“Hello. Nidhi. Kya kar rahi ho?” Ashutosh called up late at night.
“Noodles kha rahi hoon,” Nidhi replied with her mouth full of noodles.
“Kha rahi ho? Itni raat ko? Dinner nahin kiya tha?”
“Kiya tha na? Lekin uska midnight noodles se kya matlab hai?”
“Midnight noodles?” Ashutosh laughed, “Tumhein bhi bhagwaan ne single piece mein hi banaya hai Dr. Nidhi Verma.”
“Nahin. Double piece to banaya hai. Rohan bhi kha raha hai mere saath.”
“Achchha!”
“Haan. Aur maine kuchh nahin kiya. Ye pahle se uski aadat thi. To ab hum dono roz raat ko saath mein noodles khate hain. Are… Rohan… Mere hisse ka mat khaana.”
“Roz? Nidhi – this midnight eating is not a good idea… For health.”
“Arre Uski chinta mat kijiye. Jab se gas jalana seekha hai, main roz bana kar kha rahi hoon. Pichhle aath saalon se. Abhi tak to kuchh nahin hua.”
“Okay Baba. Theek hai. Tum khao aur Rohan se apna hissa zaroor wapas le lena. Good night.”
“Good night Dr. Ashutosh.”
“Nidhi. Not fair. Tumne hamara secret Dr. Ashutosh ke saath share kar diya,” Rohan complained.
“Shut up Rohan. Noodles do mujhe. Aur Dr. Ashutosh ke saath main sab kuchh share karti hoon.”
“Bahut pyaar karti ho unse?”
“Bahut hi zyada Rohan. Tum imagine nahin kar sakte jab tak tum khud kissi se itna pyaar nahin karne lagte.”
Rohan smiled with some skepticism that Nidhi didn’t notice, “Par sach sach batao. Thoda odd nahin hota tum logon ke beech? I mean age difference is not just a number. Thinking different hoti hai, interests different hote hain. Nahin?”
“Differences hain bhi aur nahin bhi. Ab I am sure Rohan ki tumhari tarah woh mere saath baith kar aadhi raat mein noodles nahin khayenge. Lekin mujhe rokenge bhi nahin. Aur phir hamara past connection hai Rohan. To hamare bahut saare shauk milte hain. Tum ghazhalein sunte ho?”
“No way! Ek to samajh mein nahin aati hain. Aur doosre music bhi bahut boring hota hai.”
Nidhi smiled, “Main bhi sunti hoon aur Dr. Ashutosh bhi.”
“He is a lucky man!” Rohan rued. Nidhi didn’t pay attention as she was busy slurping her noodles and thinking about Ashutosh.
—
“Nidhi. Raat mein noodles ke chakkar mein main tumhein batana bhool gaya. Sandeep is taking Mallika back to Delhi with him. She is stable for now. Uska treatment aage wahin hoga.”
“That’s good news. I hope she recovers.”
“Yeah.”
Just then Nidhi’s phone rang.
“Hi Rohan…. Umm… Ek minute… Dr. Ashutosh. Rohan shaam mein pub jaane ko kah raha hai. Aap chalenge?”
“Nahin Nidhi. Tum jaanti ho main nahin jaata. Lekin tum jao.”
“Sure?”
“Yes.”
“Haan… Rohan. Dr. Ashutsoh to nahin aayenge. Par main chaloongi… Nahin. Main ghar jaungi. Change karna hoga. Shaam ko milte hain. Bye.”
“Ja rahi ho. But remember not to drink too much,” Ashutosh told her.
“Yes Boss!” Nidhi smiled and left to go to the ward.
—
Ashutosh waited till late for Nidhi to come back from the pub and call him. When she didn’t, he decided to call her himself. But his calls went unanswered repeatedly. He got worried. It was past midnight. Just then he got a call from Baba.
“Ashutosh. Nidhi tumhare saath hai kya?”
“Nahin Baba. Woh to Rohan ke saath…”
“Haan. Lekin dono abhi tak laute nahin hain. Aur phone bhi nahin utha rahe hain.”
“Oh! Aap chinta mat kijiye. Main ja kar dekhta hoon. Ho sakta hai unhein time ka dhyaan nahin raha ho. Aur music mein phone sunayi na de raha ho. Main aapko phone karta hoon.”
Ashutosh reached the pub and looked for Nidhi and Rohan. He found them sitting on a small table, pitch drunk. There were uncountable number of empty tequilla shot glasses on the table. When he reached closer, he found both of them totally out of their mind.
“Main jeet gaya Nidhi…” Rohan was blabbering.
“Main jeeti Rohan….”
“Kya kar rahe hain aap log?” Ashutosh asked sharply. Nidhi saw him and tried to get up, but she stumbled. Ashutosh made her sit again, “Dr. Ashutosh… Rohan… is wrong… I swear… he is…”
“Yes I know,” Ashutosh mumbled angrily. What was he to do with these two now? If he dropped them home, Baba would be scandalized. Finally he decided to take them to his home. He paid their bill and one by one led them out into his car. At home, with Kaka’s help, he put them to bed.
—
Nidhi woke up in the morning, feeling sick and groggy. She looked around confused and found Ashutosh in the room, sitting on a chair and reading the morning newspaper.
“Dr. Ashutosh?” she was surprised.
He looked at her angrily and said, “Neembu pani rakha hai side table par. Pee lo.”
It took her a few moments to comprehend where she was, “Oh God! Main yahan hoon… Baba ko…”
“Bata diya hai unhein maine. Drink it, freshen up and come to my room.”
“Ji,” she said sheepishly.
—
“Kya kar rahi thi tum kal raat?” Ashutosh fired at her as soon as she entered his room.
“Woh… Rohan mujhe chidha raha tha… To hamara competition chaloo ho gaya…”
“Shut up Nidhi. Ye kaisa excuse hai? Agar main wahan nahin pahunchta to kya hota? Tum dono mein se kaun drive karne ka plan bana raha tha? Tumhein pata hai ki Baba kitne worried the.”
“I am sorry,” Nidhi was already embarrassed, “Baba ko pata hai?”
“Nahin. Unhein maine sirf ye kaha hai ki tum log party ke baad idhar aa gaye ho aur raat mein yahin rukoge. Lekin sorry is not enough Dr. Nidhi Verma. Main tumhein mature samajhta tha. But last night was too much.”
Nidhi didn’t say anything and Ashutosh was unable to contain his anger, “I am telling you Nidhi. Agar dubara aisa hua to Baba kuchh kahein na kahein, I will ground you. Kahin nahin jaane doonga tumhein. Samjhi?”
“Ji,” her resigned and close-to-tears face softened Ashutosh. She wasn’t replying back to him. She was obviously sorry for what had happened.
“Look Nidhi. Tuhein shayad bura lag raha hoga ki main… tumse aise… baat kar raha hoon. But you know that I am right.”
“I know. I am really sorry. Please mujhe maaf kar dijiye.”
Ashutosh smiled, “Its okay. Achchha ye to batao Rohan tumhein aisi kis baat par chidha raha tha ki tum is competition par raazi ho gayin?”
“Woh… Nahin. Rahne dijiye. Bachkani baat thi. I won’t fall for it again.”
“Lekin tha kya?”
“Please. Rahne dijiye.”
“Theek hai. Tum nashta kar lo aur ghar jao. Drive kar logi?”
“Ji.”
“And report for your duty in time. Rohan jab jagega to main use bhej doonga. Taxi mein.”
—
“Nidhi. Kitna mazaa aaya na kal?” Rohan called Nidhi from work.
“Khaak mazaa aaya? Baba ko pata chal jaata to? Aur tumhein pata bhi hai ki Dr. Ashutosh mujh par kitna gussa hue the?”
“Mujh par to nahin hue?”
“Tum par kyon honge? But he was so furious. Bol rahe the ki dubara aisa kuchh hua to I will be grounded.”
“Grounded?” Rohan sounded incredulous, “Ek baat batao Nidhi. Ye Dr. Ashutosh tumhare boyfriend hain ya guardian?”
“Woh mere role model hain. Aage se aisa nahin hona chahiye.”
“Nidhi. Main ekdum sach kah raha tha kal raat. Tum unke saath rah kar ekdum bore ho gayi ho.”
“Main bore nahin hoon. Aur agar ho bhi gayi hoon to unke saath jaisi hoon theek hoon.”
“Are Nidhi. Suno. Tum to naaraaz ho gayin. Main to mazaak kar raha tha.”
“Rohan. Aage se mat karna.” Nidhi disconnected the call in a huff and turned around to find Ashutosh there.
“Aap? Aap kab aaye?”
“Abhi abhi. Kya baat hai? Tum kis par gussa kar rahi thi?”
“Kissi par nahin. Koi kaam tha?”
“Main free tha to socha tumhein dekh loon. Coffee peeni hai?”
“Chaliye. Aur… Aapse kuchh poochhna tha.”
“Kya?”
“Anji Christmas ke din picnic par jaane ka plan bana rahi thi. Sab log chalenge. Baba, Dadi Bua, Anji ki family. Aap chalenge na?”
“Umm… Haan. Tumhari chaperoning ke liye to chalna hi padega mujhe. Warna phir pata nahin kya kar baitho?”
“Dr. Ashutosh please. Main already bahut sharminda hoon.”
“Theek hai. Aur pareshaan nahin karoonga tumhein. Chalte hain picnic par.”
“Dr. Rangnath bhi aa rahe hain. Main Dr. Armaan aur Grace ko bhi invite kar leti hoon. Ab tak to woh log apne naye ghar mein settle ho gaye honge.”
“Haan. Sure. Armaan ko phone kar lena.”
—
Ashutosh joined Nidhi’s family for dinner that night. He observed Rohan closely and felt uneasy. Anji was also there. Rohan, Nidhi and Anji were discussing the picnic plans with excitement. Ashutosh felt left out.
—
They started playing Antakshari after lunch during the picnic. Rohan, Nidhi and Ashutosh were in one team. Armaan, Anji and Rangnath in the other. Others decided to play the audience and referee in case of disputes! The game was being led by Rohan, Nidhi, Anji and Rangnath primarily. Ashutosh and Armaan pitched when the younsters could not remember a song. Nidhi’s team finally won when Ashutosh managed to sing an old song for a letter for which the other team could not think of any. Rohan and Nidhi literally jumped in joy. Rohan hugged Nidhi. Nidhi then turned to Ashutosh and was about to hug him in excitement. But she saw Ashutosh’ discomfort about hugging in public, felt shy herself and stopped. Ashutosh gave a small smile.
“All right guys. Celebration time,” Grace announced and unpacked the cake she had baked for the occasion.
Nidhi jumped on it first, took a bite and exclaimed, “Yummy Cake Grace. I want to learn baking from you.”
“Sure darling.”
“Taste kijiye Dr. Ashutosh,” Nidhi made him bite the same piece. Suddenly Rohan came up to Nidhi and smeared some cake on her face.
“Rohan. I will kill you,” she shouted and ran behind him to take revenge. Anji and Rangnath joined them too and soon all their faces were smeared with cake! Baba and others were laughing hard at their antics and Ashutosh forced a smile on his face. He recalled the night when Nidhi had smeared some cake on him. He had been too stunned. He didn’t react correctly. He didn’t play the game right!
Ashutosh saw that Nidhi was running away from Rohan who was trying to smear more cake on her. In trying to get hold of her, Rohan put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back. Nidhi stumbled. She was laughing unaware of Ashutosh’ eyes on her. Suddenly she saw him and stopped laughing. She made Rohan take his hands off her, “Bas Rohan. Bahut ho gaya.”
Rohan stopped on hearing her somber, serious voice. Nidhi washed her face and came to sit near Ashutosh. She tried some chit-chat with him, but he was clearly not there.
“Hey Nidhi. New year eve par kissi party mein chalna hai na?” Anji came to her and asked.
“Pata nahin Anji. Koi thodee quite se jagah ho to…”
“Nidhi. Don’t worry about that,” Ashutosh intervened as he realized that she was saying so because of him, “Main waise bhi nahin aa paunga. To tum log apne hisaab se jagah decide kar lo.”
“Kyon nahin aa payenge aap?” Nidhi was disappointed at the idea of not spending the new year eve with him.
“Woh Nidhi. Dr. Sonali ka ek patient hai. Uski surgery honi hai aur unhone mujhse request ki hai ki main wahan rahoon. She was a little nervous about it. Anji. Nidhi tum logon ke saath jayegi,” he turned to Anji and told her.
“Okay. Cool,” Anji said and left.
Nidhi was staring at Ashutosh, not quite believing what he had said, but not being able to accuse him of lying either.
“Excuse me Nidhi. Main thodi der Baba ke paas baithta hoon.”
“Ji.”
—
To be continued