“Sir. Main Siddhi ko… I mean apni sister ko pick karne ja rahi thi. Rahul ko bhi pick kar loon?”

“No. Thanks Dr. Nidhi. Uski maid wapas aa gayi hai. Woh use ghar le jayegi.”

“Okay Sir.”

“Dr. Nidhi?” She noticed that he had started using her first name instead of his usual practice of using the last name.

“Yes Sir?”

“Aap roz apni sister ko pick karti hain?”

“Ji.”

“But she is old enough to go home on her own.”

“Hum log saath mein lunch karte hain, Sir.”

“Isliye aap hospital canteen mein lunch nahin karti.”

“Ji,” she nodded looking apprehensive as if he would mind that. But he did not say anything. So, she left feeling relieved.

—

Ashutosh parked his car in the parking lot and walked towards the main building of Rahul’s school. It was the annual school picnic and the school authorities had asked parents to volunteer to accompany the kids to the picnic venue. Having a few parents around would be helpful for the teachers, as the kids on the picnic grounds could become a handful for them. Ashutosh had the day off; so he had decided to volunteer.

“Dr. Ashutosh?” he heard the familiar voice.

“Dr. Nidhi? Aaj to aapki duty thi.”

“Maine exchange kar li.”

“Yahan aane ke liye?”

“Ji.”

“That’s great,” Ashutosh said, but eyed her curiously. Why was she acting like a parent to her fairly grown up sister?

But he did not get a chance to continue the conversation. All the parents and teachers got busy in seating the kids on the buses, counting and recounting, giving instructions. Nidhi and Ashutosh were assigned to different buses; so they could not talk during the bus ride. Only after they disembarked at the venue and the kids got engaged in various activities, did he get a chance to talk to her again.

“Aap apni sister ki full-time guardian ki tarah hain,” he said cautiously, though he tried to appear casual.

“Guardian ki tarah nahin hoon, main uski guardian hoon.”

“Excuse me?”

“Woh aath saal ki thi jab hamare parents ki death ho gayi thi. Tab se main hi uski guardian hoon.” She said it as factually as if reporting a patient’s blood pressure to him.

Ashutosh was visibly startled. “I… I am sorry Dr. Nidhi.”

“It’s okay. Old story. She is doing fine.”

“I’m sure, she is. I’m sorry because I had no idea. And I could have said some things that hurt you…”

“No. You couldn’t have. I don’t give people power to hurt me,” her curt and stiff self was back.

Ashutosh’ mind was filled with a whirlwind of thoughts and he was hardly in a position to chat with her further. He tried to guess what Siddhi’s age was and if they were orphaned when she was eight, it must have been four to six years ago. Nidhi herself would have been a teenager then, herself in the need of love and care of parents. And she has been parenting her kid sister since then? Even at his age, when Rahul’s birth was a planned event of his life, he sometimes found it difficult to deal with a child as a single parent and this girl…. Is that what makes her so bitter? He stole a glance at her. She was looking fondly in the direction of her sister. Siddhi was playing volleyball with her friends. It was impossible not to notice the affectionate smile on Nidhi’s face, which was usually so devoid of anything resembling a smile. She definitely didn’t resent her sister’s responsibility. What was it then?

—

“Aap log wapas ghar kaise jayenge?” Ashutosh asked when they were back to the school from picnic. The parents who had not accompanied the kids on picnic had come to pick them up and the entire place was crowded again.

“Auto ya taxi mil jayegi, Sir.”

“Kaafi der ho gayi hai. Let me drop you. Car hai…”

“No. No Sir. That won’t be necessary. Aur phir Rahul ke sone ka time bhi ho raha hoga. Aap late ho jayenge.”

“It’s not a problem at all. Aur hamara hero abhi 11 baje se pahle nahin sone waala hai. Itni raat ko aap logon ka akele jaana theek nahin hai…”

“Sir. Hum hamesha jaate hain. Koi problem nahin hai. Right Siddhi?” Nidhi tried to get her sister to endorse her.

“Yeah Di. But you know… I am kind of tired…”

“Siddhi!” Nidhi was flustered.

“Dr. Nidhi. Please let me,” Ashutosh insisted.

He saw an expression of helplessness and regret on her face as she nodded. Obviously she was not happy at the situation. For a moment he felt bad about offering to drop them. It seemed to have hurt her self-respect. And yet… not making an offer would not have been like him. It would not have been like anyone with any sense of responsibility. It made no sense that they should be scouting for an auto this late, after a tiring day, when he could have dropped them easily.

—

“Sir. Aap please andar aaiye na,” Nidhi said when he pulled up the car in front of their house.

“Nahin Dr. Nidhi. Aap log thake hue honge. Aaraam kijiye. Main phir kissi din…”

“Sir. Chai to main bhi piyungi hi aur khana bhi banega hi. Agar aapko taqleef na ho to please andar chaliye aur hamare saath hi dinner kar lijiye. Abhi ghar wapas ja kar kahan dinner ka intezaam karenge?”

Hiraman Kaka would have taken care of dinner at his home. But he did not want to say it and make her feel small. At the same time he did not like the idea of her slogging away on dinner for four people.

“I have a better idea. Hum ander chalte hain. Aap hamare liye chai banaiye aur dinner ke liye hum pizza order kar dete hain,” he said.

“Pizza! Yes!” Rahul and Siddhi exclaimed in almost in chorus.

Nidhi looked unsure, but finally nodded.

—

Rahul happily followed Siddhi to her room. Ashutosh ordered pizza, while Nidhi made tea. The house was big for two people and Ashutosh guessed that it must have been built by their parents and was not rented.

“Rahul abhi aath saal ka hai and he gets a handful for me so often. It was very brave of you to take the responsibility of your sister at that age,” Ashutosh said while having tea.

“Main brave banne ki koshish nahin kar rahi thi. I just did what I had to.”

“That is still incredible. In fact, more so.”

Nidhi did not react to it and continued sipping her tea without meeting his eyes. Ashutosh fidgeted feeling uncomfortable at the silence, but the doorbell came to his resuce.

“Must be pizza delivery. I will get it,” Nidhi got up.

“No. Nidhi. Wait. I will pay for it,” Ashutosh stopped her.

“Sir. Aap bhool rahe hain ki aap mere ghar mein hain. I am the host.”

“Aur aap bhool rahi hain ki main aapka senior hoon.Sit down.”

“But…”

“No if’s and but’s,” he declared and went to the door.

Nidhi looked on feeling slightly annoyed with herself. What was happening to her today? She was losing control, giving in too much to Ashutosh. First revealing about her parent’s death, then the ride home, then the idea of pizza for dinner and now him paying for it. She didn’t like the idea of paying over 500 Rs. for a meal of pizza. Her father’s insurance and property had left her enough to pay for her own education and their normal upkeep. But she couldn’t afford to be reckless. She was saving for Siddhi’s education.

She came out of her thoughts when she saw Ashutosh struggling with several large boxes of pizza, garlic bread and cakes.

“Aapne kitna saara order kar diya hai?”

“Cold drinks darwaaze ke paas rakhi hain.”

“He bhagwan!” she exclaimed and rushed to the door so that Ashutosh didn’t have do all the work himself.

She stood with her hands on the hips and stared at the pizza boxes and accompaniments arranged on the dining table.

“Ye chaalish logon ka khana hai, Sir. Yahan sirf chaar log hain, poora hospital nahin.”

Ashutosh liked it that for once her words were not measured and calculated. She just spoke whatever came to her mind.

“I’m sorry. Lekin maine socha ki sab ki pasand alag alag hogi. To mujhe jo samajh mein aaya order kar diya. Jo bach jaye fridge mein rakh dijiyega.”

“Ek hafte tak mere ghar mein pizza festival chalega. Khair. I will call the kids.”

Her marvelled at her motherly expressions and language. It was cute coming from a twenty-two year old.

Nidhi tossed and turned in her bed till late that night. Something about the day was making her uncomfortable. Something about Ashutosh was making her uncomfortable. Siddhi was elated. At the ride in Mercedes. At the pizza dinner that Nidhi hardly indulged her in. And it bothered her that the source of her elation came from the pockets of someone else. From the pockets of Dr. Ashutosh. To make the matters worse, he came across as a dependable person. Of course, he did, Nidhi told herself. He was used to being a parent. All parents came across as dependable. It didn’t mean they were actually so.

—

To be continued