Rangnath had invited Ashutosh to his and Anji’s wedding and he had readily agreed surprising everyone. He had never been the one to be seen around in parties or weddings. But since Nidhi had left, he had withdrawn even further. These days it was difficult to draw him out even for any official functions in the hospital.

But on second thoughts, Rangnath realized, it was not so surprising after all. Nidhi was going to attend the wedding. This was the first time she was coming back to Lucknow since her internship had ended. She had refused all earlier requests from Baba, Dadi Bua and Anji. She had secured admission for PG at AIIMS and had stayed on in Delhi. It was finally Anji’s wedding that she could not say no to.

—

“Hello, Dr. Nidhi,” Mallika greeted Nidhi.

“Hello, Dr. Mallika. Kaisi hain aap?”

“Main theek hoon. Aur aap?”

Nidhi just smiled and did not say anything.

“Ashutosh theek nahin hain Nidhi,” Mallika sounded desperate all of a sudden.

“Kya phir se Dr. Hardstone ban gaye hain?” she chuckled sadly.

“Nahin. Unfortunately woh bhi nahin. Pahle kam se kam apne dard ko gusse ki tarah logon par nikaal dete the. Ab woh bhi nahin karte. Children’s ward mein bachchon ke saath jitni der hanste-khelte hain, bas utni der hi lagta hai ki woh ek zinda insaan hain. Uske alaawa zaroori baaton ke alaawa apni zubaan bhi nahin kholte. Aise to maine pahle unhein kabhi nahin dekha. Pahle jab koi cheez chhin jaati thi to woh bitter ho jaate the, obsessed bhi ho jaate the. Unhein woh cheez wapas chahiye hoti thi. Ab to woh Baba ke ghar ke baare mein bhi kabhi baat nahin karte. Dr. Armaan bata rahe the ki…”

“Baba ka ghar? Matlab? Kaun sa ghar?”

“Aapko nahin pata? Ashutosh ke Baba ka ghar jo unke Baba unhein na dekar apne kissi aur rishtedaar ke naam kar gaye the. Shayad apni naatin ke…”

“Unke Baba ki nishaani ek ghar hai?” Nidhi got the shock of her life.

“Haan.”

“Aapko pata hai ki woh ghar kahan hai?”

“Mujhe to nahin pata. Lekin Dr. Armaan ko shayad pata hoga. Unhone hi mujhe bataya tha ki Ashutosh ab uski taraf se bhi udaaseen ho gaye hain…”

“Dr. Armaan hain yahan?”

“Nahin. Woh to abhi Lucknow mein nahin hai.”

“Main unse phone par baat karti hoon. Excuse me, Dr. Mallika.”

Nidhi locked herself in a room and tried to get her thoughts in control.  Was it the same house? She took a deep breath and dialed Armaan’s number. Armaan only had a sketchy idea about the location of the house, but it was enough to confirm her suspicion.

She cried her heart out. Out of remorse. And also out of joy. Remorse because a house that he had pined for was with her all these years. She was the reason of his pain. But she was overjoyed too. Thank God that the house was with her, and not somebody esle. At least there was something she could do for him.

Ashutosh hadn’t come to the wedding yet. Rangnath had told her that he was expected. The house papers were at home. She hadn’t seen any point of taking them to Delhi with her. She never even thought about the house. She hadn’t agreed to sell it simply because there was no pressing reason to sell it. She took one of the cars hired for wedding arrangements, went home and got back with the papers. Ashutosh had still not come.

“Dr. Mallika. Dr. Ashutosh nahin aaye ab tak?”

“Pata nahin Dr. Nidhi. Dr. Rangnath to kah rahe the ki aayenge. Lekin… Phone bhi off hai…”

“Oh!” Was she not going to see him, then?

Anji was mad at her for having disappeared, “Kaisi dost hai tu, Nidhi? Kuchh khayaal bhi hai tujhe meri kya halat ho rahi hai.”

“Sorry Anji. Kuchh zaroori kaam yaad aa gaya tha. Lekin ab tu ghabra mat. Main poori raat tera saath nahin chhodne waali. Jab tak Dr. Rangnath khud mujhe bhaga na dein.”

“Chup kar. Mujhe chidhane se teri galti nahin chhip jayegi. Ab jaldi taiyaar hone mein meri help kar. Ye dekh nail-polish nikal aayi hai. Remover kahan hai?”

“Shaant ho ja, Anji. Main hoon na yahan ab.”

—

Wedding got over at three in the morning. Anji and Rangnath left straight for his house. The arrangements there had been taken care of by the wedding planners and Rangnath’s colleagues from the hospital. Anji understood that with Ashutosh’ absence, Nidhi wasn’t in the most cheerful state. She had still been by her side all night as promised. So, she did not insist when Nidhi excused herself from accompanying her to her new home!

Those who weren’t going with Anji had decided to rest until morning at the wedding venue itself. Nidhi sneaked out of the room she was supposed to be sleeping in and went to the garden. The papers were in her hands. Ashutosh hadn’t turned up at the wedding. His phone was also switched off. What could have happened. Had he fallen sick? But why would his phone be off in that case? He would have informed Rangnath, as a matter of courtesy. Why disappear? If it was to avoid her, why had he accepted to come in the first place?

—

Nidhi looked at her watch. It was five in the morning. Late enough for her to go out. Early enough that the tired wedding attendees would not wake up for at least three to four hours. Before leaving she rummaged through her luggage and took out some CDs.

She drove to his house. Hiraman Kaka opened the door for her and was pleasantly surprised to see her, “Dr. Nidhi. Aap? Aaiye na.”

“Dr. Ashutosh hain?”

“Ashutosh to kal shaam ko shahar se bahar chala gaya. Bataya bhi nahin ki kab lautega. Lekin Armaan abhi wapas aata hoga.”

“Ji. Theek hai. Dr. Armaan se mil kar jaungi.”

“Aaiye please.”

Nidhi exchanged pleasantries with Armaan when he came. Then she finally asked, “Dr. Ashutosh kaise hain?”

Armaan sighed, “Pata nahin. I don’t know, Nidhi. I really don’t.”

“Kya baat hai Dr. Armaan?”

“Pahle bhi kuchh kam complicated nahin tha woh aur us ghar ko lekar uska obsession. Lekin at least ye pata tha ki wohi uska aim hai life mein. Ab to kuchh samajh mein nahin aata. Apne baare mein to kuchh baat hi nahin karta. Itna bhi pooochhoon ki din kaisa raha to baat badal deta hai. Ek baar maine us ghar ki baat chhedi to kahne laga ki nahin chahiye use woh ghar. Agar woh obsessed nahin hai to achchhi baat hai. Lekin aisa lagta hai ki koi aim bhi nahin rah gaya hai uski life mein. Aaj kal to mere jokes par gussata tak nahin hai. Pahle se bhi zyada waqt hospital mein bitata hai. Kya kahoon ki kya baat hai? Aise dekho to kuchh bhi galat nahin hai. Lekin kuchh sahi bhi nahin hai.” Nidhi’s eyes were glued to the floor and she was biting her lips as When he noticed that, he grew apologetic, “I am sorry. Maine aapko pareshaan kar diya.”

“Nahin. Aap sorry kyon bol rahe hain? Aap bas unhein ye packet de dijiyega. Main chalti hoon.”

“Nashta to kar leti…”

“Nahin. Wapas jaana hai. Kissi ko bata kar nahin aayi hoon. Sab jag jayenge to mujhe dhoondhenge…”

“Nidhi,” Armaan spoke again, “Ek aur baat thi.”

“Ji.”

“Mera ye project agle paanch-chah mahinon mein khatm hone waala hai. Uske baad main wapas chala jaunga. Ashutosh aur bhi akela…”

Nidhi looked away, not knowing what to say, but fully understanding the impact of his words.

“Ashutosh naaraaz hoga agar use pata chalega ki maine tumse ye kaha hai. Lekin kya tum apne Baba se baat nahin kar sakti? Koi to tareeka hoga unhein convince karne ka?”

“Mere paas koi plan nahin hai, Dr. Armaan. Lekin itna assure karti hoon ki maine give up nahin kiya hai.”

Nidhi left, but Armaan smiled. There was some hope after all.

—

To be continued