Ashutosh spent the rest of the day thinking about Nidhi. He had wanted to keep her away from himself for the sake her happiness. But that didn't seem to be happening. Her happiness lied with him. And his own in hers. If he was with her, he could protect her, shield her from the world. But if he was up against her, then facing him became her biggest problem. Even what happened during the wedding party would not have affected her so much if he hadn't reacted like that. Heck! She wouldn't even have realized what had happened. But when he reacted so strongly, she found it difficult to ignore the incident.
He recalled what she had said once, "Problems to koi na koi aaj na kal sabko face karni hi hoti hain zindagi mein. Aap meri madad kyon nahin karte meri zindagi ki problems face karne mein?"
Why not? Why should he not be by her? With her? At least give it a chance. Give her a chance to be happy. Give himself a chance to be happy. If they were meant to be, they will find a way out of the external problems.
--
"Tumhari tabiyat ab theek hai?" Ashutosh asked Nidhi when he met her the next day.
"Ji."
"Nidhi. Tumhein Chinese food pasand hai na. Aaj Royal Orchid mein Chinese food festival chal raha hai. Dinner par chalna chahogi?"
Nidhi was touched. He was trying to do things to her liking, to cheer her up. Ashutosh could see the gratitude in her eyes in the split second that she let them meet his. A faint smile had also formed on her lips. But she had taken some other decision and she had to stick by it. She was not going to create any more mess in his life.
"Thank you. Lekin main nahin ja paungi. Ghar par thoda kaam hai."
Ashutosh was disappointed, but he tried not to appear affected, "Okay. Some other time then."
Nidhi just smiled slightly and did not reply.
--
"Hi!" Nidhi was surprised to see Ashutosh walking in the common room. She was on a night duty and was sitting there alone. Ashutosh was not expected to be there.
"Sir. Aap? Aap to aaj din bhar hospital mein the na."
"Haan. Lekin ghar jaane ka man nahin hua to ruk gaya."
"Okay," she said and the fell silent.
"Tum ab bhi pareshaan ho?" Ashutosh asked after a few moments of silence.
"Nahin to. Aapko aisa kyon laga?"
"Mujhse naaraaz ho?"
"Nahin. Aap ye sab kyon poochh rahe hain?"
"Tumhara kuchh pata hi nahin chalta aaj kal. Kabhi baat bhi nahin karti ho."
Nidhi gulped hard. Why was he being so nice? How was she to keep away from him, if he behaved like that.
"Aisa k... kuchh nahin hai," she managed to speak, "Lekin aapko bahut kaam hota hai to main disturb nahin karna chahti. Koi zaroorat hoti to zaroor baat karti."
"Armaan kal treat de raha hai. Uska birthday hai. Woh chahta tha ki tum bhi join karo."
"Sir," Nidhi started speaking, hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke, "Thank you. Aap apne comfort zone se bahar ja kar mujhe khush rakhne ki koshish kar rahe hain. I really appreciate it. Lekin iski zaroorat nahin hai. Jo baat aap mujhe samjhaana chahte the, main samajh chuki hoon. Main aapki zindagi mein aane ki koshish ab kabhi nahin karoongi. Aur nahin, iske liye meri aapse koi naaraazgi nahin hai. Ye mera faisla hai. Aapko mere liye pareshaan hone ki koi zaroorat nahin hai."
Ashutosh was stunned. What was she saying? She had given up on him? He was too late in accepting the strength of their feelings?
"Main ward mein jaati hoon," she finally said and left before he could say anything.
--
Ashutosh and Armaan were driving together for the health survey Armaan had to conduct in the nearby villages.
"Dr. Nidhi kaisi hain Ashu?" Armaan asked suddenly.
"Theek hain. Kyon?"
"Kya chal raha hai teri life mein? Kaka bata rahe the ki jab tum log wedding se wapas aaye the to bahut pareshaan the. Aur uske baad woh kabhi ghar bhi nahin aayi."
Ashutosh sighed, "Aankh michauli chal rahi hai Armaan. Kabhi main peechhe hat jaata hoon to kabhi woh."
"Achcha. To abhi kaun peechhe hata hua hai."
"Nidhi."
"To tu ek ki jagah do kadam aage badh ja na Ashu. In maamlon mein ego beech mein aana zaroori thode hi na hai."
"Ego ki baat nahin hai Armaan. Usne kuchh bhi aisa nahin kiya ya kaha jisse meri insult ho ya meri ego hurt ho. Lekin agar woh unsure hai to main use force nahin karna chahta."
"Baat kya force karne tak aa gayi hai? Tujhe pata bhi hai ki woh unsure kyon ho gayi jabki kuchh dinon pahle tak woh tere liye khaana peena chhod kar baith gayi thi?"
"Nahin pata hai mujhe. Baat karne se bhi katraati hai aaj kal."
"Baat karne ke liye to tu use force kar sakta hai. Itna rishta to hai tum dono ke beech."
Ashutosh nodded, "Shayad tu theek kah raha hai Armaan."
--
Nidhi had just finished her shift and was leaving the hospital, when she saw a commotion at the hospital gate. Ward boys bought a stretcher and she saw Armaan helping Ashutosh out of the car on the stretcher. Ashutosh was unconscious. Nidhi was shocked and scared. She ran towards Ashutosh.
"Dr. Armaan. Kya hua hai Dr. Ashutosh ko?"
"Kissi poisonous insect ne kaat liya hai. Emergency mein le jaana padega. Jaldi chaliye."
Nidhi rushed inside the hospital along with the rest of the staff. She helped other doctors attend Ashutosh. The poison was spreading fast and their first task was to contain it. Nidhi also got occupied in the treatment and did not show any emotional reaction. But after they had injected anti-venoms and there was nothing for the doctors to do except to keep him under the observation, Nidhi suddenly realized how scary the situation was. Just then she received a call from home.
"Baba. Hospital mein kuchh emergency aa gayi hai. Main abhi nahin aa paungi," Nidhi spoke in a controlled voice.
"Kitni der lagegi Nidhi. Kissi cheez ki zaroorat to nahin hogi?"
"Pata nahin Baba. Shayad raat mein rukna pade."
"Main Bua ko bolta hoon ki tumhare kapde pack kar dein. Anji ke haathon bhijwata hoon main. Koi chinta ki baat to nahin hai na?"
"Nahin Baba," she lied, disconnected the call and then let her tears flow freely. She was in the corridor ouside Ashutosh' room.
"Dr. Nidhi!" Armaan came to her after a while.
She wiped her tears hastily, but they were running down her cheeks continuously.
"Aise himmat nahin haarte. Aap ek doctor hain," he tried to calm her down.
"Ye kaise hua Dr. Armaan?"
"Ek gaon ka raasta road se nahin tha. Paidal raasta kheton se jaata tha. Wahin par shayad kissi keede ne kaat liye. Immediately pata nahin chala, warna sab control mein tabhi aa jaata... Jab realize hua, tab first aid se fayda nahin ho raha tha..."
Nidhi continued crying.
"I am sorry," Armaan said, "Lekin ghabraiye mat. Maine abhi abhi check up kiya hai. Ashu ki condition stable lag rahi hai. Aap thaki hui lag rahi hain. Ghar ja kar aaraam kar lijiye."
Nidhi nodded negatively.
Just then Anji walked in with her bag.
"Nidhi!" she was taken aback seeing her condition, "Kya ho gaya Nidhi? Tu aise ro kyon rahi hai?"
Nidhi ran towards Anji and hugged her tight. She needed the support. Anji patted her back, "Bata to sahi hua kya hai?"
"Dr. Ashutosh..." Nidhi could not complete.
"Kya hua Dr. Ashutosh ko?"
Nidhi broke the hug, but started sobbing and could not speak. Anji looked towards Armaan standing there.
"Ek poisonous insect ne kaat liya hai. Abhi woh under observation hai," Armaan explained and Anji realized what Nidhi was going through. She hugged Nidhi again.
"I understand Nidhi. Lekin aise himmat nahin haarte. Shaant ho ja. Please."
"Anji. Agar unhein kuchh ho gaya to..."
"Kuchh nahin hoga. Kuchh nahin hoga Dr. Ashutosh ko. Chup ho ja Nidhi. Aise to tu apni hi tabiyat kharaab kar legi. Come on. Baith yahan par," Anji made Nidhi sit on one of the chairs in the corridor.
Armaan had gone out by then and he came back with two cups of tea. He gave one each to Anji and Nidhi. Nidhi refused, but Armaan and Anji insisted and made her have the cup.
"Nidhi. Main tere saath rukoon?" Anji asked after Nidhi had the tea and was calmer.
"Nahin Anji. Tu ja. Warna ghar par sab pareshaan ho jayenge. Unhein kuchh batana mat."
"Are you sure?"
"Haan."
"Mujhe phone karna."
"Karoongi Anji. Thanks!"
"Bye Nidhi. Take care," Anji said and then turned to Armaan, "Aap..."
"Dr. Armaan," Nidhi introduced, "Dr. Ashutosh ke dost hain. Maine bataya tha na WHO se..."
"Yeah. Nice to meet you Dr. Armaan. Main..."
"Anji ji. Mujhe pata chal gaya," Armaan and Anji smiled to the extent they could under the circumstances.
"Thanks for the tea aur... please Nidhi ka khayaal rakhiyega."
"Don't worry. Chaliye main aapko bahar tak chhod deta hoon."
Anji was about to refuse, but she felt that Armaan wanted to talk to her. So, she took up the offer.
--
"Dr. Ashutosh theek to ho jayenge na?" Anji asked Armaan on her way out.
"Haan. Thodi ghabrahat mujhe bhi ho gayi thi, kyonki poison kaafee fail gaya tha. Lekin ab uski condition more or less stable hai. Koi complication hui bhi to sambhal jayegi."
"Thank God!"
"Anji ji. Thoda awkward sawaal poochhne ja raha hoon. Agar aap jawaab na dena chahein to mana kar sakti hain. Bas bura man maaniyega."
"Poochhiye."
"Dr. Nidhi ne kabhi Ashutosh ke baare mein aapse baat ki hai?"
"Awkward to hai. Kyon poochh rahe hain aap? Kya Dr. Ashutosh ne kabhi Nidhi ke baare mein baat ki hai?"
"Kai baar."
"Well... Nidhi ne ki bhi hai, nahin bhi. Main uske man ki baat samajhti hoon. Lekin is baare mein usne kabhi mujhse bhi khul kar kuchh kaha nahin. Aur Dr. Ashutosh ko lekar uski life mein itne ups and downs aate rahte hain ki mujhe chinta bhi hoti hai aur uspar gussa bhi aata hai. Kuchh dhang se batati hi nahin. Kabhi bahut cheerful rahti hai, kabhi bilkul depress ho jaati hai. Bachpan se aaj tak kabhi pahle aisa nahin hua ki Nidhi mujhe kuchh na bataye kissi bhi cheez ke baare mein. Lekin is baar... Jo bhi issues hain, kya ye dono baat kar ke sort out nahin kar sakte?"
"Mujhe bhi aisa hi lagta hai. Dekhiye. God willing sab theek ho jayega."
--
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