Nidhi wrapped her pallu of the blue kaanji veram saree as guddi stood in her pink n silver salwaar kurta waiting for her mother to pick her up...nidhi looked at the naughty imp...and put a thin silver dupatta..and nishu came in dressed in a blue sherwani n churidaar..all set for the mehndi , "mamma , papa kab aayenge"?? Nidhi smiled"beta , papa is busy, kaamkhatm ker ke aayenge..its a busy day u see..chalo hum log chalein..dance karenge ..."but both nishu n guddi seemed grumpy..nishu mmurmured"papa..mai bore ho jaata hoon without him..."n lil guddi added"aur me bhi"!! Nidhi sighed as she patted both of them and then looked at nishu.."beta..you r a big boy..jaante ho na..papa is a very senior dr..a surgeon..kitte logon ki jaan bachate hain...he cannot be with us all the time...aur aayenge woh bhi..thodi der mei..baba to chal rahe hain na..."!!and nidhi came out where baba was waiting...in his casual but graceful woollen kurta pyjama n a lovely pashmina shawl...guddi opened her arms ..as baba picked her up...as they sat in the car ..nidhi driving ...baba kept chatting with his grand children and finally said"nidhi..tujhe hi sab kerna padta hai...ashu ko to hospital se hi ..."nidhi smiled"baba..neurosurgeons ki to zindagi hoti hi aisi hai...aur woh sab kuch to kartei hain...infact kaafi thak jaate hain..."! Baba kept quiet...as nidhi applied brakes in the parking lot..n entered the beautifully lit home of dr sudhir n nanda..
The huge lawn was beautifully decorated...guests were arriving as jyothika brought out ahana ..in a red lehnga...n was almost immediately sirrounded by friends n relatives..nanda made ahana sit as the girls began to apply mehndi on each other...n as guddi looked at them..nidhi smiled n taking a cone made some flowers on the lil girl's hands...as aditi asked nidhi.."tu nahi lagwaayegi"?? Nidhi smiled n said"pehle ahaana ko to lagaao...chalo J likho..hames ke naam ka"!! And ahaana blushed ..as they began to decorate her hands...and nidhi could not help recalling ...how A had been written on her hands...A for ashutosh...she looked at her cell...no sms..or whatsapp...probably he was still in surgery...
Jyothika took nidhi's hand n smiled"tere haat pe to bus woh ek his lafz...A "?? N nidhi smiled as nishu n guddi peeped n nidhi explained "A for your papa...ashutosh"!!
As nidhi sat drying her hands...tej's mom saw her...n came"beta...kaisi ho...to yeh hain tumhare bachche?? Sorry kal ki galatfehmi ke liye...actually koi soch nahi sakta ki itni sundar ladki ka pati...ek adhed...safed baalon wala..."nidhi did not seem uncomfortable. ? She had learnt to deal with such innuendos..she looked up and said"aunty..main aapko explain nahi karoongi..kyunki aap samajh nahi paayengi mere aur dr ashutosh ke rishte ko...its not easy you see"and as nidhi moved to baba, tej'smom seemed a lil wonderstruck...at the spirited answer...
Dr chandra , dr nagpal with their wives were present ...and as dr dubey entered with anji n ranganath..nidhi looked at them..trying to hide her anxiety...dr dubey came..after wishing dr mathur n said "sorry, dr nidhi..ashutosh abhi bhi o.t. mei hai..."nidhi smiled ..as dr chandra looked at the kids ...n smiled asnidhi said"chalo..hum log dance dekhenge...papa ko der hogi...see work hai na..."and as nidhi took the kids to dance...dr nagpal looked at his wife n said"kaun soch sakta tha...itni mature hogi itti young ladki..."!! Baba who was sitting ..close by ..smiled..thanking his stars...
James came a lil late...dressed up in a gold n brown sherwani...as dadi did his ceremonial arti...n ahaana showed her mehndi..the friends nudging him to search for J!!
Dinner began as ahana had wished , chinese , italian n lebanese food ...with a counter of chaat for those like dr dubey who frowned n said"kya sudhir...daamaad angrez sahi..khana to Hindustani khilate"!!
Nidhi helped guddi finish her pasta as nishu ate on his own..."nidhi , wont you have...hardstone nahi aa paayega shaayad"!! It was dr sudhir...nidhi smiled"dont worry sir.., main kha loongi..I m fine ..aate honge woh bus"!! Sudhir smiled at nidhi as he said"i really wish ahaana comes to have even half your understanding. "!!
Nidhi looked at baba...guddi was sleeping in her arms..it was 11.30 guests had begun to leave ..she signalled to baba...as he got up, holding nishu's hand ..as nidhi n he came to nanda n sudhir..n baba said"ab chalein..."sudhir smiled..understanding the kids were sleepy...nanda explained ..the civil marriage was a v private affair thenext morning...and in the afternoon the couple were leaving for maldives for a week long honeymoon...nidhi smiled ..knowing how eagerly ahana had been waiting for the week...she smiled as she went up n hugged ahana ...who giggled"oh my god..nidhi..I am having first nite jitters..."!! And then added "I hope dr ashutosh ki tarah...hospital se call bahi aa jaaye"!! And the girls laughed...as nidhi kept quiet for a moment...no she wasnt sad...just a lil thoughtful...even today she felt proud that her husband had left his bride ...n had preferred to save a life...it was not a night of passion as it was supposed to be..but it had brought the two of them closer,..in the peace of understanding n acceptance...nidhi knew ..what ws the meaning of duty for dr ashutosh...n she also realised if she had to see joy in those eyes...she should never restrain those fingers from saving lives...n she knew rest of the times he was there ...for her..."laao mujhe do..."nidhi's thoughts were broken with the familiar touch on her bare back..as dr ashutosh..in his grey suit took a sleeping guddi in his arms n apologised to sudhir n nanda ...having blessed ahana ..they moved, ashu was just too tired to eat..n sudhir understood...it had been a long day...indeed..
"Pata nahi iss ladki ne kya dekha is doctor mein...koi mel nahi dono ka..."said tej'smom...as nanda answered back..."agar inkamel nahi..to duniya mei kissi ka kisii se mel nahi..."!
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"Papa..dekho gudfi ne mehndi lagaai...aur mamma ne bhi..see A FOR ASHUTOSH"!! It was nishu ..showing nidhi's hand to his father..as a quiet ashutosh kissed him n said"lets sleep today beta..papa is v tired..."!
As nishu went to bed...nidhi changed n got a glass of milk for ashutosh.."pee leejiye..nahi to acidity ho jaayegi..."ashutosh nodded...as he moved to the bed ..n looked at nidhi.."I m sorry...bus aa nahi paaya...it was a v challenging surgery..."nidhi kept quiet as she stood behind him..massaging his shoulders n temples...n then whispering"bus so jaaiye..aap bahut zyaada thak gaye hain...patient critical hai..abhi bhi"?? Dr ashutosh paused for a moment as he held nidhi's hand...his thumb caressing the A ...n he nodded...as nidhi hugged him...caressing his hair"so jaaiye...subah ujaala layegi..zuroor..."!! And dr ashutosh closed his eyes...surrendering himself to sleep n the refuge of nidhi...the glass of milk remaining untouched...
"How are the parameters.."?? Nidhi woke up as she heard the voice of dr ashutosh...n as a smile seemed to emerge in his eyes...nidhi knew the patient had survived...she threw the quilt n ran to get some tea n biscuits..her stomach seemed to be aching with hunger...as she arranged the cups on a tray with some sweet n salty biscuits, she felt a warm shawl on her shoulders"pneumonia ho jaayega"!! It was dr ashutosh..as he put nidhi's favourite black shawl around her n took the tray..."room mei..yaa garden"?? And nidhi shivered but said"garden...bahut din ho gaye"!!
As they sipped the hot tea...and ate the biscuits..ashutosh explained about the case..now out of danger..and then asked"kyun nahi khaa leti mere bina...I feel guilty.."n nidhi smiled"koi zuroorat nahi hai...I am fine,..itni mushkilse to dubli hui hoon...achcha hai na ki dinner kabhi kabhi miss ho jaata hai..."!! And ashutosh just kept looking at her...n then held her palm...with the glistening A ON it...as he recalled the old ghazal...
APNE HAATHON KI LAQUEERO MEI BASAA LE MUJHKO..
MAIN NASEEB TERA HOON..APNA BANAA LE MUJHKO...
As the family sat for breakfast..guddi showed her hands to ashutosh"pappa meli mehdi..look see"!! And ashu laughed as he saw the flowers in those tiny hands n kissed them...and guddi giggled as she pulled at nidhi's hand n showed"a for apple..no atutosh.."thats how she could say her dad's name!!!!
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"Yes re...aa gaye waapas...honeymoin to was okay..but now james has joined back..n its shit boring..."complained ahana...as nidhi talked, while she held the cell in one hand n made coffee with the other.."to tu bhi aa kgh..."and ahaana replied "uunhh abhi nahi...maybe next week...but I hate doing this ghar rakhna...not my job..."n nidhi smiled as she teased"sab achcha lagne lagega...dont worry ..just a matter of time...per kgh join ker le..nahi to lonely feel karegi..."
"Nidhi coffee plz"asked dr ashutosh ..as ahaana said"jaa tu coffee pila...sach..I wonder how u cope up with all this...I am already missing my free days..."nidhi giggled n said"my dear..abhi to pata chalega jab mommy banegi tu"!! And ahaana hung up with a loud "nooo"!!
"Kya hua..hows ahaana"?? Asked dr ashutosh as he took the coffee n sat on the sofa, after snugly covering n tucking the kids in bed ..n nidhi answered"band baja hua hai madam ka...free days yaad ker rahi hain..."!! Dr ashutosh lookedup from his book n asked"tumhe nahi bandhan lagta yeh sab...dont you long for your free fun...raat me maggi...n all"?? Nidhi took the mug of coffee n sipped and then spoke thouhhtfully..."nahi miss karti...this is a new innings of life...aur sab feel jartein hain ..ki maine hi adjust kiya hai..sach to yeh hai ki aapne bhi kitta adapt kiya hai...kitna badla hai apne aap ko...aur rahi baat raat ko maggi gi..to woh to main abhi bhi khaati hoon..."ashutosh caressed her ..n added"rishte dahi ki tarah hote hain...jamte jamte hi jamte hain...I wonder ahaana patience rakhegi...yaa"?? Nidhi pushed her hair back..as she said"i dunno..per abhi meri patience khatm ho rahi hai...kitte dino se QUEEN ka dvd laa je rakha hai..aapke saath dekhni hai...cinema to aap aur aapki guddi jaate nahi..ab friday nite to dekh lein...unless aapko aur tom n jerry dekhna ho to"!! Ashutosh laughed as he settled in bed n the movie began...as nidhi munched the active popcorns she had made...n ashutosh picked one n popped it ...as nidhi seemed to jig to"london thumakda..."and as the movie turned serious n nidhi wiped her tears...n said"i tell u ..all men"!! Finding no response,.she looked at her dear husband...fast asleep...with his specs on..!!! Nidhi smiled ...as she carefully took them off, switched off the tv n settled close to him...the movie she knew could wait...nothing mattered more than just being with him...feeling his breath...his hands casually spread on her belly...
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"Haan beta..tu chinta na ker..sab manage ho jaayega...jaao tum log.."said baba ..as armaan supported him n added"its been ages..tu aur nidhi akele kahi gaye hi nahi...phuns gaye ho ..bachche ..ghar ..hospital...jaao..just freak out..."!! Dr ashutosh smiled as he entered his bedroom n quietly hugged nidhi..placing one hand on her eyes..."dekho to kya laaya hoon..."and handed an excited nidhi...bookings of taj nainital..."nainital phir se...bus hum dono..."and as nidhi felt an uncontrolled joym the next instant she looked worried "aur bachche..."?? Ashu spoke"itte log hain..baba armaan dadi bua..colverma...whats the issue...we need to give time to ourselves...phir se kuch din..bus wahi puraane ashutosh aur nidhi..."and nidhi sighed n smiled at the same time as she put her head on his chest...and ashutosh clasped her...with his eyes looking at the children's room...before he closed them n tried to think only of the two of them,...ashutosh nidhi...ek baar phir..
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