“Doctor Sahib. Mera bachcha theek to ho jayega na?” Nidhi was interrupted during her ward visit by a woman.

“Ji aap kiske saath hain?” she asked patiently.

She pointed towards the bed besides which Nidhi was standing. Nidhi was surprised, “Aap iski Maa hain?”

The woman nodded.

“Lekin ye to orphanage, mera matlab hai anaath ashram mein tha.”

The woman started crying, “Kya karti main? Iske pita ko guzre chaar saal ho gaye hain. Main chhote mote kaam kar ke guzara karti hoon. Aur ye din bhar yun hi bekaar karta rahta tha. Kissi ne kaha ki anath ashram mein daal do. Achchhe se pal jayega aur wahan iski padhai likhkai bhi ho jayegi. Iske kal ka soch kar maine ise khud se alag kar diya.”

Nidhi was pained to hear her story. She noticed Ashutosh overhearing their conversation. His face was tense. He didn’t come to them and walked out of the ward. Nidhi returned her attention to the woman, “Aap chinta mat kijiye. Ye bilkul theek ho jayega. Beemari kabhi kabhi zyada dinon se ho to gahri ho jaati hai. To thoda samay lagega. Lekin ye theek ho jayega.”

After doing her rounds she went to Ashutosh’ office, “May I come in, Sir?”

“Please come in Dr. Nidhi. Ah! I was waiting for my tea,” he smiled. Whenever Nidhi came to him for no other reason, she brought tea as an alibi.

She smiled and sat down without waiting for his invitation. Ashutosh didn’t mind that she was carefree around him. He liked it!

“Aapne us orhpanage waale bachche ki Ma ki baat suni?”

Ashutosh stopped smiling, “Haan. suni.”

“Mujhe aisa kyon laga ki aap usse gussa ho gaye?”

“Shayad isliye Dr. Nidhi ki main gussa ho gaya tha.”

“Lekin aapko itni jaldbaazi mein uski feelings ko judge nahin karna chahiye. Woh apni taraf se bachche ke future ke baare mein achchha hi soch rahi thi. Aisa nahin hai ki uske dil mein bachche ke liye mamta nahin hai.”

“Shayad aap theek kah rahi hain. Mujhe koshish karni chahiye judge na karne ki. Lekin kuchh cheezein aisi hoti hain jinmein dil dimaag ki nahin sunta. Kabhi aapne aisa mahsoos kiya hai Dr. Nidhi?” His tone in the last sentence had changed. The way he asked her that question gave her goosebumps. She felt nervous and turned red. Somehow she managed to say, “Sabke saath hota hai. Insaan ka dil bahut ziddi hota hai. Jab tak woh achcha karne ko uksaye tab tak koi burai bhi nahin hai. Lekin agar dil aapko naaraaz kare, gussa dilaye to shayad us waqt use daba kar rakhna chahiye.”

Ashutosh smiled wistfully. Nidhi got up to leave, “Main ward mein ja rahi hoon.”

—

“Hello everyone,” Ashutosh looked curiously at the going ons in the children’s ward. The ward was filled with colored papers, glues, sticks etc. “Ye kya ho raha hai?”

“Dr. Nidhi ne upcoming elections ke liye jhandiyan banane ka theka le liya hai aur child labour use kar rahi hain hamare ward se,” Dr. Rangnath replied.

“Thank you Dr. Rangnath for the helpful explanation. I am not sure my friend Dr. Armaan would be very pleased to know that this is how we treat our kids here. He is working with WHO,” Ashutosh introduced his guest to them.

“Ohh!” Rangnath realized that it was a bad time to crack a joke. Everyone got up to greet Armaan.

“Sir. Dar-asal ye Dr. Nidhi ka idea tha, bachchon ko bore hone se bachane ka. Bistar par lete lete ye bachche phool bana rahe hain. Aur ye phool hum un bachchon ko bhejenge jo bahut beemaar hain,” Dr. Rangnath explained.

Nidhi was sitting on a low stool and had not gotten up. She was uncomfortable and it did not help that after Rangnath’s explanation, everyone was looking at her.

Armaan praised the effort, “Bahut achcha idea hai Dr. Nidhi. Mujhe achchha laga ki is ward mein bachche bore nahin ho rahe, ya shaitaaniyan nahin kar rahe. Balki productively khud ko entertain kar rahe hain.”

Ashutosh could not understand why she was not getting up, when everyone else was standing. It was awkward.

“Dr. Armaan yahan WHO ke ek project ke silsile mein aaye hain. Aur hamara hospital inke saath closely kaam karega aas paas ke gaon mein medical centres aur medical camps karwane mein. So, I think you all will be interacting a lot with him in coming days.”

“Looking forward to it, Sir,” Priyanka said and Ashutosh and Armaan took their leave. But Ashutosh excused himself from Armaan saying that he had some work in the ward and came back, “Dr. Nidhi. Aapke pairon mein koi problem hai.”

“N… No Sir.”

“To aapko nahin lagta ki jab koi guest aaye aur jab baaki sab log khade ho kar baat kar rahe ho to aapko bhi khade hona chahiye.”

“Y… Yes Sir.”

“Will you get up now?” Ashutosh tried not to shout.

Nidhi finally got up and everyone broke into a laughter as the stool she was sitting was lifted with her. “Main super glue par baith gayi thi,” Nidhi explained.

Ashutosh also laughed and was surprised to find someone else joining in their laughter. He turned around and found Armaan standing near the door. He had followed him to the ward.

Ashutosh went back to him still laughing, “Children’s ward ko playground bana diya hai in logon ne aur ye Dr. Nidhi in sabki leader hain.”

“Achcha hi hai Ashutosh. Isi bahane tumhare chehre par bhi hansi dekhne ko milti hai.”

—

“Ab ye bilkul theek hai. Bas aap ye dhyaan rakhiyega ki ise zyada thandh ya zyada garmi na lage. Aur agar aap kahin dhool waali jagah par kaam kar rahi ho to wahan se ise door rakhiyega.”

“Ji ab uski koi chinta nahin hai.”

“Achcha. Kaise?”

“Dr. Ashutosh ne mujhe apne ghar kaam par rakh liya hai. Khana banane ke liye. To ab ye bhi wahin rahega. Unhone kaha hai ki wahi uski parvarish bhi ho jayegi aur school bhi jayega.”

“Achchha!” Nidhi genuinely felt happy. For the boy as well as for Ashutosh. This decision meant that he had let go of his bitterness about the mother for leaving her child in the orphanage.

She looked around and saw that Ashutosh was also in the ward. They eyes met and they smiled at each other.

—

“Mallika? Kya hua? Tabiyat kharaab hai kya?” Ashutosh entered his office to see Mallika sitting there. She was holding her head in her hands.

“Achchha to nahin lag raha hai.”

“Ghar chali jao Mallika. Kissi ko depute kar do apni jagah.”

“Ghar ja kar hi kaun sa achcha lagta hai Ashutosh. Khali ghar kaatne ko daudta hai.”

“Auntie nahin hain kya tumhare saath?”

“Maa ko bhi apne bete aur poton ki yaad aati rahti hai. Unke bhare-poore ghar mein rahna chahti hain.”

“Lekin Aditya to unhein rakhna nahin chahta.”

“Phir bhi. Unka dil nahin maanta. Mere ghar ke akelepan se ghabra kar wahan chali hi jaati hain beech beech mein.”

“Mallika. Aise dil chhota nahin karte,” Ashutosh went towards her. He did feel bad for her. But how should he convince her to move on.

She got up, “Main kya karoon Ashutosh. Kabhi kabhi ye sab bardasht ke bahar ho jaata hai. Aur phir main tumhein pareshaan karne aa jati hoon.”

“Ismein bura mahsoos karne waali kya baat hai? Doston ko koi apni pareshaaniyan nahin batayega to kahan batayega.”

“Lekin mujhe to tumse bhi shikayat hai Ashutosh. Main kya karoon?” Mallika started crying and to Ashutosh’ surprise, leaned on him for support. He was startled, but patted her head slightly to soothe her.

Nidhi entered his office just then. They separated hastily.

“Yes Dr. Nidhi?” Ashutosh asked.

Nidhi averted her eyes and spoke hurriedly, “I… I am sorry. Dr. Armaan aapka wait kar rahe hain. Unhone mujhe aapko inform karne ko bola tha.”

She went out immediately. It had been a long day for her. But that was quite the routine. She sailed through it. But today, she suddenly felt very tired.

—

To be continued