“So? How was the midnight hospital date?” Armaan asked Ashutosh when he went home at the breakfast time to change.
“Tujhe kya ho gaya hai, Armaan?”
“Mujhe kyon kuchh hone laga, Dr. Ashutosh? Hua to aapko hai?”
“Achchha! Mujhe kya hua hai?”
“Kambakht ishq.”
“Bakwaas mat kar, Armaan.”
“Come on, Ashu. Ye hamari umra nahin rahi hai in maamlon mein luka-chhipi khelne ka aur blush karne ki?”
“Right Armaan. To tujhe ye bhi samajh mein aata hoga ki ye meri umra nahin hai ek 24 saal ki ladki se pyaar karne ki.”
“Indeevar sahab bahut pyaar se likh gaye the aur Jagjit Singh ji ne badi achchhi aawaaz mein gaaya hai – Na umra ki seema ho… Aur unki saari mehnat par tu paani pher raha hai aisi baatein kar ke. Use bhi ghazalon ka shauk hai na? I think usne bhi suna hoga. Nidhi tujhse pyaar karti hai Ashutosh. Don’t fool yourself.”
“I know.”
“Phir? Problem kya hai?”
“Problem ye hai, Armaan, ki ye sab cheezein ghazalon mein, gaanon mein achchhi lagti hain. Real life ke sawaal different hote hain.”
“Jaise?”
“Jaise compatibility? Uski umra mein use jin cheezon mein interest hoga, unmein main kahan interest le paunga, uske doston mein kahan hil-mil paunga? Hazaron cheezein hoti hain, Armaan.”
“Usse baat to kar.”
“Theek hai. Maan lo ki hamare beech sab theek hai. We are compatible and we can adjust. Lekin Nidhi ki situation mere jaisi nahin hai, Armaan. Ki na koi aage, na koi peechhe. She has a family behind her. And a loving family on that. Armaan – woh kabhi nahin maanenge is rishte ke liye. Mujhe kissi se koi matlab nahin hai. Lekin unke rishtedaar honge, samaaj hoga, jinhein unhein jawaab dena padega. Aur in sabke beech phansega kaun? Nidhi, right? Main kabhi nahin chahunga ki meri wajah se use apne Baba ke khilaaf jaana pade. Woh dono ek doosre se itna pyaar karte hain, main tumhein bata nahin sakta. Main ye bhi nahin chahunga ki meri wajah se Nidhi ya uske parivaar par koi ungliyan uthaye. Main itna selfish nahin ho sakta, Armaan.”
“Par woh kya chahti hai?”
“She is too young. Is umra mein log plan nahin karte, future ki nahin sochte. Unhein lagta hai ki poori duniya unke kadmon ke neeche hai. No, Armaan. It won’t do to hold her to what she wants now. Ye decision lene ka time nahin hai uska. Kitni duniya dekhi hai usne abhi?”
“Tumse reason out kar ke jeetna mushkil hai Ashutosh. Lekin mera dil kahta hai ki tum ye sahi nahin kar rahe ho. Itne dinon baad khushiyan aayi hain tumhari zindagi mein…”
“Aur main unhein le kar selfish nahin ho sakta, Armaan.”
—
“Dr. Nidhi ne party ki arrangement kaafi achchhi ki thi,” Mallika took Ashutosh by surprise by saying this in a matter-of-fact tone. But he did not react. He just smiled and did not say anything.
“Tumne bataya kyon nahin ki party woh host kar rahi thi?” she prodded again.
“Kyonki woh host nahin kar rahi thi Mallika. Armaan kar raha tha. Usne Armaan ki help zaroor ki.”
“Come on, Ashutosh. Ab tum mujhse jhooth bologe?”
“Main jhooth kyon bolunga, Mallika? Kaisi baatein kar rahi ho?”
“Baatein main karoon ya na karoon, duniya karegi, Ashutosh. Tumhein andaaza to hai na ki Dr. Nidhi shayad tumse aadhi umra ki hain.”
“To?”
“To? To tumhara ye rishta samaaj ki nazron mein wahiyaat, inappropriate aur disgusting hoga.”
“Mallika!” Ashutosh grew angry.
“Mujh par chillane se kuchh nahin hoga, Ashutosh. Main bas apna farz samajhti hoon ki tumhein aagaah kar doon…”
“Mallika,” Ashutosh spoke calmly now, “Waise to meri life mein kya ho raha hai, ye mujhe kissi ko explain karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Lekin Dr. Nidhi in cheezon mein entangle na ho jayen, is liye tumse bol raha hoon. Nidhi aur mere beech koi rishta nahin hai.”
“Rishta nahin hai, Ashutosh, to Dr. Nidhi Verma se Nidhi ka safar usne itni jaldi kaise tay kar liya? Jis ladki ko tum hospital mein bhi bardasht nahin kar sakte the, who tumhare ghar tak kaise pahunch gayi?”
“Look, Mallika. It’s no secret that she has a friendly disposition. Aur thodee chanchal hai. Sabke saath hansti, khelti hai, shararatein karti hai. She can draw any one out of their shells. I am no exception. Aur isse zyada main kuchh explain nahin kar raha.”
“Barah saalon se jaanti hoon tumhein,” Mallika’s eyes were moist, “Aur aaj tum use defend karne ke liye meri feelings ko hurt kar rahe ho. Lekin tumhare saamne kya shikayat karoon main? Mera dard kab dikhayi diya hai tumhein?” Mallika got up to leave.
“Mallika. Agar maine tumhara dil dukhaya hai to iski zimmedaari meri hai. Nidhi ka, ya kissi aur ka, isse koi lena-dena nahin hai. Aur Mallika, mera aur Nidhi ka koi bhi rishta ho, meri zindagi mein koi ho ya nahin ho. Lekin usse tumhari jagah meri zindagi mein nahin badalti. At least meri nazaron mein to nahin. Main tumhari dosti ki kadra karta raha hoon, aur hamesha karoonga. Lekin we can’t be anything else to each other. Ek registaan doosre registaan se paani nahin maang sakta. Main tumhari tanhaiyon ko, tumhari taqleefon ko door nahin kar sakta, Mallika. We will be terrible together.”
“Kaash! Kabhi tum meri nazaron se bhi dekh paate Ashutosh. Lekin ye tumhaare wash ki baat nahin hai. Pata nahin Dr. Nidhi ke saath bhi kya karoge? Mujhe barah saalon mein nahin samjhe. Unhein kya barah mahinon mein samajh jaoge?” With this Mallika left his office leaving him behind with his thoughts. He wasn’t affected by most of the things Mallika had said. But he did wonder if more people had noticed him and Nidhi and whether the rumours and gossips were indeed going to start doing their nefarious job.
—
“Sir, aapko ye to manna hi padega ki aapka ghar party dene ke liye ekdum perfect hai. Itna bada lawn hai – outdoor party ho sakti hai. Aur itna bada aur well-lit hall hai. Indoor party bhi ho sakti hai.”
Nidhi had come to discuss a case file, had brought tea for him and her visits to his office were never over without a little of her pointless, but pleasant chatter.
“To aap kya propose kar rahi hain?”
“Aapko har weekend par party karni chahiye.”
“Dr. Nidhi. Maine ek party de di, usse hi kaafi log shock mein hain. Main har weekend par party karoonga to logon ko heart attack aa jayega aur shahar ke saare hospitals mein jagah kam pad jayegi.”
“Ye to aapne Dr. Armaan ka joke chori kar liya.”
“To? Logon ko heart attack dilwane ka haq sirf aapka hai?”
Nidhi blushed for a moment, but that didn’t stop her from retorting, “Meri kahan mazaal ki main kissi ko heart attack doon. Who kaam to aapka hi hai. Ek baar gusse se dekhenge to achchhe-achchho ko heart attack aa jayega.”
“Ye aap kah rahi hain? Aapko to mere gusse se zaraa bhi dar nahin lagta.”
“Ye kisne kaha?”
“Dikh raha hai. Aaj kal aap PG ki preparation par kam dhyaan deti hain, aur parties par ya gappein maarne par zyaada.”
Nidhi’s face fell at his accusations. “Aisi baat nahin hai. Lekin agar aapko aisa laga to aage se aapko shikayat ka koi mauka nahin milega.” Then she felt the need to clarify, “Lekin haan. Aapke gusse se dar kar main PG ki preparation nahin kar rahi thi. Gussa kar ke mujhse koi kuchh nahin karwa sakta.”
“Hey Nidhi. I know!” Ashutosh said in a soft and earnest voice, “Main mazaak kar raha tha.”
Nidhi smiled, but she was still unhappy about what he had said.
“Lagta hai aap sach mein bura maan gayi. I will have to compensate. Chaliye, aapko coffee pilata hoon.”
“Ye canteen ki coffee se kaam nahin chalega. Kahin bahar chalna padega.”
She was too straight-forward. Direct! Despite himself Ashutosh realized that it made him even more fond of her, and not less.
“That’s too much Dr. Nidhi,” he tried to dissuade.
“Mujhe koi jaldi nahin hai. Jab aapko ye too-much na lage, tab pee lenge. Bye Sir.”
He smiled and shook his head after she left. How difficult it was to not love this girl. But the very next moment, his face stiffened. He couldn’t do that. He, thankfully, had a good alibi in her PG preparations. He would keep her away from himself by asking her to spend more time on it
—
To be continued