'Destined to be my love'- ASHNI FF Part 8 updated. - Page 7

PART 5

" Agar sare hugs mujhe aur Ananya ko de dogi , phir toh Ashutosh ke liye kya bachega?" Mallika said on breaking the hug.

"Mera hugs ka stock na abhi tak totally unused hai. Toh no problem." Though Nidhi smiled as she said this, Mallika and Ananya both sensed an undercurrent of pain in her statement. The fact that she had been thrown away by her parents still haunted her.

"Acha Nidhi tum rest karo. Mera OP mein appointment hai. Ananya, jara chalo na meine Nidhi ke liye kuch Cds laye the voh mere cabin se le lena" Mallika said and the two left.

As the two of them walked through the corridor,

Mallika: Finally Ashu ke zindagi mein bhi khushiyan ane vaali hai. mujhe bahut chinta hoti thi Ashutosh ki.

Ananya: True Bhaiya deserves to be happy and am sure Nidhi will give him that happiness.

Mallika: That girl has gone through hell. I hope she gathers the courage to tell Ashutosh as she told us.

Ananya: I am sure if they get to interact more frequently , they both will open up.

Mallika: And the two of us can watch in silence!!! And tease Ashutosh more from now.

Ananya: I want Bhaiya to know from Nidhi or viceversa. So from now both of us play silent spectators. right.

Mallika: Right.

Both of them walk away with contented smiles. Ashutosh's loneliness had been worrying Mallika and Ananya for long now. The Wait was Over.

Next day Nidhi was due to be discharged. The late night meeting was glum. Ananya was already home because Nidhi had refused to come and stay with her. She had got angry and left.

Dr Yog had requested Prof Lalwani to keep Nidhi with him as the orphanage was about 35kms away from the city and then it would be difficult for Nidhi to come to Kotnis for review.

After coffee, Mallika indicated silently to Armaan to leave them alone and then they both faked some reason and left the room laughing silently.

Ashutosh sat down at Nidhi's bed side and looked up at her. There was a strange silence in the room. When Nidhi spoke…

Nidhi: Sir, I will never forget all that you have done for me. Thank you.

Ashutosh: Come on Dr Nidhi.

Nidhi: Sir, life has taken me so far that I can't even think of what I have seen in these 3 days. So much of love, care , affection, attention. If it had not been you, I would have never felt these beautiful feelings. (she begins to cry uncontrollably) .

Ashutosh: Nidhi….please mat ro.

Nidhi saw his face after she realized that the formal "DR. Nidhi" had changed to a very loving "Nidhi"

Nidhi: These three days that you have given me I will never forget in my lifetime. I have got more of love and affection in these 3 days than I have received in the whole of my life.

Nidhi is crying uncontrollably. Ashutosh is uneasy and he feels a knot in his stomach. He felt separation from Nidhi was piercing daggers in his heart.

Ashutosh: Nidhi please… (he holds her hand instantly) please.

Nidhi: you don't know how it feels to be an orphan. Terrible its hell… the very fact that your parents leave you to face this unkind world all alone is such a terrible feeling.

Ashutosh just loses his cool when he hears her saying the word "ORPHAN." His mind keeps telling him she's not an orphan until he was alive.

Ashutosh tries desperately to stop Nidhi but she keeps crying barring her heart and telling him of all those dark, scary nights she had spent in the orphanage where Baba was her only solace.

When Nidhi starts crying very badly, Ashutosh just gets up and hugs her. Nidhi is shocked to find herself hugging him back.

Ashutosh: Please Nidhi. Apne aap ko anaath kabhi mat kehna. Mere hote hue tum anaath kaise ho gayi?

Nidhi looks up at him in shock. Ashutosh breaks the hug and begins….

Ashutosh: Mera matlab tha….

Nidhi gets off her bed to stand next to him and closes his mouth with her hand. His embarrassment turns to shock as she does that. Nidhi continues in slow sobs..

Nidhi: Bas mujhe aur kuch nahi sun na. Galti meri hai ki maine aapke aankhon ki baat kabhi samajh ne ki koshish nahi ki.

Jis din aap hamare college aye the, us din maine aapke ankhoon mein ek ajeeb sa chehak dekha. To my surprise mera dil aap ke peeche hi kheenchta chala gaya. Maine usse admiration ka naam dekar nazar andaz kar diya. Lekin phir jab aap mere andhar ke roh mein bas gaye,tab maine apne aap se jhoot bolna bandh kar diya. Mujhe aap se pyaar ho gaya tha aur main jaanti thi ki .. kahan mein orphanage ki ek ladki aur kahan aap shehar ke sabse bade cardiologist. Maine apne dil mein jo pyaar bandh kar rakha tha us pe meine hamesha parda dala. Mujhe laga ki main aap tak kabhi nahi pahunch paoogi. Aur accident ke us raat… jab mein dard se mar rahi thi, maine bhagwan se sirf ek cheez maangi, mujhe voh aapka chehra ek baar dikha dein. Aur jab maine ankhein kholi tab aap mere samne the.

Aur phir zindagi mein main jis baat ke liye tarasti rahi voh mujhe in 3 dino mein mila.. Sirf aapke vajah se. Ananya, Armaan ji, Mallika di, Pari, Aadrika, Ahmad chacha…. Itne saare rishtein mujhe ek hi pal mein mil gaye.

Ashutosh: Nidhi, mere aur tumhare beech 14 saal ka farak hai….

Nidhi: Rishtein umar ke faasle, khoon ke sambandh yah phir doosron ki majboori se nahi bante. Rishton ka buniyad pyaar hota hai, vishwas hota hai, aur agar voh pyaar aur vishwas hum dono ke beech hai, toh umar kya koi bhi taakat is rishte ko banne se nahi rok sakta….

Ashutosh looks at Nidhi in ashtonishment and then softens. His eyes give it all away.

Ashutosh: Nidhi, jis pyaar ko maine apne jeene ka bahana samjha, aaj tumne use mere jeene ki vajah bana di.

Mujhse vadah karo Nidhi….. phir kabhi apne aap ko anaath nahi kaho ge.

Tears flow from Nidhi's eyes as she looks at Ashutosh . They keep looking at each other drowning in each others eyes. Happiness and love take over all the sadness that had engulfed the room until a few minutes ago.

As they break the eye lock.. they find Mallika and Armaan standing at the room door smiling wickedly…

Mallika comes in and hugs Nidhi and Armaan says " Abe Ashu… ab toh tere bhi number lag gayi hai!!" Mallika called Dr Lalwani and convinced him that Nidhi would be in safe hands at Armaan's place and Nidhi finally agreed after Dr Yog spoke to her.

Mallika saw the relief on Ashutosh's face when Nidhi agreed.

Nidhi convinces Ashutosh to go home and rest as he had been in the hospital and not taken proper rest for the last 3 days. But he refuses and stays back..

Nidhi and Ashutosh sit discussing, talking about so many things, removing their fears and insecurities about each other until Nidhi slowly drifts to sleep. Ashutosh sees her sleep with a smile on her face, a strange contentment and peace is seen on her face. He switches the lights off and goes home.

Next morning Nidhi wakes up to see Ashutosh sitting near her bedside all freshened up and reading the newspaper.

Nidhi: Aap kabh aye?

Ashutosh looks at her and smiles. And asks " Ghar jane ready ho?"

Nidhi : main samjhi nahi?

Ashutosh: Haa Aaj tum apne maike chale jana.. phir shaadi ke baad mere saath hamare ghar hi toh chalna hai…

Nidhi is confused and sees Armaan and Mallika enter.

Nidhi: Armaan ji kya hua hai? Mera maika? I am supposed to come to your place na?

Armaan: Nidhi, correct tumhare bhai ka ghar tumhara maika hua na? then Ashu is right.

Nidhi has tears in her eyes, when Armaan comes and gives her a side hug.

Armaan: Ab bas ghar chalo nidz. Meri behen rote hue achhi nahi dikhti.

Nidhi: Lets go Bro.

They all have a hearty laugh.

Ananya has got a room specially done for Nidhi. Ashutosh helps Nidhi to the room and sits next to her.

Nidhi: Aap hospital nahi jaa rahe hai kya?

Ashutosh: Nahi, maine aaj chutti le hai. Lekin main yahan nahi rukne wala. Main Prof Lalwani se milne jaa rahan hoo.

Nidhi: Kyo?

Ashutosh: Main tumhe HAMARE ghar le jana chahta hoon. Jald se jald. Maine itne saal us ghar mein akele guzara hai. Abh aur nahi.

Nidhi: lekin hame Baba ke aane ka intezaar karna padega. 3 mahinon tak toh kuch nahi ho sakta. Aur phir mere PG ke results bhi toh aane hai. Mujhe internship bhi karna hai na.

Ashutosh: I want you to grow in your career. I will stand by you and give you all support and will wait for you.

Nidhi: I am so lucky to have got you.

Ananya enters with juice and some snacks .

Ananya: Abhi se Bhabhi bulaoon kya?

Ashutosh: Choti…. Please .

Nidhi: Ananya humne toh hamesha dost rehne ka agreement banaya tha na?

Ananya: Kabhi nahi…. Tum meri Bhabhi ho bas..

Nidhi and Ananya hug each other.

Ashutosh feels happy that he had given the girl of his life all that she had been deprived of for all these years. He still had a herculean task- Ask Dr Yog for Nidhi's Hand in Marriage.