“Dadi. Ye Dr. Ashutosh hain. Maine bataya tha na. Mere boss.”
“Achchha. To ye tumhare liye kaam karti hai.”
“Ji.”
“Are to ye batao ki kaisi doctori padhate ho tum log ye aaj kal ke ladke-ladkiyon ko. Inke hisaab se to saari jo takat dene waali cheezein hoti hain, woh khani hi nahin chahiye.”
Nidhi chuckled as Ashutosh asked in confusion, “Aisa kya kah diya inhone?”
“Ab suno iski naseehatein. Doodh-dahi se malai nikaal kar khao. Chawal mat khao. Roti bhi jwar-baajre ki khao. Are itne bure din to nahin aaye kabhi ki gehun ke aate ki roti bhi naseeb na ho. Aur kya – mithaiyan na khao. Zyada cheeni nahin, zyada namak nahin. Are koi jail ka khana hai kya? Aur kuchh khayen hi na, to haddiyon mein dum kaise aaye?”
Ashutosh smiled in amusement, but did not laugh out loud as a respect to the old lady, “Lekin ye sahi kahti hain Dadi. Aapko diabetes aur BP ki problem hai na. Isliye zaroori hai parhej baratna.”
“Bura ho ye machinein banane waalon ka. Na machinein hoti, na ye duniya jahan ki beemariyon ka pata chalta.”
“Ab to ban gayi Dadi. Aur pata chal bhi gaya,” Nidhi said, “To ab koi chaara nahin hai. Aapko sawadhaani baratni hi padegi. Ab ye bataiye, camp kahan lagana hai.”
“Kahan kya? Koi Ramleela ka manch thode hi na banana hai. Yahin dwar par aa jayenge sab log. Tum log deewan par baith jao. Abhi Laxman ke bete ko bolti hoon ki sabko bata de tum log aa gaye ho.”
“Achchha Dadi. Sir, hum log tab tak set up kar lein?”
“Sure. Chaliye.”
—
“Wakai aapki Dadi kaafi interesting hain,” Ashutosh said while returning back in the evening.
“Mujhe pata tha ki aapko unse mil kar achchha lagega.”
“Kaise pata tha aapko?”
“Different context mein. Lekin woh bhi aapke jaisi hi hain. Strong. Confident.”
“Strong to aap bhi bahut hain.”
“Main Sir? Kyon mazaak kar rahe hain. Aapko to pata hai. Mujhe to naye logon se baat karne mein bhi hichkichahat hoti hai. Balki dar lagta hai.”
“Use nervousness and shyness kahte hain Dr. Nidhi, weakness nahin.”
“If you say so.”
“Waise aapke Baba ab theek hain?”
“Haan. Kuchh zyada hi theek hain. Maine kitna mana kiya, lekin already nayi job ke liye chakkar laga rahe hain.”
“Are to aapne mujhe bataya kyon nahin?”
“Kya?”
“Jeevan Prabha mein ek accountant ki zaroorat hai. Main to intezaar kar raha tha ki aapke Baba theek ho jayen to…”
“Baba accountant nahin hain, Sir.”
“Degree se nahin hain. Lekin itne saalon ka experience to hai. Dekhiye Dr. Nidhi, agar aapko aisa lag raha hai ki main koi bahana bana kar, ya jhooth bol kar aapki madad kar raha hoon to aisa nahin hai. Jeevan Prabha mein sach much problem hain. CAs aate hain aur kuchh mahinon mein chale jaate hain. Unhein lagta hai ki ek non-profit, charity organization mein kaam karne se unki market value kharaab ho jayegi. To hamare paas ek hi chaara hai. Kissi aise insaan ko recruit karna, jisne experience se cheezein seekhi ho. Koi aur aayega, to Baba bhi aa sakte hain.”
“Mujhe nahin pata Sir. Aap Baba se hi baat kar lijiye. Agar unhein sahi lagta hai to mujhe kya problem hogi?”
“Main pahunchte hi baat karoonga.”
Ashutosh went to meet Yograj, when he dropped her home.
“Dr. Nidhi. Mujhe pata hai ki aap bhi thaki hui hain. Lekin mujhe chai ki sakht zaroorat hai. Mil sakti hai please.”
“Zaroor Sir. Ismein kaun si badi baat hai. Main bas abhi haath-munh dho kar banati hoon. Baba aap bhi piyenge?”
“Haan. Agar bana rahi ho to mere liye bhi bana do.”
“Ji. Theek hai.”
“Mr. Verma. Mujhe aapki madad chahiye,” Ashutosh spoke when Nidhi went inside.
“Meri madad? Agar main aapki koi bhi madad kar sakta hoon Dr. Ashutosh, to samajh lijiye ho gaya.”
Ashutosh explained how they were having a problem in recruiting an accountant at Jeevan Prabha, just like he had explained to Nidhi.
Baba smiled, “Aap mujhse madad maang rahe hain, ya meri madad kar rahe hain?”
“Main bilkul wahi kar raha hoon, jo maine kaha hai. Mere manager pareshaan ho chuke hain is position ko fill karne ke liye. Aur ab financial year end aa raha hai, to unhein bahut dikkat hone waali hai.”
“Aapne Nidhi ko bataya hai.”
“Haan. Aur unhone faisla aap par chhoda hai. Mr. Verma. Agar aapko meri baat par bharosa nahin hai to aap wahan ek-do mahine kaam kar ke dekh lijiya. Agar aapko lage ki wahan par aapke liye kaam nahin hai, to aap chhod dijiyega. Lekin please ek baar koshish kijiye. Dekhiye. Apni nahin to Nidhi ki khaatir. Aap jaante hain ki aapki har pareshaani se woh bhi kitna pareshaan hoti hai.”
Yograj sighed. Just then Nidhi entered with tea and snacks. He looked at his daughter for a moment. Then turned to Ashutosh, “Theek hai. Aap mujhe Jeevan Prabha ke manager se milwa dijiye. Jab se woh kahenge, main aa jaunga.”
Nidhi looked at her Baba and Ashutosh and finally smiled.
—
“Ashutosh!”
“Armaan. Tum pahle pahunch gaye?”
“Haan. Mujhe to survey kar ke wapas aana tha. Tumhari tarah na kissi ki Dadi ko impress karna tha, na hi kissi ko propose karna tha.”
“Kya?”
“Propose kiya?”
“Kya? Kisko? Survey ke chakkar mein desi tharra chadha kar aa gaye ho kya?”
“Nahin. Desi tharra Lucknow mein kaafi sahi milta hai. Uske liye itni mehnat karne ki kya zaroorat hai. Are main tumhari aur Nidhi ki baat kar raha hoon.”
“Meri aur Nidhi ki kya baat kar rahe ho?”
“He bhagwaan! Ashu miyan. Aap Nidhi se pyaar karte hain. Kul mila kar pandrah din bache hain aapke paas, jiske baad unki internship doosre department mein shuru ho jayegi. To ab aap abhi nahin bolenge unse, to kab bolenge?”
“Armaan!”
“Ashutosh!”
“Armaan. Main kya feel karta hoon, ye maine tumse nahin chhipaya hai. Kyonki apni feelings ka koi kuchh nahin kar sakta. Kitni hi ridiculous ho, unke saath hamein rahna padta hai. Lekin un feelings par ridiculously act karne se hum khud ko rok sakte hain. Aur main aisa hi kar raha hoon.”
“Ismein ridiculous kya hai.”
“Armaan. Woh meri bahut respect karti hai. Woh samajhti tak nahin hai meri feelings.”
“Are to koi bewkoof thode hi na hai. Baat karo. Samajh jayegi.”
“Yahi to baat hai Armaan. Bewkoof nahin hai. Phir bhi jo baat tumhein obviously samajh mein aa gayi, jo Mallika ko bhi saaf-saaf dikhti hai, woh nahin samajhti. Pata hai kyon?”
“Kyon?”
“Kyonki this idea is so ridiculous ki woh soch bhi nahin sakti is baare mein. Do you realize ki woh mujhse kitni chhoti hai. Uski life mein koi achchha ladka hoga, nahin hoga to aa jayega. I just don’t fit in.”
“Ashutosh. Tum ye maan baithe ho ki woh nahin samajhti hai. Tumhein kaise pata? Agar samajhti bhi hai to how likely it is ki ek ladki khud aage badh kar apne man ki baat tumse kahegi? Woh bhi Nidhi jaisi nervous aur shy ladki?”
“Use lagta hai ki mujhe Mallika se shaadi kar leni chahiye. Aur ye baat usne aaj mujhe boli bhi hai. Aisa to nahin hai ki woh mere liye kuchh bura soch rahi thi. Care karti hai, isliye bola hoga. Lekin ye care us pyaar mein nahin badal sakti Armaan, jo main usse karta hoon. Heart-break to main sah sakta hoon. Lekin agar maine kuchh aisa bol diya jo use manzoor nahin hua, to woh shayad mujhse baat bhi nahin karegi, door chali jayegi mujhse. Waise hi meri bewkoofiyon ki wajah se use kabhi woh sab nahin mila jo uska tha. Aur ab jo bhi thodi bahut madad main kar sakta hoon, woh bhi lena band kar degi to main to guilt se mar jaunga. For God’s sake, Armaan, ye baat kabhi apni zubaan par dubara mat laana.”
—
“Dr. Nidhi. Kya hua – aap bore ho gayin?” Armaan followed Nidhi when she noiselessly slipped out of the party hall to sit on a bench in the open lawn. Armaan had thrown this party to bring together all the people working on his WHO project.
“Nahin, nahin. Party to bahut achchhi hai. Bore kyon houngi? Bas thodi suffocation ho rahi thi – itni bheed hai na. Isliye thodi der ke liye bahar aa gayi.”
“Phir party mein aana kyon nahin chahti thi aap? Kya aapko koi shaq tha ki party achchhi nahin hogi?”
“Nahin Dr. Armaan. Kaisi baatein kar rahe hain aap? Main bas thaki hui thi. Tees ghanton ki duty kar ke aayi thi.”
“Itni lambi duty?”
“Dr. Mallika ki meharbaani hai mujh par,” she laughed slightly.
“Khair. Mujhe to aapse baatein manwaane ki trick pata hai.”
“Ji?”
“Ashutosh! Jab usne insist kiya tab aap mana nahin kar payin, right?”
“Well…” Nidhi did not know what to reply.
“To sach-sach bataiye mujhe ki aap Ashutosh ki baat kyon nahin taal sakti?”
“Dr. Armaan. Meri kuchh samajh mein nahin aa raha. Aap kya sunna chahte hain?”
“Sach.”
“Kitne dramatic ho rahe hain aap?,” Nidhi laughed slightly, “Dr. Ashutosh mere boss hain. Aur main unki bahut izzat karti hoon. Isliye jab unhone insist kiya ki main party mein aaun, to main aa gayi.”
“Ya phir, jab usne insist kiya tab aapko realize hua ki Ashutosh party mein aa raha hai, jo ki woh normally nahin karta. Aur ek hafte mein aapka department change ho raha hai. Uske baad usse milne ka aapke paas koi bahana nahin rahega. Isliye Ashutosh ke saath thoda waqt guzaarne ki hope mein aap yahan aa gayin. Lekin jab itni bheed mein Asuhtosh aapke paas nahin aa saka, aapse baatein nahin kar saka, to aap disappoint ho kar bahar chali aayin. Aur shayad wapas jaane ki bhi soch rahi hain.”
Nidhi looked like she had seen a ghost. Armaan had described what had happened so accurately that she found it impossible to deny it. She was caught off-guard and was completely speechless. She averted her eyes.
“Kyon? Maine aapko aur aapki feeilngs ko sahi samjha na Dr. Nidhi? Itna mushkil nahin tha, right? Ab agar aap Ashutosh ko na batane ki zidd par adi rahengi to mujhe batana padega.”
“Kyon mera aur meri feelings ka mazaak banana chahte hain aap Dr. Armaan?” Nidhi was pained and choked on her words. “Please don’t do this,” she managed to say before she got up and turned to leave. To her horror, she found Ashutosh standing hardly a couple of feet away from them. He was looking at Nidhi in astonishment. Tears filled her eyes due to embarrassment and she ran away towards the gate of the venue without saying anything.
—
To be continued