Siddhi and Rahul came running inside the hall at the same time when Nidhi came back after packing and getting ready. Siddhi started going around Nidhi to avoid getting caught by Rahul.

“Siddhi! Kya kar rahi hai? Dress kharaab ho jayegi,” Nidhi admonished her. Siddhi tried to get away, but Rahul took the opportunity to grab her and she lost.

“Kya Di… Oh my God!!” she noticed Nidhi’s dress and stared at her wide-eyed. Nidhi was wearing a white, lace-hemmed, calf-length dress. The dress had a noodle strap, but her shoulders were covered by a small jacket. Her hair was in a high pony-tail with a simple white rubber-band. Pearl ear-rings and bracelet completed her attire.

“Nidhi Auntie hot lag rahi hain,” Rahul said attracting Siddhi’s as well as Nidhi’s surprised eyes towards himself. Armaan and Ashutosh had also come to the hall and they also stared at Rahul.

“Ye kahan se seekha aapne Rahul?” Ashutosh asked in amusement. Nidhi bit her lips shyly when she saw Armaan and Ashutosh and realized that they had also heard Rahul.

“School mein sab bolte hain…”

“Kise bolte hain?”

“Kareena Kapoor ko… Katrina Kaif ko… Aur Sasha Ma’am ko…”

“Ashu. Iski Parents-Teachers meeting kab hai? Ye Sasha Ma’am se milna padega,” Armaan said making everyone laugh.

“But I swear Di,” Siddhi said, “Mujhe to yaad nahin aata tum itni achchhi kab lagi ho pahle… I know red is your favourite and all. Lekin tumhein shaadi mein white pahanna chahiye.”

“Pagal hai kya. Shaadi mein kaun white pahanta hai?” Nidhi replied instinctively; then blushed.

“Church wedding, Dr. Ashutosh. Church wedding! What do you say?” she said excitedly.

Ashutosh laughed and changed the subject, “Siddhi, Rahul. Are you sure tum log nahin jaana chahte? Abhi bhi time hai.”

“Nahin,” Siddhi replied hastily, “Hum nahin jayenge. Chalo Rahul.” She took Rahul away from there.

“Don’t worry Ashu. Main sambhaal loonga bachchon ko,” Armaan patted Ashutosh’ shoulder and went away.

“So? Ready?” Ashutosh asked Nidhi.

“I think main change kar leti hoon. Kuchh zyada ho gaya.”

“No. Absolutely not. Tum bas paanch minute wait karo. Main change kar loon. Phir nikalte hain.”

Nidhi nodded and sat down on the sofa in the hall. She got Ashutosh’ call on her mobile after about five minutes.

“Kya hua? Aap call kyon kar rahe hain?”

“Mujhe packing mein thodee help chahiye. Tum please mere kamre mein aa jao ek baar.”

“Achchha… Aati hoon…” Nidhi was confused. What help could he need in the packing from her? It’s not like she managed his stuff…

“Kya help chahiye thi?” she asked as she entered the room. She noticed that Ashutosh had changed into a black suit and was looking dashing, more the ever.

“Ek bahut achchhi cheez ko pefect banane mein help chahiye.”

“Ji?”

He held her wrist on which she was wearing a watch and started taking off her watch.

“Ye… aap… kya kar rahe… hain?” His act of removing the watch felt almost like a foreplay to her as she felt a wave of heat run through her body.

He just smiled at her nervousness and picked up something from the bed. Nidhi smiled as she noticed that it was a new watch with pearl straps. He put that on her wrist.

“Ab perfect lag raha hai na?” he asked. It was indeed perfect now. She nodded with certainty. “Kaisa ittefaq hai na? Main tumhare liye ye laaya aur tumne sab kuchh aur matching pahan rakha hai.”

“Connection jo hai hamara,” Nidhi replied with a broad smile. She was feeling extremely happy. Ashutosh laughed slightly and hugged her.

—

“So, Siddhi ko to tumhari church-wedding karwani hai,” Ashutosh said during their conversation on the dinner.

“Woh to pagal hai.”

“Tumhein kaisi wedding karni hai?”

“I don’t care.”

“Really?”

“Haan. Mujhe nahin pata ki log shaadi ka itna big deal kyon banate hain?”

“Well.. Ek rishta hai. Ek social contract hai…”

“Aapko shayad meri baatein ajeeb lag rahi hain,” she suddenly became conscious, “Don’t get me wrong…”

“Nidhi! Main sirf samajhne ki koshish kar raha hoon. Koi exam nahin le raha tumhara. Batao tum kya sochti ho?”

“Mujhe lagta hai ki jahan pyaar hai, trust hai, ek doosre ke liye ek sense of responsibility hai, wahan shaadi ki koi zaroorat nahin hai. Aur jahan woh nahin hota, wahan ek social contract kuchh kar nahin sakta. Mere Mummy-Papa ne kaun sa teer maar liya shaadi kar ke. Aur aap bhi to…” she checked herself. She was about to talk about his failed marriage, “I am sorry. Mera matlab ye nahin tha…”

“Nidhi!” he put his hands on top of hers, “Tumhein mere saamne aise conscious hone ki zaroorat nahin hai. Hum log baat kar sakte hain. Kissi bhi cheez ke baare mein. Jo bhi hamare man mein ho. Trust hai na?” He smiled as he asked.

Nidhi also smiled and nodded in reply. “Lekin mera ye matlab nahin hai ki hamein shaadi nahin karni chahiye.”

“Jab tum maanti nahin ho shaadi ke ritual ko to kyon karni chahiye?”

“Kyonki mujhe ya aapko farq pade na pade, lekin shaadi se jo social aur legal acceptance milti hai rishte ko, woh Rahul ke liye important aur assuring ho sakta hai. Siddhi ke liye bhi…”

Ashutosh looked at her appreciatively. She was strong for herself, but she thought about everybody!

—

After reaching the resort, they had come directly for the dinner to the restaurant. They started for their room only after the dinner was over. Ashutosh had booked two rooms. One for Nidhi and Siddhi and one for himself and Rahul. Now, they were left with one for each of them.

“Aapko neend aa rahi hai?” she asked anxiously as they walked towards the rooms.

“Nahin. Tumhein?”

“Bilkul bhi nahin.”

“Phir samaan andar rakh dete hain aur bahar baithte hain. Kaafii khuli jagah hai yahan.”

“Ji!” she was happy.

“Tumne koi shawl nahin rakhi?” Ashutosh asked while they were sitting on a bench under open sky.

“Nahin. Mujhe dhayaan hi nahin raha…”

“Koi baat nahin,” he took off his coat and wrapped it around her, “You have an old-fashioned gentleman sitting beisde you.”

Nidhi laughed, “Lekin aap…”

“Mere shirt full sleeve ki hai. Don’t worry.”

She pulled the coat even closer around her and leaned on Ashutosh’ shoulder. He put one of his arms around her and played with her hair with his free hand.

“Tumhari internship khatam hone se pahle shaadi karna achchha idea nahin hai,” he said.

“Kya farq padta hai?” she replied and buried her face deep in his chest.

“Main tumhari baat samajhta hoon. Lekin phir bhi… mere liye shaadi important hai. I want it.”

“To chaliye. Abhi kar lete hain. Kissi mandir mein.”

Ashutosh laughed, “Pagal ladki. Nahin aise nahin…”

“Achchha,” she sat up and asked with interest, “Kaise shaadi karni hai aapko? Ekdum dhoom-dhaam se? Band-baaje ke saath?”

He laughed again, “Band-baaje se farq nahin padta, lekin main proudly poori duniya ke saamne tumse shaadi karna chahta hoon.”

“Kyon?”

“Pata nahin. Ye explain karna shayad mushkil hai mere liye. Probably people just matter to me… Aur shayad isliye bhi ki hamare rishte par log kuchh to kahenge… To main sabko batana chahta hoon ki we don’t care and we are very happy and blessed…”

“Theek hai. Phir aisa hi hoga.”

“Tumhein problem to nahin hai?”

“Bilkul nahin. Lekin main is rishte ke saare haq claim karne ke liye shaadi tak ka intezaar nahin kar rahi.”

“Saari responsibilities to tumne utha hi li hain. To saare haq claim karne ka bhi tumhara haq banta hai.”

“Good.”

“To batao tumhein kya chahiye?”

“Matlab?”

“Matlab koi gift? Koi bhi cheez? Koi farmaish?”

“Mujhe kuchh kyon chahiye hoga?”

Ashutosh laughed, “Ye lo. Abhi to mujhe haq claim karne ko le kar dara rahi thi. Aur ab ek gift bhi nahin claim kar pa rahi ho?”

“Mujhe gift nahin chahiye?”

“Phir kya chahiye?”

“Mujhe aap chahiye Dr. Ashutosh. Woh Rahul ki Sasha Ma’am se nahin milne doongi main aapko,” Nidhi started saying seriously, then grinned.

Ashutosh laughed out loud. She was definitely bolder today than usual. “Tumhein lagta hai ki main hot ladkiyon ko woo karta rahta hoon? Ya kar sakta hoon?”

“Kar sakte to aap bilkul hain.”

“Ahan?”

“Mujhe pahle pata nahin tha, leki jab se main hospital mein logon ke saath socialize karne lagi hoon, mujhe realize hua hai ki aap to bilkul… hearth-throb hain ladkiyon ke hospital mein… Aapki smile aur dimples par to jaan deti hain saaree female staff…”

“Achchha. To pahle tumhein realize nahin hua ki aisa ho sakta hai?”

“Well… main to… aapne declare kar hi diya hai ki main aapse obsessed hoon…”

Ashutosh laughed out loud, “Bhaang-waang pee li hai kya tumne Nidhi? Aaj kitna bol rahi ho?”

“Aap gussa ho rahe hain?”

“Nahin, nahin. Main, in fact, bahut enjoy kar raha hoon.”

“Aur aap bahut blush bhi kar rahe hain.”

“For once, role reverse ho gaya hai hamara.”

“Dr. Ashutosh.” she suddenly turned serious, “Maine itni baatein kai saalon mein kissi se nahin ki hain.”

“Nidhi!” he looked at her with worry because her tone had changed from happy to sad suddenly.

“Jab Mummy-Papa the, tab bhi nahin.”

“Kyon?” he needed to make her continue talking.

“Ghar par itne jhagde hote the… itne zyada… Kai baar physical bhi… Ki main… Mujhe bahut bura lagta tha ki meri family aisi kyon hai? Ghar par koi baat karne waala nahin tha… Bahar kissi se ghar ke baare mein nahin bol sakti thi… I mean – kisko bolti… kya bolti… Apne Mummy-Papa ki burai karna kaisa lagta? Khud ki self-respect hi jaati… Main irritated rahti thi… Baat karti bhi thi to sab artifical hota tha… Pretend karti thi ki meri life mein sab achchha hai… Lekin kabhi kissi ne mazaak mein bhi kuchh kah diya to mujhe gussa aa jaata tha… Isliye main chup rahne lagi… Bas apni duniya mein… Aur phir usse nikal nahin paayi… Jab tak…” she choked on her words.

“Hey Nidhi. Kyon yaad kar rahi ho un bure dinon ko? Abhi to tum kitni khush thi? Haan? Kya ho gaya achanak? Ab to main hoon na? Mujhse tum jitni chahe baatein kar sakti ho, jo bhi chahe bata sakti ho… Aur mujhe bahut achchha lagta hai… Please tum ro mat.”

“Theek kah rahe hain aap,” she wiped her tears, “Aaj ka din bahut achchha hai. Pata nahin main kyon purani baatein yaad karne lagi…”

“It’s okay, Nidhi. Chalo. Andar chalte hain. Tumhein paani peene ki zaroorat hai. Aur kaafi raat bhi ho gayi hai.”

—

To be continued