Ashutosh finished getting briefs from all the doctors in the deparment the next morning. Things were mostly under control. Some kids had permanent injuries and disablement. That could not be helped after such an incident. But no one who had come to the hospital alive died. He gave insructions for extra duties and then dismissed them. Nidhi looked at him before leaving, but did not stop back just then. Their relationship was not known to the people at the hospital yet and they had not yet decided about it.

But she came back after ten minutes. She had brought two cups of tea.

“Thanks,” he smiled, clearly looking tired, “Main tumhein phone karne hi waala tha bulane ke liye.”

“Aap bahut zyada thake hue hain. Chai pee lijiye.”

“Thaki to tum bhi hogi.”

“Mujhe break mila tha. Aapko nahin mila. Aapne Rahul se baat ki?”

“Haan. Woh dono log theek hain. Armaan ghar par hi ruk gaya aaj. Phir maid aur Hiraman Kaka bhi hain.”

They fell silent after that.

“Aapne media se jo kaha…” Nidhi spoke after a while, “Sahi kaha.”

“Mujhe gussa aa gaya tha. Tamasha bana dete hain ye logon ke misfortune ka. Kya milega inmein se kissi bhi parent ko media se baat kar ke. Kiski madad ho jayegi unki mutilated bodies ki photos dikha kar. Aur kissi bhi hospital staff ka time unki jaan bachane mein behtar use ho sakta hai media se baat karne ki bajay. Apni investigation woh road par kyon nahin le jaate. Pahchanne ki koshish kyon nahin karte unhein, jinhone aisa kiya hai.”

“Mere haath lag jayen to gala daba kar maar doom main un logon ko jo aisi harquatein karte hain.”

Ashutosh smiled, “Tumhare haath lag jayen to tumhare gusse se hi mar jayenge woh. Lekin retalliate karna to solution nahin hai. In fact, politicians aur goons wahi karne ki koshish kar rahe hain. Situation bahut tense hai city mein.”

“Haan. Schools bhi band hain.”

Just then they heard a knock on the door. Nidhi got up from the chair and hid her tea cup to make it appear like she was there for some work.

“Come in,” Ashutosh said. It was Ranjeeta.

“Ashu. Mujhe tumse kuchh baat karni hai.”

“Bolo.”

“I mean… personal baat hai Rahul ke baare mein,” she looked at Nidhi apprehensively.

Nidhi noticed Ashutosh stiffen. She didn’t want to put him in an awkward situation. So, she said, “Main baad mein aati hoon, Sir.”

“No. Wait,” Ashutosh said surprising Nidhi as well as Ranjeeta, “Jo baat tum mujhse karna chahti ho Rahul ke baare mein, tum Dr. Nidhi ke saamne kah sakti ho.”

Ranjeeta glared at Nidhi and Nidhi fidgeted uncomfortably.

“Ashu, ye hamare bete ki baat hai.”

“Rahul ke saath jitna main involved hoon, utni hi ab Nidhi bhi hai. Tumhein jo kahna ho kah sakti ho.”

“It’s okay Dr. Ashutosh,” Nidhi tried to dissipate the tension, “Aap log baat kar lijiye.”

“No Nidhi. You have to be here.”

“Fine!” Ranjeeta gave up irritably, “Main Rahul se milna chahti hoon.”

“Kyon?”

“Kyon? Main Ma hoon uski.”

“Tumne willingly uski custody give up ki thi Ranju.”

“I know lekin…”

“Ranju. Log khilone nahin hote hain, ki ek se bore ho gaye to doosra le liye. Doosre se bore ho gaye to wapas pahle ke paas aa gaye. Mujhe tumse koi shikayat nahin hai, koi dushmani nahin hai. Lekin Rahul ki fikr to mujhe karni hai na. Rahul jaanta hai ki uski Mummy nahin hai uske saath, usne is baat ko maan liya hai aur woh apni zindagi mein khush hai. Abhi tum uske saamne jaogi to… I don’t see any reason ki main aisa hone doon. Main uski feelings ko kyon confuse karoon; ya uski life ko kyon unsettle karoon?”

“Tum ek ajnabi ladki to Rahul ke kareeb aane de sakte ho, uski Ma ko nahin?”

“Tumme aur Dr. Nidhi mein se jo Rahul ke liye ajnabi hai, woh tum ho Ranju. Dr. Nidhi nahin.”

Despite all the awkwardness, Nidhi smiled and felt good at Ashutosh’ confidence in her. She had never felt the belonging in her life that Ashutosh made her feel just then.

“Dr. Ashutosh,” a nurse came running to the office just then, “Bed no. 4 ke bachche ko suddenly respiration mein trouble ho rahi hai. Oxygen mask lagaya hai, but aap please dekh lijiye. Abhi tak aisi koi trouble report nahin hui thi.”

“Chaliye Dr. Nidhi,” Ashutosh told Nidhi and left Ranjeeta behind.

—

“Dr. Nidhi Verma!” Nidhi was interrupted later in the day by Ranjeeta.

“Ji?” Nidhi had not bothered to judge Ranjeeta, until her last encounter where he saw the exchange between her and Ashutosh with regards to Rahul. And now she was very clear in her judgement, and hence curt too.

“To aapne Rahul ko zariya banaya hai Ashutosh tak pahunchne ke liye.”

Nidhi got irritated. She was in the ward when Ranjeeta had walked in. Her talking about Ashutosh was potentially embarassing for Nidhi, “Main abhi duty par hoon. Behtar hoga ki aap personal cheezein yahan na layen. Mere patients ko meri zaroorat hai.”

“Ya ye kaho ki mera saamne karne ki himmat nahin hai.”

Nidhi sighed. Ranjeeta would have to be dealth with. “Lagta hai aapka waham door karna hi padega. Kabir,” she called her colleague, “Can you please cover for me for five minutes?”

“Sure, Nidhi.”

“Thanks. Chaliye Ranjeeta ji.” Even the canteen was crowded; so Nidhi thought for a moment and took her to the terrace. “Bataiye. Kya baat karne ki itni jaldbaazi hai aapko ki aap meri duty khatam hone tak nahin ruk sakti thi?”

“Maine sab pata kiya hai tumhare baare mein. Kaafee zaroorat hai tumhein zindagi mein sahare ki… aur of course paison ki. Jo Ashu poora kar sakta hai. Aur Rahul ko zariya bana kar tum Ashu ke kareeb pahunch gayi ho. Hai na?”

“Mere paas aapke sawaalon ke jawaab hain. Lekin koi bhi aira-gaira aa kar mujhse ulte seedhe sawaal poochhne lage, ya mere oopar ghatiya ilzaam lagane lage, to main use ahmiyat nahin deti. Aapko mujhse sawaal poochhne ka koi haq nahin hai. And I am not answerable to you.”

“Tum bas Rahul aur mere beech mein mat aao. Ashu se Rahul ko mujhse door rakhne ko mat kaho.”

“Agar mujhe Dr. Ashutosh se kuchh kahna hota, to main yahi kahti ki aapka saaya bhi Rahul par na padne dein. Apne bachchon se munh modne waale parents se mujhe koi sympathy nahin hai. Lekin maine unse na kuchh kaha hai, na hi kuchh kahungi is baare mein. Pichhle 6 saalon se Rahul ko maa-baap sab kuchh ban kar Dr. Ashutosh ne paala hai, maine nahin. Main Rahul ki zindagi mein ab aayi hoon. Rahul ke baare mein unka jo bhi faisla hoga, mujhe blindly manzoor hoga. Now if you will excuse me, I have work to do,” Nidhi said and started to leave. Then she thought of something and spoke again, “Aur haan. Aage se meri personal life mein dakhal mat dijiyega. Meri life, including my relations with Dr. Ashutosh and Rahul, ke baare mein sawaal poochhne ki koshish mat kijiyega. Mujhe ye sakht napasand hai. Aur mere oopar jaasoosi karne se, ya hospital ki gossip mein participate karne se bhi door rahiyega. Aapka focus meri jagah Ritesh ho to behtar rahega.” After this she left. Ranjeeta appeared speechless and stood rooted to her place for a few minutes.

—

As soon as Nidhi entered the hospital corridor from the terrace, she found Ashutosh waiting for her there. His expressions had a mixture of appreciation and amusement.

“Aap?” she looked around sheepishly, “Aap yahan kya kar rahe hain?”

He indicated to her to walk towards his office. She did that.

“Maine tumhein aur Ranjeeta ko dekha tha saath mein, to mera dimaag thanka. Isliye main tumhare peechhe aaya. Lekin I think meri koi zaroorat nahin thi tumhein is problem se nibatne mein.”

“Ye koi problem nahin thi. Aap bekaar ki baaton par pareshaan mat hua kijiye. Main chalti hoon. Sab kuchh control mein hai, lekin kaam abhi bhi bahut hai ward mein.”

“Ek minute Nidhi…”

“Ji?”

“Ek baat ki chinta mujhe hai. Ye jo tum end mein Ranjeeta ko dhamkar kar aayi ho, ki hospital ki gossip mein participate na kare etc. ye kaise ensure karogi? Agar woh karegi kuchh to tum ya main uska kya kar sakte hain?”

“Kuchh bhi nahin.”

“Phir tumne dhamki kyon di?”

“Bewkoof logon ko confidently dhamki dena hi kaafi hota hai. They assume the worst and more; aur phir chup rahte hain. And she doesn’t come across as particularly intelligent to me.”

“Why so?” Ashutosh was amused again.

“She left you,” Nidhi said with a shrug as if it was very obvious that only an idiot could leave Ashutosh. Then she left, leaving Ashutosh smiling despite his worries about Ranjeeta.

—