“Dr. Mallika. Aapne mujhe bulaya?”

“Yes Dr. Nidhi. Socha saath mein coffee pi jaye.”

“Achchha!” Nidhi knew that wasn’t her motive.

“Waise zara apna haath to dikhaiye Dr. Nidhi. Aapki luck line zaroor bahut strong hogi. Kabhi lottery lagi hai aapki?”

“Nahin,” Nidhi said dryly and walked towards the coffee machine.

“Dr. Ashutosh ki personality bahut hi charming hai, magnetic hai” Mallika came to the point, “Unki taraf attract hote logon ko der nahin lagti.”

Nidhi got the coffee and sat across her on a chair. She did not react to what Mallika had said. So, Mallika continued, “Aur phir woh ameer bhi to bahut hain?”

“So?”

“Anyway. Ye to aap jaanti hain.”

“Ye aap mujhse zyada jaanti hain shayad.”

“Haan. Ashutosh ko mujhse zyada koi nahin jaanta. Isliye tumhein samjhaane ki koshish kar rahi hoon. Don’t waste your time Nidhi. Warna ek din pachhtaogi.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Samajh jaogi. Lekin tab tak bahut der ho chuki hogi. Tum kabhi bhi is age-gap ko khatam nahin kar sakti Nidhi. And if you tried, which I think you will, then…”

“Aap ye sab kyon suna rahi hain mujhe?”

“Agar tum galat raaste par chalo, to mera haq hai ki main tumhein rokoon.”

“Ji nahin. Maine ye haq aapko kabhi nahin diya hai. And you don’t have to worry about me Dr. Mallika. Lekin achchha kiya ki aapne ye baat seedhe seedhe kar li. You are right. I like Dr. Ashutosh. And I don’t care ki woh mujhse pyaar karte hain ya nahin, kabhi bhi karenege ya nahin, ya phir woh mujhse kitne bade hain. Kyonki pyaar koi business nahin hota, Len-den nahin hota. Aapne apni life mein pyaar ke badle hamehsa kuchh paane ki koshish ki hai. Shayad isliye itni disappoint hui hain.”

Nidhi walked out of the room, not realizing that Ashutosh was standing near the door listening to her conversation with Mallika.

—

Ashutosh was away for three days to attend All India Medical Convention (AIMC) in Mumbai. He had been away for only a day till then, but Nidhi missed him. She realized how she had gotten used to his presence. Especially in the recent days, he had been around almost all the time she was on duty. Nidhi smiled at the bitter-sweet pain she felt.

Her duty was about to get over. She went to the notice board to check when she had to come back and for which ward. What she saw there surprised her.

She went to look for Dr. Mallika to clarify. But could not find her. She ran into Dr. Rangnath though.

“Dr. Rangnath. Ye meri duty agle do dinon ke liye…”

“Record room mein hai Dr. Nidhi.”

“Lekin iska kya matlab hai? Why do you need a doctor in the record room? Ye to clerical kaam hai. Koi bhi staff kar sakta hai.”

“I know Dr. Nidhi. Maine Dr. Mallika se kaha bhi tha, lekin woh nahin maani.”

“Aur woh abhi hain bhi nahin yahan.”

“Yeah. I think aap kal to aa hi jaiye. Phir woh aas paas hon to unse baat kar lijiye.”

“Okay.”

—

Nidhi’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Ashutosh entering the record room. It was the first glimpse she had gotten of him after four days. He was surprised to see her there though and stopped in his tracks.

“Dr. Nidhi,” Ashutosh also smiled widely, “Aap yahan kya kar rahi hain?”

“Meri duty yahan lagi hai.”

“Duty? Record room mein?” Ashutosh was surprised, “Aisa kya kaam hai yahan?”

“Kuchh khaas nahin. Patients ki files update karni hain.”

“Lekin…” Ashutosh was about to say that it didn’t need a doctor to be there. Then he realized that it must be Mallika’s doing.

“Anyway. I will see you later,” he said, picked up the files he needed and went out of the room.

Nidhi wanted to talk to him. But she could not hold him back in the reord room, obviously. She looked at her watch. She could take a break in another ten minutes.

—

Nidhi was about to walk into Ashutosh’ room with a cup of tea, when his controlled, but angry voice made her stop in her tracks, “Mallika. Record room mein ek doctor ki duty lagane ki kya zaroorat hai?”

“Agar tum Dr. Nidhi Verma ki baat kar rahe ho to woh wahin theek hain.”

“Koi bhi doctor wahan theek nahin hai Mallika. This will not be done. I will not allow is here.”

“To tum mere kaam mein interfere karoge?”

“Yes Mallika,” Ashutosh said and it was at this moment that Nidhi came to his office, but stopped at the door on hearing his voice, “Apni dosti ke liye main unprofessionalism bardasht nahin kar sakta. Tum Dr. Nidhi ke baare mein personally kya sochti ho, ya main kya sochta hoon, that doesn’t matter in this hospital. Only things that matter are what are professionally right and what are good for the patients and the hospital. No further dicussions on this Dr. Mallika. Let her complete today’s duty, but this must not happen again. Thank you.”

Nidhi realized that Mallika would be coming out of his office anytime. So, she moved away from there to avoid any awkward confrontation.

‘Tum Dr. Nidhi ke baare mein personally kya sochti ho, ya main kya sochta hoon, that doesn’t matter in this hospital,’ she recalled Ashutosh’ word and murmured, “Kya sochte hain aap mere bare mein Dr. Ashutosh?” She looked at the tea she had carried for him, smiled and took a sip from it.

—