“Nidhiiiii” Anji came to her room screaming.

“Kaan phaad daalegi kya. Kya hua hai?”

“Tujhe meri koi chinta bhi hai?”

“Pahle apni jaan ki chinta kar loon, phir teri bhi kar loongi.”

“Teri jaan ko kya hua? Ab to tu practising doctor hai. Apni jaan to bacha hi legi.”

“Lekin jab doctor hi khoon ke pyaase hon tab kissi ka kya ho sakta hai?”

“To doctor bani hai ya Dracula. Khoon ki pyaasi kyon ho rahi hai?”

“Khoon ki pyaasi main nahin Dr. Ashutosh hain. Hamare boss.”

“Kya hua Nidhi? Aaj to tera pahle din tha. Kuchh gadbad ho gayi kya?”

“Anji. Gadbad to mera doctor banna hi tha. Ab jo ho raha hai woh uska natural outcome hai.”

“Tu na to doctor bani hai, na Dracula. Mujhe lagta hai to dukh aur gham mein poetess ban gayi hai. Ab saaf saaf bata ki hua kya?”

“Kuchh nahin yaar. Ye hamare boss bade hi khadoos type ke insaan hain. Pata nahin unko life mein problem kya hai. Pata hai, unhein sab Dr. Hardstone bulate hain.”

Anji laughed, “Bada cheeky naam hai.”

“Khair chhod. Ab to ye roz ki kahani hone waali hai. Tu bata. Tujhe kya hua?”

“Arre yaar! Daddy mujhe job nahin accept karne de rahe hain.”

“Kyon?”

“Kyonki unke hisaab se unki beti ko mistri nahin banna chahiye. Balki unke saath business mein haath bantana chahiye.”

“Mistri??” It was Nidhi’s turn to laugh, “Bada hi cheeky naam hai, interior designer ke liye.”

“Nidhi. Mazaak ka time nahin hai. Kuchh kar.”

“Ek hi insaan hai jo kuchh kar sakta hai.”

“I know. Baba. Chal na – unhein is kaam ke liye taiyaar karne mein teri madad chahiye hogi.”

“Chal.”

—

“Baba. Aapko Anji ki madad karni hi hogi, warna main apni internship se resign kar doongi. Aur phir gayi meri doctori bhaad mein.”

“Apne hi baap ko blackmail kar rahi ho. He bhagwaan. Meri parwarish mein aisi kya kasar rah gayi?”

“Kasar ye rah gayi Baba ki aapne mere andar ke poet ko maar kar ek doctor bana diya. Ab bhugatiye.”

“Tum logon ne woh kahawat nahin suni hai – Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

“To?”

“Arre. Anji beta. Tumhari to tumahre Daddy ke saath roz-roz ki struggle hai. Pahle Arts padhne ke liye thi, aaj job karne ke liye hai, aage kissi aur cheez ke liye hogi.”

“To? Aap meri madad nahin karenge?”

“To main tumhein apni madad karne ke liye khud taiyaar kar doonga.”

“Woh kaise?”

“Tum apne Daddy se baat kyon nahin karti?”

“Unke saamne jaate hi meri to jabaan hi munh mein kahin chipak jaati hai Baba, itna dar jo jaati hoon.”

“Haan. To ek kaam karo.”

“Kya?”

“Uski aankhon mein mat dekho.”

“Usse kya hoga?”

“Aankhon mein nahin dekhogi, to uska gussa tumhein dikhyi nahin dega. Phir bilkul bhi dar nahin lagega.”

“Sach?” Anji was skeptical.

“Bilkul sach.”

“Chaliye ye bhi try kar ke dekhti hoon.”

—

“Dr. Mallika. How are the interns doing? Maine socha ki ek baar dekhta chaloon.” Ashutosh saw Mallika briefing the interns on their duties for the day and came in to the room.

“They are doing fine, Dr. Ashutosh.”

“Good,” he was about to leave when Nidhi came in.

Mallika shook her head knowing about the storm that was about to hit the room. Nidhi really had to barge in just then?

“Dr. Verma?” Ashutosh looked at her questioningly.

“Good… Good Morning Sir.”

“You are late.”

“Late? No Sir. Reporting time to aath baje ka hai.”

“Abhi aath bajkar paanch minute ho rahe hain.”

“Sir, aap bhi achcha mazaak kar lete hain,” Nidhi smiled broadly, “Paanch minute ke liye…”

“Dr. Verma. Main koi mazaak nahin kar raha hoon. Ye profession koi mazaak nahin hai.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Dr. Mallika. Ward No. 3A mein aaj kis intern ki duty hai?”

“Dr. Sonali ki.”

“Exchange it with Dr. Nidhi Verma’s. And for next one week, she is going to be posted in that ward only.”

“Okay Dr. Ashutosh.”

“Dr. Verma. I want to see you there in five minutes. Not a second late,” he glared at her and left. It was then that she realized that she was to work with Ashutosh for next one week. She cursed her luck, while Sonali sighed in relief from not having to face Dr. Ashutosh.

“Well Dr. Nidhi. You had it coming. Sorry – can’t help. If possible behave yourself in his ward and keep away from trouble,” Dr. Mallika sympathetically patted her shoulder, “Now go there quickly.”

“Yes Ma’m.”

—

“Dr. Gupta, how is Nishant doing?” Ashutosh enquired a resident doctor on duty in the ward.

“He is improving, Sir. His blood pressure is under control.”

“Dr. Verma, take the briefing of the case from Dr. Gupta. His duty is about to be over. The patient will be under your observation for the rest of the day.”

“Okay Sir.”

“But first check his condition. Heart-beats, pulse, blood-pressure etc.”

“Right Sir,” her hands went around her neck to get the stethoscope, when she realized that she had forgotten it at home in hurry. Dr. Gupta saw her fidgeting and tried to discreetly hand her his own stethoscope, but it did not escape Ashutosh’ notice.

“Aapka stethoscope kahan hai?”

“Woh Sir. Galti se ghar par chhoot gaya.”

“Galti se? Ghar par chhoot gaya? Aur aap yahan kaise pahunch gayi? Aap ek doctor hain. Galti se aaj aapki car ka accident nahin hua. Galti se aaj aapko koi chot nahin lagi. Lekin galti se aapka stethoscope ghar par chhoot gaya. This is heights of carelessless and unprofessionalism.”

Ashutosh didn’t care that all the patients, doctors and other staff in the ward were staring at Nidhi, who was feeling mortified at the humiliation.

“Dr. Gupta,” Ashutosh addressed him next, “Aap kissi aur on-duty doctor ko hand over kar dijiye. And Dr. Verma. Please see me in my office in fifteen minutes.”

He walked off to check another patient leaving Nidhi embarrassed and confused. She ran out of the ward blinking back her tears.

Dr. Ranghnath found her in the common room, “Kya baat hai? Ye chaand par aise badal kyon chhaye hue hain? Ye phool subah subah kyon murjha gaya?”

“Dr. Rangnath. Please. Main abhi aapki poetic baaton ke mood mein bilkul nahin hoon,” Nidhi was irritated.

“Let me guess, let me guess. Subah subah Dr. Hardstone ke darshan ho gaye hain aapko aur jwalamukhi fat pada.”

Nidhi just made a face to confirm and did not say anything.

“Arre to phir dukhi hone ki zaroorat nahin hai. Aapko to khush hona chahiye. Kyonki jwalamukhi ke fatne ke baad to maine wahan se laashein aati hi dekhi hain. Aap to zinda hai, sahi salaamat hain. Aur woh kahte hain na ki that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Nidhi sighed and got up to leave.

“Are kahan chali aap?”

“Thoda aur majboot banne. Dr. Ashutosh ke office.”

“Itni utaawali ke saath maine to kissi ko suicide karte nahin dekha hai.”

“Gun point par suicide karwaya ja raha ho to koi kya kare.”

“Ah! To woh aapse milna chahte hain.”

“Ji. Aur agar main late ho gayi to phir se duniya ke saare patients ki jaan khatre mein pad jayegi. To main chalti hoon.”

“Good luck.”

—

To be continued