What next? FF with the Doc: epilogue page 55 - Page 26

Chapter 14

"Ashu beta, nashta taiyyar hai!!! hospital nahin jaana kya?" BB called from the dining table.

Ashutosh and Nidhi parted with renewed level of consciousness, their reverie broken with this sudden intrusion of BB's voice. Ashutosh raised an eyebrow at Nidhi,

"Ab inko batana hai ki nahin?"

"Nahin, abhi nahin..."Nidhi felt shy.

"arre aaj nahin to kuchh dino baad to batana hi padega na...aur 4-5 mahino ke baad to chhupa bhi nahi paogi..." Ashutosh was in a full teasing mood and then suddenly grew serious, "aur phir yeh mat bhulo ki BB khud ek doctor hai, tumhara achche se khayal rakh sakte hai..."

"Theek hai...Dr Bharati ki appointment ke baad...aur sabhi ko bhi to batana padega na..." Nidhi smiled in anticipation of DB's delight.

"Ek kaam karate hai...kal Sunday hai na... kal Col Verma ke yahan sabko batayenge aur...enjoy karenge...theek hai? to chalo, jaldi se taiyyar ho jao, Dr Bharati to aa bhi gayi hongi ab tak..." Ashutosh commanded.

"Arre beta sab kuchh theek to hai na? Aaj achanak Dr Bharati ke yahan? Kya baat hai Nidhi beta?" BB was worried as Ashutosh announced Nidhi's visit to see Dr Bharati.

"Arre kuchh nahin baba, woh purana followup hai na...aap bekar mein pareshan hue ja rahe hai..." Ashutosh averted his eyes, lest his eyes betrayed the impending news. He had enough experience in the past that BB could read him like a book in matters where others were oblivious. What other proof did one need on this fact when his love for Nidhi had been sensed by BB even when the world around had forgotten? Again he had grossly underestimated BB's extraordinary sensory capabilities when BB probed further,

"Ashu beta, tum mujhse kuchh chhupa rahe ho...sach bata...chinta ki koi baat nahin hai na? He turned to Nidhi, "Achha Nidhi Beta, tu hi bata de...kya chhupa rahe ho mujhse? Aur yeh tum log ek doosre ka muh kya dekh raho ho? Ashutosh and Nidhi had exchanged covert sideways glances, their eyes still downcast. "Arre koi to kuchh bolo..." BB thundered.

"Ji BB, woh kya hai na..." Ashutosh started, with plenty of his characteristic innate hitchkitchahat, "Yeh Nidhi..." he could not complete the sentence as BB interrupted him, "OK let me complete what you are trying to say...iss ghar mein ek khushkhabar aane wali hai na?" BB burst out laughing, "Arre tujhe to aaj pata chala hoga, par Nidhi bitiya ki haalchaal se mujhe bahut dino se andaza aa gaya tha... HK, arre sabka muh to meetha karao..." and hugged Ashutosh in sheer expectant delight, "Mubarak ho beta...sada aabaad raho..."

Ashutosh glanced at Nidhi with a look that said, see I told you so he would guess it himself; you can't hide anything from him...and now let's see whether your DB can guess it? He was still lost looking at Nidhi's blushing face when HK coughed discreetly behind, "Ashu Beta, hospital jaane ka time ho gaya hai, Dr Bharati wait kar rahi hongi..."

"Congratulations, Nidhi!!! Dr Bharati's voice boomed, removing her soiled gloves and discarding them in the bin, "and in general, how are you feeling now? And where is the father to be?" She had just returned from her examination room and lowered herself in her chair; Nidhi had followed her soon after adjusting her dupatta.

"Dr Bharati, he was here sometime ago, when he got a phone call, and he rushed off somewhere saying some urgent files were pending in his cabin so..." Nidhi started to explain her husband's absence but Dr Bharati knew better than that, "Ok, now that there are no more patients waiting, why don't we go to meet him in his cabin?

"Come in!!!" Was the reply that came from within, after Dr Bharati had knocked on Ashutosh's door a few minutes later with Nidhi in tow. "Congratulations, Dr Ashutosh...on the new arrival...she is doing fine...here is the prescription...and..." Dr Bharati paused deliberately, as Ashutosh was hopelessly lost in Nidhi, who had followed her, "PLEASE GET HER FOR AN ULTRASOUND AFTER 2 WEEKS!!

Ashutosh blushed heavily, snapped to attention and blurted, "OK Madam...as you say..." Dr Bharati smiled indulgently at both and left them alone.

Ashutosh resumed his visual capture of Nidhi, who was smiling shyly and fidgeting with her hands. He took one hand of hers in his and pulled her close, "Kya Kaha Dr Bharati ne, mujhe apni biwi se kaise pesh aana chahiye?" Nidhi hastily put her hand on his mouth, "pehle yeh file dekh lijiye, aur yeh aspataal hai! and thrust the file in his hands.

"Achcha, ab mein chaloon? JS bhi jaana hai...maine Mr Rastogi ko kaha mein do ghante late aaongi, magar yeh to kuchh jyaada hi ho gaya..." Nidhi started to leave and stopped midway as Ashutosh caught her arm,

"Jaana zaroori hai kya? Aaj ki chhutti laga do na?

"Thoda sa hi kaam hai wahan...viral fever hua tab bahut chutti maar li maine..."

"Theek hai, par jaogi kaise? I will drop you and wait for you...then we'll go home together..." Ashutosh just didn't want to lose the sight of his wife.

"Ok Boss..." Nidhi smiled.

"Aur ek baat...please call me Ashutosh from now on...not Dr Ashutosh...nahin to kuchh dino ke baad my child will also say the same...please..." Ashutosh had a naughty smile on his face.

"Suniye ji theek rahega?" Nidhi pouted.

This cozy exchange was interrupted by a loud knock on the door, and a whole crowd of the hospital staff, led by Dr Ranganath and Dr Bharati came in.

"CONGRATULATIONS...CONGRATULATIONS...CONGRATULATIONS..." and handed over a huge posse of flowers to Ashutosh, who was taken aback.

"Dr Ranganath ab yeh kya hai?"

"Dr Ashutosh, we are a big family...poora KGH aapki shaadi mein shamil tha...jab Nidhi ji ka accident hua tha tab poora KGH maayus tha..ab aapki khushi bhi share karna chahta hai...once again, congratulations!!! Ranganath shook hands with Ashutosh.

Ashutosh suddenly remembered something and interrupted, "Good you came in Dr Ranganath, mein aaj ki chhutti chahta tha...I plan to take Nidhi to JS and then go home directly...mere liye kuchh schedule mein to nahin hai na?

"Nothing at all, Dr Ashutosh...and please take the day off with Nidhi Ji...I strongly feel that both of you deserve this moment..." Ranganath grew sentimental.

The rest of the day passed without any significant developments. Dr Ashutosh and Nidhi drove to JS, wherein some new case files were waiting for Nidhi's attention. She attended to the files, as well as the inmates, fondly called on Haneefa Bi to make AKC for all, while Ashutosh chatted with Mr Rastogi and casually informed him about Nidhi's pregnancy.

Mr Rastogi was delighted, "Achcha hua aapne bataa diya, Dr Ashutosh, waise aap dono mein kya rishta hai, yeh to mein ussi din jaan gaya tha jiss din aap Nidhi Madam ko yahan chhod kar gayethe...aur phir Nidhi Madam kitni gumsum rehti thi...khair ab aap chinta mat kijiye...hum unka poora khayal rakhenge..." Ashutosh was very relieved to hear this, ultimately Nidhi had won the goodwill of so many people in a very short span of time.

The night dinner had witnessed a complicated situation: Ashutosh had assumed that DB wouldn't be able to guess the impending good news in the same manner as BB; Nidhi had flown into a stubborn rage and it had taken all the possible tact from BB and HK to cool her down. But then they had reached to an agreement: nobody would give DB even a hint and then check whether she would arrive on the conclusion on her own.

By the time Ashutosh turned in for night, Nidhi was sitting on the bed, lost in thoughts; Ashutosh crawled next to her and put his arms around her.

"Kya soch rahi ho?

"Kuchh nahi...kahan se chale the aur kahan aa gaye..." Nidhi was in a pensive mood.

"Nidhi...are you happy? I mean, meri khushi ke liye yeh sab...you have to go through this pregnancy..." Nidhi put a finger on his lips, quietening him, "Aapki khushi mein hi meri khush hai...aap khush rahenge, mein khush rahungi...aap ko chot lagegi to uska dard mujhe hoga...shayad issiko pyaar kehte hai na?" Something flashed in Ashutosh's mind: how pleased Mallika had been after he told her about his heartbreak with Nidhi in Kerala...and so many days he had assumed a plain friendship with her...and she had claimed to be in love with him...whereas in reality it had been nothing but self centred obsession.

And here was Nidhi: so called immature girl, almost half his age, who had given everything she had to be with him, tolerated his friendship with Mallika even after knowing her true feelings. He cuddled her closer, kissed her nape and muttered, "is this permitted?" She turned to him and snuggled closer, "ab itne thodese mera kya hoga Ji?

It was a long time before their bedroom light was turned off.

Next morning brought on another long day: they had planned to visit Col Verma and share the good news with them. All of them piled in the car and drove over to Col Verma's place, HK's protests that he be left to tend to the kitchen at MM were promptly overruled by Nidhi.

"Welcome, welcome...namaste..." Col Verma was full of chivalry as he stood at his gate with folded hands, "Arre Bua, dekho to kaun aaya hai?

"Arre Namaste, Namaste...Samadhiji...Arre manhoos, dekhata kya hai, sab ke liye chai bana..."DB was in full form, shouting orders to CS, "Arre Nidhi, meri bachchi, ab bahut theek lag rahi hai tu...bol, kya khayegi? teri pasand ki saari cheezein banake rakhi hai dekh..."

"Nidhieee..." it was Anjie, who came running inside and hugged Nidhi, "Chal, under gappe marenge..." and dragged Nidhi along, who almost tripped but managed to retain her balance at the end. Ashutosh was on his feet in a flash and cautioned "Nidhi...sambhalke...!

"Arre Damaad Ji, aap to bekaar mein chinta kar rahe hai Ji...in dono ki baatein to aapko maloom honge hi...chhuttiyon mein yeh pedon par Bandar ki tarah chadhti thi...aur woh girna-uthna-koodna sab zaari rehta tha ji..." DB smiled, reminiscing those days with the two girls frolicking around, "aur ab to badi kya ho gayi...yeh sab bhool gayi...ab aapka chehra aisa kyoun ho gaya?"Ashutosh tried not to imagine the horror if Nidhi climbed a tree in this state and jumped.

"Arre nahin Buaji, shayad aapko samajh nahin aaya...Damaad Ji kuchh aur keh rahe hai..."Shyama came out of the kitchen, wherein she had been busy since morning. She went to Nidhi, cupping her face, and asked, to nobody in particular,

"Aapko iske chehre par ek nayi raunaq nazar nahi aati kya?"

"Arre wohi to, ab tabeeyat theek hai na..." DB squinted her eyes and peered closely at Nidhi. "Buaji, woh nahi, kuchh aur hai...Nidhi, sach bata, main jo kuchh soch rahi houn...dekh rahi houn...sach hai na? Shyama aunty cupped Nidhi's face affectionately.

Nidhi lowered her eyes and nodded shyly. Shyama aunty smiled and planted a small peck on Nidhi's head, "Mubarak ho, meri Bachchi...mubarak ho, damaad Ji...Bua Ji, ab samajh mein aaya? Nidhi Ummeed se hai..."

And then what followed was full pandemonium. Col Verma was on his feet beaming, DB was overjoyed, unable to contain her tears, CS was dancing around...Ashutosh looked at Nidhi with an expression that said "See I told you so"... BB and HK were also beaming and Anjie looked at Nidhi in total disbelief...DB went to Nidhi, "meri Bachchi...aa teri nazar utaar doun...chal ab, khane ka time ho gaya, par pehle yeh to bata...aur kitne mahine baki hai?"

"DB..." Nidhi pouted and hugged her, "Abhi bahut der hai..." "ha, tabhi to, pata nahin chal raha, abhi kuchh mahino baad, aise phool ke kuppa ho jayegi na tu...Jeejaji ko naya wardrobe lena padega tere liye..." Anjie quipped in, and everyone laughed imagining the scene.

Later, that night, Ashutosh walked in his bedroom and stood still trying to take in what he saw...Nidhi was standing in front of the mirror, and gazing at her flat stomach, trying to predict something. He crept up behind her, his hands encircling her, and asked,

"yeh kya ho raha hai?

"Kuchh nahi, soch rahi thi...Anjie ne jo kaha uske baare mein..." She put a small pillow on her stomach, "am I going to look like this?" Ashutosh held her at an arms distance and added sceptically, "Arre woh nahi, badi pillow chahiye..." handed over a bigger pillow to her, "ab try karo...now that looks better..." and burst out laughing. He had to duck the next instant as Nidhi, in her classic nostril flairing avatar, threw the pillow at him and punched him in the chest as he caught her arms and pulled her closer.

"Ab kya hua?

"Main itni moti hone wali houn kya?" Nidhi pouted.

"Ab main tumhara kya karun Nidhi...you will still look smashing to me...how much ever weight you put on...I will still love you...