Mallika walked into his office the next morning, “May I come in?”

“Aao Mallika. Tumhein kab se izaazat ki zaroorat padne lagi?”

“Pata nahin. Kal ki apni harqat ke baad main sure nahin thi Ashutosh.”

Ashutosh did not say anything. He had hoped that Mallika would not start that conversation again. But that was not Mallika.

“Main tumse maafi maangne aayi hoon Ashutosh. Mujhe aisa nahin karna chahiye tha.”

“Uski zaroorat nahin hai Mallika.”

“To tum naaraaz nahin ho.”

“Hona chahiye tha kya?”

“Hona to chahiye tha. Agar maine sach kaha tha to bhi, aur agal galat kaha tha to bhi. Ya tumhein meri aur meri baaton ki itni bhi parwaah nahin hai?”

“Mallika. Kya har cheez par itne bade bade sawaal khade kar ke unhein uljhaana zaroori hai? Main hamari dosti ki kadra karta hoon Mallika. Aur main chahta hoon ki woh dosti waisi hi bani rahe.”

“Okay boss. Main aapse aapki terms & conditions par hi dosti rakhoongi.”

“Mera woh matlab nahin tha.”

“Mera bhi woh matlab nahin tha Ashutosh. Main bas tumse jhagda nahin karna chahti. Jeetoon ya haaroon, dono tarah se meri hi haar hai.”

“Jhagda na karna achchi baat hai Mallika.”

Mallika smiled sadly and left.

His mobile rang just then.

“Yes. Dr. Nidhi?”

“Sir. Reception par kissi orphanage se phone aaya hai. Woh aapko poochh rahe hain. Receptionist yahan nahin hai aur mujhe call forward karna nahin aata. Shayad koi bachcha bahut beemaar hai. Aap reception par aa kar call receive kar sakte hain please.”

“Sure. Aap unhein hold karne ko kahiye. Main abhi pahunchta hoon.”

—

“Thank you Dr. Nidhi,” Ashutosh took the receiver from her hands.

Mallika had also seen Ashutosh rushing towards the reception and she could not help her curiosity. She also reached there.

When Nidhi saw Mallika coming towards the reception, she left. But she stood behind a pillar within a hearing distance and heard Ashutosh’ conversation on the phone.

“Aap chinta mat kijiye. Main khud aa raha hoon… Bachche ko kuchh nahin hoga… Ye Aliganj waala orphanage hai na?”

“Tumhein jaane ki kya zaroort hai Ashutosh?”

Ashutosh smiled sadly at Mallika, “That’s bad Dr. Mallika. Agar ye kissi rich and famous aadmi ka bachcha hota, tab bhi aap yahi kahti?”

Mallika was embarrased, “Ashutosh. Itni jaldi kissi ki neeyat par shaq nahin karte. Mera ye matlab nahin tha… Main to… Main to bas ye kah rahi thi ki bachche ko hospital bhi to la sakte hain.”

“Orphanage ke paas gaadi nahin hai Mallika. Main dekh loonga. Aur agar zaroorat hui to use apne saath hi hospital le aaunga.”

“Main bhi chaloon tumhare saath.”

“Nahin. Mere absence mein tumhara hospital mein hona zaroori hai.” Ashutosh dashed off.

Nidhi was smiling hearing that conversation. Whatever he thought of her, she could not help admiring this man. Rushing off to treat an orphan. From what she had known of him till now, she knew that he was going to even pay for the treatment of the child.

—

“Dr. Nidhi. Would you like to take charge of this patient?” Ashutosh asked after he returned from the orphanage. The child was suffering from severe pneumonia and had to be admitted in the hospital.

Nidhi could not understand him. When he talked to her, it looked like he trusted her more than anyone else in the world. It was clear that this case was close to his heart, the child being an orphan. And he wanted her to take charge of him. And yet, she was irresponsible, immature and inefficient for him.

But she did not say anything on that outwardly. “Sure Sir,” she reponded and went forward to examine the patient.

“Aur haan. Jab aap paper work karein to dhyaan rakhein ki bill orphanage ko na bheja jaye. Woh…”

“Aap pay karenge. Main jaanti hoon. Dhyaan rakhoongi.”

Ashutosh smiled, “Thank you, Dr. Nidhi.”

“Thanks kyon bol rahe hain aap?”

“Mujhe samajhne ke liye.”

Nidhi again didn’t know what to make out of his behaviour with her.

—

“Main jaanta hoon ki tum bahut busy hoge. Lekin haalaat hi kuchh aise ho gaye Dr. Ashutosh ki mujhe tumhein phone karna pada,” Nidhi’s baba was extremely apologetic over phone to Ashutosh.

“Aisi baatein kyon kar rahe hain aap? Bataiye kya baat hai?”

“Main shahar ke bahar hoon business ke silsile mein aur Nidhi kissi wajah se bahut pareshaan ho gayi hai. Phone bhi nahin utha rahi to main baat nahin kar pa raha hoon. Kissi ko bataya nahin hai usne ki woh kahan hai. Shayad tum phone karo ya milo to woh baat kare. Please.”

“Ji Baba. Aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye. Main abhi unse baat karta hoon aur aapse bhi baat karwata hoon.”

Ashutosh was worried. Nidhi was child-like, but she wasn’t immature. She even survived Mallika at the hospital. What happened that she was so upset? He rang her mobile, but she did not pick up. He looked in the ward and then in the common room. He found her mobile there, but she was nowhere in sight. There were several missed calls in it from her home, her Baba, Anji and one from himself. Where could she be?

Then he tried to think calmly and remembered the incident from a few days back and he knew where to look for her. He rushed towards the terrace. Most surely, the door was open and there she was! Sitting on the dusty bench. He silently walked to her. He made to place his hand on her shoulder, but stopped and resisted. Instead he called her name softly, “Dr. Nidhi!”

Nidhi was, yet again, startled as she got up with a jerk from the bench and looked at Ashutosh. It was day time and there was no way she could have hid her tear-stained face. But she did quickly wipe her tears off.

“Sir. Aap? Meri duty abhi shuru nahin hui thi to isliye main…”

“Jaanta hoon Dr. Nidhi. Aap apni duty chhod kar kahin nahin jayengi.”

Nidhi didn’t say anything. So, Ashutosh continued, “Baithiye. Aapse kuchh baat karni hai,” he indicated towards the bench she had been sitting on.

She looked at him confused. So, he repeated with a slight smile and nod, “Please sit down.” Nidhi obliged him and sat down hesitatingly. Then Ashutosh also sat down beside her and started speaking while looking directly at her, “Aise to aap itna bolti hain, bilkul chahakti hui si ghhomti rahti hain, lekin jab koi baat aapko pareshaan karti hai, to aap use kissi ke saath share kyon nahin karti hain?”

“Main samjhi nahin.”

“Phir se jhooth bolne ki koshish? Maine pahle bhi kaha tha na aapse ki aap jhooth nahin bol pati hain. Koi bhi sane insaan khush hone par to yun akele mein baith kar nahin rota hai. Aap pagal to hain nahin. Isliye obviously aapko koi baat pareshaan kar rahi hain. To aap batati kyon nahin hain?”

“Kise bataun?” Nidhi spoke without thinking.

“Aap mujhe bata sakti hain.”

“Aapko?” Nidhi was more incredulous than she let on and Ashutosh could see that. Then she continued with a sad, slight smile, “Aapko meri bachkani baaton par hansi aayegi.”

“Ye kaisi baat hui?” Ashutosh did not like it that she didn’t trust him.

“Main aapki ya Dr. Mallika ki tarah mature nahin hoon. Mujhe pata hai. Isliye to aap log mujhe immature, irresponsible aur childish samajhte hain.”

What had Maalika been telling this girl, Ashutosh wondered. Are her insecurities messing up with Nidhi’s head?

“Dr. Nidhi. Kissi aur ke baare mein main kuchh nahin kah sakta, lekin agar aapko lagta hai ki main aapko immature ya childish samajhta hoon, to aapko bilkul galat lagta hai.”

Nidhi did not reply and kept looking down.

“Meri baat samajh rahi hain na aap?” Ashutosh asked when she did not say anything. But she still did not reply.

“Meri taraf dekho Nidhi,” Ashutosh said forcefully. Nidhi’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Ashutosh addressing him as “Nidhi” instead of “Dr. Nidhi” and also saying “dekho” instead of his usual, formal “dekhiye”. She hoped that Ashutosh didn’t notice her goosebumps. And she could not ignore him, when he spoke like that. So, she looked at him, trying to keep her tears in control.

“Umra ke jis daur se tum guzar rahi ho, usmein logon ko zindagi ke baare mein, future ke baare mein confusions hote rahte hain. To koi bhi aise samay mein kuchh irrational kaam kar sakta hai. Shayad tumne bhi kuchh aisi cheezein ki hain. Aur agar mujhe laga hai ki main tumhein samjha sakta hoon, ya guide kar sakta hoon, to maine woh karne ki koshish ki hai. Lekin iska matlab ye nahin hai ki mujhe tumhari harqatein ya baatein bachkaani lagti hain. In fact, sach ye hai, ki mujhe lagta hai ki apni umra ke hisaab se tum bahut mature aur sorted ho.”

The expression of sadness on her face changed to surprise as she heard him.

“Aap sach kah rahe hain?” she asked earnestly.

“Haan.”

The slight smile that appeared on her face warmed his heart. He continued, “And now I expect you to behave with the maturity that I think you have. Yahan aise bachcon ki tarah akele baith kar rone ki bajay aap mujhe ye batayengi ki problem kya hai?”

He had reverted to “aap”. Though slightly disappointed, Nidhi thought it was for better. If he addressed her more intimately, it was difficult for her to think straight and speak coherently.

“Main Mummy ko bahut miss kar rahi thi,” Nidhi started speaking.

“Koi khaas baat hui aaj?” Ashutosh prodded.

“Dadi Bua Baba ko bhala-bura kah rahi thi. To mujhe gussa aa gaya aur…”

“Woh Baba ko kyon kuchh kah rahi thi…”

“Unhein aisa lagta hai ki bin Ma ki bachchi, yani ki mujhe, Baba ne sahi se paala nahin aur bigaad diya hai. Mujhe Dadi Bua ke baare mein kuchh aise kahna nahin chahiye. Mummy ke jaane ke baad unhone hamare parivaar ko sambhaal ke rakha hai. Lekin unhone Baba ko aise kaha to mujhe bilkul achchha nahin laga. Baba mujhse bahut pyaar karte hain. Agar Mummy hoti to hamein aise kissi ka ehsaan nahin lena padta, ya kissi ki baat nahin sunni padti.”

Ashutosh sighed, “Dr. Nidhi. Yakeen maaniye. Rishton ko khone ka dukh kya hota hai ye main jaanta hoon. Aur kuchh rishte to aise hote hain jinki kami koi poori nahin kar sakta. Lekin phir bhi, aapki zindagi mein to kai aise log hain na jo aapko pyaar karte hain?”

Nidhi nodded.

“To aapka ye farz banta hai ki aap bhi unki parwaah karein. Jahan tak main aapki Dadi Bua ko samajh paya hoon, unki zubaan thodee tez zaroor hai lekin unka dil bilkul saaf hai.”

She nodded again. Of course, she also knew that. Yet sometimes…

“Aur aapke Baba aapse kitna pyaar karte hain, ye aap jaanti hain. Kissi aur ko ye jaanne ya samajhne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Main theek kah raha hoon na?”

Nidhi smiled, “Aap kabhi kuchh galat nahin kahte hain Sir.”

Her innocent acceptance made Ashutosh smile too, “Phir theek hai. To un sab logon ki khatir, ab rona-dhona band kijiye aur us mood mein aa jaiye jo aapko suit karta hai. Happy and smiling. Okay?”

Nidhi’s smile got broader as she nodded.

Then he surprised her by taking out her phone from his coat pocket. He gave it to her and said, “To phir aap abhi apne Baba, apni best friend aur apni Dadi Bua ko phone kijiye. Aap kissi se kuchh kahe bina ghar se aa gayi aur sab pareshaan hain.”

Nidhi nodded, “I am sorry. Maine aapko bhi pareshaan kar diya.”

“Aap mujhe jitna chahe pareshaan kar sakti hain. That’s not a problem,” Ashutosh said earnestly making Nidhi’s hear skip a beat again, “Ab chaliye. Munh dho lijiye aur sabko call kijiye.”

He waited till Nidhi started walking towards the corridor and smiled after her.

—

To be continued