Ashutosh Droolers Club - OS /Siggies/ Caps etc!

"Why are you doing this?"

"I don't have a choice!"

"What do you mean?"

"I have been asked to do this by the woman I love most in the world!"

Mallika narrowed her eyes.

"Nidhi wanted me to do this for your mother. So I am here!"

She let out a short laugh.

"All set to prove her magnanimity now, is it?"

Ashutosh shook his head in disgust!

"You wouldn't recognize magnanimity if it stared you in the face, Mallika!"

She gave an angry shake of her head.

"I don't want you here. I don't need your or that woman's charity for my mother. I can explain things to her in my own way!"

"I am sure you could. But your mother asked me for this and not you! So, accepting and rejecting her request is for me to do!"

She gave him a baleful glare.

"What if this spoils your precious plans for the future? Won't this complicate the divorce?"

"Not if we are both agreed on it. And I don't think you are petty enough to disagree. You don't want me anymore than I want you after all! Am I right, Mallika?"

She gave a curt nod at that.

And then, she forced herself to mutter,

"Thank you very much for your kindness to my mother!"

She swept out of the room with her dignity in place.

Ashutosh was reminded of why he actually fell in love with her once!

The woman was a class act!

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"Nidhi, how will you go through all this alone?"

"I thought you were with me?"

"Nidhi, you know what I mean. I understand your need to be mahaan. But what about when Jeejaji gets to know the truth? You think he is going to take kindly to it?"

"Anjie, I am not being mahaan. This is the only way I know how to be! She is dying, Anjie. She cannot be saved but there is such a thing as palliative care. And Ashutosh's presence is integral for that!"

"All that is fine! What about the baby and you though?"

"We will be fine. He will be back with us soon enough!"

Anjie sensed the desperate undertone even if she did not herself.

"Whom are you trying to reassure?"

Nidhi shook her head.

"No Anjie, it is not that I have doubts. I know he will be back. But yes, his absence is harder to take than I thought. Or maybe I am not as strong as I thought!"

There was a catch to her voice. Anjie hugged her tight!

"You are the strongest woman, I know. My friend is the strongest!"

Nidhi could not help giggling.

"Hey, isn't that line from some advertisement?"

"So, what if it is?"

"I love you, Anjie!"

"I love you too'but I love that little one in there more!"

Anjie patted her stomach gently.

The doorbell rang just then.

Anjie went and opened the door.

Armaan walked in with a bag in hand.

"How is the little mother doing?"

"She is doing fine. And your nephew or niece is also doing fine, before you ask!"

"But of course, with me for an uncle, there's no doubt on that!"

Anjie glared at him.

"Hello...what about me?"

"Okay...so with a maasi like you...and a chacha like me, he or she will never have any reason to panic!"

Nidhi looked at the bag in his hand.

"What is that?"

"My bag!"

"I know...are you travelling somewhere?"

"Yes!"

"Where?"

"Here!"

"What?"

"Listen Bhabhi, I am not letting you stay alone...no way in hell...Anjie has Ranga's uncle and aunt staying with them...she can't stay with you...so you are stuck with me!"

"But Armaan bhaisaab, where is the need?"

"My friend is anyway going to kill me when he knows the truth. That is if I don't kill him for listening to you and going off like this! But anyway, this might just earn some brownie points in my favour!"

Anjie nodded in approval.

"I think this is a wonderful idea!"

"And I think it is crap. I am not an invalid. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"Who said I am here to take care of you? I am here only for my nephew or niece. It so happens that you come as part of the package!"

She could not help laughing at that.

"Ladies, permit me to go and make tea for the two of you...!"

"No please! You sit with Nidhi. I will go make it!"

Armaan gave her a cross look.

"My tea is not so bad, you know. And besides, let it not be said that I am not an emancipated man! I don't believe in making women work for me!"

He walked away.

Anjie shouted after him,

"Are you saying you don't employ women? Tell me who's a good lawyer? I will file a case against you for gender discrimination!"

Armaan shouted back from the kitchen.

"Sure...I'll recommend the best in town...Armaan Kapoor...!"

Nidhi could not help it. She started laughing.

Armaan stepped out of the kitchen,

Anjie and he exchanged a look of understanding over Nidhi's head!

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"Does your partner have a family history of diabetes?"

Nidhi looked at Armaan. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You don't know if either of your parents was diabetic, Mr...!"

Armaan shook his head hurriedly.

"I am not the baby's father!"

Dr Prabha looked at Nidhi sharply.

"No doctor...this is not the baby's father...but I don't think we can provide any information on family history for the father...my partner is an orphan!"

Dr Prabha nodded her head before looking at the reports in front of her.

"Your GTT levels are beyond the permissible range...I am referring you to a diabetologist as well...Dr Rathod!"

"Dr Rathod at KGH?"

"You know him?"

"A bit...I used to work at KGH earlier!"

"Very good then...I want you to take an appointment to meet him at the earliest...I will also call and speak to him about your case!"

"Dr Prabha...could I see someone else?"

"Why...he is very good...I always refer my patients to him...do you have a problem with him?"

"No...nothing like that...I will meet him!"

"Good then...and you need to take proper care of your diet, get good sleep...the works...I don't have to tell you all this...you are a doctor yourself...keep me informed on what Dr Rathod says...and meet me next month...preferably with your partner,,,.look Nidhi, I am unconventional enough to accept your decision to have a child out of wedlock...but I normally insist that the father is present every time...having a baby is not just a woman's job, you know!"

She looked at Armaan again as she said that.

He nodded his head vigorously.

"Yes of course!"

She turned back to Nidhi.

"So, I would like to see your partner with you the next time!"

Nidhi took a deep breath.

"I don't know if that is possible, Dr Prabha?"

"Why so? Does he not want to be involved in this pregnancy?"

"It's not like that. But his circumstances do not permit him to actively involve himself!"

"Then both of you should have thought of his circumstances before deciding to conceive..look Nidhi, I think you are just as aware how important your mental and emotional health is for the baby's well-being!"

Armaan spoke up this time.

"Doctor,,,please do not worry...I live with Nidhi...I will take good care of her and make sure she is in a good place emotionally and mentally!"

"And you are...?"

"I am a friend...the baby's uncle!"

"I don't think anyone can take the place of the baby's father, Mr...?"

"Armaan...Armaan Kapoor...I am a lawyer..!"

"Oh wait...I've read about you...you are an activist too...fight for women's rights...am I correct?"

Armaan smiled and nodded.

"Yes Doctor!"

"I hope you don't have to end up fighting for Nidhi's rights!"

Armaan had a determined look in his eye.

"I will if it comes to that, Doctor!"

Nidhi shook her head firmly.

"It won't ever come to that, Doctor. My partner will never let me down!"

"Such confidence! I hope I get to see the man soon!"

As if on cue, the door opened and the peon stepped in.

"Doctor, the patient referred by Dr Ashutosh Mathur is here!"

"Oh really...he'd called me about them...I'm almost done here..send them in next!"

She turned to Nidhi,

"You should know Dr Ashutosh Mathur... You were at KGH after all?"

Nidhi and Armaan looked at each other.

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Ashutosh had been having a bad day. Mallika's mother was becoming increasingly demanding. His presence seemed to have improved her strength to fight. The doctor had given her a few weeks. It was now more than three months. As a doctor, he was glad that she seemed to be holding on. But, at a human level, the separation from Nidhi was getting intolerable. Not being able to see Nidhi and not being able to be with her was eating into him. He had to make do with snatched phone conversations which were never satisfying. The worst part was Mallika's mother started talking of her dream to become a grandmother this morning. Neither Mallika nor he had said a word in response. Her father had thankfully distracted her. Ashutosh did not know how much longer he could hold on!

The attendant brought in the file of one of the patients due for surgery.

AShutosh quickly scanned the reports. The blood sugar levels were inordinately high. The patient needed to be stabilized. He needed to have a word with Dr Rathod on this patient. He decided to go to his cabin himself with the reports.

He entered the cabin after knocking. Dr Rathod was busy scanning through some reports.

"Goodmorning Dr Rathod!"

"Goodmorning Dr Mathur..have a seat!"

"Thank you. Needed your opinion on a patient of mine who is due for surgery.!"

"Sure!"

Dr Rathod took the reports from him after placing the sheaf of papers he had in his hand on the table.

While Dr Rathod studied his patient's report, Ashutosh looked around casually. His glance fell upon the report on Dr Rathod's table when the name on it seemed to leap out at him quite literally.

Had he read it right? Did it say Dr Nidhi Verma?

What was Dr Rathod doing with her medical report?

Dr Rathod looked up and was shocked to see that Ashutosh's face had blanched.

"Dr Mathur...are you alright?"

Ashutosh looked up at him almost unfocusingly.

Dr RAthod picked up the glass of water on his table and handed it to Ashutosh.

"Here,...have a sip of water!"

Ashutosh took the glass from his gratefully and drained it in one go.

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Perfectly fine, Dr Rathod...thank you! It was nothing!"

"If you say so!"

"Dr Rathod, would appreciate it if you had a look at this patient once personally before we proceed further!"

"Sure...I will do that!"

Ashutosh got to his feet and then pretended as if he had just glanced at Nidhi's report on Dr Rathod's table!

"By the way, this report...is this the same Dr Nidhi Verma who interned with us...too young to be suffering from diabetes surely?"

"There is no too young these days, Dr Mathur. I don't need to tell you that. But, Nidhi is actually suffering from gestational diabetes!"

"Gestational diabetes?"

Ashutosh did not know if he sounded like a plain idiot or if his voice reflected the shock that he was feeling!

"Yes, poor girl. She is close to six months pregnant. Strange that she never invited any of us to her wedding!"

Ashutosh could almost feel the ground slipping from under his feet!