Part 2:
That Night:
DB: thoda aur khale beta..nahi toh tabiyat kaise teek hogi? haan? Chal mein apne haathon se khilaoongi.
Nidhi, who is sitting on the bed gives her DB a tired look: DB, mujhe aur nahi khaana hain. mera toh pet bhar gaya. Aur Dr Ashutosh ne jo antibiotics di hain na..unse bhook kamhojaati hain.
DB's eyes spark in anger: toh mat le woh dawa..you are weak as it is and why give such medicines on top of that? mera buss chale toh..
Seeing that Nidhi is about to get irritated and snap, CV interrupts: Bua, antibiotics are to fight the infection. You were with me when we took the reports and consulted Dr Sunil, right? Even he said the same thing and suggested the same line of treatment.
Nidhi chuckles before slowly getting up and making her way to the bathroom: aap log bhi kamaal karte hain baba..Dr Ashutosh iss shehar ka sab se bada Neurosurgeon hain aur aap ko unnhi par vishwaas nahi. Dr Sunil didn't find it odd?
CV quickly averts his eyes. the fact of the matter was that Dr Sunil had indeed given them a weird look for questioning Dr Ashutosh's line of treatment. It is not that he didn't trust Dr Ashutosh as a doctor. It is that he didn't trust him as a man who loves his daughter. Now, here is his daughter, who thinks her baba doesn't know anything and he is forced to go along with it. even Dr Sunil was very explicit. So additional stress or strain emotionally. The more happy the person is, the faster the recovery would be. First time he did not know that his daughter was falling in love and this time he knows yet has to act as if he doesn't know. If that's what it takes to make her get back to normal, he would do it. but Bua..innka muh band rakhna bahut hi mushkil hain. its like he has to be vigilant every minute lest she blurt something out in her anger. CV gives a tired sigh: Nidhi..baat vishwaas na karne ki nahi hain beta. I am a father and I was just concerned. (he silently shakes his head and tells DB to keep quiet. Nidhi slowly makes her way out of the bathroom holding the injured hand with the other one and gives a soft hug to her baba)
Nidhi: mein jaanti hoon baba. But trust me, Dr Ashutosh is the best. He won't let anything happen to me..i..i mean..he won't let anything happen to his patients. Aur mein toh unki intern bhi rahi hoon na. (she knows she is blabbering but she is desperate to cover up the slip of her tongue. God..she has to be really careful warna DB toh sab kuch soong legi)
DB: arre kab ki intern aur kahaan ki intern..uss dactar ne toh tumhe dhakke maarkar aspataal se nikaal diyatha na.
Nidhi frowns and starts rubbing her forehead on an impending headache: DB, aap..aap..woh..sab ab puraani baaten hain..baba..i feel odd.
CV glares at DB and immediately puts a hand around Nidhi's shoulders leading her onto the bed: its ok beta. relax. Dr..Dr Ashutosh ne kahaa hain na..the more you relax, the faster you will remember.
Nidhi's eyes fill up with tears: baba..i lost so many days of my life. mujhe yaad kyon nahi aaraha? Aur jab bhi yaad karne ki koshish karti hoon..bahut dard hota hain. (she indicates the region of her heart where it hurts) itna dard kyon hota hain baba?
CV looks away: don't force yourself Nidhi. it will come by itself. Ab chalo, aaram karo. Apni dawaai lee?
Nidhi: nahi. abhi khaana khaaya hain na. thodi der baad loongi.
DB: you will go off to sleep after some time. dawaa lekar sojaa beta.
Nidhi settles down comfortably on the bed and turns towards the uninjured side..facing the window. Her face goes soft and kind of dreamy: nahi DB. Abhi nahi. thodi der baad.
Her thoughts drift off towards the one person who never left them ever since she woke up in the hospital. Raat ko Dr Ashutosh phone karenge aur poochenge..Hey Doc..dawaai lee? tab loongi. She smiles as she imagines his deep tone asking her that question and his mock anger when she replies not yet.
CV covers her with a light blanket but does not fail to notice either her smile or her dreamy faraway look. He exchanges a helpless look with DB and both make a move to leave the room but at the last moment DB turns back: I will have my dinner and sleep with my bachchi here for tonight. Raat ko agar zaroorat padegi toh..
Before Nidhi could panic, Anji rescues her: koi baat nahi DB. Mein hoon na. aaj se leke Nidhi ko teek honetak mein uske saath hi rahoongi.
Nidhi grins and replies without turning back: thank you Anji. DB..Anji rahegi na mere saath aap jaake aaraam se sojaiye.
Rohan also pops in: aur zaroorat padi toh mein bhi hoon na. mein bhi Nidhiji ko company doonga. Aur raat ko agar Nidhiji ko bhook lage toh mein aur Anjiji noodles pakayenge.
DB reluctantly leaves Nidhi's room but starts on again as soon as she and CV sit at the dining table: I don't like this Yog. Yeh jo kuch bhi horaha hain na..achcha nahi horaha hain.
CV: filhaal toh humaare paas aur koi choice nahi hain Bua. Aur phir Rohan aur Anji hain na uske saath.
DB: arre woh dono toh pehle se hi Nidhi ke saath the. Issiliye toh maamla yahaan tak aagaya. Kissi ek mein bhi thodi akal hoti toh..
CV loses it: buss Bua. Right now I am just happy that Nidhi is safe and sound and with us. Rohan said it was a truck that dashed her. zara sochiye kya hosakta tha. our priority at this point is for her to completely get well. that's it. aur Bua agar aap galti se bhi Nidhi se kuch kahaa..kuch BHI kahaa..Bua aap ko meri kasam. Nandini ke jaane ke baad Nidhi ke chehra dekh dekhke meine jeena seekhliya hain. ab agar issko kuch hogaya na..(his throat closes up and he quickly blinks away his tears)
DB's temper also cools down at that and she lowers her tone: toh kya Nidhi meri kuch nahi lagti? Mein aisa kyon karoongi? Achcha achcha chalo khaana khaate hain. ABE MANHOOS! Khaana lagao.
CV swallows and looks at her: waada keejiye Bua ki aap Nidhi se kuch nahi kahengi. (he extends his palm towards her and after a moment of hesitation she places her palm in his)
DB: achcha achcha waada karti hoon. mein apna muh aur apni aankhen dono band rakhoongi.
CV: thank you. Nidhi ko pehle teek honedeejiye phir sochte hain. Rohan already went and told at JS that Nidhi will be taking off for a few days as she is not well. once things get back to normal, I think we should just move away..relocate to another place. start fresh.
Reassured by those words, DB nods and starts serving dinner.
Nidhi's room:
Anji: ab kaise feel kar rahi hain yaar? Sar abhibhi dukhta hain kya?
Nidhi: thoda. Zyaada nahi. (then she grins and tentatively sits up, leans against the pillows) I am going to call Dr Ashutosh a bit later (her eyes hold so much anticipation and joy that Anji and Rohan exchange quick glances)
Rohan, who is leaning against the table smiles: achcha? Kyon? Koi khaas baat? I mean..personal hain toh you need not tell.
Nidhi's eyes get wide and she lowers her voice as if sharing a secret: I said he has to play violin and put me to sleep.
Anji continues to smile but her heart goes out for Ashu: yaar..woh hospital se thake thake aayenge aur tu apna demands leke baitjaaogi toh..
Nidhi pouts: mein kahaan raat bhar performance denekeliye bolrahi hoon. buss ek gaana hi toh hain. Aur aap dono uss time pe kahi jao. Woh sirf mere liye bajaayenge. I don't want either of you to listen.
Rohan gives his friend a tender look: you don't worry about that. we will go and make noodles when your concert starts. (they chat for some more time. mostly Anji and Rohan chat while Nidhi listens and keeps looking at the clock every 2 minutes)
Ashu's residence:
HK: kuch toh khaale beta.
Ashu looks up from the laptop with impassive eyes: nahi kaka. Bhook nahi hain. aap aur Armaan khaaleejiye.
HK shakes his head and moves away and Ashu's phone beeps with incoming message. Nidhi: Aap ne khaana khaaliya?
Ashu grits his teeth and angrily throws the phone away on the bed. Ek ajnabee khaaye na khaaye tumhe kya farak padta hain Nidhi Verma? Chauraahe par mile aur apne apne raaste chalegaye. Buss hogaya. Kahaani KHATAM! Mujhe ek aur chauraaha..ek aur mulakaat NAHI chahiye. Thank you very much! Angrily he picks up the phone and replies to the message: have your dinner, take your meds and go to sleep.
Nidhi: aap ne khaana khaaya? Meri dawaai toh aap ke khaane ke baad hi hogi. aur aap ka violin hi mujhe aaj sulaayega. Mujhe aap ke phone ka intezaar rahega.
Ashu bangs his laptop shut and grips his hair. So much temptation! After everything that happened why am I still tempted? Why can't I just..!: KAKA! KAKA!
HK comes running: kya baat hain beta?
Ashu: khaana lagaayiye mein aarahahoon.
HK gives a happy relieved smile and goes off. Both Armaan and Ashu start having dinner and it is obvious to Armaan that AShu is literally pushing himself to eat. Every bite is followed by water as if to help him swallowing it down: Ashu..baat kya hain yaar? Agar khaana nahi hain toh..
Ashu gives his friend a helpless yet an angry look: she won't take her meds until I have my dinner.
Armaan just looks at him: itna pyaar karta hain tu usse?
Ashu pushes away the dinner plate and gets up: haan..nahi..pata nahi.
Armaan: Ashu..give her one more chance. She doesn't remember anything. May be this time around she will..
Ashu whirls around to face Armaan: THIS time around? What this time around? I will tell you what will happen. Ek do din mein uski yaaddash waapas aajayegi aur woh phir se mere muh pe sorry maarkar chalijaayegi.
Armaan: may be she won't get scared this time.
Ashu: she just forgot a part of her life Armaan..not undergone some personality transplant. I just..(he turns away from his friend) I am just waiting for her to get her memory back. that's it.
Armaan: are you?
Ashu leaves the place without answering him. he goes to the study room, softly closes the door, takes out his phone, closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again and dialling the number.
Nidhi's impatient glance at the clock for the nth time turns into a wide smile as soon as her phone starts ringing. She clicks the talk button before the sound could disturb anyone. Anji and Rohan exchange looks and silently signal her that they would go to another room. She nods happily and mouths a silent thank you: hello? Aap ka dinner hogaya?
Ashu clears his throat: yes. did you take ur meds?
Nidhi picks up the tablets and water that are kept on the side table: hang on. Abhi leti hoon. (she quickly swallows the pills and drinks the water before settling back down on the bed) haan. Hogaya.
Ashu sighs: yeh kaisi zidd hain Nidhi? dawaa nahi loongi..yeh sab?
Nidhi smiles: mere zidd mein mera pyaar chupa hain Dr Ashutosh.
The hand holding the phone trembles before he sternly controls it: chalo..now be a good girl and go to sleep.
Nidhi: gaana toh sunaayiye.
Ashu: Nidhi..
Nidhi's voice becomes soft and pleading: please Dr Ashutosh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxXdwOgzgEk
Tere liye ham hain jiye Honton ko siye
Tere liye ham hain jiye Har aansoo piye
Dil mein magar jalte rahe Chaahat ke diye
Tere liye tere liye
Zindagi le ke aayi hai Beete dinon ki kitaab
Ghere hain ab haemin Yaadein be-hisaab
Bin poochhe Mile mujhe Kitne saare jawaab
Chaaha tha kya Paaya hai kya
Hamne dekhiye
Dil mein magar Jalte rahe Chaahat ke diye
Tere liye tere liye
Ashu silently puts the phone on speaker and gets his violin and starts playing. Her smile turns to a small frown before the melodious tune starts relaxing her and her eyelids slowly start drooping. A single lone tear rolls down the cheek of the lone player in the lonely room.
Next day evening: KGH:
Ashu comes out the OT and makes his way to his cabin in his scrubs. He meets Anji and Ranga standing and chatting in the corridor and his steps slow down.
Ranga: hello sir. How did the surgery go?
Ashu nods: it was good. patient is being shifted to the ICU and will be under observation for the next 48 hrs. Please tell the staff to let me know if there is any change.
Ranga nods: sure sir.
Anji: Hello Dr Ashutosh (Ashu nods and makes a move to walk off when something in anji's expression stops him and he looks at her with a question in his eyes) woh..Nidhi aayi hain. she..she is in your cabin.
Ashu locks his jaw, pulls away his head mask and his brisk walk quickly takes him to his cabin. He sees her as soon as he opens the door. She is sitting in the sofa, head resting against the cushion behind with her eyes closed. One hand and the left side of her head still have bandages. Her eyes blink open and she smiles as soon as she sees him: hello Dr Ashutosh.
Ashu closes the door: tum kab aayi?
Nidhi grins: buss thodi der pehle. I had to get the dressings changed na.
Ashu: have you got it done?
Nidhi frowns: no. aap toh abhi abhi OT se aaye hain na. relax, chai peejiye aur phir dressing change keejiye.
Ashu: there are no other doctors available?
Nidhi slowly gets up and comes close to him and hugs him: kya baat hain Dr Ashutosh? aap mujhse itne rookhe sookhe kyon baat kar rahe hain? I don't know what happened the last few weeks. Kuch hua tha kya? Did we fight? Did I hurt you in any way? Aap aise rehte hain toh rone ko jeekarta hain.
Ashu, who is gripping the table behind him tightly, finally loses the battle. His arms slowly wrap themselves around her and he tunnels his fingers in her hair but carefully extracts her from the embrace: aisa..aisa kuch nahi hain.
Nidhi moves away with a down bent head: kuch toh zaroor hain jo aap mujhse chuparahe hain. your eyes don't smile at me any more. you don't call me Doc any more. mujhe bhi ajeeb lagta hain. jab bhi mein aap ko dekhti hoon toh rone ka mann karta hain..jee karta hain aap se lipat jaau aur kabhi na chodu..(a fine tremor passes through her body and she hugs herself before turning and moving off towards the door)
Ashu: hey Doc..(she stops but doesn't turn around) dressing change nahi karvaani hain?
Nidhi twists her head back to look up at him with tear filled eyes. He is not made of stone, irrespective of the fact that that's what his interns call him. Ashu walks up and wipes away the tear that has escaped and rolled down her cheek. He makes her sit in the sofa and calls the nurse to get the dressing tray. He carefully removes all the bandages, checks the wounds over, cleans them and does the dressing again: lo. Hogaya. Make sure you keep them dry for a couple of more days and you can leave off the bandages. (she nods and makes a move to get up) you are going home now?
Nidhi starts fiddling with her handbag: ji. Pehle socha tha saath milkar chai peene jaayenge..par..
Ashu: toh chalo
Nidhi's face brightens a little as she looks up: aap chalenge?
His gaze is tender and soft..with only a trace of pain lurking somewhere in the depths of his eyes: sure. Its been long since we went there. let me get changed and I will meet you at the parking lot.
Nidhi nods with a happy smile, gives him a small wave and leaves. This goes on for the next 4 days. Every day Nidhi comes to KGH in the evening to get her dressing changed and after that waits until Ashu finishes his OP and then both go to the chai ki dukaan or some times to the near by dhabha to have some paneer pakodas. Either Anji and Ranganath or Rohan and Armaan accompany them after which Nidhi goes back to her house and Ashu to his. CV and DB look on with a kind of helplessness. On one side, they see the happy smiling laughing Nidhi back with them but on the other hand, they also know the reason behind her joy and happiness. But since Anji or Rohan or some times both are constantly with her, they can't openly object either. The days are peppered with frequent sms from Nidhi which Ashu usually replied with a smiley or a monosyllable answer. One day Mallika finds Nidhi sitting in Ashu's cabin waiting for him but before she could go in and ask point blank if Nidhi is putting up an act of some kind and why she is playing with Ashu's emotions, Ashu blocks her way.
Ashu: Mallika, you need something?
Mallika: nahi..mein buss..yeh ho kya raha hain Ashutosh?
Ashu: matlab?
Mallika: whats Nidhi doing here again? usne toh rishta tod diya na tumse?
Ashu: you know that she has been in an accident..you know she has had a head injury and is suffering from partial amnesia..
Mallika: and how do you know that she is not putting up an act?
Ashu frowns and folds his hands: and why would she do that Mallika?
Mallika's gaze quickly slides away: mujhe kya pata? Shaayad uska jeenahi bharaho ek baar tumhaara dil todke..
Ashu: Mallika..do you trust me as a doctor? Do you think I am a good doctor?
Mallika: yeh kaisa sawaal hain Ashutosh? you are one of the best doctors in this country and yes, I trust you.
Ashu: then you think being a doctor I can't tell if she is acting or actually suffering?
Mallika: par Ashutosh tum..
Ashu raises his hand as if telling her to stop: I don't want to discuss this any more. Your patients are waiting for you. so please..(she sighs and starts walking off in the direction of her cabin) and Mallika..don't say something like that about Nidhi EVER again. please.
Mallika looks at him: aaj mein Jagan ke saath baahar jaarahi hoon. Dinner pe.
Ashu: do you know what you are doing?
Mallika: yes. I like him and I trust him.
Ashu shrugs: then its up to you. (and goes off to his cabin. Mallika hears Nidhi's excited squeal and laughter a few moments after that and she quickly goes away)
On the 5th day: Ashu's house:
Ashu is rearranging the pillows on the sofa and clearing up the old magazines from the centre table while Armaan is helping HK in the kitchen.
Armaan: dekha kaka, aaj Ashu kitna khush dikhraha hain na.
HK: haan beta. kitne dino baad meine Ashutosh bete ko muskuraate hue dekha hain.
Armaan: iss baar sab sahi hona chahiye kaka. I don't want him to face even a moment of pain any more. buss ab bahut hochuka. Bahut sehliya Ashu ne.
Ashu walks into the kitchen: kaka, sab taiyyar hain?
Armaan: yeah yeah everything is ready. Kaka has outdid himself for tonight's dinner. Nidhi khaayegi toh tereliye na sahi kaka ke haath ke khaane keliye tujhse shaadi karnekeliye raazi hojaayegi.
Ashu's smile vanishes as if it had never been and he leaves the place quietly. Soon enough, the door bell rings and Ashu opens to door with a smile firmly pasted on his face: hi. Welcome. (Anji, Ranganath and Rohan all pile in..all except Nidhi who continues to stand outside the door with a smile of anticipation on her face) kya hua Doc? Andar nahi aana hain kya?
Nidhi shakes her head as in a no and extends her hand as if asking him to give his arm. The moment he extends his, she clings to his arm and walks inside beside him. seeing that everyone is near the dining table busily talking, Ashu carefully extracts her arm: yeh kya kar rahi ho Nidhi..
Nidhi grins: what? What am I doing? I didn't do anything. Aur waise bhi hume kaun dekhraha hain Dr Ashutosh?
Ashu looks at her: ever saw a kitten drinking milk from its mother Nidhi?
Nidhi's eyes bug out a little but she grins and shakes her head: nahi. kyon?
Ashu huffs out a small laugh: the kitten closes its eyes while drinking the milk. Jaanti ho kyon?
Nidhi: nahi. kyon?
Ashu: because it doesn't want anyone to see it. tumhaara haal bhi kuch waisa hi hain. you close your own eyes and believe that no one is looking at you.
Nidhi continues to grin but leans in as if sharing a secret: waise idea bura nahi hain Dr Ashutosh. (then as if she suddenly has remembered something, she quickly pushes everyone aside and takes the bowl that Rohan has just placed on the dining table) mein aap keliye kuch laayi hoon. aap ka favourite. Hare chane ki kadi with methi mutiya. (and she takes the lid off with a flourish)
Ashu looks at the dish and back at her and then again back at the dish. Finally he gives a small lopsided smile and takes the bowl from her: thank you Doc. Mera dinner toh hogaya. Aap sab log HK ka dinner enjoy keejiye and I am going to have only this. (Nidhi's whole face lights up and she watches his dip a spoon into the dish and take his first bite) hmmm..fantastic Nidhi. (she giggles as he speaks between mouthfuls and continues to watch him as he takes a couple of more bites with obvious relish) what? Don't look at me like that. I am not going to share. Go and get your own dinner.
Armaan comes and hands Nidhi a plate of food: kanjoos kahi ka. He has always been like this Nidhi. only you can change him I tell you.
Nidhi smiles at first Armaan and then at Ashu: badalna kisko hain Armaanji. Mujhe toh yeh aise hi pasand hain. mujhe toh buss inka saath chahiye aur kuch nahi.
Ashu coughs a little and excuses himself to get some water. While gulping down the water he surreptitiously wipes away his wet eyes, schools his expression and turns back only to have Rohan looking at him with understanding in his eyes. both look away and then back at each other. Before either of them could say anything else, the door bell rings and Armaan goes and opens the door.
Armaan: arre Mallika! Aao aao..andar aao.
Mallika: hi Armaan..this is Jagan..our classmate during MBBS and now he is in New York. We were going out for dinner and thought we would invite both of you also along with us but..(she gives a quick look at everyone and the in general festive atmosphere of the house) looks like it's the wrong time. chalo koi baat nahi..may be some other time.
Ashu: hi Mallika. Hi Jagan. (Jagan extends his hand but Ashu refuses to shake it. with a small smirk and a shrug, Jagan withdraws his hand)
Jagan: bhai kamaal hain. I was actually expecting something else you know..
Ashu: like?
Jagan shrugs again: frankly, when I was coming to India, my first thought was if you and Mallika had got married to each other.
Mallika: Jagan!
Jagan: aur phir yahaan aane ke baad Mallika ne kahaa ki tum kisi aur ladki se pyaar karte ho. I was surprised..you know..kaun hain woh ladki Ashutosh..jisse Lucknow ka..arre Lucknow ka kya..iss desh ka sabse bada Neurosurgeon apna dil de baita hain? naam jaan sakta hoon kya?
Nidhi: Nidhi. uska naam Nidhi hain. aur woh mein hoon.
Mallika looks at Nidhi..at the proud confident way she comes and stands beside Ashu with a genuine warm smile on her face. Jagan also gives her a leisurely look from top to bottom.
Jagan: aap? aap toh yahi hain! par Mallika ne toh kahaa tha ki woh ladki Ashutosh ko laat maarke..uske dil ke hazaar tukde karke chaligayi? Kyon Mallika?
Everything hits Nidhi with the force of a sucker punch. Its as if a closed door in her mind has suddenly burst open and images are pouring in one after the other in rapid succession without giving her any breather in between. Her face pales and she staggers back and would have collapsed on the floor if not for Ashu's lightening fast relexes. He puts his arm around her shoulders to stop her fall and once he realizes that she has fainted, he immediately lifts her up in his arms and carries her onto the sofa, carefully deposits her there before coming back to Jagan and slapping him right across his face.
Fan Fictions
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
