Posted:
"Thank you, Ashutosh...thank you for respecting my wishes!"
"Please don't say that and make me feel small, Sir'!"
The two men shook hands.
Mallika's father picked up the folder lying on his table and gave it to Ashutosh.
"All the papers are in there! Ask your lawyer to take a look at them!"
"I trust you, Sir...but all of this was not needed...certainly not under the circumstances!"
The older man smiled wearily.
"What my daughter wants my daughter gets!"
Ashutosh nodded.
"Yes Sir...what Mallika wants, Mallika gets!"
Ashutosh nodded at the older man again before leaving his room.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It is beautiful!"
Nidhi gently ran her fingers over the beautiful salmon pink tissue saree with a brocade border.
"I know...I just love it...Ranga's mother chose it...you of course couldn't be bothered to come shopping with me!"
"Anjie...come on now...you know I badly wanted to...but there was a sudden emergency, yaar!"
Ranga, who had been watching the ladies interact till then, smiled at that.
"Nidhi...must tell you...your bosses are really pleased with your dedication and commitment...they can't thank me enough for recommending your candidature!"
"What do you think...my friend is the best!"
Anjie hugged Nidhi tight. Nidhi smiled at Ranga over her shoulder.
"So, where is Sir...we thought we could meet the two of you together and invite you for the wedding!"
Anjie scowled at him.
"You thought...I don't need to invite Nidhi and Jeejaji...they are my family!"
"OF course, Dr Ranga...we will be there to welcome the baraat!"
"Where is Jeejaji anyway'...thought I'd personally warn him not to come up with any emergency excuses...you guys will be on time that day!"
"Arre baba...we will be there...not to worry!"
Ranga looked at Nidhi questioningly.
"But where is he...he left the hospital early in fact..I thought he'd be home by now?"
Nidhi smiled and nodded.
"I know...he called me...he's gone to meet Dr Mallika's father'!"
Anjie gave a start.
"What? And you let him go?"
Nidhi looked at Anjie in a puzzled manner.
"What do you mean, Anjie? Why should I let him go? I mean why does he need my consent?"
"He does...because you are husband and wife in the eyes of God, dammit!"
It was Ranga's turn to give a start now.
"What?"
Nidhi glared at Anjie.
"Don't give me that look...I know you asked me to keep it to myself...and I swear I didn't tell Ranga till now!"
"Nidhi...If you don't want me to know, then I guess I don't have the right to ask or comment...but I can't help myself...what is...?"
"Dr Ranga...it is not that I don't want you to know...but you and he are colleagues...so, I felt I should not be the one to tell you...even if we have a personal relationship'!"
Nidhi looked at Anjie as she said this.
"Okay...okay...I should not have blurted it out...but anyway, that is not the point now...how are you sitting here cool as a cucumber after letting him go to her?"
"Anjie...whatever we may share, the fact remains that legally, Dr Mallika is his wife and her family do have a right over his time...so, I have no legal or moral right to stop...not that I want to!"
"Shut up, Nidhi...don't be such an idealist...your entire life is at stake here...you cannot take chances like that...you need to protect your interests!"
"Anjie, I need to protect my interests...only If my interests are at stake...when I know my interests are his priority even more than his own, why should I look out for myself'?"
"Rather sure of yourself, Dr Nidhi?"
All three of them turned at the sound of his voice.
"How did you come in?"
"Arre baba, I live here after all!"
"But...!"
"Nidhi'I let myself in with my key...thankfully you had not put the safety lock up!"
She got up and took his coat from him. He handed over the folder to her.
"Keep this in the cupboard too!"
She looked at him in askance but he just smiled.
"Let me get you water'!"
As she made to walk past him, he pulled her to his side.
"I am good, thanks...but you haven't answered my question!"
"What question?"
"How come you are so sure of yourself...and me...isn't that what Anjie also wanted to know?"
Anjie looked slightly discomfited.
"Jeejaji, it is not that I doubt your integrity...but am sure you will understand that Nidhi's interests will always be priority with me!"
Ashutosh held a hand out to Anjie.
She took it hesitantly and he hugged her to his side.
"I know you came into her life before I did...so thank you, Anji...for loving and protecting my Nidhi all these years...you are welcome to continue...but believe me, you will have me for company!"
"Well, she was my Nidhi before she became yours!"
"I accepted that you are my senior on this, didn't I'!"
Nidhi cut into their friendly bickering.
"Hello...I am not some object for you to be fighting over...I am a living, breathing person with a mind of my own'!"
Both of them looked at her with wide eyes.
"Really?"
She punched Ashutosh on the shoulder and put her tongue out at Anjie.
"Really...and now both of you don't start bickering while I go get dinner ready...Dr Ranga, please keep watch!"
Dr Ranga put his hands up as if to say that this was a task beyond his capabilities!
"Nidhi...why don't we all go out for dinner instead...let us celebrate together!"
"Why do we need to go out for that'? Is my cooking not good enough for a celebration? And here I thought you were addicted to my cooking!"
"That I am, sweetheart...I have to run five laps extra everyday to compensate for overeating...I am as addicted to your cooking as I am to you!"
Nidhi turned beetroot red at that.
"Haye haye' Jeejaji, I must give it to you...you have actually made my sherni friend to blush!"
"You mean you've never seen her blush before?"
"You mean she has blushed before...when was this...please tell!"
"You see the day we got married in Agra..that night at the hotel...she sent me in to have a shower...and then when I came out...mmm!"
Nidhi stopped the flow of words with her hand.
"Ashutosh...will you please stop it! I am sure Anjie does not need any further details!"
Anjie rolled her eyes.
"What do you mean, Nidhi...of course I do...Jeejaji, please continue..what happened after you came out of the shower?"
"Both of you are equally shameless!"
"Nidhi, don't call my saali shameless...not in front of Ranga at least...let his illusions remain just until they are married!"
Ranga laughed at that.
"Sir, do you believe that I still harbor illusions...after two years of being together?"
Ashutosh laughed at that. Then, as if a sudden thought struck him,
"Ranga, I am sorry...I never told you before...but Nidhi and I exchanged vows at the Shiv temple in Agra'!"
"Congratulations, Sir...actually your saali already did the honours!"
Anjie appeared embarrassed.
"I am sorry, Jeejaji...Nidhi did ask me to keep it to myself...but I let it slip...just now actually!"
Nidhi interrupted the conversation.
"Dinner is on the table...shall we?"
"Nidhi, will dinner hold for a few minutes'?"
"Why?"
"Let us have a celebratory drink first?"
"That is so sweet of you, Jeejaji...did you know we were coming?"
"Actually I did not ...so this is really a double celebration!"
"What is the other reason?"
"Get the glasses out, Nidhi...please?"
Ashutosh pulled out the bottle of champagne that he had just left cooling in the freezer. He popped the cork and poured it into the glasses.
"Not for me, please...you know I can't stand the taste of alcohol!"
"I know, darling...but I want to make a toast...and you can certainly raise your glass to that!"
"So what are we drinking to, Jeejaji?"
"To my beautiful saali and her wonderful husband to be Dr Ranganath...may the two of you have a long and happy life together...and to my beautiful wife and to our marriage which I will very soon be able to make public!"
Nidhi looked at him in confusion.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that Mallika has served papers on me...she is ready for a mutual...in fact she wants one...she has accepted that what we had is long gone and it is not ever coming back...and she does not want to associate with me anymore...in any way!"
Nidhi put her hand over her mouth. She could not trust her ears. Had he actually said what he had? Were they actually going to be able to publicly acknowledge their relationship soon? Had the Divine indeed blessed their love?
Anjie let out a whoop of excitement and hugged Nidhi hard.
"I am so, so, so happy for you, Nidhi...I can't tell you how happy I am...the best moment of my life!"
Her eyes sought out Ranga as she said this and he smiled indulgently.
Nidhi was still in a state of shock.
All of them clinked their glasses. While the other three sipped their drink, Nidhi tried to assimilate Ashutosh's words still.
Sensing her overwhelmed state, Ashutosh threw his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
"Believe it, darling...it is true...that folder I gave you contains the paper...'soon, very soon, we can shout out from the rooftops that we belong...I can proudly tell the world what a lucky bas***d I am!"
She placed her head on his shoulder, letting him take the bulk of her weight.
It seemed like a dream was soon to come true.
Dinner was a joyous affair. There was much teasing and laughter.
When they were done, Ashutosh helped Nidhi stack the dishes in the sink.
Anjie smiled at the sight.
"Ranga...your boss is setting a precedent...so no excuses when we are married!"
Ashutosh smiled at Anjie.
"I don't know about Ranga, Anjie...but I am living out all my fantasies here!"
"You fantasize about cleaning dishes, Jeejaji?"
"Why not...when I can fantasize about my wife cooking my favorite dishes, feeding me with her own hands and so on, surely dish washing is part of the fantasy too'!"
Anjie hugged Ashutosh.
"I never thought I would say this. But Nidhi is just as lucky!"
Ashutosh hugged her back.
"Thank you...and I love you too, saaliji!"
"Sorry to break up your mutual admiration club...but shall we move to the lounge?"
"Sure...what about some good music to round off the evening?"
"Ranga, that is a splendid suggestion'..Nidhi, you have our ghazal collection na?"
"I do...but why play a record when we have a singer in our midst?"
She nodded towards Ashutosh as she said it.
"You mean Jeejaji...he sings?"
Nidhi gave Ashutosh a mischievous look!
"Oh...I didn't tell you, did I...you know what happened that night at Agra...in true filmi style, he took off my ghoonghat and all...and then'!"
"And then?"
"And then he sang Kabhie Kabhie Mere Dil mein!"
Anjie's mouth was agape.
"Are you serious?"
Anjie turned to look at Ashutosh.
He was blushing beetroot red now and giving Nidhi murderous looks!
Ranga could not help it. He started laughing and Anjie soon joined in.
"Dr Ranganath, why do you laugh...you think your dean cannot sing?"
Ranganath stopped laughing abruptly.
"Sir..no Sir...I did not mean it that way, Sir!"
Ashutosh started laughing now.
"You should have seen the look on your face'...teach you not to mess with me!"
Anjie pouted.
"Jeejaji...not fair...singing only your wife...not done,,,I want a performance now...in our honour!"
"Anjie...Nidhi was just joking! I just croaked a few lines for her!"
"He certainly did not croak...he sang quite beautifully, if I may say so!"
Ashutosh glared at her.
"Jeejaji...what is this...you will not sing for us...Nidhi, use your powers of persuasion, yaar...I want to hear Jeejaji sing!"
Nidhi turned to Ashutosh.
"Why don't you...'please...for me?"
The look in her eye and the tone of her voice were quite irresistible!
Ashutosh did not think he could deny her anything if she asked him like that.
Soon, the two couples were seated in the lounge, Ashu and Nidhi on the divan, and Ranga and Anjie on the couch.
Ashutosh held her hand and played with her fingers.
And then he looked right into her eyes and sang from his heart.
Jeevan Se Bhari Teri Aankhen
Majboor Kare Jeene Ke Liye
Saagar Bhi Taraste Rahte Hain
Tere Roop Ka Ras Peene Ke Liye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dzItbnbSCQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You are one lucky bas***d...I did not imagine it would be so easy!"
"I told you, did I not...I have lived with her for ten years...I know what she will do and what she won't!"
"So, did you expect her to waive her rights in the property too?"
"I did, Armaan...she is too proud to want to share in anything to do with me now'.!"
"So, what do you want to do?"
"Sell them all off...and send her a cheque for her share of the proceeds...what she chooses to do with that is up to her...but I do not want or need it!"
"Makes sense...and she still does not want to accept it, we can donate it to charity in her name...and send her the receipt!"
"If it comes to that, then I suppose so...what next?"
"I'll file this in the courts...there will be the mandatory waiting period...will see if I can expedite that...it is a mutual after all...should be easy going from here!"
"Thank you for everything, yaar!"
"I am doing all this for my bhabhi...you have no clue what a big risk you took...you would have escaped unscathed still...but imagine her plight if Mallika had kicked up a fight and cited her as a co-respondent in her suit against you...I am still pissed off at you for putting bhabhi to that risk!"
"It was a calculated risk, Armaan...based on my reading of Mallika...but yes, it was a risk!"
"How she must love you to put herself to such risk...what a woman you have, Ashu...what a woman!"
"I know, Armaan...believe me, I know that I am the luckiest man alive!"
Ashutosh hugged Armaan to hide the sudden moistening of his eyes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I know you are single...so please don't mind my asking...but are you sexually active?"
"Yes...yes, I am!"
Nidhi answered Dr Prabha with quiet dignity.
She had been feeling unusually tired of late. She had put it down to the running around at Anjie's wedding initially! But it just did not seem to go away. There was no fever or any other symptom to treat with antibiotics either. She then decided that she was better off getting a routine check-up done!
"When was your last period?"
Nidhi thought back.
"Actually I am late by a couple of weeks...not unusual given that I have never been very regular!"
"Anyway, let us get some routine tests done...but before that, I would like to do a physical exam!"
"Sure. Dr Prabha!"
Nidhi got up and followed the doctor into the examination room!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Jeej...I mean, Dr Ashutosh?"
"Aditya...you can call me Jeejaji still...tell me, what's up?"
"Dr Ashutosh, we are rushing Mama to KGH...she collapsed in the bathroom half an hour ago!"
"Oh my God...I'll alert the staff...just get her here quick!"
Things moved at a hectic pace after that.
Mrs Trehan was brought in, still in an unconscious state.
Her oncologist had already been called and was waiting.
She was revived in the ICU and a battery of scans and tests followed.
Ashutosh walked in and out of the ICU, trying to supervise the treatment and also reassure Mr Trehan and Aditya.
The oncologist emerged after a while and his expression was grave.
"I am afraid but there has been a relapse...and it is not looking good...not at all!"
"What is the prognosis, Dr Dubey?"
They all turned at the sound of Mallika's voice.
"I am sorry...I was in surgery...couldn't get here earlier'!"
"I am sorry, Dr Mallika...it is looking very bleak...a few weeks maybe...I don't know'!"
Mallika's face blanched and she stumbled.
Ashutosh was closest to her and caught her in his arms.
A sight that dimmed the radiance on the face of a joyous Nidhi, who walked in just then!
Originally posted by: saibanuNidhi is pregnant ...!! Is she going to tell Ashu now ...? And how come mallika gave up on ashu so easily ..I thought she will fight at least a bit or are we going to see turning point in coming chapter ??😕
So many questions Sujatha di ...you left me in cliff hanging situation , not fair haan .. Please continue soon ...Very very well written chapter , I really liked Ashu and anjie Bond ..Jija and saali are so cute 😃👏
comment:
p_commentcount