Dhoop Kinare (Adaptation) – Part 33
“Aap thodi der so kyon nahin jaate?” Nidhi said, when they reached his room.
“Nahin Nidhi. Main tumhare saath rahna chahta hoon. Pichhle kuchh dinon se maine…”
“Main yahin hoon,” Nidhi smiled with assurance. When Ashtosh started taking off his coat, Nidhi helped him with it. The ease and familiarity with which she did it made him feel comfortable. He lied down and Nidhi sat beside him. She ran her hands over his eyes in a motherly gesture, making him close them.
He slept for about an hour. When he got up, he saw Nidhi sitting beside him on the other side of the bed. Her back was resting on the headboard, her head supported by a pillow. She was listening to something on her i-pod. Her eyes were closed. Ashutosh sat up slowly so as not to disturb her. She was enjoying the song very much.
The song must have finished, because Nidhi stirred and took the i-pod in her hand to change something, when she noticed Ashutosh. The look in his eyes was different from what she had seen till then. It wasn’t the usual fond or affectionate look he gave to her; not even the exasperated or the protective look that her antics or her problems evoked. Still she recognized the look instantly. It was a look of desire. A desire that she herself felt very strongly, but could not express until he initiated it. Today he was looking at the woman he was incredibly attracted to, not just a companion he was comfortable with.
“Aap… uth gaye. Main chai laati hoon aapke liye.”
Ashutosh nodded. Somewhere in her heart, Nidhi felt disappointed. She was hoping that he would stop her and take her in his arms right then. Her heart ached for his proximity. But he was too much of a gentleman! Always! She let out a sigh as she went out of the room.
—
Ashutosh was standing near the window staring outside, when Nidhi came back with the tea.
“Kya soch rahe hain?” she kept the tea on the table.
He turned back and stared at her. The same look! She felt nervous.
“Kya hua?” she asked not meeting his eyes.
“Soch raha tha ki jo maine uthne ke baad dekha tha woh sach tha ya sapna?”
“Ji?”
“Maine tumhein kabhi bataya Nidhi ki tum kitni khoobsoorat ho?”
“Khoobsoorti aur care to dekhne waale ki aankhon mein hoti hai na?”
“Un aankhon ko sahi training bhi to milni chahiye. Agar kabhi khoobsoorti dekhi hi na ho to aankhein kya pahchaanengi unhein.”
Ashutosh had come very close. Nidhi felt so shy that she closed her eyes. She clenched her fist in an effort to avoid showing what effect he was having on her. But he did not stop. He held her and kissed on her closed eyes. Her fists opened and she lifted her hands to hold him. She needed support.
Her hands instinctively caressed his shoulders and upper arms. The touch drove him mad. He cupped her face and kissed it senselessly all over. Her forehead, her cheeks, chin, tip of the nose, her eyes. Again and again! He was about to kiss her lips when he stopped. Was he going too far too soon?
“Tum mujhe rokogi nahin Nidhi?” he asked in a husky voice still holding her close to himself.
Nidhi opened her eyes and looked at him for a moment, wondering if he was somehow judging her. But she saw nothing like that in his eyes. So, she replied honestly, “Main aapko kabhi nahin rok sakti. Kabhi kissi cheez ke liye mana nahin kar sakti.”
“Lekin tum kya chahti ho?”
“Ye bhi… batana padega…”
“Haan. Main janna chahta hoon.”
“Shayad aapne meri speed aur comfort ko underestimate kar liya hai.”
Ashutosh smiled and bent down to brush her lips with his. She shivered and it drove him crazy. He attacked her lips furiously and thrust his tongue deep into her mouth. Nidhi responded with equal fervour. They were out of breath by the time they finally broke the kiss.
“Chalo. Chai peete hain. Phir bank jaana hai,” Ashutosh suddenly said and went towards the table.
“Bank?” Nidhi was confused and still out of breath.
“Haan. Kuchh kaam hai.”
—
Ashutosh did not tell Nidhi what he brought back in a box from the bank, even when she asked about it. He drove to her home.
As they were about to get down from the car and enter her home, Ashutosh’ mobile rang. It was Sandeep Bagchi again.
“Sandeep… I am sorry. Main abhi aapse nahin mil sakta… Lekin Mallika hospital mein hai… Psychiatric ward mein… Aap doctor ka naam note kar lijiye… Ji haan… Nahin… Woh theek hai…”
Ashutosh looked sad and tired after disconnecting the call.
“Aap phir pareshaan ho gaye? Agar aap jaana chahte hain to…”
“Nahin Nidhi. Meri zindagi mein ab priorities clear hain. Chalo. Baba se baat karni hai.”
—
“Baba. Aap kuchh beemaar se dikh rahe hain?”
“Bilkul nahin. Ekdum tandurust hoon.”
“Maine aapke maathe ki jhurriyan gini thi. Do-chaar zyada dikh rahi hain. Koi pareshaani hai?”
“Sawaal hi nahin paida hota hai. Jhurriyan koi nahin hain mere maathe par.”
“Lekin pareshaani to hai. Aur mujhe pata hai ki kya pareshaani hai.”
Baba didn’t say anything, just looked at him questioningly.
“Baba. Main bas ye kahna chahta hoon ki Nidhi ki parvarish aapne bahut achchhe se ki hai, aur uski taraf aapne apne saare farz bahut achchhe se nibahye hain. Ab aapko uski chinta karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai. Kam se kam,” he paused to take a breath, “uski shaadi aur uske intzaam ki to bilkul nahin.”
“Ye baat achanak…”
“Baba. Pahli baat to shaadi ki koi jaldbaazi nahin hai. Abhi uske saamne bahut se kaam hain. Internship hai. PG ki taiyaari hai, phir uski padhai. In sabke beech mein shaadi ki tension nahin honi chahiye. Aur doosre, jab bhi shaadi karni hai, tab aapko kuchh karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Uske liye hum log hain. Aap bas use ek cheez de dein, jisse use saari khushiyan, saare aashirwaad mil jayenge.”
Ashutosh got up and gave the box he had brought from the bank to Baba, “Uski Mummy ke gahne.”
Baba didn’t say anything for a few moments. Then he started to speak, “Ashutosh…”
“Nahin. Kuchh mat kahiye,” Ashutosh stopped him.
Baba smiled, his eyes moistening, “Main to kuchh nahin kahunga. Mujhe to andaaza tha. Lekin is pagli ko to dekho. Kuchh bhi nahin pata tha ise. Dekho kaise aankhein phaad phaad kar dekh rahi hai aur ro bhi rahi hai.”
Ashutosh looked at Nidhi. Baba’s description was accurate. Nidhi was overwhelmed and crying.
“Ek aur locker par kyon kharcha kiya jaye. Inhein wahi rakh do Ashutosh jahan ab tak rakhe the. Iske hain, ise hi de dena. Mujhe to kuchh nahin kahna. Shayad ise kahna hoga,” Baba said and went inside leaving Ashutosh and Nidhi alone in the hall.
“Hey Nidhi. Kya hua?” Ashutosh said in a soft voice. He went forward and wiped her tears, “Ro kyon rahi ho?”
Nidhi started smiling and crying together. “Aapne… ye sab… kyon kiya itna kuchh?”
“Look who is talking. Pagli. Tum mere Baba ka ghar mujhe bhi bechne ko taiyaar nahin thi. Main tumhari Mummy ke gahne kissi aur ko kaise bech deta. Ab rona band karo. Come on.”
She leaned forward and hugged him tight. He hugged her back.
They were disturbed by someone coughing. They hastily separate to see Rohan coming in.
“Excuse me? Dr. Ashutosh. Dhokha to kal aapne mujhe diya tha. Dinner se bhaag kar. Aur make-up Nidhi ke saath ho raha hai? Not fair.”
Ashutosh smiled in embarrassment, but Nidhi replied, “Aisi koi problem nahin hai Rohan. Dr. Ashutosh tumhein bhi hug kar sakte hain.”
“Nahin… nahin ji. Main aise hi theek hoon. Aap hug offer karti to aur baat thi. Ab jab aap khush hain to inhein to maine aise hi maaf kar diya.”
“Lekin as a compensation, next time meri taraf se dinner,” Ashutosh said.
“Kab?”
“Kal hi chalte hain.”
“Aaj kyon nahin?”
Ashutosh and Nidhi exchanged a glance. They had not talked about it, but Ashutosh wanted to take Nidhi out and she understod that.
“Rohan!” Nidhi chided him.
“Okay ji. Bilkul okay. Main aaj kabab mein haddi bilkul nahin banoonga. Aap log achchhe se make-up kar lijiye. Mere liye Chhote Sarkar ka hi khana theek hai.”
—
To be continued