“Have you been to this restaurant before?” Ashutosh asked Siddhi after they were seated in the restaurant.

“Nope. Never. Hope they don’t expect me to eat with chopsticks. It’s too fancy.”

Ashutosh laughed slightly, “Don’t worry. Chopsticks are optional.”

“Dr. Ashutosh aapko Di ne kuchh kaha kya? Mujhe yahan laane ke liye?” Siddhi could not hold back her questions for long.

“Nahin to? Kyon?”

“Bas aise hi… It was not a big deal really. Lekin pahle woh mujhse sorry kah rahi thi… Phir aap use ‘punishment’ de rahe the.”

“Main mazaak kar raha tha Siddhi.”

“Of course,” she smiled.

“Amazing food. Dimsums to khaas kar ke kamaal ke hain,” Siddhi remarked during their meal.

“You really like Chinese so much?”

“Actually recently hi khaana shuru kiya hai. Aur jitna bhi try kiya hai, bahut achchha laga hai.”

“Cool. We should try more places and dishes then.”

“Of course.”

“Siddhi. Tumse kuchh kahna chahta tha…”

“Boliye na.”

“Nidhi shayad Rahul ko lekar over zealous ho jaati hai kabhi kabhi. I know usne tumse maafi maang li hai. But main bhi tumhein ye batana chahta hoon ki tum kabhi ye mat samajhna ki tumhari wishes aur choices Rahul se secondary hain. Tum mere liye bilkul waise hi ho jaise Rahul.”

“Thank you Dr. Ashutosh. But aap ghabraiye nahin. Mujhe ye baat pata hai. Agar aisa nahin hota to Di ne kabhi aapko nahin chuna hota.”

“That’s great. To agli baar tum mujhe support kar sakti ho jab main kahun ki hum Rahul ko ghar par khaana khila sakte hain,” Ashutosh grinned.

“Dr. Ashutosh,” Siddhi replied somberly, “Ek request karoon aapse?”

“Kya?”

“Pichhle paanch saalon mein… aur shayad usse pahle bhi… kyonki main to chhoti thi, lekin mujhe bhi Mummy-Papa ke jhagde yaad hain. Phir Di ko to… Uski zindagi bahut achchhi nahin rahi hai… Balki uski koi zindagi rahi hi nahin hai. Agar kuchh tha bhi, usne sab mere liye khatam kar diya… College jaati thi aur phir mere paas ghar wapas aa jaati thi. Koi friends nahin, koi masti nahin… Ghar se bahar nikalti bhi thi to mujhe hi lekar, meri hi zidd poori karne ke liye… Mujhe tab samajh nahin aata tha ki woh khud kitni chhoti thi mere liye itna kuchh karne ke liye. Lekin ab main us umra ke bahut se logon ko jaanti hoon… I can’t imagine any seventeen or eighteen year old I know of jo ki… Ek waqt par maine use pareshaan bhi bahut kiya hai… Aap shayad jaante hain… Lekin she never abandoned me… Socha bhi nahin usne… She is… she is just too good for a real person Dr. Ashutosh…”

“Siddhi!” Ashutosh interrupted her, as he could see that she was overwhelmed and was close to tears, “Agar tum ye kah rahi ho ki tumhari Di amazing hai, to trust me. I agree whole heartedly. Lekin tum itna pareshaan kyon ho rahi ho? Tumhein pata hai ki she loves you more than her life. Uske liye tum kabhi burden nahin rahi ho Siddhi…”

“I know. Lekin… Main bas ye kah rahi thi ki… Main uski life mein aur conflicts ya complications nahin paida karna chati. Main nahin chati ki woh mere aur Rahul ke baare mein pareshaan rahe ya use har kadam par koi mushkil faisla karna pade. Agar Indian restaurant mein jaana uske liye aasaan faisla hai then so be it. Isn’t it only fair that she also gets to live her life? Without such early responsibilities and concerns… For me? Even for Rahul? She deserves certain things she never had…”

Ashutosh just watched her in astonishment. He knew that she wasn’t an astray teenager any longer. But her sensitivity and concern for Nidhi had taken him by surprise.

“She shouldn’t have to keep worrying about me, Dr. Ashutosh. She should have a life of her own. Will you give her that life? Will you promise me to give her that life?”

“Yes. Yes Siddhi. I promise. Mujhe nahin lagta ki she will stop caring about you, or Rahul. But worries? No! Aur main ye promise kar sakta hoon kyonki I can see ki you won’t give her any reasons to be worried. You are very mature. Just like her.”

“Thank you. Aur mera promise ye hai ki aapko mere aur Rahul ki relationships ke baare mein worry karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai. Hamare beech koi complex main nahin develop hone doongi. Zyada problem hui to use bhi Chinese khane ki aadat lagwa doongi,” Siddhi started grinning at her joke towards the end.

“That’s the spirit! Give me a high-five!” Ashutosh also replied in the same vein.

—

Nidhi and Ashutosh had very reluctantly separated for the night. Nidhi was unable to fall asleep, as she lied next to Siddhi on the bed. That room in Ashutosh’ house was already earmarked as Siddhi’s room, and for the time being Nidhi’s too.

“Di. Please itna chhatpatana band karo. Meri neend khuli ja rahi hai,” Siddhi’s annoyed voice startled her.

“Sorry Siddhi. Mujhe bas neend nahin aa rahi…”

“To tum hum dono par aur unpar bhi raham kar ke Dr. Ashutosh ke kamre mein kyon nahin chali jaati?”

“Kya? Siddhi!” Nidhi was exasperated and sat up angrily.

“Ab mujhe tum daant kar chup karwa do. Lekin it’s not fair. Don’t tell me ki kal raat tum dono akele the, aur wahan kuchh nahin hua, aur tum subah wapas aakar bina wajah ek bumbling idiot bani ghoom rahi thi?”

“For God’s sake, shut up Siddhi. Ye sab… you are too young…”

“And for God’s sake Di – I am going to be fourteen now. Hamein Biology mein sab padha diya hai.Aur main aur mere friends Mills & Boons ki pachason kitabein padh chuke hain.”

“Theek hai. Tu badi ho gayi. Sab samajhti hai. But ab please chup kar…”

“Great. To tum jo hua use deny nahin kar rahi ho. Di. Main tumhari bahan hoon, beti nahin. Agar hamari life normal hoti to tum apni love life mere saath share kar rahi hoti, meri help le rahi hoti, apne escapades mein.”

“I see. Tu meri escapades mein meri madad karna chahti hai.”

“Uski to zyada gunjaish nahin hai. Bas ye kahna chahti hoon ki… tum kisse dar rahi ho? I know Indian society and all… Lekin come on yaar. Yahan tumhein judge karne waala kaun hai? Main? Rahul? Dr. Armaan to khud hi ek live-in relationship mein hain US mein.”

“Ab Dr. Armaan ki love life ke baare mein tujhe kyon aur kaise pata hai? Lekin jo bhi hai. Ab so ja, please.”

“Jab tak tum mujhe mere kamre mein akela nahin chhod deti, main nahin so rahi. Remember, tumhein yahan koi kamra nahin milne waala tha?”

“Come on, Siddhi. Bachkaani baatein mat kar. Main aise kaise ja sakti hoon? Dr. Ashutosh kya sochenge?”

“I’m sure unki khushi ka thikaana nahin rahega.”

“Ab ye mat bolna ki tu relationships par articles aur magazine columns bhi padh rahi hai.”

“Of course, padh rahi hoon. Ab jao.”

“Of course not. So ja.”

“Chalo,” Siddhi got down from the bed and started pulling Nidhi out.

“Siddhi. Pagal ho gayi hai tu. Kya kar rahi hai?”

“Chalo to sahi.”

Siddhi was pulling her so hard that Nidhi had to get up. As if the situation with Siddhi was already not awkward, she heard Ashutosh’ voice as soon as they got out of the room. “Kya hua?” He was standing in the hall.

Siddhi grinned and addressed Nidhi, “Good night, Di.” She ran back to her room and locked it from inside.

“Kya chal raha hai ye?” Ashutosh came to Nidhi.

“Ab aap kya kar rahe hain yahan?” Nidhi asked flustered.

“Mujhe neend nahin aa rahi thi.”

Nidhi hit her forehead realizing that they were too close to Siddhi’s room and she must have heard it. “Chaliye yahan se,” she grabbed his hand and led him to his room. Ashutosh followed her lead looking quite confused. “Siddhi mujhe apne kamre mein sone nahin de rahi hai,” she explained finally.

“Kya? Kyon? Jhagda ho gaya tum dono mein?”

“Nahin. Ab aap aisi bachkaani baat kyon kar rahe hain?”

“Isse zyada bachkaani to nahin hai ki woh tumhein apne kamre mein sone nahin de rahi hai. Aur aise dhakke maar ke kar nikaal diya hai?” Ashutosh was amused.

“Woh to hai hi bachchi… actually nahin hai…” her voice trailed and she looked around in confusion and embarrassment. What was she to do now?

“Nidhi! Kuchh bataogi?”

“Siddhi ne… mujhe… Woh chahti hai ki main yahan so… I mean rahun,” she finally managed to speak and bit her lips in embarrassment.

“Yahan matlab?”

“Aapke kamre mein?”

“Oh my God!” Ashutosh exclaimed and laughed out loud, “This is absolutely hilarious.”

“Aapko idea bhi hai ki mere liye kitna embarrassing hai?”

“Nidhi!” Ashutosh held her chin up and spoke with a smile, “She adores you. She absolutely does.”

“Lekin…”

“Tumhein pata hai, jab tumhari tabiyat kharaab hui thi aur woh dar gayi thi…”

“Haan?”

“Usne mujhse poochha tha ki tumhare treatment ke liye paison ki zaroorat hogi kya? Aur agar hogi to woh apne iPad bech sakti hai.”

“What?”

Ashutosh nodded to reaffirm what he had just said.

“Oh my God!” Nidhi exclaimed.

“Aur woh chahti hai ki tum apni zindagi jiyo. Khul kar, khushi se… Haan itna micro-analyze kiya hai usne tumhari khushiyon ko ye maine sapne mein bhi nahin socha tha…” Ashutosh could not help teasing Nidhi and laughing again.

“Dr. Ashutosh!”

“Ab jab meri saali sahiba ne itna khoobsoorat tohfa mere kamre mein mujhe bhijwa diya hai, to it would be rude not to unwrap the gift, right? Waise bhi tum to shaadi tak rukna nahin chahti na, saare haq claim karne ke liye…”

Nidhi was already going weak in her knees with his caresses and embrace. What option did she have other than to succumb? To his desires and her own. She was a happy woman, loved from all quarters!

—

To be continued