What!"
"What!" The second exclamation came from elsewhere. Both men whirled round. Nidhi stood in the doorway and obviously had not missed on the last part of the statement.
Dr Ranganath fled the place, fearing an explosion. He had never thought the situation could blow itself so much out of control.
"Nidhi..."
"Now what? you still have something to say?"
Ashutosh closed his eyes in defeat as Nidhi stomped out of the room. These men! she had always thought Ashutosh to be clean, but obviously, Dr Dubey knew him better! And thats why he had asked this matter to be investigated in total secrecy!
Nidhi thought furiously as she sat in the parking lot.
Ok, Fine, if Ashutosh had pushed the poor Mrs Sarla down the stairs...which stairs? Their house, the Mathur mansion, didn't have any. And if she had been there, Hiraman kaka and Baba would have known. OK...that means Ashutosh had pushed her down the stair somewhere else, maybe at her parent's place? Whatever. Anyways, she had never got her hands on Sarla Mathur's file. Possibly Ashutosh had known that it was not in the ICU. And had sent her on a wild-goose chase.
But what was she going to do about it?
Go to her baba' that was the only option open to her. Nidhi drove furiously to her father's place and barged in to a surprised Col Verma and Solanki Uncle. A game of chess was in full swing.
"There goes the rook..." Solanki uncle knocked off a vital piece of his opponent's bastion.
"And there goes your queen..." Col Verma was about to retort back as Nidhi barged in, still wearing the hospital apron and a steth held in hand.
"Nidhi?"
"Nidhi?" That was dadibua, who emerged out of the kitchen with Chhhote sarkar closely behind.
What a pleasant surprise!" Solanki uncle didn't believe in joining the chorus chant.
"Solanki Uncle, I want your legal advice on one thing..."
"Sure, Nidhi..."
"how do I get a divorce? I want to divorce Dr Ashutosh..."
"Nidhi?" Dadibua screeched.
"Bibiji?" Chhote Sarkar was not far behind...
Dadi bua who was taking to BB dropped the phone, CB's face lost its color, Solanki seemed to shriek just with one word Divorce as if he had heard the word for the first time and CS was on the floor with hands on his forehead. Everything in the world become still, nothing moved...Only the sound of little breath was addible...It is really compulsory to breathe otherwise you will die was only the reason of those sounds otherwise the room was silent ...
Finally CB was the first one to recover, "Nidhi, you know what you are saying."
"Yes baba, I know"
"May I have the honor to ask you why" just controlling his anger by the thread he asked her in a calm voice.
"Baba, Dr Ashutosh is already married"
"..."
Only silence greeted her...
In the meanwhile Ashutosh tried to call Nidhi but very late her phone was switched off...He called BB to ask her whereabouts and was told to rush to Verma house.
-----------------------
Verma house
"Nidhi are you sure" asked CB.
"Yes baba...I'm sure... I heard him saying this to Dr Ranganath"
"Beti tujhe jaroor koi misunderstanding hui hogi dactar aisa nahi hai" said DB.
"DB aapko mujh pe yakeen nahi hai, who pehle se married hai" said defeated Nidhi.
"What non sense are you taking about Nidhi" Ashutosh's furious voice reached Nidhi...and she turned on the main door Ashutosh was standing with Dr Ranganath.
"What non sense I am talking about, you are already married and expect me to keep mum"
"That's what I am saying I AM NOT MARRIED"
Nidhi started sobbing like a child and rushed to DB" See DB ab toh yeh mujhe apni biwi bhi nahi maante, mera kya hoga" and started crying. Anji and Shyama tried to calm her but her voice was getting higher and higher...
"Nidhi dekho ...I think tumhe koi misunderstanding hui haan"
"Nahi I am dead sure...you are married"
"Hey bhagwaan, aree mein keh raha hoon naa... Meri shaadi hui hi nahi"
Nidhi crying could be heard in another corner of Lucknow " Mere se bhi nahi hui kya"
"Nahi... I mean haan... I mean bas tumse hi hui hai"
"No you are lying"
"No I am not"
"Ashutosh bas bahut hua, yeh kya laga rakha hai haan naa haan naa" said furious CB.
Nidhi was like a kid in candy store who is hell bend on buying a particular thing... Mamma said no then rush to Papa, he will definitely say yes... Leaving DB she rushed to CB and hugged him tight who was taking her side that's what she thought at least...
"Baba, I am not lying who Sarla meri wife nahi hai"
"The why is Nidhi suspicious about that" CB said putting a calming hand on Nidhi head as if reassuring he is with her.
"Baba who hi toh mein keh raha ho bas koi bolne nahi de raha... It's a big misunderstanding... That Sarla Mathur..."
That Mathur' word was enough to ignite Nidhi's crying and temper... Now not only Luchknow but her crying can be heard in Delhi also.
"Ba...ba...baaaba meineee k...kaaaha thaaa naaa he...he is marrried" said Nidhi between her sobs. Cb tried to calm her
"Nidhi please chup ho jayo, I really can't take this anymore" said frustrated Ashu.
"Baba, dekhiye ab...abb inheee meri baa...baaatein bhi paaasand nahi"
"Nidhi please try and understand, there is a confusion. I am not lying"
"Yes you are, you said to Dr Ranga that stupid Sarla is your wife"
Ashutosh came near her and said calmly "Nidhi, Yes I am married"
"To who" came an impromptu reply.
"To you my love, just you" Nidhi eyes seeking for the reassurance in Ashu's eyes...
Then Ashu spoke "Yes Nidhi, I am married and my wife's name is..."
"Mrs Sarla Mathur" said Dr Dubey who was on the reception saw Ashu and Ranga leaving and suspected something and followed Ashutosh's car.
"Dr Dubey what are you talking about" asked irritated Ashu
"Bilkul thik baat kar raha hoon Ashutosh, tumse aise chichore panti ki umeed nahi thi mujhe"
"Nidhi he is talking all rubbish"
"No Nidhi just listen to me, this man is mentally sick... And he just love women not you...I guess its his hobby to get married and leave a women behind...he will definitely ruin your married life too"
"Dr Dubey, this is rubbish"
"Sach khadwa hota hai Ashutosh...just accepted it"
Nidhi was like tennis ball, no crying, no sobbing... She was just looking at two men who were fighting for her...
"Ashutosh you better accept that Sarla is your wife"
"Sir why should I"
"Kyuki sab yeh hi keh rahe hai Ashu" entered BB, with his head down and eye ashamed to face the truth. Nidhi just ran towards baba and starting crying again.
"Baba you too...You too believe all this bullshit and Nidhi please stop this non sense and listen to me"
"Haan haan ab toh meri har baat apko non sense hi lagegi naa...ab koi aur pasand jo aa gayi hogi apko" said Nidhi between her cries.
"Nidhi I said just stop this and listen to me"
"What listen to you Ashutosh what listen to you" said exasperated Dr Dubey..."Nidhi you know what yesterday he was saying to Priyanka, she really looks pretty in saree..."
Nidhi was stunned for a moment; he never complimented her even...on very rare occasions she use to get compliments from him that to when she use to ask him how she is looking and here he was complimenting Priyanka and again she started crying more loudly this time...Gosh the room was full of her cries...
"Nidhi, this is wrong I just said saree is the best attire for any Indian girl...he is manipulating it" clarified Ashutosh.
"And why the hell you said that"
"Nidhi, stop this and listen to me..."
He was cut in between by Dr Dubey," I really don't understand Ashutosh why are you giving these explanations to her she is not your wife, you are just having an affair with her and Nidhi you why are you behaving like you are his wife and he is cheating on you...He is not your husband, you are married to somebody else and above all aren't you cheating your husband too"
Again a silence in the room...
Nidhi was stunned she was cheating on Ashu, what does that mean she is having a affair with someone or someone is trying to grab Nidhi also...
Ashutosh was in no different state, he is cheating Nidhi...No Nidhi is cheating on him...He is having affair...No she is having affair...Oh god this will definitely blast my mind.
"Can you please repeat" Ashtosh and Nidhi said in chorus...Both gave an awkward look to each other coz the picture of the current situation was getting clear and clear in their minds.
"What?? Why are you looking at me like this?"
"Sir please repeat you just said" said Ashutosh with a small grin on his face and gave a loving smile to Nidhi. CB, BB and Ranganath understood everything and relaxed and made them comfortable on the sofa and also asked others to sit silently.
Seeing all this DB her patience and asked Dubey what the exact matter is?
Dubey was also shocked to see everyone relaxed and looking at him as if he was a theif and was caught red handed.
"Why are you all looking at me like this"
"Sir, they all want answers now...Please answer them naa" In the mean while he went closer to Nidhi and put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her a bit just to reassure everything is fine and he is with her.
Seeing all this Dubey was also losing patience. What is all this now...Everybody so relaxed and enjoying like he was a standup comedian and doing comedy...It really seemed Dr Dubey suddenly turned into Kapil Sharma(comedian) coz everyone except DB and Dubey was laughing so hard that now one could hear their laugh in Delhi...
Ashutosh was one first one to recover and came near Dubey and introduced Nidhi as his wife and Cb as his FIL and DB as MIL and then said"Sir, meri wife sirf Nidhi hai who Sarla ji kisi aur ki wife hai and haan humara family name same hai but it doesn't make her my wife and Sir mein Nidhi ka husband ho we are not cheating each other in fact we thought ke aap..." Ashu stopped in middle realizing what he was about to speak.
"OMg mein toh ata nahi kya kya soch raha tha tumhare bare mein...I am sorry Ashutosh, I am sorry Nidhi... But in fact kya Ashutosh"
"Jaane dijiye sir nahi toh ek aur misunderstanding khadi ho jayegi"
"Haan bhai ab iske baad mujhse aur nahi saha jayega" Dubey took a pause and said"Par Ashutosh mujhe ek baat samajh mein nahi aayi tum Priyanka ki itni tareef kyu kar rahe the" and winked Nidhi.
Ashutosh looked at Nidhi and was at loss of words again...
------ ------- ------ The end------ ------ ------
