FF Destiny's play -opinion needed pg 52

I am setting the action after Ashu and Nidhi have decided to put their relationship on hold as Ashu believed that he would not be a good partner for Nidhi and she would be better off with Rohan and he was not the right man for her for their age gap would always be an obstacle between them. Comments welcomed

Part 1 and 2 on page 1

part 3 on page 3

Part 4 page 4

Part 5 pg 4

Part 6 Pg 6

part 7 pg 8

part 8 pg 10

Part 9 Pg 11

part 10 pg 13

Part 11 Pg 15

Part 12 Pg 18

Part13 pg 20

Teaser Pg 26
Part 14 page 29

Part 15 page 31

Part 16 page 33

Part17 page 40

Part18 pg44

Part19 pg 50

They meet after a 2 year gap, each clinging to the belief that despite the bitterness they felt what ever decision they had taken was for the welfare of the other, not knowing that if man has decided something there is always that thing call fate that comes in to change every thing when you least expect it

2 years later... at Kotnis General,

Slight knock at the door,

"Come in" uttered a stern voice.

A 20 something slip of a girl shakily opens the door of Dr Ashutosh's office, she kept cursing her fate why she of all people had to be the messenger to Dr Hardstone and as if it could not get worse the message was from the Lucknow Orphanage, the only place according to rumors where Dr Hardstone seemed to return to human form.

"Dr Aaashutosh there is someone from Lucknow Orphanage as ...asking f...for you aaat the re reception desk" She murmured just hoping for the torture to be over and she could go.

"The Orphanage why was not I paged, are people in this hospital not aware of that simple thing called a pager!!!! " he shouted as he got up and moved out completely ignoring the nurse.

Ashutosh made his way to the reception, his thoughts wondered to the orphanage, the only place he could find some peace after that fateful encounter two years ago when he had with his own actions ended what had been a temporary glimpse of heaven his relationship with Nidhi Varma. She may have left his life but her memories were buried in him
and these memories are what have been keeping him going up til now.

Slowing his pace as he reached the reception desk he could hear some commotion near it, as usual his first reaction was to look around for the staff ready to blast at them for their inability to cope with such a situation.

Can't you see that we are dealing with a sick child why do we need paperwork" said a very angry female voice.

Ashutosh remained rooted on the spot his mind having gone to another time when he had heard that same voice in that same tone, but back then he had been at the receiving end of that anger.

PART 2

Two and a half years earlier... Ashutosh's Office at Kotnis General...

"How can you say that? How can you believe that we are not meant to be together?" She said in an almost emotionless voice. Nidhi was in a state of shock, how could he so confidently say that they could not be together? To her what had started as a hate relationship as she never wanted to enter medical world and her internship had been TROUBLE with a capital T but then he had come on her path, the man who had made her want to be not a doctor but a good one. From the moment she had realised her feelings up to that fatal moment in his office she never doubted her feelings for him, and she thought that her love had been strong enough to conquer his insecurities but his words have proven her wrong.

He had his back turned away from her, " Nidhi, this relationship cannot go on you are not accepting it but one way or other the differences between us will continue and love cannot conquer everything, you have your life to live, why do you want to be stuck with someone like me, I am the cursed one, my life is full of examples to show i am not worthy of being loved, I never knew my parents, Baba the man who made me the man that I am left me, why should I believe that what we have is special and that one day you too would not leave me, so its best that we part ways before we both get hurt more."

Each and every word he uttered were like daggers thrust in her heart, she did not know how to react, anger, yes she was angry how could he believe that he was unworthy of love, more so that she would leave him and what they had was not special.

"Malika is right, Rohan would make a good match for you, both of you are of the same age, share the same interest and us what do we have our feelings, you like going clubbing and I just don't fit in those places, I know that day you came to the concert even if you had no clue about classical music, how long will we sacrifice each other's choices?"

'That's enough" she shouted. He was stunned and turned to her, finally she had a good look at him, his eyes betrayed his real feelings, and she could see it as the feelings in his eyes were a reflection of her own, love, longing and pain. Yet she was not going to be weakened by that, more than anything, she was angry at him. His words had hurt her and no matter how much she was hurting she wanted to inflict the same kind of pain back,

" Dr Ashutosh, that's enough, I have been quiet that does not mean I am going to sit and allow you insult my feelings for you, who are you to decided about who I should make a good pair with, Rohan has and will always be a friend, at least he knows the value of friendship, Who are you to say that the difference in age will be a problem, I have told you so many times that whatever problem may come our way we will deal with it together. You say those who loved you have left you, in our case let me remind you, YOU are the one who left in our relationship each time, when i needed you when baba was sick no one could find you, yet  i never lost hope, I trusted that my love would come back. Ultimately I hoped that you would be with me then but it never happened. Did I say anything then? No. You say baba left you, why is my love to be blamed here as well?" at the point her voice had started to tremble, she could no more look at him, the man in front of him was not the one she had fallen in love with, the man in front of her was a bitter man who was too stubborn to accept the possibility that his thoughts could be wrong.

Ashutosh was stunned at her words, in his mind he was doing the right thing, going away from her would grant her a better life, it hurt him to say that Rohan would make a good match for her but the thoughts of the humiliations she would face if they stayed together won over his feelings, his mind went back to all those times when they had met with the questioning glances of people seeing them together, the quiet murmurs on his age as well as hers, how long would they brush these aside. "No" he thought today he had to end it for her sake he had to let go, he would willingly go back to his world of loneliness at least he would have her memories than watch her fade away with him, see her lose her youth just because she could not do things people of her age did. Oh he knew she would never utter any reproach but deep down he knew that their happiness would not be complete.

"Nidhi..." he said, "no" she interrupted, "You have said your share now you listen Dr Ashutosh, I have tried so many times to show you that my love for you is no infatuation or idealisation, each time I thought that I had succeeded, each time you proved me wrong why is it that I am the one whose love is being tested, is it because I am younger? I ignored the taunts of Dr Malika , I never told you about them as I know how this would hurt you, and you say that you fear that one day I will leave you and if that is your wish..." she could not continue. She closed her eyes trying to regain her composure as what she was about to say would be the hardest words she would have uttered.

" I am leaving you, you will find my resignation on your table first thing tomorrow morning"

With these words she ran from his office and he was left alone, he should have been happy his wish was about to come true, Nidhi would go and make a life for herself but no what he felt was an emptiness as if with her departure she had taken whatever life existed in him.

"Dr Ashutosh"... "Dr Ashutosh" his mind veered back to reality as he felt Dr Rangnath's hand on his shoulder, ' what do we do about the child, she is not responding to the first treatment given, With a final glance at her he focused once again to what was not the sole reason to live his patients. The past had no place when the life of a child was at stake.

Seeing him had been a shock. He had not changed much, she had known that bringing the child to Kotnis meant the possibility of seeing him but she had been hoping not to. The past two years she had been working as a voluntary doctor at the orphanage as that place was the only link she had to him, she had made sure that their paths never crossed as she had promised him.

But it seemed to her that someone out there had decided otherwise