“Ab aap to wapas hospital jayenge aur main ghar par bore ho jaungi. Internship khatam hone ke baad hospital mein kaam nahin kar sakte kya?”
“Well… Kar to sakte hain Nidhi. Lekin mera suggestion ye hai ki tum abhi kuchh din aaraam kar lo. Phir PG ki padhai aur ward-duties shuru ho jayengi. Bahut hectic hota hai. Uske baad tumhein koi aaraam nahin milne waala.”
“Ye bhi theek hai. Waise aapne AIIMS mein director se baat kar li hai?”
“Haan Nidhi. Maine baat kar li hai. Main tumhare year ki koi class nahin loonga. No conflict of interest, okay?”
“Thank you,” Nidhi smiled. They had discussed this earlier. Nidhi had been worried about the possibility that Ashutosh may be assigned on of her classes there and that might be awkward. Especially if her class-mates got to know about their relationship.
“Achcha ye batao ki honeymoon par kahan jaana hai?” Ashutsoh’ sabbatical was starting one month before Nidhi’s classes began at AIIMS. They had decided to use first half of that month for the honeymoon and the second half for settling down in Delhi. And they still had two months in hand before their honeymoon began. So, they were planning for it only now.
“Umm… Mussourie.”
“Mussourie?” Ashutosh laughed slightly, “Woh to bagal mein hai Nidhi. Kabhi bhi ja sakte hain. I was thinking ki kahin India ke bahar jaate hain. Europe ya at least Mauritius.”
“Okay. Aap travel agent se baat kar lijiye.” Nidhi said, but Ashutosh sensed that she was not really happy.
“Kya hua? Koi problem hai?”
“Nahin to.”
“Lekin tumhein ye idea pasand nahin hai. Mussourie kyon jaana hai, batao mujhe?”
“Aap hasenge to nahin?”
“Hansne waali baat hogi to hansoonga hi.”
“Phir main nahin bataungi.”
“Are. To hansne mein kya burai hai? Nidhi. Isiliye to tum mujhe itni achchhi lagti ho. Kyonki tumhare saath main hansta hoon. Khush rahta hoon. Ab batao mujhe.”
“Theek hai. Main batati hoon. Lekin main apni aankhein band kar rahi hoon. Agar aapko hansna hoga to yahan se chale jaiyega.”
“Nidhi,” Ashutosh laughed out loud, “Okay. Okay. Aankhein band kar ke batao. Lekin ab jaldi batao. Main sach mein bahut curious ho gaya hoon.”
Nidhi actually closed her eyes before speaking, “Pahla reason to ye hai ki Mummy aur Baba bhi apne honeymoon par wahin gaye the. To uska mujhe fascination hai. Aur doosra…”
“Doosra?”
“Doosra ye ki agar kahin bahar jayenge to ghoomne phirne ki bahut zyada jagahein hongi. To poora time ghoomne mein hi nikla jayenge.”
“To?”
“Main… main thoda samay shanti se… aapke saath bitana chahti hoon,” Nidhi blushed hard.
Ashutosh smiled lovingly. He bent forward and planted kissed on her closed eyes. She opened them, looking anxious. But his smile drove her anxiety away.
“Mussourie it is then. Main travel agent se baat kar leta haoon.”
“Nahin,” she said hastily.
“Kyon?”
“Maine sab… pata kar rakha hai… Main bookings karwa loon?”
Ashutosh was floored. It took him a few moments to reply, “Of course. To tum mujhe kuchh bataogi ya sab surprise hone waala hai?”
“Surprise, of course,” Nidhi’s happiness was oozing out.
—
Ashutosh smiled appreciatively when they got down at the luxurious, secluded holiday cottage.
“It’s beautiful Nidhi,” he complemeted.
“Thank you. Lekin andar to chaliye.”
“Yeah. Chalo.”
The place was spacious with a huge garden, a private swimming pool and lots of greenery apart from the spacious rooms. The staff offered them the welcome drinks and carried their luggage inside. Then they were left alone.
“Nidhi. Taiyaar ho jao. Hamein dinner ke liye jaana hai.”
“Kahan?”
“Jab tak hum yahan hain, dinner mera surprise hai.”
“Wow!” Nidhi was excited.
Ashutosh had planned dinner at different places in the city, offering different cuisines and their own unique experiences. The only common thing was that it was always private, the two love birds left to themselves.
“Aapne itni saari jagahon ke baare mein pata kaise lagaya?” Nidhi asked feeling surprised after coming back from an exquisite Chinese dinner.
“Well. I have to keep up with you. Thodi bahut Internet search mujhe bhi aa gayi hai Nidhi,” he laughed at his joke and Nidhi joined him.
“Lekin ye saari jagahein restaurant nahin thi,” Nidhi’s curiosity was not satiated.
Ashutosh sighed, “Apna trade secret batana padega?”
“Of course.”
“Maine kuchh chefs se baat ki, hired them for an evening and rented a suitable place.”
“And staff to serve?”
“Yes!”
“Aapne ye sab kab kar liya? Aap to poore time hospital bhi ja rahe the.”
“Nidhi,” Ashutosh tunred to face her and held her hands, “Ye jo experience hai na. Hum-tum, ek saath, without a care in the world, without any interruptions, ye ek timeless experience hai. Jab tumne kaha tha ki honeymoon par tum mere saath waqt bitana chahti ho, zyada ghoomne phirne ki jagah, tab mujhe mahsoos hua ki hamare paas ye ek bahut achchha mauka hai. Mauka aise experiences banane ka ki aage zindagi mein agar hamare saamne koi bhi pareshaani aaye, kabhi hamara vishwaas tootne lage to we can look back at this time and know that things can be beautiful for us. We only have to work towards it. Tumne poori koshish ki is samay ko khoobsoorat banane ki. To maine bhi bas thodee si koshish apni taraf se kar li.”
“Wow! Maine to itna nahin socha tha,” Nidhi said innocently.
Ashutosh laughed again and hugged her affectionately.
—
On their first night of honeymoon, Nidhi finally wore the pink silk night dress Anji had gifted her. It was a three-piece night dress with a noodle-strap top, knee-length skirt and a full-length gown over it. Since she had not been able to wear it on their wedding night, she had decided to keep it for the honeymoon.
Ashutosh had gone to the reception to discuss some housekeeping issues. He was surprised to see Nidhi in the night dress when he came back, but he did not let it on. He did not say anything to her and went to the bathroom to freshen up.
Nidhi was anxious for his reaction and felt disappointed when he didn’t say anything.
Ashutosh saw her standing near the window, looking outisde. Her disappointment was written all over her face. He could figure that out even from the profile view he had of her. He smirked. He always found her seduction attempts rather cute.
He walked up to her and surprised her by hugging her from behind. Before she knew it, he had pulled open the belt of her gown and slipped it off her shoulders. Nidhi trembled visibly.
“Ye gown, kamre ke ander pahanne ke liye nahin hai Nidhi,” he said in a way that made her gulp hard. He had very much noticed the dress. But he knew how to manipulate his reactions to catch her off guard.
He planted kisses on her exposed shoulder and neck before turning her around to face him and asking, “Kab khareedi ye dress?”
“Khareedi nahin thi… Anji ne gift ki thi… Shaadi mein…”
“To itne dinon se chhipa kar rakhi thi?”
“Nahin… Woh…” What was she going to explain?
“Aur aisi dresses khareedni padengi.”
“Kyon?” she asked without thinking.
Ashutosh smiled meaningfully and it told her the answer. She lowered her eyes as she felt too shy to meet his.
“Janna chahti ho?”
“Nahin,” she bit her lips.
“Lekin tumne poochha tha to batana to padega hi,” he bent and kissed her on her lips, “Bahut different lagti ho. Bahut zyada khoobsoorat. Very… womanly. And…” he paused for a while, kissed her all over her face before concluding, “very sexy!”
Nidhi hid her face in his chest, as he led her to the bed.
—
“Come on Nidhi. The swimming pool is nice and well maintained. Swimming karte hain,” Ashutosh told Nidhi.
“Aap kijiye. Mujhe swimming nahin aati hai.”
“To chalo. Main sikhata hoon. Swimming is a very good exercise. Aur bahut achchhi skill hai. Sabko aani chahiye.”
“Lekin mere paas costume bhi nahin hai.”
“Mere khayaal se there is a reason ki hamare paas ye private pool hai.”
“Ji?”
“Ji. Come on.” Ashutosh pulled Nidhi towards himself and started undressing her.
“Ye aap kya kar rahe hain? Koi aa jayega.” Nidhi was nervous.
“Tum bhi jaanti ho ki koi nahin aayega.”
“Lekin…”
“Shh… Nidhi. Main hoon na? Ghabrao mat.”
Ashutosh undressed himself too and led a very anxious Nidhi to the pool. She was scared initially as he made her stand at the edge of the pool. Then he started teaching her how to kick with her legs. Soon, she was completely enjoying her lesson, learning things rather quickly. She became so excited that after a while Ashutosh had to admonish her, “Bas Nidhi. Ek din ke liye kaafi hai. Thak jaogi.”
“Main nahin thaki abhi. Kitna mazaa aa raha hai,” she resisted.
“Abhi pata nahin chal raha hai tumhein. Baad mein poore shareer mein dard hoga. Swimming bahut tiring hoti hai.”
“Nahin hoga,” she was persistent.
—
Nidhi regretted later not listening to Ashutosh.
“Main yahan se hil bhi nahin sakti Ashutosh,” she cribbed lying on the bed.
“Baat to maanti nahin ho. Abh bhugto.”
“Mujhe swimming sikhane ka idea aapka tha.”
“Lekin pahle hi din professionals ki tarah ghanto swimming karne ka idea mera nahin tha.”
“Whatever!”
“Achchha. Suno.”
“Aur lecture nahin, please.”
“Lecture nahin de raha Nidhi. Tumne parson ke liye hamara massage book karwa rakha hai na?”
“Haan.”
“Main unse poochhta hoon, agar hum use aaj ke liye prepone kar sakte hain.”
“Thank you,” Nidhi said with a childish pout.
But Ashutosh came back after a few minutes and announced that their massage slots were all booked for the day, and there was no way they could accommodate her.
“So, Dr. Nidhi. You will have to do with an amateur’s massage today.”
“Matlab?”
“Matlab here is the magical oil these guys use in their spa for massage. And here,” he pointed towards himself, “is your pediatrician turned physiotherapist cum masseur.”
Nidhi was embarrassed, “Aap? Nahin, nahin. Iski zaroorat nahin hai. Main thodee der aaraam karoongi to theek ho jaungi.”
“Sorry Nidhi. But I can’t wait,” Ashutosh said meaningfully, “I need my wife to be up and about, healthy and ready for me.”
“Aap bahut shararati ho gaye hain.”
“Koi problem hai?” Ashutosh asked, as he undressed her for the massage.
“Nahin,” she said with a blushing smile.
Ashutosh massaged expertly and Nidhi drifted off to sleep under its effect. When she woke up late in the evening, she was feeling well enough to go for their daily surprise dinner ritual.
—
It was raining when they came back from their dinner on the last night of their honeymoon. Nidhi was wearing a white chiffon saree Ashutosh had bought for her when they had gone for shopping to buy gifts for everyone back home.
Nidhi was about to go to change, when she noticed Ashutosh looking out of the window.
“Kya dekh rahe hain?”
“Bas achaanak Baba ki yaad aa gayi. Bachpan mein mujhe baarish mein bheegne ka bahut shauk tha. Aur mujhe sardi bahut jaldi lag jaati thi. To Baba bahut gussa karte the. Lekin mujhe unhein chidhane mein bhi bada mazaa aata tha. In fact bade hone ke baad bhi, jab tak Baba the to main kai baar bas unhein chidhane ke liye barrish mein bheegne lagta tha. Badaa mazaa aata tha.”
“To chaliye abhi bheegte hain.”
“Abhi? Are nahin Nidhi.”
“Mazaa aayega. Chaliye na? Aur ab aapko sardi ki chinta karne ki bhi zaroorat nahin hai. You have a doctor for a wife!”
“Nidhi. Suno to…”
But she wasn’t to be stopped now that she had the idea planted in her mischievous head. She dragged him out on to the terrace. He saw her closing her eyes and extending her hands to play with the drops. He smiled and did the same himself. He enjoyed it, just like he used to, when Baba was alive. When he opened his eyes, he saw Nidhi looking at him with a loving smile. Both of them were drenched. Nidhi’s saree clung to her body revealing more than hiding. The wet hair on her foreheard seemed to scream out to Ashutosh to touch them and move them away from her lovely face. He moved towards her almost in a trance, slipped her hands around her waist and pulled her close for a kiss. The water, her lips, the night – everything was intoxicating. He didn’t care for her weak protest as she reminded him that they were out on the terrace.
The next day as they left Mussourie, both of them were sneezing continuously and they kept laughing recalling their last night’s adventure.
—
To be continued
