"Dr. Nidhi ne party ki arrangement kaafi achchhi kit hi," Mallika took Ashutosh by surprise by suddenly mentioning this. But he did not react. He just smiled and did not say anything.
"Tumne bataya kyon nahin ki party who host kar rahi thi?" she prodded again.
"Kyonki who host nahin kar rahi thi Mallika. Armaan kar raha tha. Usne Armaan ki help zaroor ki."
"Come on Ashutosh. Ab tum mujhse jhooth bologe."
"Main jhooth kyon bolunga Mallika? Kaisi baatein kar rahi ho?"
"Baatein main karoon ya na karoon, duniya karegi Ashutosh. Tumhein andaaza to hai na ki Dr. Nidhi shayad tumse aadhi umra ki hain."
"To?"
"To? To tumhara ye rishta samaaj ki nazron mein disgusting hoga."
"Mallika!" Ashutosh was angry.
"Mujh par chillane se kuchh nahin hoga Ashutosh. Main bas apna farz samajhti hoon ki tumhein aagaah kar doon."
"Mallika," Ashutosh spoke calmly now, "Waise to meri life mein kya ho raha hai, ye mujhe kissi ko explain karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Lekin Dr. Nidhi in cheezon mein entangle na ho jayen, is liye tumse bol raha hoon. Nidhi aur mere beech koi rishta nahin hai."
"Rishta nahin hai Ashutosh to Dr. Nidhi Verma se Nidhi ka safar usne itni jaldi kaise tay kar liya? Jis ladki ko tum hospital tak mein bardasht nahin kar sakte the, who tumhare ghar tak kaise pahunch gayi."
"Look Mallika. It's no secret that she is a friendly girl. Aur chanchal hai. Sabke saath hansti, khelti hai, shararatein karti hai. She can draw any one out of their shell. I am no exception. Aur isse zyada main kuchh explain nahin kar raha."
"Barah saalon se jaanti hoon tumhein," Mallika's eyes were moist, "Aur aaj tum use defend karne ke liye meri feelings ko hurt kar rahe ho. Lekin tumhare saamne kya shikayat karoon main? Mera dard kab dikhayi diya hai tumhein?" Mallika got up to leave.
"Mallika. Agar maine tumhara dil dukhaya hai to iski zimmedaari meri hai. Nidhi ka, ya kissi aur ka, isse koi lena-dena nahin hai. Aur Mallika, mera aur Nidhi ka koi bhi rishta ho, meri zindagi mein koi ho ya nahin ho. Lekin usse tumhari jagah meri zindagi mein nahin badalti. At least meri nazaron mein to nahin. Main tumhari dosti ki kadra karta raha hoon, aur hamesha karoonga. Lekin we can't be anything else to each other. Ek registaan doosre registaan se paani nahin maang sakta. Main tumhari tanhaiyon ko, tumhari taqleefon ko door nahin kar sakta Mallika. We will be terrible together."
"Kaash! Kabhi tum meri nazaron se bhi dekh paate Ashutosh. Lekin ye tumhaare wash ki baat nahin hai. Pata nahin Dr. Nidhi ke saath bhi kya karoge? Mujhe barah saalon mein nahin samjhe. Unhein kya barah mahinon mein samajh jaoge?" With this Mallika left his office leaving him behind with his thoughts. He wasn't affected by most of the things Mallika had said. But he did wonder if more people had noticed him and Nidhi and whether the rumours and gossips were indeed going to start.
"Sir, aapko ye to manna hi padega ki aapka ghar party dene ke liye ekdum perfect hai. Itna bada lawn hai ' outdoor party ho sakti hai. Aur itna bada aur well-lit hall hai. Indoor party bhi ho sakti hai."
Nidhi had come to discuss a case file, had brought tea for him and her visits to his office were never over without a little of her pointless, but pleasant chatter.
"To aap kya propose kar rahi hain?"
"Aapko har weekend par party karni chahiye."
"Dr. Nidhi. Maine ek party de di, usse hi kaafi log shock mein hain. Main har weekend par party karoonga to logon ko heart attack aa jayega aur shahar ke saare hospitals mein jagah kam pad jayegi."
"Ye to aapne Dr. Armaan ka joke chori kar liya."
"To? Logon ko heart attack dilwane ka haq sirf aapka hai?"
Nidhi blushed for a moment, but that didn't stop her from retorting, "Meri kahan mazaal ki main kissi ko heart attack doon. Who kaam to aapka hi hai. Ek baar gusse se dekhenge to achchhe-achchho ko heart attack aa jayega."
"Ye aap kah rahi hain? Aapko to mere gusse se zaraa bhi dar nahin lagta."
"Ye kisne kaha?"
"Dikh raha hai. Aaj kal aap PG ki preparation par kam dhyaan deti hain, aur parties par ya gappein maarne par zyaada."
Nidhi's face fell at his accusation that she wasn't working hard for her PG, "Aisi baat nahin hai. Lekin agar aapko aisa laga to aage se aapko shikayat ka koi mauka nahin milega." Then she felt the need to clarify, "Lekin haan. Aapke gusse se dar kar main PG ki preparation nahin kar rahi thi. Gussa kar ke mujhse koi kuchh nahin karwa sakta."
"Hey Nidhi. I know!" Ashutosh said in a soft and earnest voice, "Main mazaak kar raha tha."
Nidhi smiled, but her smile had a trace of complaint in it.
"Lagta hai aap sach mein bura maan gayi. I will have to compensate. Chaliye, aapko coffee pilata hoon."
"Ye canteen ki coffee se kaam nahin chalega. Kahin bahar chalna padega."
She was too forward, Ashutosh thought with surprise and fondness!
"That's too much Dr. Nidhi," he tried to dissuade.
"Mujhe koi jaldi nahin hai. Jab aapko ye too-much na lage, tab pee lenge. Bye Sir."
He shook his head smilingly after she left. How difficult it was to not love this girl. But the very next moment, his face stiffened. He can't do this. He, thankfully, had a good alibi in the form of her PG preparations. He would keep her away from himself by asking her to spend more and more time on it.
He felt relieved that the trick worked. She was seen around him much lesser than earlier. Although it did leave him longing more and more for her company. There were several times during the nights he spent in the hospital, when he hoped that she would walk in with tea. But she didn't. After a while he would go to the common room to find her absorbed in her books. Many a times he returned from the door of the room itself to avoid striking a conversation with her.
What he didn't know that she could see what he was trying to do. She could see when he would deliberately over-emphasize her PG preparations or something else just to send her away from his office. She had seen him staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking. She had known he was there everytime he went to the common room and on finding her there had gone back without entering the room. And she could feel even what she couldn't see. That he missed her as much as she missed him. Why was he trying to keep her away from him then? But despite not understanding him, she had obliged him. She did not want to force her on himself. But the question was gnawing at her. She had lost the peace of her mind.
--
There was another person who had noticed the change in Ashutosh-Nidhi relationship. Mallika! She was happy to see that Nidhi's presence around Ashutosh had reduced significantly.
"Hello Dr. Nidhi," she walked into the common room and addressed Nidhi. Both were on the night duty and Ashutosh was not in the hospital then.
"Good evening Dr. Mallika," Nidhi replied courtesouly and then went back to her books.
"Kya baat hai Dr. Nidhi? Aapki tabiyat to theek hai?"
'What does Dr. Mallika want now,' she thought to herself as she said outwardly, "Main bilkul theek hoon. Thanks."
"Lagta to nahin hai."
"Kyon?" Nidhi was forced to ask even though she was in no mood to continue the conversation.
"Kaafii bujhi bujhi rahti hain aap aaj kal."
"Mujhe nahin pata tha ki aap mujhe itna observe karti hain," Nidhi said dryly.
"Ashutosh se judi har cheez ko main observe karti hoon. Aur Ashutosh ki khatir, jo ho raha hai usse main bahut khush hoon."
"Aap khush hain. Ye bahut achchhi baat hai. Halanki main samjhi nahin ki kyon khush hain aap. But it doesn't matter."
"It does matter. It does matter ki tum ye samjho Ashutosh ke liye kya sahi hai aur kya nahin."
"Go on," Nidhi said disinterestedly.
"Nidhi. Tum abhi young ho. Thode bahut scandals, affairs to is umra mein hote hi rahte hain. Usse koi farq nahin padta. Lekin Ashutosh ki umra in sabse aage nikal chuki hai. Unki ek reputation hai, society mein ek standing hai. Jo rishta tum unke saath banane ki koshish kar rahi thi, usse unki reputation par daag lag raha tha. Log baatein bana rahe the. I am glad ki Ashutosh samay rahte ye samajh gaye aur tumse door rah rahe hain. I hope ki tum bhi unki reputation ka khayaal rakhogi aur unse door hi rahogi."
Although Nidhi did not acknowledge it, but Mallika could see that her monologue had hit her at the right spot. Nidhi seemed to be considering the possibility she had just laid out in front of her.
Was that the reason why Ashutosh had pushed her away? Had someone said something? Were there gossips?
--
Continued in Part 5
P. S. I can forsee that this part is going to scare you all. But don't worry. Sacrifices does not mean misunderstanding 😊
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