“Papa. Siddhi bhi hamare saath rahegi?” Rahul asked when they sat down for dinner.

“Siddhi Maasi,” Siddhi teased him.

Ashutosh smiled, “Haan. Tumhare bagal waala kamra Siddhi ka hoga.”

“Aur Nidhi Auntie ka kamra?”

Another round of laughter followed and Nidhi turned red in embarrassment.

“Nidhi Auntie ko apna kamra nahin milega Rahul,” Armaan offered an answer, “Woh tumhare Papa ke kamre mein hi rahengi.”

“Woh mere kamre mein bhi rah sakti hain. Wahan bahut jagah hai,” Rahul offered helpfully.

“Tu to gaya Ashu. Apne hi bete ke haathon,” Armaan murmured.

“Shut up Armaan.”

“Aap khichdi kyon le rahe hain, Dr. Ashutosh?” Nidhi asked when she saw Ashutosh serving himself khichdi instead of pizza.

“Mera pet bhara-bhara sa lag raha hai. Pizza khane ka man nahin kar raha. Khichdi hi theek rahegi. Light hai na.”

Armaan cleared his throat and winked at Nidhi. Siddhi also grinned. Nidhi smiled fondly. If she couldn’t celebrate, he won’t either!!

—

Armaan offered to take Siddhi and Rahul out after lunch. Ashuotsh and Nidhi agreed whole-heartedly. They needed some time to themselves.

“Tumhein aaraam karna chahiye,” Ashutosh told Nidhi after they were left alone.

“Aaraam hi to kar rahi hoon.”

“I mean bed par let jao.”

“Main yahin theek hoon.”

“Okay,” he sat down on the sofa beside her. They stayed silent for a few moments just looking at each other and smiling. “Kuchh bologi nahin?” he asked finally.

“Mujhe sab sapne jaisa lag raha hai.”

“Matlab bharosa nahin ho raha.”

“Sach-much nahin ho raha.”

He took her hands in his, “Maine bahut pareshaan kiya hai tumhein?”

“Nahin. Aapne bahut khushiyan di hain mujhe.”

“Main aaj se pahle ki baat kar raha hoon.”

“Main bhi.”

“Bahut generous ho tum. Aaj tak to maine tumhein sirf responsibilities di hain, aur denials…”

“Main explain karoongi ki aap shayad sochenge ki mera record baar-baar Mummy-Papa ke oopar atak jaata hai. Lekin kya karoon? Us incident ne mujhe jo bana diya hai, main aaj tak waisi hi hoon. Usne badal diya tha mujhe completely. I felt very useless Dr. Ashutosh jab Papa ne mujhe dekhne ke baad bhi khud ko goli maar li thi. Mere saamne. I felt worthless. Aur woh worthlessness ki feeling nahin jaati thi mere andar se. Jaise kissi ko meri kadr nahin hai. Main Siddhi ke liye zinda thi. Lekin mere liye zinda rahna shayad kissi ko gawara nahin hota…”

“Nidhi!”

“Itne saalon baad aapse aur Rahul se mil kar woh feelings dheere-dheere mere andar se jaane lagi… Main aapko shayad kabhi nahin samjha paungi ki what it means for me. Jab tak khud mahsoos na karo…”

“Tum shayad theek kah rahi ho. Main mahsoos nahin kar paunga ise tumhari tarah. Lekin tumne sahi samjha. Mere aur Rahul ke liye tum bahut important ho, bahut precious ho. To agar woh feelings tumhare andar thodi si bhi rah gayi hain, to unhein nikaal kar bahar phenk do. Pahle to main sirf tumhari professional competence se impressed tha. Lekin jitna tumhein jaana, utna hi tumse aur bhi impress hota gaya. Tumhari strength, maturity, sense of responsibility, sensitivity…”

“Ab thoda zyada ho raha hai…” she interrupted him with a smile.

“Nahin. Abhi to maine shuru bhi nahin kiya hai.”

“Meri taareef karna?”

“Tumse pyaar karna.”

Nidhi blushed, bit her lower lips and averted her eyes.

“Bazaar mein red colour ki kami pad jaayegi. Aaj tum itna blush kar rahi ho.”

“Aur aapko kya hua hai? Mujhe itna pareshaan kyon kar rahe hain aise baatein kar ke? Waise aapka iraada kab aur kaise badal gaya?”

“Ye abhi mat poochho. Phir kabhi bataunga.”

“Aapne mujhe abhi tak ye bhi nahin bataya hai ki aapki favourite dish kya hai.”

“Woh to main tumhein khilane waala tha. Lekin kabhi mauka hi nahin mila. Tum theek ho jao, phir Hiraman Kaka ko bolunga…”

“Naam to bata dijiye.”

“Hare chane ki kadhi aur methi muthiya.”

“Huh? Ye kya hai?”

“Isliye to kah raha tha ki kha kar dekhna.”

“Hiraman Kaka ko banana aata hai?”

“Haan.”

“Okay…”

“Kahan kho gayin?”

“Kahin nahin.”

“To kuchh bolo.”

“Ab main kya boloon? Aapse kuchh poochhti hoon to aap baad ke liye taal dete hain.”

“Hmmm…”

“Waise bolte rahna zaroori hai kya?”

“Nahin. Lekin bolti rahti ho to mahsoos hota rahta hai ki tum mere kareeb ho.”

“Achchha?”

“Lekin uska ek aur tareeka bhi hai.”

“Kya?”

“Ki main tumhein,” he put his arms around her and pulled her closer to himself, “apni baahon mein gher kar chup chaap baitha rahoon.”

“Achchha idea hai,” Nidhi blushed heavily, but managed to answer. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

—

Nidhi had sent Siddhi to Ashutosh’ place and had invited him over at hers. “Hamari official date hai,” she had told him.

She had bought a red saree and was wearing it when she opened the door. This time Ashutosh did not have to stop himself from openly staring at her and appreciating her beauty. But he was greeted with a surprised face, rather than a smiling one. It took him a moment to realize what had surprised her. His tie! A red tie!

Neither of them said anything until he had come inside and she had locked the door behind them.

“Ye tie…”

“Tum to gussa ho kar mujhe mera gift diye bagair hi chali aayi thi us din. Mujhe khud hi claim karna pada.” The package she had forgotten about on his birthday had this tie. She had bought it for him as a birthday gift. And then she had left abruptly and had completely forgotten about it. He had found the gift though, and had not forgotten it.

She smiled nervously, “Main to bhool gayi thi.”

“Main nahin bhoola…”

“Mujhe pasand aayi thi, lekin sure nahin thi ki aap pahnenge. Color thoda bright hai. Phir bhi maine khareed li. Mujhe laga ki…”

“Kya laga?” he prodded when she fell silent.

“Mujhe laga ki agar aap pahnenge to…”

“To?” Ashutosh had figured out what she meant, but still prodded to tease her.

“Kuchh nahin. Andar chaliye. Maine dinner khud banaya hai.”

“Tumne socha tha ki agar main ye pahnoonga to sirf tumahre liye pahnoonga?”

Nidhi gulped and did not say anything.

“Tumne bilkul sahi socha tha, Nidhi. Maine sirf tumhare liye hi pahni hai.”

She got emotional, went forward and hugged him. He was startled by her emotional reaction for a moment, then smiled and hugged her back.

“Chalo. ab andar chalte hain. Warna I am afraid dinner hamara intezaar karta rah jayega,” Ashutosh broke the hug and said teasingly. They walked inside hand in hand.

It was Ashutosh’ turn to be surprised when Nidhi uncovered a serving bowl kept on the dining table.

“Ye… kaise hai yahan par?” The bowl had his favourite hare chane ki kadhi with methi muthia.

Nidhi grinned.

“Tumhein to pata bhi nahin tha ki ye kya hota hai…”

“Maine Hiraman Kaka se poochha aur unse hi banana seekha.”

“Kab kar liya tumne ye sab? Abhi hardly ek hafta hua hai jab maine tumhein bataya tha…”

“Maine koi Taj Mahal nahin banaya hai Dr. Ashutosh. Kha kar to dekhiye. Pata nahin aapki pasand ka bana bhi hai ya nahin?”

“Nidhi. Ye mere liye Taj Mahal se badh ke hai. Taj Mahal banane ke liye Shahjahan ne, I am sure, ek bhi eent khud nahin utahyi hogi. Tumne itni mehnat ki… In fact tum hamesha mere liye itna kuchh karti ho…”

“To ab aadat daal lijiye. Main aapke liye isse bahut zyada karna chahti hoon. Aur hopefully karoongi.”

Ashutosh looked at her fondly as she served him and herself. He praised her cooking and Nidhi was happy to see him so happy!

He noticed her iPad lying on a table after they finished dinner and were sitting on the sofa. She had been carrying it with her almost all the time since he had given it to her. Her clinging to the iPad was adorable.

“Waise tum is iPad par kya karti ho?”

“Kuchh bhi to nahin,” she replied defensively, “Kyon poochhh rahe hain aap?”

Ashutosh could guess from her demeanour that she was trying to hide something. He decided to prod and tease her.

“Din bhar chipki rahti ho isse. Thodi curiosity to hogi na?”

“Ye kaisi baat hui?”

“Are. Bilkul genuine baat hai,” he picked the iPad up for the table and tried to switch it on.

“Nahin!” she tried to snatch it away from him, but Ashutosh evaded her.

“Aisa kya hai ismein?”

“This is not right Dr. Ashutosh,” Nidhi complained genuinely.

“Are Nidhi,” Ashutosh became concerned, “Main mazaak kar raha tha. Ye lo. Main nahin dekhoonga. Ab ye roni si shakal mat banao, please.”

She took it from him, but still did not look happy.

“Kya hua? Itna gussa? Main nahin dekhne waala tha baba. Main sirf tumhein chidha raha tha.”

“Aap dekhna chahte hain?” she asked.

“Haan. Lekin…”

“Kyon?”

“Kyonki main tumhare baare mein sab kuchh janna chahta hoon. Lekin tumhein pareshaan kar ke nahin.”

Nidhi became thoughtful, but Ashutosh thought she was still angry.

“Nidhi,” he spoke very softly, “Mujhe pata hai ki tumhein independently rahne ki aadat hai. Aur yakeen maano, main tumhari independence ko kabhi undermine nahin karoonga. Agar main kuchh janna chahta bhi hoon to tab tak intezaar karoonga jab tak tum khud mujhe batane mein comfortable nahin ho. Please ab gussa chhod do.”

“Main gussa nahin kar rahi. Bas soch rahi thi.”

“Kya?”

“Ki maine shayad over-react kiya.”

“Itna mat socho. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“Main dikhati hoon aapko.”

“Sure?”

“Pata nahin. Lekin ye tha,” she showed him a folder of videos.

“Tum… Ramayan dekh rahi thi?” Ashutosh asked her in disbelief.

She nodded looking anxious about his reaction.

“Kyon?”

“Aapne ek baar mention kiya tha ye serial; aur uska reference meri samajh mein nahin aaya tha… isliye…”

“Nidhi??!!” Ashutosh exclaimed and stared at her wide-eyed.

“Ji?”

“Nahin,” he laughed at her innocent question, “Main tumse kuchh poochh nahin raha… Lekin tum bilkul pagal ho.”

She just pouted and did not reply.

“Nidhi. Tumhein ye sab karne ki zaroorat nahin hai…”

“To main kya karoon. Aap hi to hamesha pareshaan hote rahte the ki main aapse chhoti hoon…”

“Meri jo bhi pareshaani thi, ya jisse mujhe abhi bhi kabhi-kabhi dar lagta hai, woh ye nahin hai ki tum kissi purane serial ka reference na samajh pao. Woh ye hai ki…”

“Kya?”

“Ki main tumhein khush nahin rakh paunga, woh zindagi nahin de paunga jiski tum haqdaar ho… Jo tumhein chahiye hogi…”

“Lekin main bahut khush hoon.”

“To main bhi bahut khush hoon, Nidhi. Bahut zyada khush hoon. Tumhein ye sab karne ki zaroorat nahin hai…”

“Ab aap mere liye ek non-existent cheez la sakte hain, to main ek existing purana serial to dekh hi sakti hoon.”

“Pagal. Waise kaisa lag raha tha ye serial tumhein?”

“Sach bataun?”

“Haan.”

“Bahut boring. Kaun si language mein baat karte hain ye log aur kitni boring baatein karte hain?”

Ashutosh laughed, “To abhi ke abhi ise delete kar do. Koi zaroorat nahin hai dekhne ki. Hum koi sci-fi ya action movie dekhne chalenge.”

“Aapko pasand hain?”

“Haan. Mere paas time ho to main kuchh bhi dekh sakta hoon.”

“Aur aapko mujhe us farmhouse waale restaurant mein bhi le jaana hai.”

“Haan. Jis din tumhein neend nahin aa rahi ho bata dena,” Ashutosh teased her.

“Dr. Ashutosh,” Nidhi was embarrassed.

“Tumhein pareshaan karna kitna aasaan hai,” he grinned.

“Aur aapko bahut mazaa aata hai na mujhe chidhane mein?”

“Woh to aata hai.”

“Aap bahut bure hain.”

“Aur is bure insaan ko lekar tum almost obsessed ho.”

“Maine obsessed nahin hoon.”

“Agar nahin hoti to ek hafte se Ramayan nahin dekh rahi hoti.”

She sighed and gave up, “Haan. Hoon to, I guess.”

“Tumhein Ramayan dekhne ki zaroorat nahin hai,” Ashutosh started speaking seriously, then broke into a smile, “Lekin tumhara ye obsession mujhe bahut pasand hai.”

Nidhi smiled and blushed and leaned on to him. He pulled her closer and kissed her affectionately on her forehead.

“Siddhi wapas aane waali hogi,” she said after a while, “Maine usse kaha tha ki dus baje tak aa jaye.”

“Hmm… To mujhe jaana hoga.”

“Mat jaiye,” Nidhi looked up and said instinctively, then bit her lips in embarrassment.

“Rahul intezaar kar raha hoga.”

“Right. Waise kal meri night duty hai. Main school ke baad uske saath rahungi…”

“Nidhi. Tumhein bura nahin lagta ki main tumhein utna time nahin de paata…”

“Aap bhool rahe hain ki Rahul meri zindagi mein aapse pahle aaya tha. Usne mujhse, aur maine usse, mere aapko janne se pahle pyaar kiya hai.”

Ashutosh’ eyes moistened. He kissed her hands and could not help saying, “I love you, Nidhi.” Feeling overwhelmed, Nidhi hugged him and they separated only at the sound of the doorbell. Siddhi was back.

Ashutosh talked to Siddhi for a while and then left.

—

To be continued