The Wheel

 "Hi Dr Ray."

"Hello."

"Do you remember me from last year?"

"Yes of course, you had food poisoning. Came in with your boyfriend. Is he outside?"

"Erm, yes, no. I have a different boyfriend now. He's outside."

"Lucky you, to always be accompanied when you are sick. I assume they take good care of you."

"Yes Dr Ray."

"You can call me Loksh, Ms Kiara."

"He he Dr Loksh. Dr Ray. Loksh. Sounds so odd to not give respect to a doctor."

"I'm not that old. Just 37."

"Yes. Not old at all."

Awkward silence.

"So, Kiara, tell me what's up?"

"Nothing serious. I think I have GERD."

"Oh is it? How did you come to that diagnosis?"

"I think. I'm not sure. I could be wrong."

"Did you Google it before coming?"

"Yes. But it could also be esophageal cancer."

Loksh snorted and laughed out loud. 

Kiara smiled too. "Just kidding. I knew you would find it funny."

When the doctor laughed, his whole body shook. He was tall and hefty with glasses and a mop of curly hair on his head. Kiara saw a perfect set of teeth. She was always envious of people with good teeth. But then he was a doctor. They usually have perfect everything.

"So why did you really come Kiara? I can see you're fine. Also, I can tell you're not a hypochondriac. You seem pretty composed and in control of yourself."

"If I tell you the truth, do you promise not to get angry and throw me out?"

"Unless you create a scene in the hospital, no, I wouldn't throw you out."

"Okay, here goes. So, the last time, I was actually sick. I was seeing Karan, the guy who came here with me. Then I saw you. I didn't say anything then because I had to respect your position. The thing is, I know you."

"Know me from before? Somewhere else? Common acquaintances?"

"No. Don't freak out. I've seen you in my dreams. Many times. Even before we actually met. So the first time I saw you, I was in shock. I know everything about you, every thought in your head, every desire in your body, what you need, where you like to be touched. We have spoken in my dreams. Done things. But I have always been with someone else. And in every dream, I end up leaving them to be with you."

"Interesting stuff. I am not freaked out. Just sceptical of all this mystical stuff. If I tell my neurologist or psychologist friends about it, there might be interesting theories thrown up."

"I understand. I'm not asking you to believe me. So, after I actually met you in person last year, the dreams changed. I started dreaming that you left someone to be with me. It's always the same woman. She's beautiful and kind and funny and intelligent. But you choose me each time."

"When did you come last year?"

"December 21st"

"Strange, I met Ria around that time"

"Do you love Ria?"

"I guess so. I'm a practical person. Love is just companionship, I guess. Someone sensible to lean on'"

"Sensible?". Kiara laughed sarcastically.

"Look, what do you want? I'm confused. You have come here with your boyfriend. This isn't making any sense."

"I came to tell you about my dream last night."

"Where I leave someone for you?"

"Yes, but this time something happened to her. And it will keep happening till you leave her and come to me"

"Alright, Kiara, I'm going to have to ask you to leave nicely."

"I will leave. I told you, I'm not here to create a scene. I'm not a psychopath or a stalker. I'm just going to leave my number in case you need me."

"I don't want your number. I have always been wary of girls like you. Listen to yourself. You sound crazy, delusional. You seem to have made me up in your head. I am not the love of your life. Go to your boyfriend. He's waiting for you."

"He knows why I'm here. He understands."

"Kiara, please leave. Life is not a passionate, romantic movie. There are consequences and repercussions to every action of ours."

"And every inaction. Every time, you fail to do what you really want to, you set your life backwards, you stagger when you should run. Think of it as a wheel. It can go clockwise and anti clockwise. But if you want to move forward, you have to go clockwise. Same with time. You can choose to be practical all you want, but you will only feel stuck, never happy, never free."

She got up, left a paper on his desk and walked out of the door.

He looked at it, crumpled it and threw it in the dustbin.

His cell phone rang. It was Ria's mother. There had been an accident.

He ran towards the door. He opened the door, closed it, came back inside and searched inside the dustbin, and put the crumpled piece of paper in his pocket.

"What did you do Kiara? What did you do?"