Ashutosh was now grinning in amusement, “Main samajh gaya ki aapka calendars ka aur solar system ka knowledge bahut achchha hai, lekin hum achanak ye kyon discuss kar rahe hain?”

“Aapko ye samjhaane ke liye ki given this mess, ye unlikely hai ki humme se koi bhi apna birthday exact us din manata hai, jab sun ke hisaab se manana chahiye. Birthday par ek calendar date daalna sirf celebrate karne ka bahana hota hai. To bas hamare paas aapki birthday celebrate karne ke liye bhi ek date ka bahana hai. Aur kya chahiye hoga?”

His grin had turned into a sweet, admiring smile by the time Nidhi had finished. “Tumse  jeetna namumkin hai Nidhi,” he said throwing his hands up in a gesture of accepting defeat.

“To phir party kahan hai?”

“Party?”

“Haan. Birthday ki party. Gifts muft mein nahin milte hain.”

“Are. Nahin Dr. Nidhi. Birthday party… Maine kabhi nahin…”

“To kya hua? Har cheez pahli baar to hoti hai na? Aap chinta mat kijiye. Maine apni duty exchange kar li hai. Mere paas poora din hai. Main saara intezaam kar doongi.”

“Kahan?”

“Aapke ghar par?”

“Ghar par?”

“Haan. Maine Dr. Armaan se baat ki hai. Who meri madad kar denge.”

“Aapne to poori team khadi kar di hai mere khilaaf.”

“Is team mein koi bhi aapke khilaaf nahin hai. Aap unhein saath le kar chalne ki koshish to kijiye.”

“To mujhe kya karna hai?”

“Aap bas senior doctors ko invite kar lijiye aur apne personal friends ko. Shaam mein 7 baje. Boliyega ki Dr. Armaan host kar rahe hain. Baaki ke staff ko invite karne ka kaam main khud dekh loongi ya interns se karwa loongi.”

“Back out karne ka koi option hai?”

“Nahin. Bye Dr. Ashutosh. Aap please 6.30 tak ghar pahunch jaiyega.”

After she had left, Asuhtosh opened the gift she had brought for him. It was a nice, blue tie. Ashutosh could not help smiling. He had just placed the tie in his drawer when Mallika entered. Ashutosh felt annoyed that she didn’t knock before coming, but he greeted her courteously.

“Hi Mallika.”

“Hi Ashutosh. Kya baat hai? Itni broad smile. Bade khush dikh rahe ho.”

“Khush hone ka pata nahin. Lekin jo main abhi tumse kahne ja raha hoon, usse tum bhi utni hi surprised ho jaogi, jitna ki main hoon.”

“Achchha. Aisa kya hai?”

“Aaj shaam 7 baje mere ghar par party hai and you must come.”

“Party?” Mallika was incredulous, “Tum party de rahe ho Ashutosh? Kis liye?”

“Meri birthday ke liye.”

“Birthday? Tumhari? Tumhein pata bhi hai ki…” Mallika stopped herself just in time from blurting out that he didn’t even know his birthday. Ashutosh looked hurt for a split second, but it didn’t last.

He replied with child-like enthusiasm, “Celebrate karne ka bahana chahiye Mallika. Date ki authenticity ka main kuchh nahin kar sakta. Aur usse kya farq padta hai?”

“Yes. Of course,” responded Mallika in embarrassment, “It’s great. Lekin party ka idea aaya kaise tumhein? Tumhein maine kitni baar kaha tha…”

“Mallika. Aam khane se matlab rakho. Ped ginne se nahin. Armaan arrange kar raha hai. I hope to see you at 7. Abhi kuchh kaam tha? Mujhe ward mein jaana hai.”

“Nahin. Koi kaam nahin tha. Main to aise hi aayi thi. Main bhi chalti hoon. Will see you in the evening.”

—

Nidhi had juidiciously made Armaan play the host in the party so that no one should know that she was the one who had planned it. The guests were yet to come. She changed into a calf-length black dress for the party and waited for Ashutosh to get ready. When he came out, they stood staring at each other for a few seconds.

She looked very different. And it wasn’t just her dress. There was a marked difference in the impression she made. She had always enchanted Aashutosh by her girlish innocent beauty. Even when she had walked into Armaan’s tea-party wearing the blue saree and the high heals, creating a facade of mature looks, she had been able to maintain it only until she had lost her balance on the heals. But today… today she looked confidence personified. The confidence with which she had barged into his office with a birthday gift, the confidence with which she had already planned everything with Armaan and didn’t let him back out, the confidence with which she had explained to him why the authenticity of the date did not matter, all of it was oozing out of her. Along with all this, the black, sleeveless dress, which along with matching accessories created a sensual contrast against her skin, made her look… so… mature… and… desirable. Desirable! Ashutosh flushed as he the right word struck his mind and broke his gaze. He did complement her though, “Aap bahut achchhi lag rahi hain.”

“Aap bhi,” she replied happily. He was wearing the tie she had gifted him.

Ashutosh noticed her footwear and ended up asking, “To ab apko heals pahanne mein problem nahin hoti?”

“Ye? Ye heals nahin hai Dr. Ashutosh. Platforms hain. Ye aage se bhi oonche hote hain, to dikkat nahin hoti hai.”

“I see,” Ashutosh grinned foolishly.

They didn’t realize that Armaan was also there and had watched them stare at each other. He interjected at this point, “Koi hamari bhi taareef kar de zara.”

Ashutosh was baffled for a moment on hearing Armaan’s voice, but Nidhi was in control, “Aap to party ke centre of attention banne waale hain, Dr. Armaan.”

“Kahar to aap dha rahi hain, Dr. Nidhi. Mujhe to kya lagta hai Ashutosh, ki party khatam hote hote tak haemin saare guests ko emergency mein admit karwana padega aur hum sab logon ko night duty karni padegi.”

“Kya matlab?”

“Matlab inhein dekh kar sab logon ko heart attack jo aane waala hai?”

“Dr. Armaan!” Nidhi blushed and chided him.

“Khair chalo. Chalte hain. Party lawn mein hai Ashutosh. Aur guests ab aate hi honge.”

“Aap log chaliye. Main Hiraman Kaka ke saath ek baar kaam dekh leti hoon ki sab cheezein taiyaar hain ya nahin,” Nidhi said and stayed back. Nothing really needed to be checked up, but she did not want to be seen as the host. She had planned to slip into the party after it was already crowded so that no one would know that she had been there the entire day.

—

“Are Nidhi. Sabko bula kar tu khud kaise late ho gayi,” Priyanka asked Nidhi when she spotted her in the party. Nidhi liked the question. It meant that people hadn’t noticed her coming out of Ashutosh’ house itself.

“Ghar chali gayi thi change karne. Isliye der ho gayi.”

“Ekdum hot lag rahi hai.”

“Chup kar.”

Nobody had indeed noticed her, except Mallika. Ashutosh throwing a party or even agreeing to let Armaan throw one, that too for his birthday, was not like him at all. Mallika had known him for far too long to believe that it was Armaan’s doing. Even when Ashutosh was, otherwise, a happy-go-lucky person, he had never celebrated his birthday. Not in the college, not afterwards! So, when Ashutosh evaded answering her about the party earlier in the day, it didn’t take her long to do the arithmetic. Nidhi had exchanged her day-duty for night-shift. After reaching the party, Mallika looked for Nidhi everywhere. And she did find her. Coming out surreptitiously from a side door of the house. But it took her a while to corner Nidhi.

“I’m impressed, Dr. Nidhi.”

“Ji?”

“Ashutosh ko party ke liye, aur who bhi birthday party ke liye manana aasaan kaam nahin tha.”

“Ye aap mujhse kyon kah rahi hain?”

“Jiska kaam ho, tareef bhi to uski hi karni padegi.”

“Party Dr. Armaan ne di hai.”

“Dr. Armaan to Ashutosh ke saath bachpan se hain, Dr. Nidhi. Aaj tak to koi party nahin hui? Party to tab hui jab aapne kaha. Aur apni duty exchange kar ke uski taiyaariyan bhi ki. Kyon?”

Nidhi sighed, “Whatever. Jab party ho rahi hai, to ye court laga kar baithne ki bajay aap party enjoy kyon nahin karti?”

“Bahut tez zubaan hai aapki? Control mein rakhiye. Ashutosh ko badtamiziyan bardasht karne ki aadat nahin.”

“Aur woh badtamiziyan deserve karte bhi nahin.”

“Kahna kya chahti hain aap?” Nidhi had essentially told her that she deserved the insult and rudeness, “Ye mat bhooliye ki main aapki senior hoon…”

“Yahan nahin, Dr. Mallika, yahan nahin. Phir agar aap apni seniority ki maryada nahin nibhayengi aur mujhe badtamizi karne par majboor karengi to hospital mein bhi ye cover nahin rahega aapke paas,” Nidhi walked off leaving a fuming Mallika behind.

“Dr. Ashutosh. Mujhe nikalna hoga,” Nidhi found Ashutosh after a while.

“Kyon?” Ashutosh’ face fell, “Abhi to sab log yahin hain…”

“Meri duty ka time ho raha hai. Maine exchange ki thi na.”

“Ohh!” he, obviously, could not ask her to be late for the duty.

“I hope aapne enjoy kiya party ko,” she said looking eager.

“Ab tak to bahut kiya,” Ashutosh openly admitted his liking for her presence.

Nidhi blushed, “Aage bhi karenge. Itne log hain yahan. Mujhe to pata bhi nahin tha ki aap hospital ke bahar itne logon ko jaante honge.”

Ashutosh laughed, “Zindagi ke is padav par jaanne waale logon ki kami nahin hoti Dr. Nidhi. Pahchanne waale log nahin milte. Khair. Hospital ke liye late nahin hona chahiye aapko.”

“Ji. Chalti hoon,” she turned to go away when he called her.

“Nidhi!”

She turned back and looked at him questioningly.

He smiled, very slightly; but enough to tell her that he was genuine in what he said next, “Thanks a lot!”

—

To be continued