I love you, Dr. Anika Patel. Will you marry me?”

She was stunned as they had not been on a date before that night. “Nathan… I-I… can’t. I can’t marry you.”

His face fell.

“I love you, Nathan. But…not like that.”

He nodded and forced out a smile. “I know. I just thought it would be funny to see how you'd react.”

 

They had both known that it wasn’t a joke. They tried getting back to their casual friendship, but that night stayed in their minds. Since then, she made it a point not to encourage Nathan in anyway, because she didn’t want to disappoint him again.

“Dammit! Let’s go! They are going to close the café soon.” Nathan looked at his watch hurrying out.

She grabbed her bag and followed him.

“So what do you feel like eating today?” he asked as they approached the large cafeteria that was mostly empty as it was almost closing time.

“The sushi counter is open. Let’s grab that.”

They paid for their food and sat down next to a large picture window overlooking the Bay Bridge.

“Oh great,” Nathan grumbled, as they began to eat.

“What?”

“It’s that creepy guy. And he’s at it again, staring at you.”

“Huh?” Anika twisted her body slightly and looked at the large guy behind one of the cafeteria counters. Turning back, she shook her head in amusement.

“It’s not funny, Ann. The guy keeps turning up at most places we go. You should let me deal with him.”

“You are over thinking this, Nathan. He’s just some random dude who’s working here, and also pulling in shifts at the coffee house and other places around here. We just happened to go to those places, too. It's called a coincidence.”

Nathan grumbled. “Maybe, but him staring at you so much is not a coincidence.”

“Are you saying that a guy staring at me is odd?” she asked in a mock outraged tone.

Nathan grinned. “No. A guy staring at you, and not doing anything about it—is odd. Guys keep hitting on you all the time.”

Yeah, until they get to know me, and then they run the other way.

“Maybe he’s just shy,” she mumbled as she put a piece of sushi in her mouth.

“Shy? With those strange tattoos and piercings all over his body? Unlikely.”

“Hey. Don’t judge,” she said. “Anyway, let’s forget about him. Are you sure you want to take me to the airport? It’s an early morning flight, and I’d rather take a cab.”

“I’m taking you to the airport. No more discussion.”

She grinned looking at his scowl. “All righty.”

They spoke about work as they finished their meal, and when she was about to leave, she turned and smiled at the tattooed guy who was still staring at her.

He didn’t smile back. Instead, he simply continued to stare impassively.

 

*****

 

It was almost seven by the time Anika got home from work. Dropping her car keys in a bin next to the main door of her apartment, she headed towards her bedroom. The light indicating messages on her landline kept blinking.

Moving the packed suitcases away from her wardrobe, she grabbed a pair of nightclothes while dialing a number on her cell phone.

“Anika! Where were you? I’ve been trying to reach you all day!”

“Hi, Mom. I was at the hospital, going on rounds and finishing up a lot of things that I needed to do before I leave tomorrow morning.”

There was an exasperated sigh. “I know, but seriously, can you not think about this again? Or at least wait until Dad and I get back from our cruise.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I’ll be back before Myra gets home for the holidays.”

“Fine,” her mom said grudgingly. “But call me often, or at least send me messages. I can check them when I’m at the ports.”

“I will, Mom.”

They spoke for a few more minutes before her stepfather took the phone from her mom.

"You should take one of those guided tours. They are safe and you'll get to see a lot in less time."“Yeah. I have enough vacation accrued, but I can’t, Dad. I need to get back in two months.”

“All right, kiddo. Have a great journey and do call us if you need anything.”

"Yup. And you guys enjoy the rest of your vacation. Love you." Anika ended the call and sighed.

She felt bone tired due to the back-to-back shifts that she had been pulling during the last two weeks.

She got up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. Stepping into her small yet functional shower, she turned the taps on, and sighed as the warm water began to ease her tensed muscles.

 

Her mother’s words from last week kept repeating in her head. “Why do you want to go? They never even cared for both of us after your father passed away in an accident.”

 

It was the day after she received an unexpected call.  “Your grandfather is dying. His last wish is to meet you in person. Please…don’t disappoint him.”

 

Her aunt, who was Anika's father’s sister, had called and pleaded with her.

Normally, she wouldn’t have dropped everything to rush and see her estranged relatives she had never met, but lately, she had been in a rut. She felt a keen restlessness inside her even though everything was going well with her career and life in general.

Even though her stepfather treated her as one of his own, and she loved her half-sister, Myra, to pieces, she still felt some kind of strange emptiness when it came to having a sense of belonging. That same emptiness even made her think of doing crazy things like maybe agreeing to marry Nathan to start a family of her own, and feel that sense of belonging.

It was the same void that drove her to make plans to visit her family in India. She felt that meeting her relatives and finding out more about her roots would help her find some peace within, and get on with her life as usual.

“All right India. Here I come,” she said softly.