“Look who has come to meet Siddhi,” Ashutosh came to Siddhi’s room next morning with Rahul.

“Hi Rahul.”

“Hi Siddhi. These are for you,” Rahul jumped on the bed beside Siddhi and gave her a bouquet.

“So sweet. Aren’t you going to school?”

“Today is a holiday.”

“Oh right. And I was supposed to be partying,” Siddhi pouted.

“Bas kar Siddhi,” Nidhi reprimanded her, “Us party ki wajah se you are on the hospital bed now.”

“Di please. Don’t start again. Theek hai yaar. Tabiyat kharaab ho gayi. Sabki hoti hai kabhi na kabhi. Not your usual sermon again please. Friends are bad, parties are bad… I am not a loner like you.”

“And I do not want you to be a loner like me,” Nidhi said sadly and stopped when she felt Ashutosh’ hand on her shoulder. She took the hint and changed the subject, “What else has Rahul brought? I see there are some games.”

“Yes. Siddhi and I can play the games. Then she won’t get bored.”

“Great,” Ashutosh said, “Siddhi aur Rahul games khelenge. Tab tak main aur Dr. Nidhi coffee pee kar aate hain. Okay?”

—

“I’m sorry, Sir. Mujhe Rahul ke saamne Siddhi se bahas nahin karni chahiye thi.”

“Maine aapko kissi aur wajah se roka.”

“Ji?”

“Aise confrontational hone se kaam nahin chalega. Aur abhi woh irritated hai ki party mein uski tabiyat kharaab ho gayi. I don’t think she is going to listen to any reasoning.”

“Okay.”

“Waise aapne apni schooling kahan se ki thi?”

“St. Joseph. Kyon?”

“Not from Woodstock International?”

“Nahin.”

“Phir aapne Siddhi ka admission wahan kyon karwaya?”

“I… I just wanted to make sure she gets the best. Woodstock was the most prestigious school.”

“And now she is in the company of the elites of the city. The richest brats.”

Nidhi looked thoughtful, “Maine galat faisle le liye Dr. Ashutosh. Mujhe akele rahne ka faisla nahin karna chahiye tha. At least Siddhi ko to kissi ke saath bhej hi dena chahiye. I didn’t know how to raise a child.”

“Dr. Nidhi. Mera matlab kuchh bhi aisa nahin tha. Don’t blame yourself for anything. Aapne saare faisle waise hi liye hain, jaise ki koi bhi maa-baap apne bachchon ke liye lete hain. They want the best for their kids. Maine bhi to Rahul ko Woodstock hi bheja. But now I am wondering if that was the right choice.”

“But he is amongst his equal. He’ll know how to cope.”

“Galat aur sahi ka farq har kissi ko hona chahiye. Kuchh bachchon ko jis halat mein maine dekha, main waise to Rahul ko nahin dekhna chahunga.”

“Phir hum kya kar sakte hain? Rahul to phir bhi abhi chhota hai. Shayad aap use prepare kar denge ki woh peer pressure mein na aaye. Siddhi ab uske liye badi ho gayi hai. Main kya karoon?”

“Mere paas koi jaadoo ki chhadi nahin hai ise solve karne ke liye. Lekin main itna kahunga Nidhi ki you have been very brave. Don’t lose hopes now. Aur… apne aap ko akela mat mahsoos karo. Main hoon tumhare saath. Solution nikal aayega, but you must keep your cool. Okay?”

She nodded in reply.

—

“Hello Dr. Nidhi. Aap ab tak hospital aayin nahin…”

“Dr. Ashutosh. Main Siddhi bol rahi hoon.”

“Siddhi? What happened? Why are you crying?”

“Di has fallen sick Dr. Ashutosh. Mujhe kuchh samajh mein nahin aa raha.”

“Calm down. Mujhe batao kya hua hai?”

“Raat mein fever aa gaya tha. Usne paracetamol liya. Phir nahin utra to mujhe phone kar ke wapas bulaya aur thandhe paani ki patti karne ko kaha. Bola ki fever kam ho jaye to chhod doon. Maine wahi kiya. But subah se bukhaar aur bhi tez hai. Aur woh behosh padi hai. Main patti kiye ja rahi hoon lekin…”

“Hush… Calm down Siddhi. Aise rone se kuchh nahin hoga. Bilkul chinta mat karo. Main abhi aa raha hoon, okay?”

—

“Dr. Ashutosh. Di theek to ho jayegi na?” Siddhi asked anxiously when Ashutosh came back to Nidhi’s hospital room after expediting her blood samples in the lab,

“Blood test ke results aate hi main tumhein bataunga Siddhi.”

“Main use bahut pareshaan karti hoon Dr. Ashutosh. I trouble her so much… I know I should not. Lekin…Woh meri baat hi nahin sun rahi hai. Maine usse kitni baar kaha ki ek baar aankhein khol de. Main use bilkul pareshaan nahin karoongi. Kuchh bhi nahin maangoongi. Kabhi parties ke liye ghar se bahar nahin rahoongi. Ask her to talk to me Dr. Ashutosh. Please. Woh mujhse naaraaz ho kar, mujhe chhod kar nahin ja sakti…”

“Calm down. Calm down Siddhi.”

“Meri chinta mein hi uski ye halat hui Dr. Ashutosh. Kal raat…”

“Kya hua?”

“Main party mein thi. Usne mujhe nahin bulaya hota to… Us party mein raid pad gayi thi. Thankfully main wapas aa gayi thi… Main…”

“Be rational Siddhi. Uski wajah se kuchh nahin hua hai Dr. Nidhi ko. Unki tabiyat kharaab hai. Theek ho jayegi. Come on now. Aansoo pochh lo. Aur sambhaalo apne aap ko.”

A nurse entered with the results of blood test just then. Ashutosh took the reports and studied them carefully.

“Kya hai reports mein Dr. Ashutosh?” Siddhi asked anxiously.

“Kuchh ghabraane ki baat nahin hai. Mera shaq sahi nikla. Viral hi hai. Lekin ye ek rare strain hai virus ki jiska effect thoda zyada extreme hota hai. But within ten days your sister will be fit and fine as usual. Okay?”

“Aap sach kah rahe hain?”

“100%. Main abhi physician ko bulwa kar confirm kar leta hoon. But main bhi itna bura doctor nahin hoon,” he joked and it made Siddhi smile.

“Thank you Dr. Ashutosh.”

“And listen to me now. Jab tak tumhari Di theek nahin ho jaati hai, I need you to take care of yourself. Main apne driver ko bol deta hoon. He will take you to your home. Wahan se 8-10 dinon ke layak apne kapde aur baaki samaan le lo. Phir woh tumhein mere ghar drop kar dega. Tum wahi rahogi aur Rahul ke saath school bhi ja sakti ho. Okay?”

Siddhi nodded. She was shaken up after the news of last night’s party raid. With Nidhi lying unconscious, any kind of support was comforting for her.

“Kya hua?” Ashutosh asked when he saw her lost in thoughts.

“Mujhe bahut dar lag raha hai Dr. Ashutosh. Kya main yahan ruk sakti hoon?”

“Tum party ki wajah se ghabrai hui ho?”

She nodded.

“Come here,” he hugged her protectively, “You are safe. Don’t worry.”

“Di ko kab tak hosh aayega?”

“Shaam tak. Main tumhein bulwa loonga. Tum ghar jao aur aaraam karo. Tumhare yahan rukne ka koi fayda nahin hai. Mujhe tumhari bhi chinta hoti rahegi.”

“Dr. Ashutosh?”

“Paison ki zaroorat padegi kya Di ke treatment ke liye?”

“Ye kyon poochh rahi ho tum?” Ashutosh was amused.

“Mera iPad… Main bech sakti hoon.”

“Pagal ladki,” Ashutosh grinned openly now, “Viral hai. Koi aisi bhayanak beemari nahin hai tumhari Di ko. Ye rahi car. Ghar jao tum.”

—

“Siddhi…” Ashutosh heard Nidhi’s weak voice.

“Nidhi. Tum uth gayin?”

“Siddhi… Use kuchh samajh nahin aata… Woh apni dekh bhaal…”

“Nidhi? Kya bol rahi ho?”

“Usse pocket money bhi nahin sambhalti… Woh… Dr. Ashutosh… Use kaun sambhaalega…”

“Shut up Nidhi. Kya ho gaya hai tumhein? Tum karogi dekh-bhaal uski. Kuchh nahin hua hai tumhein.”

“Main… Dr. Ashutosh…” she choked on her words and started crying.

“Kya ho gaya hai tumhein? Listen to me. Can you get up? Let me help you,” he helped her sit up on the bed. “Feeling better?” he asked.

She wiped her tears and nodded, “Siddhi kahan hai?”

“Mere ghar par hai. Main abhi bulwa doonga. Tumhein kya ho gaya tha?”

“Mujhe laga ki main…  main zinda nahin bachoongi. Koi control hi nahin tha mera khud ke oopar. Main kitni koshish kar rahi thi Siddhi se baat karne ki lekin… I just blacked out… Kya hua hai mujhe?”

“MBBS cheat kar ke pass kiya tha kya?” Ashutosh joked, “Ye rahi blood test report tumhari. Dekh lo khud hi.”

She sighed in relief on seeing the report.

“Suno ab. Main Siddhi ko bula raha hoon phone kar ke. Lekin tumhein warn kar doon. Woh bahut ghabrai hui thi. Achchha hua usne tumhein aise nahin dekha, jaise abhi maine dekha. You must maintain your cool, okay?”

She just nodded. But when he stepped out, she grew emotional. She had never fallen sick like that. Despite dealing with and studying dieases in last five years of MBBS, she hadn’t fallen sick at all. And she had never given any thought to Siddhi’s future should something happen to her. She was very shaken. And she wondered… What would have happened if Ashutosh was not around. Sidhhi wouldn’t even have know whom to call for help. She wasn’t surprised to hear from Ashutosh that Siddhi had panicked. She would have. What would she do if something happened to Nidhi?

Ashutosh saw the hint of tears in Nidhi’s eyes when he came back. “What happened now?”

She smiled through her tears, “Nothing. Just… Thank you Dr. Ashuosh.”

“Really? Agar har thanks ke liye mujhe ek rupya bhi milta na, to I’d be a billionaire today. Thanks to you and your sister.”

“Agar mere paas billions hote, ya aur bhi zyada, I would have happily given them to you today”

“Right. For now I can make do with a little more smile and little less frown on your face. By the way, Siddhi ke saath Rahul bhi aa raha hai.”

—

“Di!” Siddhi rushed towards Nidhi, hugged her and started crying.

“Hey. Siddhi. Everything is all right. Ro kyon rahi hai tu?”

“I am sorry Di,” she broke the hug, but continued to cry.

“Sorry? Why are you saying sorry? I am sorry Siddhi, for scaring you.”

“I am sorry for everything. For all the trouble I have caused you.”

“Pagal,” Nidhi smiled affectionately, “Main death-bed par nahin hoon. Aise kyon bol rahi hai?”

“Di… Main…”

“Kya hua Siddhi?”

“Kuchh nahin. Main bahut dar gayi thi. Main… Just don’t leave me ever.”

“Main tere liye hi zinda hoon. Agar tujhe nahin dekha hota to shayad usi pistol se…”

“Di. Please.”

“Sorry. But ab please rona band kar. Achchha ye bata, tu Dr. Ashutosh ke yahan rah rahi hai?”

“Haan Di. Aur unhone kaha hai ki jab tab tum theek nahin ho jaati, main wahi rahoon. Is that okay?”

Nidhi thought for a moment and then nodded, “Yeah. That’s fine. Just… be nice when you are there. You understand…”

“I will always be nice Di. Always. Main ab kabhi tumhein trouble nahin karoongi…”

“Don’t say that Siddhi. Main tujhe apni tarah nahin banana chahti. I want you to have a normal life. Aur mujhe pareshaan karna to is umra mein teri normal life ka hissa hai. Samay se pahle bada hone ki zaroorat nahin hai tujhe. Main jab tujhe kuchh kahti hoon to… bas un cheezon se tujhe rokna chahti hoon jinse irreversible damage ho sakta hai. I am not a billionaire Siddhi. Isliye darti hoon ki agar tu kissi problem mein phansi…”

“You are better than billionaires, Di. And I promise ki aaj ke baad se you will never feel the need to have those billions, not because of me.”

Nidhi pulled her in hug.

—

“Kya baat hai? TV par Ram-Bharat milaap bhi itna emotional nahin tha,” Ashutosh entered Nidhi’s room with Rahul and joked.

The sisters broke their hug and looked at him questioningly.

“Okay. Aap log TV par Ramayan dekhne ke liye thode chhote hain. Mera joke bekaar ho gaya. Never mind. Sab gile-shikwe door ho gaye?”

Both of them smiled.

“To phir, hamara hero apni Nidhi Auntie ke liye kuchh laaya hai.”

“Really?” Nidhi looked genuinely excited, “Kya hai Rahul? Dikhao mujhe?”

Rahul spread a chart-paper before her. He had drawn a bouquet of flowers with “Get Well Soon” written on it.

“That’s so sweet, Rahul. Thank you so much.”

“Chaliye. Ab Dr. Nidhi ko aaraam ki zaroorat hai. Aap log ghar jaiye. Kal milenge.”

“Aap ghar nahin aa rahe Papa?” Rahul asked.

“Aaj aap maan lijiye ki Papa ki night duty hai, okay Rahul?” Ashutosh said.

“Nahin Sir. Aap ghar jaiye,” Nidhi interrupted, “Main theek hoon. Aur meri dekh-bhaal ke liye log hain yahan.”

“Lekin Dr. Nidhi…”

“Sir please. Aap ghar par rahenge to bachche safe feel karenge,” Nidhi looked at Rahul as well as Siddhi.

Ashutosh gave in reluctantly, “Theek hai. Main nurse ko bol deta hoon ki aapki dawaiyon aur dinner ka intezaam kar dein.”

“Ji.”

—

To be continued