“Nidhi. Aaj to aap off-duty hain na?” Ashutosh called Nidhi.

“Yes, Sir.”

“To aap yahan aa jaiye.”

“Koi kaam tha, Sir?”

“Haan. Aapse kuchh baat karni thi.”

“Koi problem hai, Sir?”

“Nahin. Nahin. Aap bas aa jaiye.”

“Ji. Theek hai.”

Ashutosh paced up and down the hall waiting for Nidhi, trying to think of how he would talk to her. He rushed to open the door himself when the doorbell rang.

“Surprise!” he was greeted by Rahul. Nidhi and Siddhi were standing behind him grinning.

“Rahul? Siddhi? Aap log yahan kaise? School…” Ashutosh was flustered.

“School mein aag lag gayi Papa. Isliye hamari chhutti ho gayi.”

“Kya?” Ashutosh got worried.

“Nahin Dr. Ashutosh,” Sidhhi assured him, “Ye aise hi badha-chadha kar bol raha hai. Lekin canteen mein fire alarm baj raha tha. Aur unhein source pata nahin chal raha tha. To safety ke liye unhone chhutti kar di. Maine Di ko inform kar diya aur socha ki Rahul ko ghar la kar aapko surprise karein.”

“Oh. Okay. Sab log darwaaze par kyon khade hain. Andar aaiye.”

Rahul and Siddhi were extremely excited about the unexpected holiday and they kept running around the hall, playing silly games, despite several admonitions from Nidhi and Ashutosh.

“Bachche bahut excited hain. Abhi nahin sunenge,” Nidhi told Ashutosh smiling.

“Haan. Woh to dikh raha hai,” he replied trying to hide his frustration.

“Waise appko kuchh baat karni thi, Sir?”

“Haan?”

“Aapne kaha tha na ki kuchh baat karni hai?”

“Haan. Woh… Mere dhyaan se utar gaya.”

“Aapne mujhe baat karne ke liye hi bulaya tha.”

“Haan. Woh – Rahul…”

“Kya hua Rahul ko?”

“Aapko nahin lagta kuchh problem hai?”

“Mujhe…to… nahin laga… Koi baat hai kya?” Nidhi got worried.

“Nahin. Phir nahin hogi.”

“Ji?”

“Bas aise hi pata nahin kyon – main ghabra gaya tha.”

“Achchha… Agar aapko shaq ho raha hai to hum checkup karwa sakte hain. Main aaj hi use hospital le jaati hoon.”

“Nahin. Nahin… Uski zaroorat nahin hai.”

“Sure?”

“Haan. Zaroorat hogi to main khud hi checkup karwa loonga.”

“Okay…” Nidhi was confused, but Ashutosh was not forthcoming.

—

Nidhi had a tiring day at work.She received a call from Ashutosh as soon as her shift was over.

“Main parking lot mein hoon. Aap yahan aa jaiye,” he told her.

“Sir. Aap yahan kya kar rahe hain. Aap to abhi duty par nahin the?”

“Haan. Mujhe aaj bahar dinner ke liye jaane ka man ho raha tha. Armaan out of station hai. To maine socha ki aap chalengi mere saath…” he explained nervously.

“Rahul aur Siddhi?”

“Siddhi mere ghar par hai. Rahul ki maid aur Hiraman Kaka hain ghar par. Unhein khila denge. Main unhein bol kar aaya hoon.”

“Okay… Kahan chalna hai?”

“Ek jagah hai… Thodee outskirts par hai. Resort hai actually. But in a large farmhouse…”

Nidhi was tired, but she could not refuse him, “Theek hai. Chalte hain. Lekin mere ghar hote hue chalte hain. Main change kar loon.”

“Sure.”

Ashutosh was tense while driving. He wasn’t talking much. He realized after a while that they were not talking at all and turned towards Nidhi. She had fallen asleep. If it weren’t for the seat-belt, she would have fallen from her seat. He smiled seeing her sleep like a baby. His tension went away. He gently woke her up.

“I… I am sorry, Sir. Mujhe pata hi nahin chala ki main kab so gayi.”

“Aap thaki hui hain, phir aap chalne ke liye kyon taiyaar ho gayi? Woh bhi itni door.”

“Nahin Sir. Aisa kuchh nahin hai.”

“Stop it Nidhi. Itna bata sakti ho tum mujhe. Chalo. Kahin yahin aas paas dinner kar lete hain. Wahan kabhi aur jaayenge.”

“I’m really sorry, Sir. Lekin hum ja sakte hain… Main jaana chahti hoon.”

“I know,” Ashutosh said very softly, “Tum har woh cheez karna chahti ho jo main chahta hoon. Lekin we are not running out of time. Abhi yahan paas mein ek restaurant hai, wahin chalte hain. Woh bhi mujhe bahut pasand hai.”

—

Nidhi came out of her house wearing a simple blue saaree. Ashutosh, waiting in his car, could not help staring at her. Gorgeous was the only word that came to his mind. They were going to a party hosted by Armaan for the doctors in the city. It was intended to introduce the doctors to various WHO initiatives and get them to volunteer.

“Pahli baar tumhein saaree mein dekha,” he remarked.

“Siddhi ne kaha ki formal occassion ke liye saaree pahanna best hai.” She did not tell him the real reason. It was her own idea. She had wanted to look mature. For Ashutosh. Even though he did not think he had been successful in conveying his intentions, his frequent attempts to talk to her or meet her in private had given Nidhi hopes. He might just be changing his mind.

“Change is a good thing. Don’t you think so?” Ashutosh said.

“Yes. Assuming things change for better.”

“And how do you know if you are changing for better or for worse.”

“Follow your heart.”

“Is it that simple? Heart may not always be right.”

“What other option do we have?”

“None.”

“Then?”

“So, you always follow your heart?”

“I let my heart and mind fight and see who wins.”

Ashutosh laughed, “Bada hi bloody solution hai ye to.”

“Circumstances hamesha hamein apna fate decide karne ka option nahin dete, Dr. Ashutosh. Jab woh option mile to uska poora istemaal karna chahiye. Dil aur dimaag ki poori exercise karwa deni chahiye.”

“Right! Aur jab dil jeet jaye to dil ki baat maan leni chahiye? Bhale hi dimaag kuchh bhi kah raha ho?”

“Haan.”

“Theek hai. Phir main bhi ab yahi karoonga?”

“Kis cheez ke liye?”

“You will know soon. Hopefully!”

—

“Dr. Rangnath ne bataya ki tum beemaar ho?” Ashutosh was flustered when Nidhi opened the door for him.

“Bas thoda zukaam ho raha tha. Mujhe laga hospital jaana theek nahin hoga. Isliye unhein phone kar diya tha. Aap is waqt kyon aa gaye?”

“Kyon? Mere aane-jaane ka koi waqt decided hai?” he sounded irritated.

“Mera ye matlab nahin tha, Sir. Abhi to aapko hospital mein kaam hoga.”

“Tum akeli ho ghar par. Beemaar ho. Mujhe phone nahin kar sakti thi?”

“Mujhe kuchh hua ho tab to? Aap bekaar mein pareshaan ho rahe hain. Zukaam hai, maine dawai le li hai. Aap baith jaiye please.”

“Tumhari kuchh samajh mein nahin aata hai,” Ashutosh mumbled, but sat down on the sofa.

“Mujhe to aapki tabiyat kharaab lag rahi hai. Chai banaun… Ye kya hai?” she suddenly noticed a package he had kept beside him on the sofa.

“Kuchh karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Tum baith kyon nahin jaati?”

“Baith gayi. Ab bataiye. Aap itne agitated kyon hain?”

“Ye tumhari liye hai,” he handed her the package.

“Kya hai ye?”

“Khol kar dekh lo.”

Feeling curious, Nidhi opened the package hastily. She stared in surprise as she took its content out.

“Ye kya hai?”

“iPad!”

“Red color mein kahan aata hai?”

“Custom painted hai.”

“Ye kyon mangwaya aapne?”

“Kyonki tumne kaha tha ki red color ki hoti to tumhein pasand aati…”

“Are to… Iska matlab ye thode hi na tha ki aapko aise custom paint kar ke itni mahngi cheez khareedni hi thi…”

“Mujhe tumse kuchh baat karni thi.”

“To uske liye iPad khareedne ki kya zaroorat thi?”

“Tumhari kuchh samajh mein kyon nahin aata?”

“Aap mujhe samjhaana kya chah rahe hain exactly? Aapki baatein, aapka tareeka mujhe to sach mein samajh mein nahin aata. Chal kya raha hai ye?”

“To hell with prudence. Marry me Nidhi.”

“Ji?” Nidhi jumped out of the sofa and stood up.

“Ab is par bhi tum chaunk rahi ho?” Ashutosh also got up and came close to her.

“Actually… haan…” Nidhi stammered looking cutely confused.

“Now answer me.”

“Aapne koi sawaal poochha hi nahin,” she had gotten her wits back.

“Oh God! Will you marry me?”

“God is unlikely to marry you.”

“But you will,” he declared and attacked her lips for a deep, passionate kiss.

“Aapko bhi zukaam ho jayega,” she mumbled after they broke the kiss.

“Seriously Dr. Nidhi Verma? Aapko lagta hai ki I care?”

She smiled. Both their eyes had become moist. Ashutosh gently pulled her close and hugged her. It was a gentle hug of love. There was no urgency of passion. They now had a lifetime to indulge in passion and all kinds of emotions.

“Di!” Nidhi had forgotten to lock the door behind Ashutosh and Siddhi had returned from school. They hastily separated on hearing her voice. Siddhi appeared shocked and disturbed to see them. “Mujhe laga tha ki tumhari tabiyat kharaab hai. Isliye tum ghar par ruki ho,” there was accusation in her tone. Then she turned and walked off to her room.

Nidhi and Ashutosh looked at each other unsure of what to do. They hadn’t had time to discuss about how to tell others. But neither of them had expected anyone, especially Siddhi, to find out like this.

“Main dekhti hoon,” Nidhi said finally.

“Nidhi!” Ashutosh stopped her, “Jab Siddhi se baat karo to ye yaad rakhna ki tumhari saari zimmedaariyan meri bhi hain. Bilkul waise hi, jaise tumhari hain.”

She smiled and nodded; then went after her sister.

—

To be continued