Ashutosh slumped back on an arm-chair kept in the garden. Armaan had already come back. He joined him.

“Ashutosh?”

“Armaan. Tumne kaha tha na ki WHO ke Mumbai center mein ek vacancy hai. Aur woh mere liye sahi rahegi. Kya woh position abhi bhi available hai.”

“Haan hai to. Par kyon?”

“I want to take that up?”

“Ashutosh?”

“Kuchh mat poochhna Armaan. Main kal hi sabbatical ke liye apply kar doonga. Milne mein problem nahin hogi. Within a month, I can join.”

“Professionally it will be great for you Ashutosh. Aur main to hamehsa se chahta tha ki tum hamein join karo. Lekin tab mujhe pata nahin tha ki personally…”

“There is no personal life for me look forward to Armaan. Mera yahan se chale jaana hi achchha hai. Mere liye bhi. Doosron ke liye bhi.”

“Nidhi se koi baat hui?”

“Haan.”

“Kya kaha usne?”

“Woh bhi mujhse door jaana chahti hai. Aur kyon na jaana chahe? Itni nafrat kaun bardasht kar sakta hai. Main thodee der akele rahna chahta hoon Armaan.”

Armaan, though worried, left him alone.

Her words were echoing in her mind, “Aapne kabhi ye samjha Dr. Ashutosh ki aapko woh mila jo meri Mummy se chheen liya gaya tha. Apne Baba ka pyaar… Humne to kabhi unse nafrat nahin ki Dr. Ashutosh. Kabhi aapse nafrat nahin ki iske liye ki jo pyaar hamara tha, woh aapko mila. Main nahin kar sakti Nana se ya aapse nafrat. Kyonki mere liye pyaar zyada badi cheez hai…”

The girl whom he was accusing of inexperience was probably more mature than himself. She had love in her heart and tolerance in her nature. She still didn’t hate him and he? Armaan was right. He has killed his happiness at his own hands. And worse still, hers too. He didn’t deserve her. And she deserved better than him.

—

Nidhi received the call, heard what Armaan was saying and then disconnected without saying a word.

“Kya hua Nidhi?” Anji asked worried.

“Kuchh nahin,” Nidhi tried to appear non-chalant, “Dr. Ashutosh Mumbai mein WHO ka office join kar rahe hain. Yahan se ja rahe hain.”

“Kya? To tu unhein rok Nidhi.”

“Main kyon rokoon unhein Anji? Mere haathon mein hamare rishte ka faisla nahin hai.”

“Nidhi. Ye koi ego battle ka time nahin hai. Tu unse pyaar karti hai.”

“Haan. Main chah kar bhi nafrat nahin kar sakti. Lekin unke liye unki nafrat pyaar se badi hai. Jaise Nana ki liya apni ghoomne phirne ki azaadi apni beti ke pyaar se badi thi. Aur mera self-respect mujhe unki nafrat nahin jhelne dega Anji. Apne pyaar ke liye main apne swaabhimaan ka khoon nahin kar sakti.”

Nidhi and Anji were unaware of Baba overhearing their conversation.

—

Yograj Verma had known for a while. His daughter’s life and feelings had always been transparent to him. She had not realized, but her changing feelings for Dr. Ashutosh had been noticed by him. He didn’t want to interfere until she told him. But now the bomb had dropped. He had his duties as a father to at least try and set things right for her.

“Dr. Ashutosh. Main tumhein disturb to nahin kar raha.”

“Arre aap? Aaiye na. Please,” Ashutosh welcomed him.

“Main idhar se ja raha tha. Socha tumse milta chaloon.”

“Ji bahut achchha kiya. Main theek hone ke baad kaam mein thoda busy ho gaya, isliye aa nahin paya.”

“Nahin. Kaam mein busy hona to tumhari problem nahin thi.”

“Ji?”

“Nidhi ne to apne purane rishton ko kabhi jaana nahin. Unse use koi matlab nahin tha. Na hi use us ghar se emotionally ya monetarily koi lagaav tha. To maine socha…”

“Nidhi se aapse kaha…” Ashutosh interrupted him.

“Nahin,” Baba laughed slightly, “Badi ho gayi hai na. Ab apni pareshaaniyan nahin batati mujhe.”

“To aapko pahle se pata tha.”

“Haan. Kaafi pahle se.”

“Aapne kabhi bataya kyon nahin?”

“Bata sakta tha. Lekin maine socha ki apne issues tum log khud hi solve karo to behtar hoga. Purane rishton se naye rishte tootate hain ya bante hain, ye ab tum logon ke haath mein hai. Mujhe nahin pata ki Mathur Sahab ke man mein kya tha, jo woh aisa kar gaye. Shayad woh apne do parivaaron ko kareeb laana chahte ho.”

Ashutosh didn’t look at him. He was overwhelmed with guilt.

“Chalo main chalta hoon. Ghar par aana kabhi.”

“Ji,” Ashutish barely managed to say.

“Nahin. Main intezaar karoonga,” Baba said and got up to leave. Ashutosh saw him off till the hospital gate in silence.

—

Nidhi drove to the house. She parked the car outside the gate and got down to unlock it. She was surprised to find it unlocked. She walked in. Who had come here? Dr. Ashutosh? Only he had the key. She suddenly saw him standing in the garden. He smiled at her and held his hands out for her. She reached out to him and he disappered. She had been hallucinating! ‘Nidhi. Sambhaal apne aap ko. Tu yahan aayi hi kyon?’ she told herself. But continued walking in.

And then she saw him again. Standing on the Veranda. She was hallucinating again! She walked past him, only to feel someone holding her hands.

“Aap? Aap sach much yahan hain?”

“Pichhle check up mein aapki aankhein to bilkul theek thi Dr. Nidhi,” Ashutosh said.

Nidhi was reminded on the episode, when Ashutosh had called in the eye-surgeon and asked him to check her eyes. She ended up smiling, but sadly.

“Ya shayad jab main nahin tha, tab bhi tumhein dikh raha tha? Hallucinate kar rahi thi?”

Her smiled vanished and she did not reply. Ashutosh spoke again, “Nafrat nahin kar sakti, itna pyaar karti ho. Phir Armaan ke phone ke bawzood mujhe rokne kyon nahin aayi?”

“Aapke kahne par kiya tha unhone phone?”

“Nahin. Kiya to usne apni marzi se kiya tha. Mujhse chhip kar. Lekin maine sun liya tha. Kyon nahin aayi Nidhi?”

“Mere pyaar mein itni taakat nahin thi ki aapki nafrat ko khatam kar sakta.”

“Under-estimate kiya tumne khud ko.”

Nidhi looked up at him with childlike, pleading eyes, “Paheliyan mat bujhaiye. Aapne jo bhi faisla liya hai, mujhe saaf saaf bataiye. Agar main kuchh galat samajh baithi aur koi jhoothi ummeed laga baithi to uske tootne par bahut roungi. Aap Mumbai jaa rahe hain? Mujhe chhod kar?”

“Main kahin nahin ja raha. Aur na hi tumhein kahin jaane doonga.”

Nidhi smiled, feeling overwhelmed. Tears came to her eyes and she did not try to stop them. Ashutosh’ eyes were also moist. Time stopped for them as they naturally lost themselves in each other’s embrace.

They separated when Nidhi’s mobile rang.

“Haan Anji.”

“Nidhi, kahan hai tu? Jaldi ghar aa.”

“Main thodii door hoon ghar se Anji. Kya baat hui hai?”

“Tu akeli hai wahan?”

“N.. nahin. Par kyon?”

“Kaun hai tere saath?”

“Dr. Ashutosh.”

“Phone de unhein.”

“Kya hua hai Anji.”

“Time nahin hai mere paas Nidhi. Phone de unhein.”

“Anji… aapse baat karna chah rahi hai,” she gave the phone to Ashutosh. Though surprised, he did not ask anything and took the call.

“Oh… Anji tum chinta mat karo. Hum abhi pahunch rahe hain. Haan… haan… unhein le jao. Hum pahunch rahe hain. Main Dr. Gupta ko phone kar deta hoon. He will take care.”

“Kya hua?” Nidhi asked after he disconnected the call.

“Nidhi. Baba ki tabiyat thodi kharaab hai. Unhein hospital le gaye hain. Hamein turat pahunchna padega.”

“Kya hua Baba ko? Dr. Gupta ko kyon phone kar rahe hain aap?” Nidhi panicked. Dr. Gupta was a cardiologist.

“Chalo abhi. Aise ghabraane se kuchh nahin hoga. Sab theek ho jayega.”

Ashutosh drove her back in his own car.

—

To be continued