Fiza and Alan spent most of their internship posted in separate departments, which made it tough to find time for each other between their 72-hour duties, study sessions, and schedule differences.

But one fortunate night, luck was on their side. They both ended up on call on the same night. Fiza's shift in Surgery was relatively smoother, with all her patients stable. She left her cell phone number with the nurse and decided to visit Alan in the Obstetrics department.

In the labour ward, amidst the distinct smell of blood and body fluids, sat Alan, looking slightly sweaty and disheveled with a 4 o'clock shadow.

Fiza couldn't help but find him appealing.

"Hi, Dr. Alan!" she beamed at him, enthusiastically using his new title.

"Hi, Dr. Fiza," he responded, his face breaking into a tired yet happy smile. "How has your night been?"

"I had an appendectomy, and the patient is super stable," Fiza replied. Then, noticing they were alone except for a sleeping patient behind the curtain, she couldn't resist and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

Alan sat upright in mock horror, exclaiming, "Dr. Fiza! In front of a patient!" She playfully punched him.

"Oh, you just wait, Dr Fiza. Once this patient's blood pressure is stable, I'll show you what I'm going to do to you," he said with a mischievous smile. It made her giggle nervously.

A voice in Malayalam suddenly broke the moment, saying, "I think I'll get pregnant just listening to these two."

They turned around to see the charge nurse entering the room, and burst out laughing. They were quite sure she didn't realize they could understand her.

However, duty called for Fiza, as she received a call from the nurse about a new patient in the casualty room that needed her assessment. Reluctantly, she left Alan's side to attend to the patient.

The patient didn't require immediate surgery, so after she completed the admission, she made her way to the duty room and lay down.

The room had bunk beds and was shared by both male and female interns. The room allotted for male interns was infested with cockroaches and had a faulty AC, so they all ended up in the same space.

As Fiza was drifting off to sleep, she felt someone's body against hers.

"You stink," she jokingly remarked, turning around to face Alan who had climbed into bed with her. He wrapped his arm around her, and they snuggled up together. "We're going to be in trouble if we get caught," whispered Fiza, aware of the risks of being discovered.

It had been several months since they were last together like this, and Alan couldn't resist showing affection. He kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck, making her giggle. "How do you smell so good during a 72-hour duty?" he teased, playfully nibbling at the delicate skin on her neck.

Fiza was surprised by the question. "I go back to the hostel and shower every day. Don't you?" she asked.

Alan shook his head. "I'd lose over an hour if I did that."

"Then just go to the boys' hostel and shower," she suggested.

In response, he laughed and kissed her again, mumbling a response into her mouth.

Fiza pulled away, playfully crinkling her nose. "Oh, you laugh! You just can't smell yourself due to olfactory adaptation. You smell like a woman giving birth, so please, some space," she said, chuckling.

"Fine, turn around, I'll just spoon you," he proposed, and Fiza obliged.

Soon, she drifted off to sleep in his arms while Alan received a call about another woman in labor and had to leave the duty room.

Fiza didn't see Alan for several more days but they were getting used to this. It was lonesome but they were starting to bond with the PG students that supervised them.

To Fiza's dismay, Abhishek, her senior who had expressed interest in her several years ago, was supervising her during her medicine rotation.

Abhishek knew she was in a relationship with Alan, and she referred to him openly as her fiance. That didn't stop him from seeking one-on-one time with her, bumping into her, or touching her inadvertently.

One night, during her night duty, he called her into the duty room. "Fiza, I need that pen drive for the presentation tomorrow," he said.

She fetched it from the hostel and took it to him in the duty room.

There, as she handed it to him and turned to leave, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him. She lost balance and fell forward, and Abhishek gladly caught her at her waist with his left hand while still holding her wrist with his right.

She tried to clamber away, but his grip stayed tight on her wrist. "Sir, please leave me," she pleaded.

"I know what and all you do with Alan. One kiss for me shouldn't be a problem, no?" he said, looking at her from top to bottom with lust.

"Let me go, sir," she said firmly this time.

"Or else you'll do what?" he asked, pulling her closer.

She tried to slap him with her left hand, but he caught it.

He now had both her hands in a tight grip. "Maybe a kiss is not enough for me."

"You will sacrifice your medical career over this?"she asked slowly.

He appeared confused.

"If you touch me, I will have you expelled. Do you know who my father is?" she asked, bluffing and praying that Abhishek didn't care to find out. "One call is all it'll take for you to be in jail and your career to be over." She narrowed her eyes at him.

He let go of her wrists.

She turned around abruptly and walked away.

The next morning, she sent an email to Dr. Mehta Rai, the Head of the Department of Medicine, and copied the Dean.

Unfortunately, all Abhishek got was an unofficial warning fueling his desire to take revenge on her.

For the rest of the rotation, Abhishek made her life unbearable with petty acts of sabotage. He manipulated her presentations, altered schedules, withheld information, and made her appear unprepared during rounds.

She was tired of the mental games and physically exhausted from work. She was at the brink of quitting. After a particularly bad day, she decided to go straight to Alan's house rather than return to the hostel. She knew he was post-call and would be home.

His mother opened the door for her and was delighted to see her after nearly 6 months. She gave her a hug and ushered her in. "Have a snack! I've made samosas and unniappam," she said. "Are you post-call?"

Fiza shook her head. "Can I see Alan please?" she asked, tears filling up her eyes.

"What happened, mole?" his mother asked concerned. "Are you in a fight?"

Fiza shook her head. "No, just work stuff."

"He's sleeping. But you can go in." she said finally.

Fiza quietly opened her drawer. She smiled at her clothes neatly laundered and folded by Alan's mother. She changed into something comfortable and climbed in beside him.

Without opening his eyes, Alan turned towards her and wrapped his arms and legs around her, trapping her in him. She smiled. Soon, she fell asleep in his embrace.

Alan woke up first. He smiled as he realized that it hadn't been a dream and that she was really with him. He kissed her cheeks, waking her up. "Hi princess!" he said.

She stretched, and he tickled her. "Idiot," she said, bringing her arms back to her body. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you too!" Gazing into her eyes, Alan sensed that something beyond fatigue was troubling her.

"Fiza, don't you have to be in the hospital?" he asked her. He was post-call and only had to go in tonight. He kissed her again.

She shut her eyes tight. "I'm not going," she said. "I'm done. You'll still love me if I'm a housewife? I'll cook for you and have your babies."

Alan looked at her confused. She had told him briefly about Abhishek making a move on her and her reporting him. She had been very flustered that day and had cried on the phone with him. But he didn't know what was going on since.

"Is Abhishek still troubling you?" he asked, pushing locks of hair away from her face.

With tears of sadness and frustration, she told him what had been going on.

"Fiza, that's harassment. That's not okay. I'm coming with you. Let's go," he said. He was angry that someone could make someone as ambitious as Fiza want to quit.

"What good will that do?" she asked. "He'll just harass you too." She covered her face in frustration.

"Fiza, princess, you don't worry about me. We'll figure it out. Come, get dressed, I'm coming with you to Dr. Mehta Rai."

Fiza and Alan walked together to the hospital and went directly to the HOD's office. Fiza explained the situation as rationally as she could and fought her tears.

Alan stayed behind her, keeping quiet and just offering moral support.

Dr. Mehta Rai nodded. "See, you are not the first one to complain, Fiza. We know you are a good student," she said, looking at Alan. "We know both of you are University toppers, and I also noticed the dip in your performance after you complained about him. I was meaning to talk to you about it. Now it makes sense. Abhishek is in trouble with the department. But if we expel him, we will be short of a first-year PG. Fiza, it's just a few more weeks of medicine for you, and then you'll be off to another rotation."

Fiza was livid. She was glad that the HOD was aware that she wasn't a poor performer. But how was Abhishek allowed to get away with this with just a slap on his wrist, especially with multiple complaints was unacceptable to her?

As though reading her mind, Dr. Mehta said, "He will get a poor recommendation from us during his externals."

Fiza bowed her head, said "thank you," and stepped out.

Not caring who was watching, Alan put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. He wiped her tears and whispered, "Fiza, you don't let him see this affect you. What more can he do? Just confront him then and there, if he switches topics on you or whatever, okay?"

She nodded.

Taking the day off, Fiza spent it with Alan, seeking solace in his arms. As Alan slept in preparation for his night call, Fiza stayed close to him, cocooned in his embrace, finding strength in his unwavering support and love.

When the six o'clock alarm rang, Fiza turned it off and eagerly kissed Alan awake.

He squeezed his arms around her, "This is the best alarm ever," he said, his voice filled with affection.

She kissed him again.

"Why do you taste so good?" he asked, pulling away playfully.

"Lollipop," she said, chuckling and pointing at the half-eaten lollipop on his nightstand.

"I want some too," he murmured, kissing her again, his tongue gently exploring her mouth. The next thing he knew, he was on her, passionately kissing her, wanting, no needing, so much more.

Fiza sensing his loss of control, tried to speak, to ask him to stop, but his fervent kisses silenced her attempts.

As Alan's mouth moved further down her neck and reached her chest, it sent shivers through her body. Fiza finally managed to muster her strength. "Stop," she said, her voice breathless.

"No," he whispered, "I can't. I want you." His desire intensified as he sought to continue, his hands circling her breasts as he gently bit them.

Fiza tried again, "Alan, stop, please."

A few seconds later, he finally pulled away, both of them breathing heavily.

"I can't stop, Fiza," he confessed, his passion still evident, and he started to move closer to her again.

Sensing the intensity of his feelings, she sat up, and he placed his head on her lap, looking up at her, his eyes blazing.

"I love you so much, Fiza," he said, his voice breathy and hoarse.

She smiled down at him, gently caressing his cheek. "I love you too, Alan," she whispered, her heart overflowing with love.

**********************************************

Authors note

Isn't it horrendous that men like Abhishek actually exist in all fields? And they get away with just a slap on the wrist?

Tell me your thoughts. Do vote and comment!

💜Faiza