“Mujhe pata tha aap yahin hongi,” Dr. Rangnath entered the common room, where Nidhi was sitting alone, “Baat kya hai? Aaj kal jab bhi dekho aapka hi chehra hospital mein nazar aata hai. Main to bore ho gaya dekh dekh kar. Baaki sab ko kaam se nikalwane ka irada hai kya?”

“Irade to aap Dr. Mallika se poochhiye. Unki kuchh zyada hi meharbaani ho rahi mere oopar. To night duties par night duties mil rahi hain.”

“Achchi baat hai. Chai pijiye,” he handed her a cup.

“Nidhi!” Suddenly they heard Anji’s voice at the door of the common room.

“Anji. Tu is waqt yahan kya kar rahi hai?”

“Are kya karoon? Tujhe to aaj kal baat karne ki bhi fursat nahin hoti? Baba bhi kah rahe the ki tu aajkal milti hi nahin. To maine socha yahin aa kar mil loon.”

“Haan. Anji. Aajkal night duties lag rahi hain na.”

“Teri itni night duties kyon lag rahi hain aaj kal? Aur doctors nahin hain kya hospital mein?”

“Pata nahin Anji.”

“Dr. Nidhi,” a nurse came in, “Bed No. 5 ke patient ko saans nahin aa rahi hai. Shayad oxygen ki zaroorat hai.”

“Anji. Main 10 minute mein aati hoon. Tu yahin ruk.”

“Are aap fikra mat kijiye,” Dr. Ranghanth spoke in his typical style, “Main hoon na inka khayaal rakhne ke liye.”

“Meri friend ko zyada pareshaan mat kijiyega Dr. Rangnath.”

“Are. Kaisi baatein karti hain aap? Itna sa bhi bharosa nahin hai aapko mere oopar?”

“Dr. Rangnath…” Nidhi chided him and then went with the nurse.

In his flirting session, Rangnath managed to get Anji to accept that designers take up freelancing assignment and she would think about taking up an assignment of redecorating the children’s ward at Dr. Kotnis General Hospital.

As Nidhi was coming back, she met Ashutosh on the way.

“Doctor Nidhi. Everything all right?”

“Yes Sir. Bas woh bed no. 5 ke patient ko oxygen ki zaroorat thi. Woh laga kar aayi hoon.”

“Good. Aap common room mein ja rahi hain?”

“Ji. Darasal meri friend aayi hui hai. To main thodee der wahin baithne ki soch rahi hoon.”

“Sure. In fact, main bhi common room hi ja raha tha, coffee lene. Chaliye.”

Nidhi introduced Anji and Ashutosh, after which Anji took their leave, “Daddy ko pata nahin hai ki main akeli yahan aa gayi hoon. Ab chalti hoon warna ghar par toofaan aa jayega.”

Everyone laughed and Nidhi said, “Theek hai Anji. Main tujhse ghar wapas aa kar milti hoon.”

“Main inhein bahar tak chhod aata hoon,” Rangnath said.

Nidhi looked at him with a smirk.

“Iski zaroorat nahin hai Dr. Rangnath,” Anji said.

“Are kaise zaroorat nahin hai. Aap bhi kya sochengi ki hum doctors ko hospitality ka matlab nahin pata. Kyon Dr. Ashutosh?”

Ashutosh was caught by surprise, “Yes. Of course. Bilkul.”

Ashutosh and Nidhi smiled at each other after they were left alone.

“Dr. Rangnath ka kuchh nahin ho sakta,” Ashutosh said.

“Haan. Lekin ye to manna padega ki woh hospita ke mahaul ko light rakhne mein bahut helpful hain. Warna to…”

Ashutosh stared at Nidhi and she realized her faux pas. If there was one person in the hospital that could be considered a complete contrast to Rangnath, it was Ashutosh. “Nahin, nahin… Mera woh matlab nahin tha,” she but her lips.

Ashutosh was amused, “Aapka kya matlab nahin tha Dr. Nidhi?”

“Matlab… Nahin mera kuchh matlab nahin tha. Main aapke liye coffee lati hoon. Ya aap chai lenge?”

“Coffee will be good.”

“Dr. Ashutosh. Aapse ek baat kahni thi,” Nidhi said sheepishly after she brought the coffee.

“Kahiye.”

“Agar aapko sahi lage to main kya kabhi kabhi aapko OPD mein bhi assist kar sakti hoon?”

“Sure. Ismein galat lagne waali kya baat hai? Lekin OPD mein kyon?”

“Wahan ka experience different hota hai. Thoda unpredictable. Immediate diagnosis karni hoti hai jahan tak ho sake. Main uska bhi experience chahti hoon.”

Ashutosh looked impressed, “Sure. Main generally dopahar mein do baje se chaar baje tak OPD mein baithta hoon. Agar aap free hon to jab chahe mere saath aa jaiye.”

“Thank you, Sir. Aur haan… Maine PG entrance ki preparation bhi shuru kar di hai.”

“Ye to bahut achchhi baat hai. Agar aapko kissi tarah ki madad ki zaroorat ho to aap behichak mere paas aa jaiyega.”

“Ji Sir.”

“Chaliye. Coffee khatam ho gayi. Main chalta hoon.”

—

Nidhi had come back after thirty consecutive hours of duty at the hospital. Dadi Bua was fussing around her and even Baba looked worried.

“Dadi Bua. Main hospital se aayi hoon, koi war se nahin. Main theek hoon. Abhi bhookh nahin hai. Hospital mein khana khaya tha. Bas aap Chhote Sarkar se kah kar mere liye chai bhijwa dijiye, mere kamre mein,” she managed to calm Dadi Bua down and went to her room. She didn’t feel like sleeping yet and took out her books for PG entrance exam preparation, when Baba came in.

“Nidhi!”

“Baba. Aaiye na.”

“Beta tumse kuchh baat karni thi.”

“Haan Baba. I am sorry. Aaj kal kuchh zyada hi time hospital mein ja raha hai. Aapse baatein karne ka mauka hi nahin milta. Bataiye kya baat hai.”

“Nidhi. Tumne meri baat maan kar MBBS kar liya, internship bhi join kar li. Lekin ab chhod do.”

“Baba!”

“Nidhi, main nahin chahta ki meri beti ki muskurahat yun gayab ho jaye. Jab bhi dekho ya to hospital mein rahti ho, ya PG ki preparation ko le kar kitabon mein doobi rahti ho. Aankhon mein gaddhe pad gaye hain tumhare. Main tumhein aise torture to nahin karna chahunga na.”

“Baba. Ab main ye profession nahin chhod sakti. Uske liye der ho gayi hai. Ye jo profession hai na Baba , ye dheere-dheere hamari life ka ek hissa ban jaata hai. Zindagi rahte hum ise nahin chhod sakte,” Nidhi had heard Ashutosh say those words some time and she realized that she indentified with them word by word now.

“To phir tum khush ho?”

“Bahut khush hoon.”

“Aur ye tumhare khadoos boss, Dr. Ashutosh tumhein pareshaan to nahin karte ab zyada.”

Nidhi smiled, “Nahin Baba…”

“Baba! Dr. Ashutosh ki against aap kuchh mat boliye,” Anji suddenly entered the room.

“Kyon bhai?”

“Kuchh nahin. Woh bahut achche doctor hain,” Nidhi did not let Anji speak, “Daantte bhi hai to sahi cheez ke liye hi. I look up to him.”

“Chalo achchha hai. Tum log baatein karo. Main dinner ke pahle thoda walk kar loon.”

“Aur Nidhi madam. Aapko kuchh hosh bhi hai ki hospital ke bahar aur Dr. Ashutosh ke alaawa kissi aur ke saath kya ho raha hai?”

“Mujhe pata hai ki hospital ke andar Dr. Rangnath ke saath kya ho raha hai.”

“Kya matlab?”

“Nahin. Woh aaj kal children’s ward ke redecoration ko le kar kuchh zyada hi obsessed ho gaye hain. Aur suna hai ki tu free mein kaam kar rahi hai.”

“Chup kar. Sun Baba ka birthday hai next week, tujhe yaad bhi hai?”

“Of course, yaad hai.”

“To kuchh preparation karni hai ki nahin…”

Just then Nidhi’s mobile rang. They both saw that it was from Dr. Ashutosh.

“Ek minute Anji,” Nidhi said apologetically.

“Go ahead. Pick up. Dr. Ashutosh ka hai. Main kaise mana kar sakti hoon?”

Nidhi hit her playfully and picked up the phone.

“Yes Sir… Lekin Sir…” The call was disconnected. Nidhi looked disturbed.

“Kya hua Nidhi?” Anji asked worried.

“Pata nahin Anji. Mujhe abhi hospital jaana padega.”

“Lekin abhi to tu 30 ghante ki duty kar ke aayi hai. Phir abhi raat ko?”

“Abhi mujhe kuchh nahin pata Anji. Tu Baba ko bata dena…”

—

“Yes Sir?” Nidhi entered Ashutosh’ cabin.

“Yes Sir? Dr. Nidhi aap aaj apni duty par kyon nahin thi?” Ashutosh was clearly angry.

“Duty par. Sir. Abhi do ghante pahle to meri duty khatam hui hai. Main tab tak yahin thi.”

“Dr. Nidhi. Aaj aapki night duty thi. Aapko pata hai na ki Bed No. 5 ke patient ko oxygen ki zaroorat padti rahti hai. Aaj jab use zaroorat padi to wahan koi doctor nahin tha.”

“Par aaj meri duty nahin thi Sir. Maine jaane ke pahle notice-board par dekha tha.”

“Maine notice-board se dekh kar hi aapko bulwaya hai.”

“Phir Dr. Mallika ne mere jaane ke baad notice lagaya hoga. Aur mujhe kissi ne inform bhi nahin…”

“Bas kijiye Dr. Verma. This is a first. Kam-se-kam aap pahle apni galtiyan doosron par nahin thopti thi. Ab aap Dr. Mallika ke oopar ilzaam laga rahi hain.”

“Main kissi par koi ilzaam nahin laga rahi Dr. Ashutosh. Lekin…”

“Oh God! Mujhe laga tha ki aap apne profession ko, apne career ko le kar serious ho gayi hain. But I was wrong. Aap ratti bhar bhi nahin badli Dr. Verma.”

Nidhi’s eyes moistened at this, “Dr. Ashutosh. Maana ki mujhse galtiyan hui hain. Lekin iska matlab ye nahin ki yahan jo bhi galti hoti hai, woh mujhse hi hoti hai. Aapko main pasand nahin hoon, iska ahsaas mujhe pahle din se hi hai. Aur main poori koshish kar rahi hoon ki achchhe se apna kaam karoon. Aapko shikayat ka mauka nahin doon. Lekin lagta nahin ki usse mere baare mein aapki opinion zara bhi change hui hai. Aapko nahin lagta ki main aapke under kaam karne ke layak hoon. Aap chahte hain ki main resign kar doon. Hai na?”

Her outburst suprised Ashutosh and her accusations hurt him, “You know that is not true.”

“Nothing else can be more true. Warna bina apni galti ke main is waqt aapki daant nahin sun rahi hoti. Aap mujhe bol dijiye jo aap chahte hain. Main kar doongi resign. Lekin isliye nahin ki main kaam nahin karna chahti, ya nahin kar sakti. Balki isliye ki aap aise chahte hain.”

Tears were uncontrollably flowing from her eyes now and she ran out of his office to not let herself break down in front of her.

Ashutosh was exasperated. Did he indeed over-react? Was it indeed not her fault. Just then the landline in his office rang.

“Hello Dr. Ashutosh. Dr. Nidhi ki father aapse baat karna chahte hain,” the receptionist told him.

“Call transfer kijiye.”

“Hello. Dr. Ashutosh?”

“Ji main bol raha hoon.”

“Dr. Ashutosh – main Yograj Verma bol raha hoon. Nidhi Verma ka father.”

“Ji Mr. Verma. Kahiye.”

“Sorry to disturb you. Lekin baat aisi ho gayi ki main Nidhi ke liye thoda pareshaan ho gaya. Aur woh apna mobile ghar par bhool kar aa gayi hai, to main usse baat nahin kar pa raha. Abhi do-teen ghante pahle hi woh duty se lauti thi. Phir Anji ne bataya ki aapka phone aaya aur jaldbaazi mein wapas chali gayi. Kya phir koi galti ho gayi usse?”

“Nahin. Nahin Mr. Verma. Unse koi galti nahin hui hai. Yahan kuchh confusion ho gaya tha. I am really sorry. Aapko itni pareshaani hui. Main unhein wapas bhej doonga. Aap pareshaan mat hoiye.”

“Thank you Dr. Ashutosh.”

“No Problem.”

Ashutosh went to Dr. Rangnath’s cabin first to have a look at the duty chart. Nidhi was right. She had done a 30 hours duty. It made no sense to have another night duty for her starting right after that. Mallika must have messed up.

—

To be continued