Nidhi got up earlier than usual and finished all the housework. Baba was surprised to find her in the kitchen already by the time he woke up.

“Kya hua Nidhi? Itni subah subah?”

“Baba. Hospital mein kaam hai thoda. Jaldi jaana hai.”

“To rahne do na thode kaam. Main kar doonga.”

“Nahin Baba. Uski koi zaroorat nahin hai. Kaam hota hi kitna hai?”

“Zyada nahin hota hai, to mujhe hi karne diya karo.”

“Baba! Aap fresh ho jaiye. Main aapki chai bana deti hoon.”

“Maanti nahin hai meri baat,” Baba murmured.

—

“I’m sorry Dr. Ashutosh. Mujhe pahunchne mein der ho gayi. Woh darasal bus…”

“Calm down. Nidhi – ye koi duty par report karne ka time nahin tha.”

“Yeah… Lekin aapko wait karna pada…”

Ashutosh smiled. Seeing her so baffled, he couldn’t have told her that he had come to the hospital even before she had called about leaving from home.

“Sit down. Aur saans le lo zara,” he directed her to a chair and sat down himself on one opposite hers. He took a good look at her and figured that he should offer her water, which he did.

“Thank you,” she said and gulped it down in one go.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“Ji.”

“Itna hadbada kyon gayi thi?”

“Aapko late karna pasand nahin hai…”

“Tumhein yahan tumhare boss ne nahin bulaya tha.”

“Ji,” she looked embarrassed, “Aadat nahin hai na…”

“Yeah,” Ashutosh smiled, “Waise ye sach hai ki main besabri se tumhara intezaar kar raha tha. Lekin main nahin chahunga ki uski wajah se tumhari jaan par aafat aa jaye.”

“Main theek hoon.”

“Good. Waise main tumse kuchh baat bhi karna chahta tha. I’m sure, tumne bhi kaafi kuchh socha hoga, kal shaam ke baare mein, apne baare mein, mere baare mein…”

Nidhi blushed. Of course, she had. And after all the thinking she had felt like she was floating in the sky. It was as if all her dreams had come true.

Ashutosh saw her blushing and continued in a thoughtful tone, “Ek baar maine Armaan se bhi kaha tha. Ki hamari feelings jo hain, woh hain. Unka koi kuchh nahin kar sakta. Aur hamare liye ye achchha hua ki humne woh express kar di. Lekin zindagi ke faislon mein feelings ke alaawa aur cheezein bhi matter karti hain.”

He found her looking at him curiously when he paused, “Compatibility matter karti hai, common interests matter karte hain. Aur ye sab cheezein age se affect hoti hain, jiska faasla hamare beech mein bahut zyada hai.”

She looked scared as she asked, “Aap kahna kya chahte hain?”

“Kuchh bhi aisa nahin jisse tumhein darne ki zaroorat ho. Maine duniya dekhi hai Nidhi. Mujhe itna experience hai ki main apni feelings ko samajh sakoon, unki stability par rely kar sakoon. Lekin tumhari zindagi abhi shuru hi ho rahi hai. Isliye main nahin chahta ki tum apni zindagi ka koi faisla jaldbaazi mein karo. Tumhare saamne kai options honge, ya aage aayenge. Tum aisa koi bhi faisla jazbaaton mein bah kar mat karna jisse tumhein baad mein pachhtava ho.”

“Aapka apne liye kya faisla hai?”

“Mere liye mera ye faisla hai ki main tumhein kho nahin sakta. Tumhein apni zindagi mein rakhne ke liye mujhe jo bhi karna hoga karoonga. Tumhein mere saath jo bhi rishta kabool hoga, main usmein khush rahunga, even if it is not the best I had hoped for. But you must be happy!”

“Aap kabhi apne baare mein nahin sochte kya? Har waqt meri fikr?”

“Main to apne alaawa kissi ke baare mein sochna nahin jaanta tha Nidhi. Agar thoda bhi seekha hai to tumse hi seekha hai.”

“Phir to guru gud, chela cheeni ho gaya.”

Ashutosh smiled. They looked at the watch. Their duties were about to begin.

“Shaam mein kahin chalogi?” he asked.

“Main Baba ke liye dinner bana kar nahin aayi hoon…” Nidhi looked embarrassed.

“Koi baat nahin,” Ashutosh hastened to assure her, “Aaj ki tarah kal subah…”

“Ji. Theek hai.”

“Aur shaam mein duty khatam hone par mujhse mil kar hi nikalna.”

“Ji.”

—

“Chalo. Tumhein ghar chhod doon,” he said when she came to his office in the evening.

“Isliye aapne mujhe mil kar jaane ko bola tha?”

“Hmmm…”

“Aap kya roz roz mere driver bane phirenge?”

“Tumhare saath thoda samay bitane ka tareeka hai. Agle hafte se to tum ward mein bhi nahin rahogi.”

“Lekin…”

“Itna mat socho. Chalo.”

—

“Dr. Ashutosh,” Nidhi said during their ride back home.

“Hmm?”

“Aapne jo subah kaha…”

“Yeah?”

“Kya aapko mujh par bharosa nahin hai?”

Ashutosh applied brakes and stopped the car.

“Maine aisa to nahin kaha, Nidhi?”

“Main aapke jitni mature nahin hoon shayad, lekin I am not fickle…”

“Hey. Wait. You know what. Tum mujhse zyada hi mature ho. Jitni calmly tum apni problems, apni life ko handle karti ho, jitni kam umra mein tumne apne oopar itni saari responsibilities le li hain, aur unhein nibhaya hai, I don’t know anyone else… No. I didn’t mean anything like that.”

“Phir?”

“Jo maine kaha tha, tum use meri insecurities samjho. Main sure nahin hoon ki main tumhein khush rakh paunga ya nahin, tumhari pasand-napasand mein tumhara saath de paunga ya nahin, tum apni umra ke logon ke saath jis tarah ki cheezein enjoy kar sakti ho, jaisi zindagi ji sakti ho, waisi main tumhein de paunga ya nahin. Meri baat samajh rahi ho na.”

“Aapko kaise bharosa hoga ki main aapke saath khush rahungi.”

“Pata nahin. Lekin shayad mera dil ya destiny mujhe bata degi.”

Nidhi nodded thoughtfully and they drove on.

—

“Tumhein music pasand hai?”

“Haan. Music kise pasand nahin hota.”

“Well… you will be surprised! Kaisa music pasand hai tumhein.”

“Har tarah ka. Kuchh samajh mein nahin aata, lekin main to classical bhi sunti hoon. Indian, Western – sab.”

“Ghazals?”

“Bahut pasand hain.”

“Great! To ek concert hai aaj shaam mein. Chalogi?”

“Wow! Maine kabhi koi live concert attend nahin kiya hai.”

“Phir to aur bhi badhiya hai.”

“Ye aaj hi hai kya? Kal chal sakte hain?”

“Haan. Chal sakte hain. Lekin aaj kya problem hai?”

Nidhi smiled in embarrassment,”Aapko bhi lagega ki mera record hamesha ek hi jagah atka rahta hai?”

“Kahan?”

“Baba ka dinner bana kar nahin aayi hoon. Kal subah hi bana doongi…”

“To ismein embarrass hone ki kya baat hai?”

“Nahin. Bas aise hi… Main aapko sufficient time nahin de paati…”

“I know Nidhi. Aur main to chahta hoon ki tum 24/7 mere saath raho. Lekin tumhein pata hai na ki I love you for what you are, how you care for your family and everyone else. Main nahin chahta ki meri wajah se tum apni responsibilities mein chooko. Main unmein tumhara saath dena chahta hoon. Lekin jab tak tumhare Baba ko pata nahin hai, aisa karna thoda mushkil hai.”

Nidhi nodded.

“Kuchh kahna chahti ho?”

“Main Sunday bhi yahan nahin rahungi…”

“Dadi ke paas jaana hai?”

She nodded.

“Main bhi chalta hoon.”

“Ji?”

“Tumhare gaon. Dadi se milne. Koi problem hai?”

“Nahin. Bilkul nahin. I am sure Baba aur Dadi bahut khush honge.”

“To main Sunday subah tumhein aur Baba ko pick kar loonga.”

“Thank you. That will be very helpful.”

“Come on. Ismein thank you ki kya baat hai?”

“Actually jab se Baba ko heart-attack aaya hai, mujhe dar lagta hai unhein aisa crowded buses mein le jaane mein. Car will be much more comfortable for him.”

“To tumne aaj tak mujhse kaha kyon nahin? Agar main kabhi nahin bhi ja sakta hoon, to driver tumhein le ja sakta hai.”

Nidhi got tears in her eyes and got up from the chair. Ashutosh got worried and also got up.

“Kya hua?”

Nidhi suddenly hugged him and he was startled for a moment, then hugged her back.

“Tum theek ho?” he asked after she broke the hug.

“Main bahut thak gayi hoon. Sab kuchh khud se karte-karte. Mujhe aapka saath chahiye.”

“Nidhi!” Ashutosh was surprised at the way he was expressing herself.

“Aap Baba se baat kijiye. Hamare baare mein.”

“Are you sure, Nidhi?”

“Aur baar-baar ye sawaal mujhse poochhna band kijiye. Bahut der ho chuki hai. Agar aap ab unsure bhi hain, to main aapko peechhe nahin hatne doongi. Aapko mera saath dena hi padega.”

Ashutosh also became emotional. He cupped her face, wiped the tears that had been flowing from her eyes with his thumb and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Tumne mujhe bata diya, bas ab tumhari tension khatm. Main baat karoonga. Okay?”

—

“Dr. Ashutosh. Nidhi aapko zabardasti to nahin le aayi hamare saath? Pagal hui padi thi ki bus mein pareshaani hogi,” Baba asked Ashutosh during their ride to the village.

“Ji nahin. Mera khud ka man tha aane ka. Pichhli baar bahut achchha laga tha yahan aa kar. Aur phir aapki Maa bahut dilchasp hain. Maine socha ki mil loon ek baar aur unka checkup bhi kar loon.”

“Chalo achchha hai.”

Baba kept them busy through out the journey by pointing out the local landmarks and any stories associated with them.

“Baba. Itne kisse to mujhe pata nahin the?” Nidhi was surprised by the time they entered the village.

“Bachpan mein to hum log kitni-kitni door paidal hi jaate the. Sab cheezon par nazar padti rahti thi Nidhi. Ab buses ki bheed-bhaad mein kya dikhata tumhein, aur kya batata.”

—

As expected Nidhi’s Dadi was surrounded many village-woman and children, when they reached.

“Dadi. Dekhiye to kaun aaya hai,” Nidhi said.

“Are. Dr. Ashutosh. Aao bhai aao. Bahut achcha hua jo tum aa gaye. Yahan kuchh bachche bahut beemaar pade hue hain. Zara dekh lete to achchha rahta.”

“Ma. Dum to le lene do,” Baba was embarrassed.

“Nahin,” Ashutosh interrupted, “Hum doctors hain. Jab koi beemaar pada hua ho, to humse aaraam nahin kiya jayega Mr. Verma. Kahan hain bachche, Dadi?”

“Aas-paas hi ghar hain. Poonam – zara inhein le to jao dono gharon mein.”

“Main bhi chalti hoon,” Nidhi said.

“Dr. Nidhi. Maine dawaiyan aur tools car mein rakhe hue hain. Unhein nikalwa lijiye please.”

“Ji.”

—

They came back after treating the children and had elaborate meal preapred by one of the neighbours. Baba decided to lie down for a while before leaving for Lucknow. Ashutosh went behind him.

“Aapse kuchh baat karni thi Mr. Verma.”

“Boliye Dr. Ashutosh.”

Ashutosh handed him a box. Baba recognized it as the box containing the jewelry Ashutosh’ Baba had left for Nidhi.

“Ye kyon de rahe hain aap mujhe?”

“Kyonki main inke badle, rather inke saath, aapse inse bahut zyada keemti cheez maangne ja raha hoon.”

“Main samjha nahin.”

“Main aapse aapki zindagi ki sabse keemti cheez, aapki beti maangna chahta hoon. Main Nidhi se shaadi karna chahta hoon.”

“Kya?” Baba was extremely surprised, “Aise? Achanak? Mujhe to… Nidhi ko pata hai?”

Ashutosh smiled, “Main aur Nidhi ek-doosre se bahut pyaar karte hain. Aur isliye…”

“Haan. Obviously. Main bhi kaise bewkoofi waale sawaal poochh raha hoon. Main Nidhi ko bula kar laata hoon.”

“Aap rukiye. Main jaata hoon.”

Ashutosh returned with Nidhi to the room. He hadn’t told her what the matter was.

“Kya hua Baba?”

“Mujhe mahsoos hua ki meri bachchi bahut badi ho gayi hai.”

“Ji?”

“Tumhein Dr. Ashutosh se shaadi karni hai.”

“Ji?” Nidhi was baffled and looked from Ashutosh to Baba and back, “Aap… Aapne Baba ko bata diya?” She asked nervously.

Baba smiled seeing her nervousness.

“Tumne to meri sabse badi zimmedaari khud poori kar di Nidhi. Main kahan se tumhare liye Dr. Asuhtosh se behtar dulha dhoondhta.”

“Baba!” Nidhi grew emotional.

Baba went forward and put Nidhi’s hand in Ashutsoh’, “Main bahut khush hoon Dr. Ashutosh. Main ise kabhi kuchh nahin de paaya. Balki chhoti si umra se zimmedaariyan hi utha rahi hai. Lekin mujhe poora vishwaas hai ki tum ise woh sab de sakoge, jiski ye haqdaar hai. Ise khush rakhna. Jisne apne boodhe, kamzor baap ke liye itna kuchh kiya hai, mujhe poora vishwaas hai ki tumhein woh kabhi shikayat ka koi mauka nahin degi.”

“Bas kijiye, Baba. Aap aise kyon kah rahe hain? Agar aapne mere Baba ke khilaaf ab ek aur shabd kaha to main kabhi shaadi nahin karoongi.”

“Pagal ladki!” Baba smiled and patted her head, “Chalo. Achchha mauka hai. Tumhari Dadi ko bhi khushkhabri de dete hain.” He walked out leaving Nidhi and Ashutosh alone for a while.

“Aapne mujhe bataya nahin ki aap Baba se aaj hi baat karne waale hain?” Nidhi complained.

“Agar bata deta to tum poore time nervous aur tense rahti.”

“Aap…” Nidhi tried to reply, but realized that he was right. She smiled shyly.

“Chalo. Bahar chalein.”

—

To be continued