“Hello Dr. Nidhi,” Mallika startled Nidhi by coming into Ashutosh’ office.
“Dr. Mallika? Aapki tabiyat kaisi hai?”
“Uski chinta aapko kyon hai?”
“Main ek doctor hoon. Khair. Dr. Ashutosh to kissi meeting ke liye bahar gaye hain. Yahan hain nahin.”
“Pata hai mujhe. Bataya tha Ashutosh ne,” Mallika said meaningfully, “Lekin aapne uske office par apna haq jama liya hai.”
“Mere paas time tha to main yahan padhai kar rahi thi. Disturbance na ho isliye.”
“Padhai?”
“PG entrance ke liye.”
“Achchha bahana hai.”
Nidhi felt furious, but checked herself from bursting out, “Aap yahan wait kar lijiye Dr. Ashutosh ka. Main chalti hoon.”
“Main Ashutosh se nahin, tumse milne aayi thi Nidhi. Dr. Rangnath se poochha to unhone bataya ki tum yahan milgoi.”
“Mujhse?”
“Haan. Kuchh baatein karni thi tumse.”
“Boliye.”
“I think pahle to mujhe tumhein thanks bolna hoga, meri jaan bachane ke liye.”
“Uski zaroorat nahin hai.”
“Kyon? Kya tum pachhta rahi ho?”
“Ji nahin. Thanks bolne ki zaroorat isliye nahin hai ki main kissi par koi ehsaan nahin kar rahi thi. Ek insaan aur ek doctor hone ka farz nibha rahi thi.”
“To ye farz tum Ashutosh ke saath kyon nahin nibhati?”
“Kya matlab?”
“Kyon uski zindagi barbaad kar rahi ho Nidhi? Main bhi jaanti hoon aur tum bhi, ki tum kissi bhi tarah se Ashutosh ke layak nahin ho.”
Nidhi sighed, “Meri kaabiliyat par to aapko yakeen nahin hai, ye samajh mein aata hai Dr. Mallika. Lekin lagta nahin ki Dr. Ashutosh ki soch-samajh par bhi aapko zyada bharosa hai. Aapko nahin lagta ki Dr. Ashutosh ko itni samajh hai ki woh decide kar sakein ki unke liye kya sahi hai aur kya galat?”
“Ashutosh bhi ek mard hain. Aur kuchh cheezein unhein andha bana deti hain. Tumhein to ye achchhi tarah se pata hoga na Nidhi?”
Nidhi felt disgusted, “Ya to aap apne hosh mein nahin hain, ya phir… Khair. Kabhi thandhe dimaag se sochiyega ki aap kitni ghatiya baatein kar rahi hain. Main aapke munh nahin lagna chahti.” Nidhi stormed out of the room with her books.
—
“Baba. Ye kamra kyon saaf karwa rahe hain aap?” Nidhi asked.
“Nidhi. Bua ki jaan pahchaan ke koi hain. Unke bete ki yahan job lagi hai. To jab tak woh apne ghar nahin dekh leta, hamare saath rahega.” Baba replied.
“Bahut achcha ladka hai. Main mili hoon usse,” Dadi Bua interrupted, “Itni padhai ki hai, lekin phir bhi ekdum sanskaari. Mitti se juda hua.”
“Baba. Hamein ye floors ki tiles ukhadwaani padengi,” Nidhi said.
“Kyon?”
“Ab mitti se jude hue insaan ke liye kamre mein mitti to chahiye hogi na.”
Baba and Nidhi laughed out loud, while Dadi Bua left murmuring some angry words.
“Bua ko gussa dila diya tumne Nidhi. Tum to hospital chali jaogi aur main office. Bechare Chhote Sarkar par din bhar badbadayengi.”
“Uski chinta mat kijiye Baba. Chhote Sarkar ka bhi khana hajam nahin hota jab tak Dadi Bua unhein do-chaar baatein na suna dein.”
—
Nidhi had not been able to talk to Ashutosh the entire day. Mallika was in his office all through the day. She breathed easy, when finally they met in the evening at his house.
“Nidhi. Tumhein pata hai, Armaan wapas aa raha hai,” Ashutosh informed her excitedly.
“Are wah! Ye to bahut achchhi khabar hai. Kaise?”
“Pichhli baar jo survey usne kiya tha, uski findings ke basis par WHO sponsored ek bada health care project yahan shuru hone ja raha hai. Lucknow hi base rahega unka. To is baar long term plan hai. Apni wife ke saath aa raha hai.”
“Lekin unki wife to American hain na?”
“Haan? To?”
“Woh yahan rah lengi?”
Ashutosh laughed, “Dekho. Apparently woh India ko le kar bahut curious hai.”
“Waise unki wife counsellor hain na?”
“Haan. Kyon?”
“Yahan kissi ko zaroorat hai.”
“Kise?” Ashutosh asked wondering if she was taking a dig at him.
“Dr. Mallika ko.”
“Nidhi!” Ashutosh thought she was making fun of her.
“Main unka mazaak nahin uda rahi hoon,” Nidhi clarified, “I am serious. And you can see that, right? She is being self-destructive.”
Ashutosh sighed, “I know Nidhi. But be kind to her. She is depressed and bitter. Main bhi aisa hi tha. Lekin meri kismat achchhi thi jo mujhe tum mil gayin.”
“Nahin,” Nidhi said, “Aap unke jaise kabhi nahin the.”
Ashutosh looked at her curiously, “Kuchh baat hui hai kya Nidhi?”
Nidhi wondered if she should tell Ashutosh. But before she could decide or say anything, Ashutosh’ mobile rang. It was Mallika.
“Ashutosh…” It was Mallika crying at the other end of the phone.
“Mallika. Kya hua?”
“Please. Tum yahan aa jao Ashutosh. Mujhe akele mein bahut ghabraahat ho rahi hai. Main… main kuchh kar na baithoon…”
“Kya bol rahi ho Mallika?”
“Ashutosh please…”
“Theek hai, theek hai. You calm down. Main abhi aa raha hoon. Okay?”
“Kya hua?” Nidhi asked.
“Pata nahin Nidhi. Mujhe abhi uske ghar jaana hoga.”
“Lekin…”
“Later Nidhi. Baad mein baat karte hain. Kahin woh kuchh kar na le,” Ashutosh said and ran out. Nidhi looked on sadly.
—
“Ya to aapki life mein koi problem hai. Ya aap ek poetess hain?” Rohan startled Nidhi by suddenly coming up to her.
“Kya matlab?”
“Matlab ki raat mein aise terrace par khade ho kar chaand ko nihaarne ka kaam insaan inhin do cases mein karta hai.”
“Achchha! Aur tumhara inmein se kya case hai? Tum kyon terrace par aaye ho raat mein?”
“Main to tumhara peechha karte karte aaya.”
“Aur tum mera peechha kyon kar rahe the?”
“Kyonki mujhe midnight noodles khane ke liye ek partner ki zaroorat thi. Aur woh aap hi ho sakti hain.”
“Tumhein kaise pata ki mujhe raat mein noodles khane pasand hain?”
“Woh noodle lovers ka na ajeeb sa connection hota hai. Dil se ek aawaaz aati hai jab aapko koi noodle lover mil jaata hai…”
“Rohan?”
“Chhote Sarkar ne bataya.”
Nidhi smiled, “Chalo. Noodles khate hain.”
“Pata hai – ye sirf Chhote Sarkar ko pata hai ki main raat ko uth kar noodles khati hoon. Baba ko bhi nahin pata. Aur Dr. Ashutosh ko bhi nahin…”
“Dr. Ashutosh?”
Nidhi bit her lips. She had no intention of telling Rohan about Ashutosh, but her tongue slipped.
“Haan. Woh… mere boss hain,” she said.
“Aha! Aur aapke boss ko ye kyon pata hona chahiye ki aap raat ko uth kar noodles khati hain?”
“Nahin. Unhein nahin pata hona chahiye. Aur unhein pata bhi nahin hai. Wahi to main kah rahi thi.”
“Hmm… I think ab mujhe pata chal gaya ki aapke chaand ko nihaarne waala case kya hai. Kya baat hai? Koi jhagda hua hai kya in Dr. Ashutosh ke saath.”
“Kya matlab? Nahin to.”
“To phir lagta hai mulaquaat nahin hui. Lekin aap chinta mat kijiye. Ab main aa gaya hoon na. Agar aapko cover ki zaroorat ho to main hoon. No tensions.”
“Thank you Rohan,” Nidhi mocked him, “Lekin iski koi zaroorat nahin hai. Baba ko pata hai.”
“Ah! To iska matlab hai ki baat to hai, aur woh itni aage bhi badh chuki hai. Wow! Aapko dekh kar nahin lagta tha ki aap itni fast hain. Kitne din hue hain aapko internship shuru kiya hue?”
“Rohan!” Nidhi said in a threatening tone.
“Are. Aap daant kyon rahi hain? Ab kareebi doston ko to aisi kahaniyan jaanne ka haq hota hai.”
“Jumma jumma chaar din hue nahin hain yahan aaye hue tumhein, aur kareebi dost bhi ban gaye tum?”
“Pahli baat to jumma jumma chaar nahin, aath din hote hain. Aur doosre – ye noodles connection logon ko bahut jaldi kareebi dost bana deta hai. Is par shaq pat kijiyega, haan! Warna Noddles Baba naaraaz ho jayenge.”
Nidhi had to laugh at that.
“To kab milwa rahi hain Dr. Ashutosh se?”
“Mil lena kabhi bhi. Ghar aate rahte hain.”
“Ghar par… Boring hai. Aisa hai ki mujhe aapko treat to deni hi hai.”
“Tumhein mujhe kyon treat deni hai?”
“Are. Meri job ki treat. Meri pahli job hai.”
“Achchha!!” Nidhi gave a knowing smile.
“Haan. To unsmein aap Dr. Ashutosh ko bhi invite kar lijiye. Kahin bahar milte hain, thodi masti karte hain.”
“Achchha! Theek hai. Treat ke liye to main unhein bula loongi, lekin ye masti ka program thoda curtail karna hoga.”
“Kyon?”
“Dekho Rohan. Woh mujhse bade hain. Actually 12 saal bade hain. To obviously unka masti ka idea, hamare masti ke idea se thoda different hai.”
“12 saal?” Rohan was surprised.
“Haan. Ab aise aankhein phaad phaad kar dekhna band karo. Bas kuchh aisa plan mat karna jismein woh comfortable nahin hon. For example, no disco – okay?”
“Okay Ma’am!” Rohan pretended to bow before her.
“Good night.”
“Good night Nidhi.”
Rohan shrugged, finding it difficult to believe what Nidhi had just told him about the age difference between her and Dr. Ashutosh.
—
“Nahin Rohan. Aaj nahin ja sakte hum dinner par,” Nidhi called Rohan from the hospital, “Woh. Dr. Ashutosh ko kuchh kaam hai.”
“Aise kya kaam aa gaya ki woh tumhare saath nahin aa sakte?”
“Offo. Baat ka batangad mat banao Rohan. Unhein Dr. Mallika ke saath kahin jaana hai.”
“Dr. Mallika?”
“Unki dost hain. Pahle yahin kaam karti thi.”
“I see.”
“Main tumse ghar par milti hoon. Bye.”
Nidhi had assured Rohan that it wasn’t a big deal. But she wasn’t comfortable with the situation. Mallika was clearly being too clingy to Ashutosh. And Ashutosh, burdened by either some guilt or his duties as a friend, was obliging her. Nidhi did not want to put more pressure on him by complaining about it. At the same time, she was not sure that it could go on.
“Hi Nidhi,” Dr. Armaan brought Nidhi out of her thoughts.
“Dr. Armaan. Aap aa gaye. Kab pahunche?”
“Kal raat hi pahuncha. Ashutosh ne bataya nahin?”
“Unse baat nahin hui meri. Baithiye na.”
“Nahin. Main bas Ashutosh se hi milne ja raha tha. Kaam shuru karna hai.”
“Already? Abhi to aap jetlagged honge.”
“Use khatam karne ka yahi tareeka hai ki yahan ke samay par kaam karna shuru kar doon. Shaam mein milte hain?”
“Aaj shaam to Dr. Ashutosh busy hain. Lekin milte hain jaldi hi.”
“Okay Nidhi. Take care. Bye.”
“Bye Dr. Armaan.”
—
Rohan, Nidhi, Ashutosh, Armaan and his wife Grace were chatting over dinner. Half way through it, Ashutosh got a call.
“Armaan. Really sorry yaar. Tu taxi le kar ghar aa jaana. Mujhe abhi ghar jaana padega. Very sorry Grace. I have to go. Nidhi. Tum to Rohan ke saath chali jaogi na?”
Before anyone could ask anything, Ashutosh had left. All of them stared at each other awkwardly.
“Nidhi! Kya hua Dr. Ashutosh ko?”
“Dr. Mallika ko koi problem hui hogi,” Nidhi tried to appear non-chalant, but her annoyance showed through.
Rohan looked at her questioningly and Nidhi averted her eyes.
Armaan tried to lighten up the situation, “Are Nidhi. Koi baat nahin. Ashutosh chala gaya to kya. Lead actor kuchh scenes mein nahin bhi ho to supporting actors se kaam chala sakte hain. Kyon Rohan?”
“Bilkul Dr. Armaan. Hum log mil kar masti karenge.”
“Aur achchha hi hua Ashutosh chala gaya. Bada boring insaan hai Rohan. Pata nahin Nidhi jaisi ladki kaise phans gayi uske saath,” Armaan joked, but Nidhi’s smile was strained.
—
To be continued