Chapter # 31

After completing his long task and regaining his escaped prisoner, Guru. Nathaniel acted like nothing happened and he returned from his so-called vacations. 'Oh Look, who is returning, our Plague Doctor," Mark started the acting when he entered the staff's lounge and everyone's eyes fell on him. He blinked in confusion, 'What?" 'Did you hear the news?!" 'Hmm?" 'They said he is alive! I am telling you, don't whistle again, Nathaniel, or else the cops will arrest you," One of them said jokingly. 'Yeah, right, arrest the best surgeon of yours," Nathaniel cracked a joke as well, going through his locker to grab some of his files. 'Doctors can't be murderers, stupid. How come those who save lives can hurt a soul?" Nathaniel paused, glancing from his shoulders, 'Huh?" 'Absolutely, have you ever heard of a doctor being in the mafia?" Another one of them interrupted. For a heartbeat, it sounded funny and distasteful simultaneously, forcing him to glance at his hand. ‘How come those who save lives can hurt a soul, huh?' He smirked emptily at the thought. He knew no matter how many lives he would save, they won't compensate for the limitless ones he took. 'Yeah… you are right and besides, our Nathaniel is harmless, he always minds his own business. He can't hurt anyone," Mark tittered as they all turned to him and he merely hummed in agreement. 'Hmmm," 'But, I agree. Who knows, like before they will execute you for their high name." 'We will see about it. I whistle for fun, not to mark my existence like some fantasy doctor," Nathaniel smirked. Wearing his coat and ending in a sigh, going through the files as there was some time before his shift. 'That fantasy doctor is the biggest criminal who fooled the whole world! He is evil!" 'Who cares? The news was from India. What does it have to do with us?" Nathaniel shrugged. 'Yeah…" And then another doctor started, 'Anyways, you had a girlfriend and didn't tell us! You have broken too many hearts now," 'We just met recently, dated, fell in love and thought about spending some quality time together- Oh, Hey Keith," He smiled, waving his hand at the only man he respected sincerely. A professional senior cardiologist, Keith, smirked at him. 'Hey, how were your vacations?" He waved back. 'Great. Now back to work." 'I am truly amazed, you know?" 'Why?" 'I thought you were the boring type of man who has no life. Don't go out or have fun. Work. Home. Work. Home." Keith chuckled. Joining the group as well, also interested in knowing how it all went. 'Well, you can say she changed my life," 'Say? We can SEE it," They all laughed, teasing him about the initiation of his new life after being single for a long time- according to them. 'If you are done then I am going for the survey then I have a surgery to perform," 'Sure, sure," After an exhausting day at work, he returned home and when he saw Zariah humming to herself melodiously, he forgot his worries. She hadn't noticed him before due to the earplug, cooking dinner. Folding his one arm at his chest, he leaned against the wall to stare at her intensely, smile widening to indulge in her beauty. How she was smiling, so peaceful. He finally returned the smile he promised. She looked angelic, relieved and foremostly, smiling. The woman he married at first and the one before him had changed entirely, and for the better of course. She was out of the darkness. Tilting his head adorably, he thought sincerely. ‘It's not that I don't want this type of life too. Why wouldn't I want this? I never imagined I would be able to see that smile but I finally did it and this simple sight is the ‘best' moment of my life.' They had small wishes. Still De Villiers' words were disturbing him and relaxing his shoulders, his eyes narrowed sorrowfully. ‘The life where we will marry, I work, she will be a housewife, we have kids, grow old together- Why is such a scant, monotone desire too difficult for us?' He would never willingly ruin the perception of the arresting life she had created. He would continue it, for that, if he had to conceal his resentment for Guru and his family, hide his menacing nature, he would. 'Huff, focus on her, at this moment, Nathaniel." He whispered to himself. Shaking his head, he inhaled sharply, convincing himself that no matter what happens, he won't ravage her tranquility anymore. ‘You are all she has now. Give her the most unforgettable moments, complete your wishes, your dreams, this is the chance,' Collecting his resolve he pulled out a grin, he was holding a box of donuts all this time and placed it aside. Entering, he snapped his fingers, gaining her attention, she quickly pulled out the earplugs. 'Hey, Beautiful," He beamed. 'Hey, welcome. Good timing, the dinner is almost ready," She giggled. He wanted to touch or embrace her but it was not a corporate job, he was coming from a hospital, he needed to take a shower. 'Great, I will freshen up," And the second he had showered, he appeared behind the nymph of his perception, hands around her sides to latch those lips to her neck. 'Wh- what are you doing?" She gasped at the abrupt action, putting the spoon down. 'Are you doing okay, Zari?" He murmured. Resting his body against her to embrace her properly, with all his affection. 'What?" 'Your mother's…" He paused, arching an eyebrow, praying she was not hiding her grief. 'I left her long ago. It hurt me, no doubt but honestly I was never close to her to feel depressed or agonized." She told him honestly. She knew she never had that kind of relationship with her to feel bad about her demise in the first place. She was never in her picture. Turning off the stove and covering the lid, she turned to the light of her life, wrapping her hands around his neck. 'Whatever I have, It's just you, my morning, my night, smile, my family. Everything…" She whispered, tiptoeing and managed to kiss his jawline. He chuckled at her attempt and lifted her waist so she could peck his lips properly before returning a grin. 'I see. Glad to hear it. I will try my best to eradicate all your sorrows, Zari," He spoke wholeheartedly. 'You know, when you are here, this close, as mine," Pressing her palm over his heart, causing his heart to skip a beat and sink entirely in the woman before him. 'Then what sorrow you speak of because I have none," She continued, expressing and he was awestruck. He knew she was blind for him, that she had been senseless for him but to ‘experience' what he knew was an entirely another matter. He didn't know how to manage such an explicitly massive amount of adoration and endearment. Intertwining their fingers, to listen to his swift heartbeats, she placed her head on his chest while he stood stunned. ‘Was this truly real? Not an imagination of mine, right?' 'I won't break your heart again but please stop this moment, Zari," 'We both broke each other's heart, don't take it all on you, please," Breathless, hopeless, realizing that he was reaching a point of no return as well. Tears gradually brimmed in his eyes and he ended up embracing her. ‘I won't lose her, I will accept any defeat as long as she is not in it. I won't let anyone take my Zari away from me,' He thought firmly. Refusing to let her go, endeavoring to subdue the anguish and tears growing wild. ‘Not Issac, not Sufiyan, not Zoran, and especially MYSELF,' 'I have died for this moment, forever dreamt of it only and now I have all my felicity, with you," 'I see. Glad to hear it." He whispered back, swallowing and quickly wiped the tears that came to blur his vision. He found home, he found solace, he found all reasons to give meaning to his baseless existence. 'Anyways, it smells delicious. If we have leftovers, I will take them to work because I got donuts too," He chuckled, pulling away a little. 'Sure." At night, they both were sleeping, she was holding him as if all her hopes were linked to him, as if she wouldn't be herself if she let him go. And there was no denial of this fact either. Holding her shoulder, he moved his thumb across, watching her sleep intensely with undesirable feelings serving as a chain. Though he had it all planned out, yet he was unable to discard De Villiers' words. Praying a moment like this never comes, nor would he let it come and would try his best to halt it as well. Because if it did- He won't be the man she fell in love with.