Page 3 of Driven By Desire
A derisive snort from the next bed had her flashing a brighter than normal smile as she rattled off her number. “I’ll look forward to your call.”
Making a quick note of her number, the doctor gave her a tiny wave and walked off towards the nurse’s station.
“So you’re both aerodynamically and morally challenged?”
Smile disappearing, she spun back towards the bed. “You are such an asshole. What is your problem?”
“My problem? Right now,youare my biggest problem.”
“What more do you want from me? I’ve said I’m sorry and –“
“When?”
“What do you mean when?”
“When did you say you were sorry?”
Casting her mind frantically over the evening, Max felt her face reddening as she realized he was right.
“I’m-“ The curtain almost hit her nose as it swished shut, “sorry.” She finished.
Silence.
“You are an arrogant, overbearing, hateful man and I am done trying to explain myself or apologize to you. Goodnight, Mr. Mehra.”
She didn’t wait for an answer nor did she get one. As she strode out of casualty, she decided she didn’t give a damn about trying to apologize anymore. It wasn’t like she was going to have to see that horrible man again.
CHAPTER 2
Fury carried her through the hospital and out to the auto stand on the street beyond the parking lot. She still had to pick up her car which was parked outside Adi’s house before heading home. Hailing the driver in the lead auto in the queue, she told him the address and settled into the familiar routine of haggling over the price. Finding an auto that ran on the meter in Hyderabad was an unparalleled feat if you didn’t book it through an app. Agreeing on a price finally, she was just getting into the auto when she froze. Price? She hadn’t paid for her check up at the hospital. As distasteful as the idea of going back in was, she wasn’t going to walk away and let someone else assume the price of her night’s adventure. Squaring her shoulders, she walked back to casualty and made her way over to the nurse’s station again.
“Hi.”
The nurse threw her a harried glance and continued rummaging furiously through a drawer in a desk. “Yes?”
“I’d like to get my discharge summary so I can pay the bill.”
“You’ll have to wait a few minutes.” Pushing back from the desk, she said, “I’ll be right back.” The last bit was accompanied by the sight of the nurse’s fast disappearing back. Sighing, Max made herself comfortable in a corner chair and waited. Eyeing the closed curtain around the bully’s bed, she let the noise and confusion of casualty swirl around her. She watched Aditya pull the curtain back slightly and stick his head out. Scanning the room, his eyes lit up when he saw her. Murmuring something over his shoulder, he shut the curtain behind him and made his way over.
“Hi. I thought you’d left.” Dropping into the chair next to her, he stared morosely at the floor.
“I had but I forgot something.” When he didn’t move for several minutes, she tilted her head in the direction of the bed and asked, “Don’t you have to go be with your brother?”
“He wants to be alone.”
“Oh.” There didn’t seem to be much to add to that. After another moment of silence, she asked, “Did the doctors say he’d be okay?”
“He needs some stitches for the cut on his forehead. About four, I think. And they want to monitor him overnight for possible concussion but he’s refusing to stay the night.”
Of course he was. The man wasn’t sane or rational. He probably bared his teeth at the doctors the way he did at her. Savage. Unaware that her thoughts were translating into angry muttering, Max looked up and into Adi’s amused eyes.
“He’s not that bad you know. He just has a lot on his plate.”
“Don’t we all? We don’t go around snarling at people.”
“Well, in all fairness, you did –“
“Don’t say it. I know!” Groaning, Max let her head fall back against the wall. “I’ve tried to apologize.”
