“Kya main aapse mil sakti hoon?” Nidhi called Ashutosh up.

“Of course. Ismein poochhne ka kya hai, Nidhi. Jaldi se theek ho kar hospital wapas aa jao…”

“Nahin. Mujhe abhi milna hai.”

“Main bhi milna chahta hoon, Nidhi, lekin Baba ko kya bologi? Phone par baat kar sakte hain na…”

“Mere ghar ke paas ek park hai. Main aaj shaam paanch baje wahan evening walk ke liye aaungi. Aapko hospital se jaldi nikalna padega…”

“Theek hai. Main aa jaunga,” Ashutosh himself was eager to meet her. Maintaining a facade of detachment and calm understanding to keep her out of trouble had not been easy. So, despite his uptight morales advising against any kind of deception to Baba, he grabbed the opportunity Nidhi offered.

—

“Hi,” Ashutosh greeted her with a smile and sat down beside her on a bench.

“Aap Baba ka reaction anticipate kar rahe the, aisa laga mujhe. To kya aap bhi unki baat se agree karte hai?”

“Kissi ko samajhna usse agree karna to nahin hota, Nidhi? Main to ab Mallika ke kaam bhi anticipate kar leta hoon, jo woh tumhein pareshaan karne ke liye karti hai.”

She smiled slightly at that. Then returned to her question, “Agar aisa nahin hai to phir aap itne dinon se kyon mujhe…”

“…khud se door kiye hue tha?”

She nodded.

“Nidhi. Kya tum kabhi apne Baba ke khilaaf ja kar khush rah paogi? Apne parivaar se door jaana manzoor hoga tumhein?”

She shook her head. Tears clouded her eyes as she anticipated Ashutosh was spelling out the unsolvable problem.

“To Maine tumhein sahi hi samjha tha Nidhi. Jis dorahe par tum aaj khadi ho, main tumhein wahan nahin laana chahta tha.”

“Lekin main aapke bina bhi nahin rah sakti,” she whined childishly. Was she hoping for miracle?.

“Bilkul rah sakti ho. Aur rahogi,” Ashutosh said, ostensibly with confidence. But a sharp pain in his throat and chest threatened the façade.

Nidhi shook her head vigorously, like a child insistent upon buying a toy he had taken fancy to.

“Nidhi please,” Ashutosh pleaded, “Tumhein kya lagta hai ye sab kahna ya karna mere liye aasaan hai. Jab se main ye faisla lene par majboor ho gaya hoon ki tumhein khud se door karna hai, tab se main ek-ek pal mein jaane kitni mautein mara hoon. Nidhi. Tumhari zindagi mein to Baba hain, tumhari family hai, dost hain. Mere paas? Mere paas tumhare alaawa koi nahin hai. To batao main kya karoon? Kya apni zindagi ka khalipan bharne ke liye tumse ye kahoon ki tum apne Baba ko chhod kar mere paas aa jao? Apni khushiyon ke liye tumhari khushiyon ka gala ghot doon? Tumhare Baba ko ghut-ghut kar marne ke liye chhod doon? Aur maan lo ki main ye sab kar bhi loon, to kya uske baad main khud khush rah paunga? Help me, Nidhi. Don’t make it so difficult for me. Please help me.”

The tirade had its effect. His vulnerability mutated her from a petulant child to a mature woman. “I am sorry. Aap please aise pareshaan mat hoiye. Main bachchon ki tarah zidd kar rahi thi.”

“Nidhi. Mahine bhar ki baat hai. Phir hamare raaste alag hone hi hain. Kya tum mujhse ek waada karogi?”

“Aap Jo kahenge main karoongi.”

Oh yes! Pretend that your life is not going to be turned upside down after this. Both of them had some variation of this thought in their heads, laced with helplessness, and some bitterness too, at the situation. The price you pay for being sensitive and mature!

“To Nidhi mujhse waada karo ki sabse pahle to tum apna khayaal rakhogi. Jo tumne apni health ke saath kiya hai pichhle dinon mein woh dubara nahin hoga.”

Nidhi nodded with a small, apologetic smile.

“Aur waada karo ki apne career par mehnat karogi. Maine pahle bhi tumse kaha hai ki mujhe tumme ek bahut achchi doctor banne ki capability dikhti hai. Aur main tumhein is profession ki peak par dekhna chahta hoon.”

“Main kahan tak pahunch paungi, ye to mujhe nahin pata. Lekin meri koshishon mein koi kami nahin rahegi, ye waada karti hoon.”

“Aur ek aakhiri baat,” Ashutosh said and paused before continuing, “Tum young ho, Nidhi. Tumhari zindagi mein aur log aayenge. Mujhse waada karo ki tum apni zindagi mein aage badhne ki koshish karogi. Meri wajah se  tumhari zindagi rukni nahin chahiye.”

“Don’t be so harsh on me, Dr. Ashutosh,” Nidhi was, at least midly, offended, “Ye waada main nahin kar sakti. Haan. Jis din aap aage badh jayenge, mujhe bata dijiyega. Shayad tab main bhi seekh jaungi ki aisa kaise karte hain. Itna kuchh aaj tak aapse hi to seekha hai.”

“Nidhi…”

“No, Dr. Ashutosh. Please.”

Ashutosh sighed and refrained from insisting further.

“Kuchh meri bhi farmaishein hain, Dr. Ashutosh.”

That made Ashutosh smile, “Bolo.”

“Pahli baat to ye ki…” she gulped before she was able to continue, “mere jaane ke baad…” and then stopped.

“Yeah. Tumhare jaane ke baad… We have to get used to it, Nidhi. Batao.”

“Aap wapas se Dr. Hardstone nahin ban jayenge. Thoda-bahut hansna achchhi baat hoti hai.”

Ashutosh laughed slightly, then became serious, “Mushkil hai. Lekin koshish karoonga.”

“Aur…”

“Aur?”

“Aur jo ek mahina hamare paas hai, who main aise nahin guzaarna chahti. Aise hichakte hue, ek-doosre se bhaagte hue, darte hue. Main khush rahna chahti hoon. Aur iske liye hamein kuchh bhi aisa karne ki zaroorat nahin hai jisse Baba ko taqleef ho, ya kissi aur ko. Bas… aapse dher saari baatein karna chahti hoon. Kya ye ho sakta hai?” She had started out confidently, but became uncertain towards the end, and her voice trailed off. She felt that he would refuse. The feeling turned to certainty, when he did not respond for a while and looked intently at her. “I know…” she spoke again, “It was a bad idea… Sorry… Rahne dijiye… Main… main aapko bilkul bhi pareshaan nahin karoongi…”

“Tum mujhe pareshaan nahin karogi, Nidhi, to Dr. Hardstone na banne ki motivation kahan se aayegi mere paas? Pareshaan to tumhein mujhe karna hi padega. Bas ek shart hai.”

“Kya?” Nidhi beamed,

“Mere liye chai laani padegi.”

Nidhi giggled as she replied, “Button daba kar hi na? Chalega.”

Ashutosh smiled, “Shaam ho rahi hai. Tumhein wapas jaana chahiye. Thandh badh jayegi. See you in the hospital.”

“Main parson wapas aa rahi hoon.”

“Lekin…”

“Not a day more, Dr. Ashutosh.”

—

To be continued