डॉक्टर-रोगी गोपनीयता: अध्याय पैंतालीस

वह मुझे धीरे से नीचे सेट करता है, और मेरे पैरों के नीचे का ठंडा कंक्रीट का फर्श अपने परिचित होने के कारण एक स्वागत योग्य एहसास है और मेरी वास्तविकता में एक अप्रिय धक्का भी है जो मेरे ऊपर का आदमी नहीं है - और नही सकता-का हिस्सा बनो।

मैं बोलना शुरू करता हूँ। "सुनना-"

"मुझे पता है कि तुम वहाँ क्यों थे," वह कहते हैं, एक स्पष्टीकरण पर मेरे प्रयास को काटते हुए। मुझे अफ़सोस होगा कि उसने मुझे काट दिया अगर उसकी आवाज़ इतनी शांत-सौम्य नहीं थी, यहाँ तक कि।

मैं भौं चढ़ाता हूं। "आप ... आप करते हैं?" मैं कुछ बार पलकें झपकाता हूं, मामले पर उसके अचानक परिवर्तन के बारे में अनिश्चित।

"यह पता लगाने के लिए एक रॉकेट वैज्ञानिक नहीं लगता है कि आपको स्पष्ट रूप से धन की आवश्यकता है," वे कहते हैं। "मैंने देखा कि जब मैंने आपको एंडोस्कोपी के बारे में बताया तो आप कितने हताश दिख रहे थे। जब मैंने तुम्हें आज रात देखा, तो मुझे पता था कि यही कारण है।"

I frown. “Then why did you react the way you did earlier if you knew I was doing this out of desperation?”

He sighs, running a hand through his full hair. “I don’t know. I guess I was just shocked to see you there,” he says. “You just don’t seem like the type to resort to something like that so I was sort of taken aback. Plus, you’re Danny’s sister, and you may not understand it, but I feel like I have a responsibility toward you because of that. But I do apologize if what I’d said made you feel bad.”

I feel my expression fall at that admission. I’m not sure what I expected him to say, but hearing that this is all about Danny is only pissing me off. I cross my arms over my chest in anger and put on an obviously forged smile.

“Well, the good news is that you don’t have to feel responsible for me. Danny certainly doesn’t, so there’s no need for you to,” I say bitterly, even though the smile is still glued to my lips. “Plus, Danny doesn’t exactly think of me as his sister, so yeah. But hey, not to worry,” I make a dramatic gesture with my hands, “I’m pretty sure his real sister, Jennifer, wouldn’t mind having you around and feeling responsible for her.”

My tone is so sour I can’t even believe it’s coming out of my mouth. Why am I getting so upset?

Frost doesn’t try to get a rebuttal or anything. I hand him back his jacket and he simply bids me goodnight. I watch him walk over to his car before I break my gaze from him forever. But just as I’m about to walk through my door, I remember something.

“Hey,” I call out, quickly turning back to him once more. He looks at me from the side of his car, towering over the gorgeous compact vehicle. “Before that McGraw dude interrupted us, you said you wouldn’t tell my grandmother about tonight on one condition,” I say. “What is it?”

He continues to look at me for a moment, his eyes assessing, as if they’re trying to analyze something. Suddenly, a small, almost arrogant grin creeps its way onto his full lips, pulling on one side of his mouth mischievously.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” is all he says.

***