Ashutosh had to write the mid-term feedback for all the interns working in the department. He started going through their files at night in his office. The first page of Nidhi’s file surprised him. He finished writing the feedback and then went out to check the duty chart. Nidhi was on night duty that night. He glanced in the ward She was not there. Must have finished her rounds, he thought and walked towards the common room. She was sitting there with, not surprisingly, a book in her hands.

“Am I disturbing you?” he asked.

She was startled by his voice, “Sir? Aap? Is waqt. Ghar nahin gaye?”

“Nahin. Kuchh kaam tha, isliye ruk gaya. Aap kya padh rahi thi?”

“Revise kar rahi thi, Sir. PG entrance ke preparation ke liye.”

“Oh! Kahan se PG karna chahti hain aap?”

“Lucknow mein jahan bhi admission mil jaye Sir.”

“I didn’t understand. Main abhi aapki file dekh raha tha. Aapki MBBS entrance exam mein All India Rank 9th thi.”

“Ji Sir.”

“Phir to aapko AIIMS mein admission mil sakta tha. Wahan ki to fee bhi nominal hoti hai.”

“Lekin Delhi mein rahne ka to kharcha hota hi. Already do jagahon par ghar chal raha hai – yahan aur gaon mein. Ek aur jagah possible nahin hota,” since he already knew about her financial issues, she did not feel any heistation in talking to him.

“Ohh!”

“Yahan rah kar main Baba ki financially bhi madad kar sakti thi. Tuitions padha kar. Yahan log jaante hain. Asaani se job mil jaati thi.”

“Aap MBBS karte hue tutions padha rahi thi?”

“Baba ko mat bataiyega Sir. Woh bilkul raazi nahin hue the. Kahte the ki chhuttiyon mein padha liya theek hai. Lekin MBBS ke dauraan padhai ka harza hoga. Lekin mujhe pata thi unki halat. Dadi ka ilaaj shuru ho chuka tha. Paise bachte hi kahan the. Main bas chup-chaap kitchen mein samaan la kar rakh deti thi aur pretend karti thi ki unke diye paison se hi sab aa gaya. Thankfully unhein pata nahin chala.”

“Lucknow mein bhi government college kyon?”

“KMC best option tha lekin fees bahut high thi, Sir.”

Ashutosh suddenly understood why her Baba felt so guilty towards her. She obviously did not get the opportunities she so obviously deserved. He could not fake the detachment any longer. He complemented her freely.

“You are a very strong girl Nidhi. And intelligent. I’m sure you will do very well in your life.”

What he hadn’t said was that he envied her for how comfortable she was with her life. In her place, he or anyone else, would have grudged their parents for not being able to provide them the best education they deserved. But she… she was different.

The open appreciation from Ashutosh made her emotional. She choked on her words, but blinked back her tears back as she replied, “Thank you, Sir.”

—

“Dr. Rangnath. Dr. Nidhi ko bhi bula lijiye,” Ashutosh told Rangnath as they were about to start a meeting with Armaan about a field trip to the nearby villages.

“Sir. Dr. Nidhi to chhutti par hain.”

“Kyon?”

“Aapko nahin pata, Sir? Unke father hospitalized hain. Cardiology ward mein hain.”

“Kya? Kab se?”

“Kal raat mein hi…”

“Dr. Rangnath. Aap Dr. Armaan ko phone kar ke boliye ki meeting postpone karni padegi. I have to go…”

He rushed out of the room to go to the cardiology ward.

He entered the room where Yograj Verma was admitted. He was asleep. Nidhi was sitting on a chair nearby, her head buried in her hands. Ashutosh went to her and kept his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with sad eyes. Her eyes were puffed from crying.

“Bahar aao,” he whispered. She got up and followed him.

“Baba kaise hain?”

“Stable hain. Minor attack tha.”

“Tumne mujhe bataya kyon nahin?”

“Mujhe hosh nahin tha, Sir. Dr. Rangnath ko bhi Anji ne phone kiya tha. I’m sorry.”

“Nahin. It’s all right. Tum akeli ho yahan?”

“Nahin. Anji aayi hai. Ye rahi…” Anji entered with a cup of tea and handed it to Nidhi.

“Thank you, Anji,” she said, “Ye Dr. Ashutosh Mathur hain.”

Ashutosh and Anji shook hands.

“Anji. Tu thodi der Baba ke saath baithegi?” Nidhi asked her.

“Sure.”

“Kya hua hai? Unhein problem thi koi?” Ashutosh asked after Anji went inside the room.

“Nahin. Unke checkup to main khud regularly karti thi. Koi problem nahin thi.”

“Phir? Aise achanak attack?”

Nidhi sat down with a sigh. Ashutosh also sat down beside her.

“Baba kal company ka cash jama karwane bank ja rahe the. Kuchh gundon ne pistol dikha kar unse cash chheen liya. Lekin company waale ye manne ko taiyaar nahin hain ki woh bekasoor hain.”

“Aisa kaise kar sakte hai woh log. Bina security ke kissi ko cash jama karne bhej diya. Ab wapas us par ilzaam. Company ki koi policy hai bhi ya nahin.”

“Woh log case karne ki dhamki de rahe hain. Mujhe kuchh samajh mein nahin aa raha, Sir. Main to kissi lawyer ko bhi nahin jaanti…”

“Aap uski chinta mat kijiye. Main apne lawyer ko phone karta hoon.”

He called up Devraj Kapoor and took an appointment immediately.

“Hum abhi chal sakte hain. Aapke ghar se aapke Baba ke employment contract wagerah ke papers bhi le lenge.”

“Main Anji ko bol kar aati hoon.”

“Okay.”

—

Ashutosh introduced Nidhi as “Dr. Nidhi” to Devraj and briefly explained what happened with her Baba. Devraj looked thoughtful and then took the papers Nidhi had brought with him. He was surprised when he read the name and address on the employment contract.

He stopped reading it and told them, “Dr. Nidhi, Ashutosh. Mujhe thoda time lagega papers ko padhne mein. Is it okay, agar main shaam tak aapko bataun.”

“Ji. Theek hai,” Nidhi said weakly.

He stopped Ashutosh as they were leaving, “Ashutosh. Mujhe tumse kuchh baat karni thi. If you can stay back for a moment…”

“Sure,” he gave car keys to Nidhi, “Aap mera car mein wait kijiye, Dr. Nidhi.”

“Ji Sir.”

“Ashutosh,” Devraj spoke after Nidhi left, “Inka naam Nidhi Verma hai?”

“Haan. Kyon?”

“Tumhein pata nahin ye kaun hain?”

“Matlab? Maine bataya to hai aapko. She is an intern at…”

“Ashutosh! She is Mr. Mathur’s grand-daughter. Tumhare baba ki naatin hain woh.”

“Kya?” Ashutosh got the shock of his life. He sank into a chair and he tried to digest the information, “Aap sure hain Mr. Kapoor?” He had to reconfirm,

“Absolutely sure hoon. Maine hi to inka aur inke father ka naam aur address Mr. Mathur ko diya tha. Main bilkul sure hoon.”

“Oh my God!” Ashutosh exclaimed.

“Dekho Ashutosh. Jab tum inki itni madad karne ko taiyaar hi ho to woh zevar kyon nahin de dete inhein? Mere khayaal se inke employer se baat kar ke paise de kar maamla sultaya ja sakta hai. Bas 80,000 rupyon ki baat hai. Zevaron ki value kai lakh hogi market mein. Courts ke chakkar mein pad kar inhein kuchh nahin milne waala.”

“Main aapse baad mein baat karta hoon,” Ashutosh said and went out.

“Koi problem hai, Sir?” Nidhi asked him when he got back to the car. His face gave away how confused and baffled he was.

“Nahin. Main aapko ghar chhod doon ya hospital?”

“Hospital, Sir. Anji ko jaana hoga.”

“Okay.”

“Dr. Nidhi. Aap apne Nana se kabhi mili hain?” he asked suddenly on their way back.

“Nana se? Nahin to? Aapne achanak kyon poochha?”

“Bas aise hi. Aapne bataya tha na ki aap apne Nana ki wajah se doctor bani.”

“Oh! Nana to Mummy ke janm se pahle hi ghar chhod kar chale gaye the. Apne ghar waalon se gussa hokar.”

“To aapko unke baare mein kuchh bhi pata nahin hai?”

“Mujhe to nahin hai. Shayad Baba ko ho. Koi khaas baat?”

“Nahin. Bas aise hi…”

Nidhi looked at Ashutosh curiously, but did not say anything.

It made sense to him now. She and her father had brought his Baba to the hospital. He probably never reached their house! He was trying to go there. He was her Nana. Her Nana wanted to become a doctor, but could not. That’s what Baba had told Ashutosh about himself too. That’s why he had wanted Ashutosh to become a doctor. They were the same person.

—

Nidhi received a call from him about two hours later.

“Aap thodi der ke liye mere cabin mein aa sakti hain? Nurse ko kahiye Baba ke paas rahein.”

Nidhi hesitated for a moment, but then agreed, “Ji. Aati hoon.”

“Dr. Nidhi. Lawyer ka kahna hai ki courts ke chakkar mein padne se koi fayda nahin hai. Agar hum finally jeet bhi gaye, to bhi pata nahin usmein kitne din lagenge,” he told her when she came to his cabin.

“Baat to sahi hai Sir. Lekin ye decision hamare haath mein thode hi na hai. Agar woh case karenge to…”

“Jo bhi paison ka nuksaan hua hai, hum uski bhaarpai company ko kar sakte hain.”

Nidhi sighed, “Paise hote hi to… Lekin shayad yahi idea sahi hai. Main borrow kar sakti hoon.”

“Uski zaroorat nahin padegi.”

“Ji?”

“Aapke Nana aapke liye kuchh chhod kar gaye hain, jo ki in paison ki bharpai ke liye kaafi hoga. Aur uske baad bhi paise bach jayenge…”

“Mere Nana? Aap aaj baar-baar unki baat kyon kar rahe hain? Mere Nana kaun hain, kahan hain, ye mujhe bhi nahin pata. Aapko kaise pata…”

“Kyonki woh aapki amaanat aap ko pahunchaane ki zimmedaari mujh par chhod gaye the. Aur unfortunately, maine woh zimmedaari nibhayi nahin,” Ashutosh averted his eyes as he said that looking genuinely guilty.

“Mujhe kuchh samajh mein nahin aa raha hai, Dr. Ashutosh. Main already bahut pareshaan hoon. Aap please…” for the first time Ashutosh was seeing her lose patience and look overwhelmed with her problems.

“Nahin. Aap pareshaan mat hoiye. Please. Meri baat suniye. Aapko shayad pata nahin hai, lekin mere Baba mere biological father nahin the…”

“Woh main jaanti hoon. Lekin uska isse kya matlab hai?” Nidhi’s tone was bordering on rudeness.

Ashutosh looked surprised for a moment that she knew, but did not digress, “Mere Baba aapke Nana the. Jis din unhein cardiac arrest hua tha, unka aapke ghar ke paas hona koi ittefaq nahin tha. Woh aapse hi milne ja rahe the…”

“Sir,” Nidhi smiled sadly, “Waise to aap pahle bhi successfully jhooth bol kar meri madad kar chuke hain, Mumbai le ja chuke hain. Lekin itna elaborate jhooth? Aapko nahin lagta zyada ho gaya? Agar paise dene se baat ban sakti hai, to main aapki hi madad loongi. Aapse hi borrow kar loongi. Waise bhi aapke bahut ehsaan hain mujh par, aur bahut karz bhi hai. Thoda aur sahi. Aapko aisa karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai.”

“Main jhooth nahin bol raha, Dr. Nidhi,” Ashutosh’ reaction was not of a man guilty of lying and Nidhi realized that, “Mere Baba, Aloknath Mathur, aapke Nana the. Jaate jaate ye aapke liye chhod gaye the,” he handed her the jewelry box that he had brought from the bank just a while back,

Nidhi opened it and stared at the contents almost in shock. She closed it quickly, as if fearing that she would fall for it, when she shouldn’t.

“Ye aapki Nani ke gahne hain.”

“Mujhe kuchh samajh mein nahin aa raha,” she kept the box back on the table, “Ye sab sach nahin ho sakta.”

“Yahi sach hai Nidhi aur ye bhi ki… main tumhara gunahgaar hoon. Bahut bada. Baba to tumhein bahut thoda dene ko kah gaye the. Aur maine woh bhi tum tak nahin pahunchaya. Jabki unka sab kuchh tumhara tha. Mera nahin. Agar tumhare is haq ka chhota sa hissa bhi maine tum tak samay rahte pahuncha diya hota to… tumhein aur tumhare parivaar ko itni museebatein nahin jhelni padti. Tumhein tuitions padha ke ghar nahin chalana padta, tum apni pasand ki jagah par padhai kar sakti thi, aur… I feel horrible Nidhi. Mujhe samajh mein nahin aa raha ki main tumse maafi bhi kaise maangoon…”

Nidhi was standing there, completely dazed all this while. She was only half hearing him and she wasn’t sure what to feel and how to react. Suddenly Ashutosh saw her running out of the room.

“Ruko Nidhi…” he tried to stop her, but she did not stop. Ashutosh sank down in his chair.

He did not realize how much time had passed, when Armaan came into his office.

“Ashutosh. Kya hua?”

“Armaan? Oh! Haan… Meeting karni thi… Main Dr Rangnath ko…”

“Calm down. Main meeting ke liye nahin aaya hoon. Maine suna ki Dr. Nidhi ke father ko heart attack aaya tha?”

“Haan… Woh… Minor tha. He is stable. Shayad ab tak hosh aa gaya hoga.”

“Tumhein unke saath hona chahiye tha Ashutosh.”

“Kya?”

“Come on Ashutosh. Mujhse chhipane ki zaroorat nahin hai. I am sure poori duniya ko pata hai ki how much you care about her.”

“Care about her?” Ashutosh repeated bitterly, “I wish ki tumhari baat sach hoti Armaan. Sach to ye hai ki mujhse zyada uske saath bura kissi ne nahin kiya hai.”

“Kya matlab hai iska?”

Ashutosh told Armaan what had happened.

“Ashutosh. Aise dil nahin chhota karte. Usne to tumhein kuchh nahin kaha? Koi ilzaam nahin lagaya tum par?”

“Nahin. Aur woh kabhi lagayegi bhi nahin shayad,” Ashutosh recalled how she never blamed her father for not having enough money for her education, but willingly helped him financially even during the hectic days of MBBS studies, “She is not that kind.”

“Then make up for the time that has been lost. Chalo. Main bhi unse mil leta hoon.”

Ashutosh got up and went to the cardiology ward with Armaan.

—

To be continued