1.1 (Mumbai) 

"Hum patient ko andar le kar jaa rahe hai.. Ghabraiye mat.." the nurse patted the lady's shoulder, asking her not to panic outside the operation theatre.

As soon as the patient was triaged, the emergency room physicians started the trauma protocol. The patient had met with an accident half an hour ago and had lost a lot of blood till time.

"Get the CT scan done.." Dr. Akbar, an orthopedic as well as the doctor on duty took charge and hastily walked up to the intercom at the joint cabin.

"TAT casualty!" he announced. "It's a case of head injury... accident hua hai.. The glass pieces have pierced into his head.." Dr. Akbar informed the specialist about the case. Dr. Sidharth, an excellent MD, had arrived, taking charge now. The reports arrived in the meanwhile,

"There is a minor fracture in the skull... We need to operate him now.. Shift him to the high dependency ward.. Kafi blood loss ho chuka hai.. Causing his blood pressure to fall..." Dr Sidharth told them after taking a quick glance at the reports and the team was quick enough to get the operation theatre prepared.

"Patient needs transfusion..." he announced, the nurses were on it, the very sufficient Maruthi hospital had a blood bank of its own. Whereas Dr Akbar was analyzing the patient's limbs, especially arms, his right arm had multiple fractures.

Once every piece of glass had been removed, they began cutting through the scalp at the back of his head and applied clips to prevent bleeding through them. Cutting through, they could see the multiple cracks on his skull, Dr Sidharth placed a 6-hole plate adjacent to the fracture and tightened them with screws, placed a 14-hole long plated below the previous one and tightened it again. The skin was closed with sutures, while Dr Akbar plastered his right arm and the surgery was successful. They sighed with satisfaction, signing the postoperative norms.

"Sab.. Mera pati.. Theek hai na vo sab?" a woman ran into them as soon as they walked out of the OT. She held Sidharth's hand between her palms, crying and begging for her husband's life, there was a little boy next to her, clinging to her leg.

"Ha.. Theek hai aapka pati.. Sar pe tanke lage hai.. Aur dahine hath ki haddiya tooti hai.. Thodi der me mil sakte hai aap.." he told her, looking more at the scared boy, both of them had scratches around their hands. He called the nurse and asked her to get their first aid done. 

"Yeh road rash me.. Roz aise accidents hote rehte hai.." Akbar continued to talk about the case. "Han.. Careless people.. Abhi uski family ka kya hota vo mar jata toh.. Glad that he was young and survived through.." Sidharth sighed, the little boy's scared face was still occupying his mind though.

They were having lunch in the cafeteria now. Done with the day, Sidharth retired back to his cabin to wrap up, when his phone chimed with his mother's name.

"Hi Mom.." he answered. "Bache.. Aa raha hai na?" she asked.

"On my way Milady.." he answered while walking up to the parking area, got into his car, connected his phone with his ipods, buckled the seat belt and continued talking with a smile on his face knowing that she would be smiling equally on the other side.

Rita Shukla, his mother, lived in Nirmala Avaas, their home, named after his grandma. While he lived in Malad, nearer to the hospital and visited his mother every weekend.

"Maa.." he smiled and wrapped her in a tight hug, as she opened the door for him. He loved Fridays, for the next 3 days would be super relaxing, loaded with super tasty dishes and love, until any hospital casualty. But today, he was more than glad that it was a friday for some reason.

"How's it?" RitaJi asked while serving the chicken lababdar for the second time.

"So amazing..! Like always!" he said, the dinner went with the flow, with the mother son duo talking about their days, irrespective of time and he ended up telling her about today's surgery.

"Us dare hue bache ko dekha.. What if his father wouldn't have survived the accident..?" he said.

"But his father survived.. I'm so glad you were able to save him.. Life uncertain hi hoti hai Sidharth.." she answered.

"Hm.." he sighed nestling his head on her lap. She caressed her son's face, it was so similar to her husband's. 

The next morning, Sidharth woke up after a very peaceful sleep, lazily looked around at his favourite place. His bedroom where he grew up from a boy to a young man. There was a sliding door at the end of the room where he used to study. It was his father's gift, when they got Nirmala Avaas renovated, AshokJi got him a separate study room more like a secret room and only the two of them knew it's wonders. Apart from this, he had a huge balcony, he smiled looking at the small flower pots hanging on the walls. Rita Ji was fond of gardening and it was all her work.

"Utha gaya bacha? Did you sleep well?" with this sweet voice he felt a palm on his cheek, he simply hummed hugging her.

"Good morning Mom.." 

"Correction.. Good afternoon! 12 bajne wale hai.." she frowned.

"Bhook lag hogi na tujhe..chal.." she patted his back when he didn't budge. He obliged joining her at the dining table after freshening up, the glass top table had a small flower pot with freshly picked white & pink plumerias.

"Mom.. Mala theek se kaam karti hai na? Timely insulin shots mil rahe hai na aapko?" he asked about the part-time caretaker he had appointed.

"Ha.. Achi bachi hai.. Sab kaam karti hai timely.. You don't worry.." she answered. The breakfast went on with the flow, once settled in portico comfortably, Sidharth again laid his head on her lap.

"You have been doing that a lot lately.. Haven't you..?" she asked, pointing at his lips. They were darker than usual.

"Huh?" he asked. Rita ji brought two fingers closer to her lips imitating the act of smoking, he laughed at her mimicry and hid his face in her lap in embarrassment & said

"I'll try not to..."

1.2  (Punjab) 

Shehnaaz was pacing around her room, for the most awaited email ever.

"Haye.. Mera man ghabra raha hai.. Mail nahi aaya toh? Mera video pasand toh aayega na unko.. Nahi aaya toh?" she asked Simran.

Her Sim. Her childhood friend. Her soul sister. Her partner in crime.

"Aayega meri maa.. Kyu nahi aayega.. Itni talented hai tu! Bhool gayi? IISER ke munde tere liye pagal hote the.." Simran reminded of their college days. When she used to set fire on stage every year during the college fests, Shehnaaz was a renowned performer in her college in Mohali.

"Yaar kaha college? Kaha ye audition? Koi comparison nahi hai inka.. Tu chup kar!" she snapped. There was no comparison between the online dance audition she gave for a very known dance academy in Mumbai. 'Dropbeat Dancers' a brand in itself, it has produced several best dancers for the television industry in the lastest decade. 

It was a pandemic strike, a lock down all over the country. People were restricted to move out of their houses to ensure their safety from the deadly Covid. It had been months of lockdown that felt like centuries to her, caged in her own house, all alone. Because it held her back from going to Mumbai, to the city of her dreams. But things were getting back to normal with time, the vaccine to the virus had been discovered and all the public places were opening up. So, the audition that took place online 3 weeks ago was going to announce its results today.

Shehnaaz had recorded her dance video and uploaded it on their website as per the given norms. If she got selected, she would receive a mail from the academy followed by the manager's phone number, so here she was. Waiting for the mail since eternity. 'ping' 

Shehnaaz Kaur Gill, 

This is to inform you that your dance video has been selected by Dropbeat Dance Gurus. With your immense talent and passion you have secured a seat in the academy. You can submit the fee within this week and join the batches within the next 14 days. For further details contact 2345xxxx.

As soon as Sim finished reading the particular mail, the girls squealed their lungs out in contentment, excitement and shared a bone crushing hug.

"Hogaya selection! Thank you BabaJi!" Shehnaaz joined her hands and thanked God.

"Ruk mai abhi aayi.." Sim excused herself and ran out, while Shehnaaz kept staring at the mail.

"Dekh rahe ho Amma? Finally! Mera selection ho gaya.. Yaad hai jab pichli baar nahi hua tha toh mai kitna royi thi.. Tabi aapne bola tha na aur mehnat karne ko... aur dekho is baar ho gaya..! Bahut khushi ho rahi hai.. Bas aap hoye toh aur bhi khushi hoti.. Aap khush hona?" she silently cried recalling her mother.

"Sana! Kithe hai tu puttar?" It was Harpreet, Simran's mom, who lived next door.

"Ha..hanji aunty" she came out wiping her tears to get bunched by the lady, she hugged her tight and smothered her face with kisses.

"Shabash puttar! Aur acha kar.. Aur aage jayegi tu.." she blessed her. Shehnaaz was expected to join the academy in the next two weeks, it meant she had hardly a few days left.

Once done with the mini celebration then and there, they began with the packing. Tasks were divided, Sim was looking for an affordable place, while Shehnaaz paid the fee and began looking for teaching vacancies in schools.

"Yeh dekh.. Paradise apartments.. Thoda zyada rate hai lekin it's good in the long run.. EMI pe lele ek flat yaha.." Sim shared further details about the place.

"Abey nahi Sim.. It's too costly.. Abhi shift karne me bhi paise jayenge.. Meri salary hi poori EMI me chali jayegi.. Look for rents yaar.. Mai abhi ghar lene ki situation me nahi hu.." she answered.

She could afford a rental place though and it would be great if she found a Pg. but for now, her main concern was a job. She had been teaching in a government school until lock-down, in a Punjabi medium. It wasn't a very advanced school, but now it was going to be Mumbai, a class in itself, schools would probably look for the best of the best teachers. To not let any opportunity go, she filled up forms for almost every vacancy she saw.

"Koi Pg mila?" she asked her friend again.

"Yaar Pg bahut dur ho jayega tere academy se.. See this place.. Balaji Avenue.. Malad me.. Yaha pe ek flat rent pe mil jayega.." she said. Sim knew her economic condition, still she wanted her friend to get a better place, a good one for the long go.

"Le number.. Baat kar landlord se.." she added. Sighing deeply, Shehnaaz dialed the number and it came out to be a nice place actually, 2BHK, at a fairly affordable place, she had to share the flat though. One of the rooms was preoccupied by a girl, similar to her age, it meant having a roommate.

Okay, no big deal. Only they had to share the electricity bills and some more of such monthly stuff. Being totally fine with it, Shehnaaz had obliged paying the advance to the landlord. 

"Great.. Tujhe nayi dost bhi mil gayi itni jaldi.." Sim taunted when she found Shehnaaz saving her roommates phone number given by the landlord.

"Kaisi dost? Maine na baat ki.. Na uska chehra dekha..?" she asked.

"Lekin tu uske sath rahegi na.. Fir tum dono dost ban jaoge.. Aur tu mujhe bhool jayegi.." she pouted.

"Karli bakwas..?" Shehnaaz was to laugh, but her Sim was serious. Letting go of a chuddi-buddy wasn't easy at all. Summing up the school and college years, both of them had been together for more than 20 years by now.

"I'll miss you.." both happened to mutter at the same time enveloping each other into a tight hug and sobbing slowly.

"Ek baat bolu..?" Sim asked. She nodded.

"Yaha vapas mat ana please.." it came out as a request.

"Huh?" she pulled away from the hug to have a look at her friend and ask for explanation.

"Umm.. Galat mat samajh.. Tujhe sirf dukh mila hai is ghar me.. Mai nahi chahti tu unlog se kabhi baat bhi kare.. Hamesha ke liye chale jaa tu.." Sim said, with that broken voice, it only made them cry more.

"Isliye toh jaa rahi hu.." she replied in her head. 

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