“Sir. I understand that my actions could be con… constru… construed as…”

“Ye aapke haath mein jo letter hai usmein likha hai?”

“Y… Yes Sir. Actually Baba se help li to unhone kuchh zyada hi formal likh diya hai.”

Ashutosh smiled, “Theek hai. Aap letter mujhe de dijiye. Main padh loonga.”

“Sir. Main itni formally apne aap ko express nahin kar pati, but I am really serious about it now and I promise ki aage se mere kaam se aapko shikayat ka koi mauka nahin milega.”

“Sure. Welcome back and at the cost of repeating myself you must remember that…”

“Sir woh mujhe yaad hai. Hamare profession mein hamare haath mein zindagi aur maut hoti hai. Yahan mistakes ki, carelessness ki ya inefficiency ki koi gunjaish nahin hoti hai. Aur khaas kar ke is ward mein bilkul nahin.”

Ashutosh laughed out loud surprising Nidhi. In the last couple of weeks she had spent at the hospital, she had never seen him laughing like that. He didn’t look the Dr. Hardstone when he laughed.

Mallika had come to Dr. Ranghnath’s office when she heard the laughter from Ashutosh’ office. A few moments later, she saw Nidhi coming out of the room. Curious, she went in.

Ashutosh was still laughing slightly, “Kya baat hai Ashutosh? Aaj tum Dr. Nidhi Verma ko daantne ki bajay unke saamne aise hans rahe ho.”

“That girl is ridiculously funny Mallika.”

“I can’t believe this. Itne dinon ke baad maine tumhein hanste dekha. Aur uski wajah ek gair-zimmedaar, galtiyan karne waali ladki hai.”

“Let’s be fair to her. She has learnt her lesson. Maine use observe kiya hai pichhle ek hafte mein. For a fresher, she knows her stuff well. Carelessness was her only vice and I think ab woh chali jayegi.”

Mallika didn’t like Ashutosh’ praises for the girl. She wasn’t tactical enough to hide her irritation, “Logon ka basic nature nahin badalta Ashutosh. I would not trust her to be careful.”

“Let’s see,” Ashutosh ignored the irritation in her voice, “Aise karo Mallika, uski duty agle ek mahine ke liye mere hi saath laga do. I’m sure the discipline will do her good. Main chalta hoon. Mujhe Dr. Gupta se ek case discuss karna hai.”

—

Later in the day, Mallika walked towards Ashutosh’ ward to take a break and have a chat with him. She found Nidhi sitting with the same child whose relapse had happened because of her forgetting the injection.

“Dr. Nidhi. Aap mujhe injections se bacha lengi na. Please.”

“Aisa nahin kahte beta. Injections nahin loge to theek kaise hoge. Yaad hai na pichhli baar injection nahin liya tha to aapki tabiyat kaise kharaab ho gayi thi. Chalo koi nahin. Mujhe na ek jaadu aata hai. Usse injection machchar ke kaatne jaisa lagta hai. Bilkul dard nahin hota. Sister. Aap mujhe de dijiye. Injection main laga doongi.”

“Dr. Nidhi,” Mallika interrupted, “Injection aap sister ko hi lagane dijiye. Ye ab aapka patient nahin hai.”

Nidhi was embarrassed. But it had been her fault, so she could not oppose Mallika. She nodded sadly.

“Dr. Mallika,” it was Ashutosh, who had overheard their conversation, “She has learnt her lesson. She will take good care of the patient, I am sure. Dr. Verma – he is your patient. Please continue,” he smiled slightly.

“Thank you, Sir,” Nidhi hoped that her gratitude was coveyed to Dr. Ashutosh through her “thank you”. She felt really happy that he trusted her.

Mallika was annoyed. But she could not say anything just then.

—

“Ashutosh. Aaj raat kahin dinner par chalte hain na.”

“Bilkul mood nahin hai Mallika aaj. Bahut thak gaya hoon. Kissi aur din chalte hain.”

Mallika sighed. As much as she tried, she could never really get through to Ashutosh. Anyone would think she was a fool. But she was hopelessly in love with this man. And could never really think beyond him. She had waited for him for last twelve year and was ready to wait for the rest of her life. It wasn’t like Ashutosh was going anywhere. She had the satisfaction of being the only woman who mattered in his life. And she was happy with that. Her mother was not. But she could handle her. After all, it wasn’t she who was dependent on anyone. She was taking care of her mother too, when her brother had refused to take full time responsibility of their aging mother. Nobody could really tell her how she should be living her life.

“Ashutosh. Thak nahin jaate tum is akelepan se?”

“Akelapan woh pahla ahsaas hai to maine jaana tha Mallika. I am naturally comfortable with it. Beech ke saal abberation the.”

“Ek baar koshish to karo isse bahar nikalne ki. Achchha mahsoos karoge. Khush rahoge.”

“Khushiyon ka mujhe bharosa nahin hai Mallika. Jab chali jaati hain to bahut chot pahunchati hain. Aur woh chot khane ki himmat mujhme nahin hai.”

“Raaste par accident ke dar se log agar raaston par chalna chhod dein, to hum doctaron ka kya hoga Ashutosh. No emergency cases!” Mallika joked.

“Raaste par chalna to band nahin kar sakte. Lekin seat-belt laga kar to drive kar sakte hain na.”

Mallika smiled accepting her defeat. She will have to be happy with whatever there was. Not push for more. Else she might end up losing even what she had.

“Chalo Mallika. Main jaane ke pahle ek baar ward ka round le loon. Dekh loon ki koi emergency to expected nahin hai.”

“Main bhi tumhare saath chalti hoon. Maine apne ward ka dekh liya hai.”

“Okay. Chalo.”

—

“Sister. Kya halat hai is bachche ki?” Ashutosh asked about the first patient he visited.

“Blood pressure stable hai, Sir.”

“Ashutosh. Tumne Dr. Nidhi ko round lene ko kaha tha kya?” Mallika asked as she looked at the patient’s charts.

“Nahin to. Kyon?”

“Woh abhi round le kar gayi hain.”

“Yes Sir,” the nurse said, “Dr. Nidhi abhi abhi round le kar gayi hain.”

“Impressive,” Ashutosh said, “Pahle to kuchh kaho phir bhi nahin maanti thi. Ab khud initiative lekar kaam kar rahi hain.”

“I think she is trying too hard to impress you,” Mallika felt bitter.

“Good for her. Uske professional growth mein help karegi,” Ashutosh did not take the bait. It annoyed Mallika.

“Ashutosh. Mujhe kuchh zaroorai kaam yaad aa gaya hai. Main ghar ja rahi hoon,” she said hoping that he would ask her to wait for him.

But Ashutosh was not affected, “Theek hai. Tum jao Mallika. Main thodi der aur rukne ki soch raha hoon.”

“Kyon? Ab to rounds lene ki bhi zaroorat nahin hai.”

“Haan. Lekin kuchh aur kaam nibta leta hoon.”

“Fine,” Mallika said and left the ward.

—

“Dr. Verma,”

“Y… Yes Sir,” Ashutosh’ voice startled Nidhi as she was taking water from the water cooler. She spilled the water over her dress, as she turned around.

“I am sorry. Maine aapko dara diya lagta hai.”

“Nahin Sir. Main bas zaraa chaunk gayi thi. Koi kaam tha Sir? Waise main ward mein wapas ja hi rahi thi.”

“Nahin theek hai. Aap aaraam kar lijiye. Abhi to aap rounds le kar wapas aayi hain na?”

“Aapko kaise pata?”

“Main gaya tha wahan. Waise maine aapko is waqt rounds lene ko to nahin kaha tha.”

“Haan. Par Sir aap roz lete hain. Main night duty ke liye jaldi aa gayi thi aur free thi to maine socha… Ismein kuchh problem to nahin hai?” her voice suddenly became weak and unsure.

“Nahin nahin. Koi problem nahin hai. Initiative le kar kaam karna to achchi baat hoti hai.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Lekin haan. Ye dhyaan rakhiye ki khud ko over-work na kar lein aap. Burn out ho sakta hai.”

Nidhi smiled, “Ye baat aapke munh par shobha nahin deti, Sir.”

“Kya matlab?”

“Aap khud itna kaam karte hain ki aap kissi aur ko aaraam karne ki salaah dein, ye to sahi nahin hai.”

Ashutosh laughed, “Theek hai. To jab aaj aapne kaam karne ka faisla kar liya hai, to main jaldi ghar chala jaata hoon. Aaraam karta hoon. You take care.”

“Good night, Sir.”

“Good night.”

—

To be continued