OS: Surprise Gone Awry

Ashutosh entered his cabin after the surgery and picked up his phone to find eighteen missed calls from Nidhi.

'What hell has broken lose now?' he wondered and smiled. Her duty would have been over by now. Was she still waiting for him?

He dialled her back.

"Dr. Ashutosh..." he heard a pained voice on the other end of the phone.

"Nidhi! Kya hua?" he got worried.

"Woh... Main... gir padi aur mere sar par chot lag gayi hai."

"Kya?" he was horrified, "Kahan... kahan ho tum?"

"Aapke ghar par."

"Mere? Mere ghar par?" What was she doing at home this late? He looked at his watch. It was 9 pm, "Hiraman Kaka nahin hain kya wahan? Unhein phone do."

"Woh kissi kaam se bahar gaye hue hain?"

"Oh God! Nidhi tum ghabrao mat. Main.. main abhi pahunchta hoon. Aur khoon nikal raha ho to use kissi kapde se kas kar baandh lo. Okay?"

--

He rushed inside the house leaving the car on the road.

"Nidhi!" he cried after opening the door with his keys. He was surprised to see that the hall was dark.

"Nidhi! Kahan ho tum? Yahan andhera kyon hai?"

Just then he saw a matchbox being lighted, using which she lighted up several candles on a table.

"Welcome home, Dr. Ashutosh," she chirped.

He ran towards her, "Ye sab kya hai? Tum.." He touched her forehead, "Tum to theek ho?" He looked confused.

"Kaisa laga surprise?"

"Surprise?" he was angry as he realized that she was joking, "Nidhi. Ye kaisi bachkani harqat hai? Tumhein ye sab mazaak lagta hai? Bahut hi ghatiya mazaak tha ye?"

Her face fell. She had failed him again! He was angry at her prank.

"Aap... aap bahut ghabra gaye the?"

"Aur tumhein kya lagta hai? Main bahut khush hota ye sun kar ki tumhein sar par chot lagi hui hai aur tum yahan akeli ho? It was not funny Nidhi."

This brough tears to her eyes, which she blinked back. But her voice choked when she said, "I am sorry."

When he heard the voice, he realized that now she was hurting no less than him.

"Nidhi!" he said helplessly, "Look. I am sorry. I really am. Please don't cy. Mujhe tumhein daantna nahin chahiye tha. Main daantna nahin chahta tha. Bas..."

"I am sorry. Please mujhe maaf kar dijiye. Main bas aapko surprise karna chahti thi. Mujhe nahin pata tha ki..."

"Nidhi. Mujhe bas apno ko khone ka dar bahut sataata hai. Kuchh apno ko to maine kabhi jaana hi nahin. Aur Baba ko bhi maine kho diya. Ab agar tumhein kuchh hoga to ye soch kar bhi main... main bahut dar jaata hoon Nidhi. Lekin I understand... ki mujhe apne issues tumhare oopar gussa karke nahin nikalne chahiye. Aur main ab iska dhyaan rakhoonga..."

"Please mujhe maaf kar dijiye," she was dying for his forgiveness.

"Mujhse baar baar maafi maang kar mujhe sharminda mat karo. Please. Ab apna surprise nahin dikhaogi?" Ashutosh smiled slightly and wiped her tears which she was not able to hold back any longer.

"Main aapko bahut pareshaan karti hoon na?"

Ashutosh laughed slightly, "Pata hai yahi sawaal maine ek baar Baba se poochha tha bachpan mein."

"To unhone kya kaha tha?"

"Unhone kaha tha ki Ashu beta - insaan apno ke liye hi pareshaan hota hai. Agar koi pareshaan karne waala na ho, to iska matlab us insaan ke paas koi apna nahin hai. Woh akela hai. Tab ye baat meri samajh mein nahin aayi thi. Lekin aaj aa gayi hai."

"Achcha! To aap akelapan na mahsoos karein, iske liye mujhe aapko pareshaan karte rahna chahiye?" she asked with a straight, innocent face.

He laughed out loud and she smiled seeing the desired effect on him, "Tum mujhe jitna chaho pareshaan kar sakti ho Nidhi, ek particular t-shirts khareedne ki zidd kar sakti ho, bhale hi woh aakhiri piece ho, mere size ka bhi na ho aur woh kissi aur ne khareed li ho. Aur discos mein bhi kheench kar le ja sakti ho. Main sadak kinare gol-gappe bhi khane ko taiyaar hoon. Lekin please... apni khairiyat ke baare mein kabhi mazaak mat karna."

"Nahin karoongi. Promise."

"Chalo. Ab dekhein tumhara surprise kya hai? Oh God! Itna saara khana kab bana liya tumne?"

"Nahin..." she pouted and looked embarrassed, "Itna sab mujhe banana nahin aata. Ye to maine bahar se mangwaya hai."

Ashutosh laughed again.

"Lekin sweet dish maine banayi hai," she added with suppressed excitement.

"Wow! To phir usse hi shuruat karte hain," he went forward and saw that she had baked a cake. He was about to take out a piece when he remembered, "Main haath dho kar aata hoon."

"Rukiye," she stopped him, came to the table, picked up a piece of the cake and extended her hand to feed it to him. Ashutosh hesitated instinctively, but then smiled and took a bite.

"Bahut achcha hai. Pahli baar mein tumne itna achcha kaise banaya?"

"Ek hafte se try kar rahi thi. Kabhi zyada bake ho kar biscuit ban jaata tha. To kabhi kam bake ho kar halwa. Aur cheeni sahi karne mein mujhe chaar din lage."

"Kya? Itni mehnat kyon..." He was surprised by how much she was doing to make him feel loved and cared for. But before he could complete his question, she had extended her hand again. So, he opened his mouth to take another bite. This time he was in for a surprise. Instead of feeding him, she smeared the cake on his face and started laughing hyterically.

He couldn't react for a moment and then grumbled, "Nidhi! Ye kya hai..."

But that didn't scare her as she continued laughing. He also got affetected by her childlike spirit and said, "Abhi batata hoon tumhein." She ran away, still laughing, before he could catch her.

Ashutosh shook his head smiling, as if unable to believe that this was happening to him, but happy that it was. He decided to clean his face first and then figure out what to do with his charmingly naughty lady-love!

--

"Nidhi. Ab kahan ho tum?" Ashutosh called her after coming out of the bathroom. She was nowhere to be seen.

"Nidhi. Shararatein bahut ho gayin. Mujhe bhookh lagi aur der bhi ho rahi hai. Jaldi aao. Khana khate hain."

His phone rang and it was Nidhi. Had she left already?

"Hello. Nidhi. Kahan ho tum?"

"Aap mujhe promise kijiye ki aap mujhse badla nahin lenge," she whispered, "tabhi main aapke saamne aaungi?"

"Kaisa badla? Aur tum aise... aise kyon bol rahi ho?" Ashutosh was exasperated. She had that effect on him often, though the exasperation soon converted to a smile all the time. This time it was no exception.

"Aap mere face par cake nahin lagayenge, promise?"

Ashutosh had to smile, "Nahin lagaunga baba. Ab bahar aao. Aise whisper karte hue tumhari baat samajh mein aana bahut mushkil hai."

Hardly had he finished his sentence that he saw Nidhi emerging from nowhere other than his own bedroom. His heart skipped a beat. It felt so natural to see her coming out of there that it was strange. Nobody had invaded his private space with such authority as Nidhi did. And to top that he liked it!

But he pulled himself together and got back into the playful mood. He approached her and surprised her by holding her hand and turning her around pinning her hand at her back. He was standing behind her so she could not see the smirk on his face.

"Ye aap kya kar rahe hain?"

"Ensure kar raha hoon ki tum bhaag na jao jab tak main ye sochoon ki tumhari shararat ki sazaa tumhein kaise di jaye?"

"Ye kya baat hui Dr. Ashutosh. Aapne mujhse waada kiya tha ki aap mujhse badla nahin lenge. Apni baat se peechhe hatna aapko suit nahin karta."

"Dr. Nidhi, maine sirf itna waada kiya tha ki main aapke chehre par cake nahin lagaunga."

"This is not fair Dr. Ashutosh. Chhodiye mujhe. Dard ho raha hai," she pouted.

"Achcha!" Ashutosh knew very well that the way he was holding her it couldn't be hurting her, "Theek hai. Chhod doonga. Lekin tab jab tum mere naam se bulaogi."

"Kya?"

"Mera naam."

"Main ye nahin kar sakti."

"To mujhe kuchh aur sochna padega. Soch lo. Woh zyada mushkil ho sakta hai," his voice was suggestive and naughty.

Nidhi felt nervous for the first time during the evening. She gulped so hard that Ashutosh could hear it. His own heart started beating faster.

"Theek hai." Nidhi said in a small, shaking voice, "Ashutosh. Please mera haath chhodiye."

His grip had loosened just by hearing his name from her. She didn't even need to complete her sentence.

As she turned around to face him, they felt how close they were standing to each other. As if he was in a trance, Ashutosh held her by her shoulders and suddenly pulled her in a bone crushing hug. Nidhi responded with a fervour as if this was the moment she had been waiting for all her life. Their grip around each other tightened and they were soon caressing each other's back passionately.

Ashutosh was the one to come to the senses first. He suddenly broke the hug and stepped back. The silence prevailed as they looked around at everything except each other for few awkward moments.

"I... I am sorry," Ashutosh broke the silence and looked at Nidhi guiltily.

Nidhi looked at him a little surprised, "Aap sorry kyon bol rahe hain?"

"Nahin... Nahin Nidhi. Don't get me wrong," he hastened to clarify as he realized that his sorry could be misinterpreted, "Mera ye matlab nahin hai ki kuchh galat hua hai. Just that... we should be careful. Jaldbaazi mein kabhi kuchh aisa nahin hona chahiye jiska aage ja kar pachhtava ho. I hope tum samajh rahi ho," he laughed nervously, "Shayad main thode purane khayalon ka aadmi hoon..."

"Nahin," Nidhi was back to her assured self, "Aap bahut hi nek khayalon ke aadmi hain. Aur isliye main aapki itni izzat karti hoon. Aur aap par itna bharosa karti hoon."

Ashutosh looked at her in admiration. How simply and easily could she express herself. He didn't have that ability. He always fumbled for the right words, always worried that he would do it wrong. But thankfully despite all that Nidhi did not misunderstand him.

"Waise tum itni raat ko ghar par kya kah ke aayi ho?"

"Ki hospital mein duty extend ho gayi hai."

How comfortably she lied for him!

"Nidhi. Ye sahi nahin hai. Meri wajah se tumhein baar baar ghar par jhooth bolna padta hai..."

"Sahi to nahin hai. Lekin abhi koi chaara bhi to nahin hai. It is too early to talk to Baba."

"Tum sahi kah rahi ho Nidhi. Lekin ek kaam to hum kar hi sakte hain na. Ki aise samay mein milein jab tumhein koi bahana na banana pade."

"To phir hum dinner saath nahin kar sakte hain?" she pouted again.

"Lunch to kar sakte hain?" Ashutosh smiled and said patronizingly.

"Lunch mein woh baat nahin hai. Aur aapko hamesha apni next surgery ki tension lagi rahti hai."

"Okay baba. Tum nahin maanogi. Theek hai. Hum dinner kar sakte hain saath mein. Lekin early dinner karenge, jab bhi karenge. 7 baje tak shuru kar denge, taki tum 9 baje tak ghar ja sako. Okay?"

"Okay!" Nidhi made a face, but accepted.

Ashutosh smiled. They did manage to work it out every time.

"Chalo bhai. Ab khana khate hain. Mujhe bahut bhookh lag rahi hai. Dekhoon to kya kya order kiya hai tumne? Waise Kaka kahan hain?"

"Woh kha kar so chuke hain."

"Achcha hai. Unhein bhi aaraam mil gaya."

"11 baj gaye. Chalo main tumhein ghar chhod aata hoon," Ashutosh said after they had finished dinner.

"Nahin. Mere paas car hai na. Woh wapas le jani hogi."

"Theek hai. To main tumhein tumhari hi car mein chhod doonga. Wapas aate hue auto le loonga."

"Bilkul nahin. Itni raat mein aapko auto kahan milega."

"Aur itni raat mein main tumhein akele kaise jaane doon."

"Ye kya baat hui? Main koi bachchi nahin hoon."

"Nidhi! Har baat par zidd karna zaroori hai?"

"Nahin. Lekin ye bilkul genuine baat hai."

Ashutosh sighed, "Theek hai. Tum apni car mein jao. Main apni car mein tumhare peechhe peechhe rahunga."

"Aage se aapko mujhe ziddi bulane ka koi haq nahin hai. Aap khud kuchh kam nahin hain."

"Tumahre saath ki wajah se ho gaya hoon. Chalo ab!"

They had worked it out again! And they will in future too. Always!

- The End -