Revisiting this past week of KTLK in Ashu PoV
Life had a funny way of reminding you that nothing is under your control, how with one move fate can put all your hopes on hold. These were the thoughts in Ashutosh's mind as he awaited in the corridor of Kotnis General this time not as the chief but as a man awaiting the news of how his best friend was.
His life had been a roller coaster the past week. He had been experiencing a myriad of emotions and situations, just when he thought stability had started to worm its way back Aditya's phone call changed it all. He had known Malika for so long and thought her to be a strong woman, for her to have resorted to suicide made him wince. He had not voiced it but he did thought that may be that conversation had a hand in her action. He had known her real feelings for some time and had with as much kindness as possible try to get her to understand that for him their relationship would be limited only to friendship. He had never thought of having a life partner till Nidhi breezed in his life.
Nidhi, the child woman who had broken through his defences in almost no time, He loved her and that he was now certain of, he had accepted the fact that love was much stronger than hate, he had tried to make peace with his past and had come back to town to rebuild his present. He was standing in that corridor but his mind had gone back to that time at the chaai wala, he was in a hopeful mood then, his eyes scanning the road for a sight of her blue car, finally his wish was granted and she was there, immediately he sensed that something was wrong. He had thought that she would be angry, he expected it but as he looked at her as she made her way to him he knew it was something else. The eyes scanning him were not their usual bubbly self, he could see fear in them and disbelief.
He realised how a fool he had been after he heard her, once again he had jumped to conclusion and had hurt her. When she needed him he was not there and that was something he could not forgive himself. Shayad he had grown but the lost of the house did not hurt as much as him not having been here for her. Though they had decided to give another shot at their relationship, thing he would always be grateful he knew that in his own eyes he had failed. But then was he to be blamed for his lack of trust, he had loved baba and he had left him, Malika his best friend had wanted more from him that he could give, then her Nidhi the breath of fresh air in her life whom he had hurt thanks to insecurities. He was still in his own world when his phone rang.
Looking at it he smiled, it was nidhi, hearing her bubbly voice again chased the morose thoughts that were eating him up, yet he knew that he had to tell her what had happened. He could feel her shock after he had given her an account of what had happened, he knew she was upset because of this but knew as well that he was the only one he could unburden himself. Her reaction was as usual, asking with concern about Malika, how ironical he thought, on one hand Malika who always hated Nidhi and here Nidhi who despite knowing the truth was worried about her!.
They talked for some minutes and then he disconnected the call. As he made his way back to Malika's room he could hear her brother and bhabhi talking, soon it became clear that her bhabi thought that Malika had committed such an action because of him. Hearing his inner guilt being voiced out, shocked him to the core as he stepped in the room he could feel the tension and that served to increase his guilt tenfold. Seeing the state of the her bhaiya bhabi he decided to do what he deemed as correct send them home and keep vigil over his friend. Luckily they went without arguing which was a relief as he would no longer feel these blame laden eyes on him.
The next day...
Malika was much better and to him that was a relief, life seemed to be back to a certain degree of normalcy, he would always be grateful for Nidhi's calm presence in those moments, she had shown strength of character more than he could have. Finally today he would see her, after their time at the dargah he had felt at peace and knowing that he would see her soon brought that same feeling back. He had completed his work and thought he would check on malika before leaving. Once more it seemed that the God had decided to conspire against him, Malika had cornered him with a request he could not refuse especially in her plight and at the same time there was the much awaited meeting with nidhi.
As if things could not worsen his phone rang and it was nidhi telling him she was in his office awaiting him. He knew that she understood him when he had said he had to stay with Malika before, she knew of their friendship and respected that, but how would she react now, they were supposed to visit her baba. Why was fate against him, why was he always in the middle, now it was love v/s friendship. Finally the choice had to be made, he told her with a heavy heart that he would not make it to visit baba but she could wait and he would come to her later. Then as if things could not get worse he got called for an emergency, sorting this out he went to check Malika and finally a silver lining, she was as sleep so maybe Nidhi would still be waiting.
Hoping against hope he made his way to his cabin. Eagerly he opened the door to be greeted with nothing that emptiness, he let go of the door dejectedly knowing that it was silly of him to have expected that nidhi would have waited for more than two hours for him when baba was still recovering.She had come midway for him and once again he was not there to meet her. Just as he was about to go back something on his table caught his attention, a red rose and a piece of paper folded, seeing that made him hope again, shayad she was still around maybe on the Children's ward. He opened the card hoping for some indication and what was written saddened him, "I have missed you" her words echoed his very thought, since Malika"s admission they barely had a few minutes alone. He decided to check whether his prior hunch was right, he checked all the places he thought she would be and each time his heart sank and she was nowhere to be seen.
As he walked to reception he decided to give a final check at Malika and go, he knew that thanks to him putting his friendship ahead he had wasted the chance of sometime with Nidhi. He decided to ask at reception if they had seen Nidhi, this was his last chance, he had seen Malika had fallen asleep and knew he could go,if not a lot of time they could have some short but quality time. The girl at reception confirmed that she had seen nidhi go out, he rushed out leaving the girl bewildered wondering what was wrong with him.
He rushed out willing the Gods to show mercy to him, if not
inside may be she was there awaiting him. Outside once again his hopes
got dashed other that the dark night and ambulances no one was there,
dejectedly he started to turn back when his he caught sight of someone,
at first he thought he was hallucinating as each time he had thought he
would see her he had been proved wrong, he started to make his way to
where she was and no this time indeed she was there, he felt relieved
seeing her was as if coming home, he made his way to her, at the same
time, she looked up and saw him, her smile reflected his, he knew that
may be who knows things would look up...
Shari😃
