“Anji… Anji… Main bahut thaki hui hoon.”

“La tere shoulders ka massage kar deti hoon. Achcha lagega.”

“You are the best Anji!”

“Haan. Jab matlab niklega tab to main best hoon hi…”

Anji had just started massaging her shoulders when Nidhi’s mobile rang.

“Anji mobile to de.”

“Rahne de Nidhi. Apni halat dekh. Waise bhi kiska phone hai…” Anji saw the caller’s name and smirked, “Nahin. Ye phone uthane se to main tujhe nahin rok sakti. Le.”

It was from Ashutosh.

“Hello Sir.”

“Dr. Nidhi. Dr. Armaan aaj ek tea-party de rahe hain. Un sabhi hospitals ke representatives ke liye jo WHO ke project ka hisaa hain. Aapko aana hai. Hotal Regale. Saadhe paanch baje.”

“Thank you, Sir. Lekin meri jagah koi aur nahin ja sakta kya. Main bahut thaki hui hoon…”

“No Dr. Nidhi. You are on this project and you must come.”

“Lekin Sir…” Ashutosh had disconnected the call.

“Kya hua? Kahan hai date?”

“Party!” Nidhi said.

“Woh bhi chalegi.”

“Khaak chalegi Anji. Main kitni thaki hui hoon.”

“Tu tension na le. Main tera aisa make-up karoongi ki thakaan dikhayi bhi nahin degi.”

“Tujhe make-up ki padi hai?”

“Kyon na padi ho. Mujhe pata hai ki party mein tujhe kisne bulaya hai aur iski kya importance hai.”

“Bakwaas band kar Anji.”

“Chal. Pahle tere liye dress select karte hain,” Anji jumped out of the bed and opened Nidhi’s cupboard, “Yaar… Ye boring cotton kurtis ke alawa tere paas kuchh hai nahin kya… Wait… wait… Ye Saree. Wow! Ye woh hai na jo tune college ki farewell party ke liye kharidi thi. Bas – ye mast hai.”

“Anji. Main tea party mein ja rahi hoon. Kissi shaadi mein nahin.”

“Shaadi ka bhi time aayega. Abhi to teri kismat mein sirf night duties, beemaar bachche aur ye waqt-bewaqt ki parties hi likhi hain. To inse hi kaam chala lete hain…. Ye set sahi jayega iske saath. Aur tu ruk. Maine jo abhi sandle khareedi hain na silver color ki, woh is saree ke saath bahut sahi lagegi. Ek size hone ka kitna fayda hai na?”

“Anji. Woh itni high-heals hain. Main chal bhi nahin paungi.”

“Are abhi time hai party mein. Hum tujhe practice karwa denge.”

“Lekin main ye sab kyon pahnoon?”

“Kyonki tu bilkul bachchon ki tarah lagti hai. Aur tujhe mature aur bada lagne ki zaroorat hai.”

Nidhi sighed. Did Anji understand things better than she herself did?

—

“Welcome Dr. Nidhi,” Ashutosh was stunned to see Nidhi in a blue Saree with silver work. She looked very different. But while speaking, he managed to hide how unsettled he was. “Please come in,” he had spotted her in the hotel lobby and led her to the party hall. Suddenly she stumbled and Ashutosh supported her.

“I am sorry. Thoda dheere chal sakte hain hum? Maine pahli baar high heals pahni hain. To chalne mein dikkat ho rahi hai,” she was embarrassed, but told him her problem.

Ashutosh was amused, “Kyon pahan li high heals aapne?”

“Anji insist kar rahi thi.”

“Koi baat nahin. Chaliye.”

Nidhi met Armaan and was introduced to some other guests she didn’t know. Then she slowly slipped away from the crowd. She watched Ashutosh. He was smiling and laughing while talking to the other guests in the party. She felt a tug at her heart. She didn’t know how to interpret it. Physcially she was still very tired. She walked out of the hall to sit in the open lawn. Ashutosh also had his eyes on her. He saw her walking out. He waited for a while before following her. He carried a glass of juice for her and handed it to her.

“Lagta hai aap bahut bore ho gayi hain.”

“Nahin to.”

“Agar ho gyai hain aap to is baar aapne jhooth achche se bol diya. Kyonki aapke chehre se kuchh pata nahin chal raha.”

“Agar aapne ek aur baar kuchh aisi complicated baat boli to main ro doongi. Main bahut thaki hui hoon aur mujhe abhi kuchh samajh nahin aa raha hai.”

“Thank you Dr. Nidhi. Meri baat rakh kar yahan aane ke liye.”

“Iske liye thank you ki zaroorat nahin hai.”

“Waise ye rang aap par bahut suit karta hai. Pahna kijiye. Aur Saree bhi bahut achchi lagti hai aap par.”

“Rang to pahan sakti hoon, saree nahin. Warna main din bhar saree hi sambhalti rah jaungi, kaam kuchh nahin hoga.”

Ashutosh laughed, “Aapki ya baat mujhe bahut achchhi lagti hai Dr. Nidhi. Simple aur direct. Apne man ki baat express karne mein aap hichkichati nahin hain.”

“Ye compliment hai ya complaint?”

“Compliment hai. Mai bhi itna tedha insaan nahin hoon. Aap meri baat par bharosa kar sakti hain.”

“Mujhe pata hai. Aap bharosemand insaan hain. Lekin aapko nahin lagta ki aapko andar hona chahiye aur logon ke saath.”

“Aap bhi to akeli bahar chali aayi.”

“Aap yahan Dr. Armaan ke saath host hai. Mujhe zyada freedom hai. Main guest hoon.”

Ashutosh smiled and said emotionally, “Right. Thodi de ke liye main bhool hi gaya tha.”

Nidhi felt her heart skip a beat and her cheeks turning hot and red at how he said that. Could there be…

“Aap to party enjoy kar rahe the?” she broke the awkward silence.

“Main normally parties mein bahut bore ho jaata hoon.”

“Aaj to aapko dekh kar aisa nahin lag raha tha.”

“Insaan har kuchh apni marzi se to nahin karta. Kabhi kabhi doosron ki khushi ke liye bhi kuchh karna padta hai. Rather mujhe to lagta hai ki hum apni maximum life doosron ke liye hi guzaar dete hain. Apne liye to kabhi samay hi nahin milta.”

“Aapke liye to ye baat bilkul sahi hai. Aapke patients aur hospitals ke alawa kissi cheez ke liye samay hi nahin hai aapke paas.”

“Aisa kyon lagta hai aapko?”

“Jitna dekha hai…”

“Aankhon dehi baat bhi kabhi kabhi sahi nahin hoti Dr. Nidhi. Jo dekhne mein kuchh lagta hai, uski haqueeqat kuchh aur ho sakti hai. Hum kuchh karte hain, kuchh kahte hain, lekin shayad woh sab dikhawe ke liye ho aur sachchai kuchh aur hi ho. Aisa ho sakta hai na? Aap meri baat samajh rahi hain?”

Nidhi wondered. Was he talking about what she had seen that day. Ashutosh and Mallika in his office…

“Shayad. Shayad.. main samajh rahi hoon.”

“Good. Mujhe achchha lagta hai jab koi bina mere kahe meri baat samajh jaata hai.”

They sat in silence for a few minute. Then Ashutosh’ mobile rang. The line was disturbed.

“Kya?… Aapki aawaaz nahin sunayi de rahi… Aap kaat kar… nahin… kya… Oh God! Main pahunchta hoon… Haan kai doctors hain yahan… sabhi aa rahe hain…”

“Kya hua Sir?” his face told her that something was severely wrong.

“Hamein abhi hospital jaana hoga Dr. Nidhi. Bahut badi emergency hai.”

They gathered other doctors of Kotnis General Hospital from the party and rushed towards the hospital.

—

To be continued