SS- Hasratein final chapter page 55 24th sept - Page 27

Originally posted by: shobha21

Vidishaji...waiting for the update. Bega kodiri.

KGH had grown tremendously under Ashutosh's stewardship. It had doctors from all over India working in it...Its name was firmly entrenched in the medical tourism map...a good number of foreign patients arrived each year... It had made a name for itself in the field of neurology and oncology. While a few people in U.P still referred to him as "Lallan Bhaiya ka damad" , a vast majority respected the doctor that he was...Ashutosh himself made efforts to break free from taint of Lallan's name..the very name that once gave him a head-start...he was successful to some extent.. .anyway doctors from outside U.P didn't know who Lallan was and they evaluated Ashutosh solely on his skills as a surgeon. Ashutosh was a regular at conferences on neurology..his papers received appreciation from his peers..he was at the pinnacle of professional success. The only thing that bothered him was his personal life.

Ashutosh was worried for Kanishk...he knew that he would eventually be dragged into the murky world of politics...would he like it...or would politics mar his future? Would Kanishk have a say in his choice of career...it seems as if Lallan and Radhika have already written his destiny.

Ashutosh's yearning for a daughter never ceased...he tried killing the desire but it reared his head everytime he saw a man cuddling his young daughter.

Radhika would never give him another baby...but he couldn't stop wondering how his daughter would look like...would she be intelligent like him? would she follow his footsteps just the way Radhika followed her Dad's? Would she want to take over KGH once he retires?

Ashutosh's thoughts were broken by a knock on the door of his cabin..it was Dr.Ranganath.

he had come to invite him to his sister's wedding...Ashu looked at the card and gave a wry

smile...It reminded him of his own floundering marriage...he nevertheless promised Ranganath that he would attend it.

Ashutosh knew that Radhika wouldn't accompany him to Ranganath's sister's wedding...she refused outright and also advised Ashutosh to avoid social interactions with chotte-log'.

"Radhika, that man is my colleague, he is a doctor...he works in the administration department"

"Haan...parr woh hai toh ek mulazim na..aur aap maalik"

"Agar chotte-logo' se itni allergy hai toh kyun jaati ho unke paas vote maangne?"

"Loktantra ki majboori" Radhika smiled

"Agar maalik mulazimo ke ghar nahi jaatein hai toh tum kyun gayi thi uss Chandrabhan ke ghar? uske bacche ke birthday party mein?"

"Chandrabhanji bade kaam ke admi hai...unko apne Ranganath se compare math keejiye...Pandeyji ke death ke baad sab unhone hi sambhala hai...aur waise bhi woh birthday party unke liye bahut maine rakhthi hai..unke bete ki pehli birthday thi...chaar betiyon ke baad paida hua hai woh beta"

"Main sab samajhtha hoon ki woh kya kya sambhal rahein hai aur kitni acchi tarah se sambhal rahein hai"

"Aap kehna kya cha rahein hai"

"Main tumse na kuch kehna chahatha hoon..aur na hi aage se kuch kahoonga...jo tumhare mann mei aaye wohi karna..."

Ashutosh stormed out and went to his son's room.

A week later-one late evening

"Aap kahan jaa rahein hai?"

"Tumhe usse matlab?"

"Dr.Ranganath ki behen ki shaadi mein na?"

"Jaanti ho toh phir poochthi kyun ho?"

"Thoda time deejiye ...main bhi ready ho jaati hoon"

"Tum toh nahi aane waali thi?"

"Haan...par baad mein socha ki agar woh aapke itne khaas hai ki aap mere mana karne ke baad bhi unke ghar ke shaadi main jaa rahein hai, toh mujhe bhi aapke saath chalna chahiye"

"Tumhare mana karne ke bawajood?" Ashutosh was aghast...sure this woman was Lallan's girl..no DNA test needed...the same dictatorial streak was showing itself "Mujhe nahin lagta ki mujhe kahin aane-jaane ke liye tumhare permission ki zaroorat hai..."

Radhika tried to smile and lighten the situation "Mera woh matlab nahin tha"

"Tumhara kya matlab hai woh mai acchi tarah se janta hoon...aur accha hua ki tum nahi aa rahi ho mere saath...tumhara mere saath hona logo ke liye ek reminder hotha hai..unko yeh yaad dilatha hai ki mai ek bikha hua insaan hoon...that I have sold myself..."

Radhika looked at Ashu in amazement...what did he mean by "I have sold myself"?

Ashutosh didn't go straight to the wedding venue. He was too frustrated with his own life to go and smile at someone else's happiness. He was now jealous of other doctors who were far less successful than him in their profession...he was jealous of Ranganath in particular. Who was he? a man who went to a local medical college...got low marks...and then joined the administration department of K.G.H...but he was so content in his personal life...he had a loving family. His dad was a retired school headmaster...someone who lived ethically all his life...someone who unlike his own dad wouldn't think about selling his own son...he had a doting mother. His wife was an accountant and they had two cute little daughters...daughters!..how he envied that man.

Ashutosh sat in a coffee shop and started introspecting... was his own ambition his undoing? did he do the right thing by marrying into a political family? Would things have been different if his mother was alive...would she have dissuaded him from marrying Lallan's daughter?

Should he have never come to Lucknow...should he try going back to London?...but that would mean separation from Kanishk...he had achieved all that he wanted, then why wasn't he at peace...? Ashutosh looked at his watch...it was quite late...he should rush otherwise the wedding would get over.

Ashutosh was about to enter Ranga's sister's wedding venue when his saw a lady dressed demurely in an off -white saree..who was about to leave the hall...his eyes opened wide as he recognised her...events from the past came rushing to his mind. He debated a thought for a few second and then...

Originally posted by: shobha21

Nice update Vidishaji...poor Ashu ...I felt pity for him..Radhika me itna change ayega maine socha nahi tha. She proved herself as a politician's daughter. Nidhi ki entry hogayi...ab aage kya????

Originally posted by: Suvika.

Intense dialogues Vidisha... Liked the update very much. 👏

So Nidhi enters!! 🥳

Originally posted by: Vidishaa

Thanks dear... initially planned to include a few more dialogues..but suffering from Harsh Chayya fever from the past few days..unable to think about Ashu...😆

Originally posted by: Suvika.

😆

But seriously.. I liked Ashutosh - Radhika conversation. Clearly shows that she is a politician now. And also portrays his ego and hurt. Its not easy to achieve that impact. You deserve a huge round of applause.