Chapter Three
His warmth reaches her through his coat and Nidhi automatically snuggles into it, swallows and looks up at Ashu. Her eyes are a bit puffy and red from crying and lips are still trembling. He extends his hand to her and after a second's hesitation; she accepts it and gets up. Nidhi licks her dry lips, passes a hand over her cheeks as if to wipe away any remaining moisture: Thank you sir.
Neither notice Ranga's presence behind Ashu until he asks softly: You ok Nidhi?
Nidhi blinks slowly and give him a small smile: Yes. I am fine.
Ranga stands there, undecided whether to leave or stay. Ashu observes that and takes a step back only to realize that he and Nidhi are still holding each other's hand. Their startled gazes meet and both make a move to loosen their grip, then as if unable to completely let go, tighten it once again and then slowly draw apart. He looks at Ranga, making sure none of his thoughts is reflecting on his face: I am going home now Ranganath. Call me if the post operative patient regains consciousness. (Ranga nods. Ashu takes a couple of steps towards the door before turning back to Nidhi) You ok now? (She nods) Go home Nidhi. Take some rest. You will feel better. (And leaves without another backward glance.)
Ranga remains quiet for a while and then gestures her towards the door: Neeche chale? (Nidhi nods and starts to walk beside him. He stuffs his hands in his trouser pockets) you really are ok, right?
Nidhi looks at him with a tiny smile playing on her lips: Yes. I am really fine. Don't worry. This has been pending for quite a long time actually.
Ranga nods: Anji told me. (They reach the ground floor)
Nidhi looks at the main entrance and then back at Ranga: Ab mein nikalti hoon. I have the 8 am shift again and It's almost 5.30 now.
Ranga frowns: You sure you can go by yourself? May be..
Nidhi shakes her head before he can complete the sentence: No. It's ok. Mein chali jaaongi. See you.
Ranga nods with a smile: See you. Take care.
Nidhi steps out and only then realizes that she is still wearing Ashu's coat. She halts and makes a move to go back and return it only to see him at the parking lot backing out his car. Her quick steps carry her there and she gestures him to stop.
Ashu stops the car and lowers the window: Yes?
Nidhi extends his coat to him: Aap ka coat sir. I forgot to return it. Thanks again.
Ashu nods and takes the coat through the window and throws it over onto the back seat before looking at her once again: How are you going to go home?"
Nidhi: I came driving sir. I'll go back the same way.
Ashu starts shaking his head before she completes her sentence: Ek kaam karo. You leave the car here. I don't think you should drive after..you know! I will drop you at your place.
Nidhi: No sir. That's ok. I am fine. I can drive."
Ashu gives her "the look": Don't argue. Now, come on, let's go. Your shift is at 8 or 3?
Nidhi: 8 am sir. (He gestures her to come to the other side and get in the car. She nods and the car starts once Ashu makes sure her seat belt is fastened.)
Ashu extends the water bottle that he always has in his car: Here, drink some water. You must be dehydrated by now.
Nidhi gives a soft laugh and takes the bottle: That's the most polite way any one has ever told me that I have just cried buckets sir. (Ashu gives one of his lopsided smiles in answer. She quickly gulps down almost half the bottle before taking a breather. She recaps the bottle and places it in the bottle holder beside her seat.) Thank you sir.
Ashu nods: So, where is your house? I think I need the address if I have to drop you.
Nidhi: Oh! Sorry sir. (And rattles off the address. Silence reigns in the car and Ashu observes Nidhi having a faraway look on her face.)
Ashu: Ranganath told me about your mother. I am really sorry. Want to talk about it or want me to leave it alone?"
Nidhi looks out of the window at the passing trees and still empty roads: It's something like I can talk about it for hours on end or everything can be summed up in one sentence. She had ovarian cancer. Aur aap toh jaante hain..it can't be diagnosed until It's too late. But she was so young so none of us suspected. She just used to complain of back ache and bloating. I took her to a Gyn and we even got a CT done. Reports were all normal and she finally ignored the pain. Then finally when everything came out, there was nothing anyone could do except the chemo. I was in the final year MBBS and all I can remember of that period is the helplessness. Yahan mein khud ek doctor banke logon ki jaan bachaana chahti thi aur yeh situation tha jahaan apni maa keliye bhi kuch nahin karsaki. Final exams kaise diye maine only I know! (She exhales and turns to look at him.) Buss itna hi hain.
Ashu nods in perfect understanding..after all, he lost his mother too, didn't he? His eyes when they glance at her though, hold a kind of admiration: And yet you still managed to get 14th rank huh!
Nidhi smiles and gives a small shrug: Haan. Stroke of luck I guess! But my DB says Bajranbali was with me all through.
Ashu's gaze falls on a 24hr coffee shop and on the spur of the moment turns his car into the driveway of the coffee shop and stops. Nidhi gives him a questioning look. He gestures towards the shop: Want to have some coffee? Is that ok or you want to go straight back home? (Nidhi's face slowly splits into a wide grin and her pure mischief enters her wide eyes making his breath hitch up in his throat. Aap ki aankhen hume maardaalegi Nidhi Verma!)
Nidhi: Agar aap bill pay kar rahe hain toh I am definitely on. Meri stipend abhi tak aayi nahin hain. sooo..I am basically penniless.
Ashu gives out one more of his lop sided smile: Kyon? Aap ka khadoos Dean kanjoos bhi hai kya?
Nidhi laughs out at that, then quickly stifles her laugh and puts on a serious face: dekhiye no calling names to my Dean ok? Woh toh sirf mein kar sakti hoon. Aur koi nahin.
Ashu gives out a small laugh: Ab andar chale? And yes, I will pay the bill. (The coffee shop is also almost empty at that hour and both of them settle down at a table near the full glass window.) Seeing that there is no waiter, Nidhi gets up and bows at her waist and asks: What would you like to have sir?
Ashu rolls his eyes at that and gets up too: Seeing that I am the one who has to pay, I think, I will go there and place the order and pay at the same time. What do you want? Coffee or tea?
Nidhi: Coffee, garma garam. Strong. (Ashu nods, goes to place the order and pay and comes back.) Aap ne kya order kiya? Ashu: Coffee, garma garam. Strong.
Nidhi folds her hands on the table in front of her: Wow aap bhi? Waise toh I drink tea the rest of the day. But subah ki shuruvad toh coffee se hi hoti hain. I can't open my eyes properly otherwise.
Ashu: Same here.
Nidhi: Aap ko kaun si chai pasand hain?
Ashu: Adrak wali.
Nidhi: Oh. Mujhe toh chai with elaichi bahut pasand hain. thhhoodaaa sa shakkar zyaada dalke strong chai with elaichi on a cold or rainy day'waah..mazaa hi alag hain. (She rubs her hands in delight and grins again.)
Ashu's eyes devour the changes expression on her face: Toh soon to be Dr Nidhi Verma..who IS Nidhi Verma?
Nidhi thinks a bit on this: Hhmm..I am an only daughter of Col Yograj Verma and Nandini Verma. My dad retired from the army and now along with a few of his army friends runs an orphanage kind of a thing. And my mom discontinued her MBBS course coz she fell in love with my dad and wanted to marry him. Uske baad she wanted to continue her MBBS but my dad had postings all over the country and I was just a baby. So she just kept putting off.
Ashu: So it's your mother's dream that you become a doctor? (Meanwhile coffee comes and both start sipping it.)
Nidhi: Nahin. My dad took me to a toy store when I was 3 and I selected a doctor set as my toy that day. Ever since childhood, that's all I wanted to become. A doctor. Of course, my mom was super happy and tried her best to encourage me in this direction. Aur aap? You wanted to become no.1 Neurosurgeon since your childhood?
That wipes off the smile completely from Ashu's face. He gets lost in his thoughts for some time and Nidhi realizes that whatever those thoughts are, they are NOT pleasant. So she leaves him alone to gather himself. Then he shakes himself as if dislodging something dirty: I don't know about childhood but Baba doctor hain toh somehow it seemed to be a natural decision for me.
Nidhi: Oh, aap ke Baba doctor hain? Kahan kaam karte hain?
Ashu: Jeevan Sandhya mein consultant physician hain. A kind of semi retired life I guess. And you said your Baba runs an orphanage?
Nidhi: Ji. Kids from the street come there. Unlogon ko wahan khaana, kapade, sab milthe hain. Initially they don't stay. They come, eat and run away again. But some kids, the lure of security makes them stay back and the institution funds their basic education along with a vocational training so that they can get some kind of a job after their 12th.
Ashu listens intently to all this: Interesting! May be I will go there one day. Pass me on the address later. Ok? (Nidhi nods her head.) You ok with just the coffee or want something to eat?
Nidhi: No sir. This is fine. Ghar jaate hi Chote Sarkar, he is our cook, poora breakfast mere saamne laga denge.
Ashu's eyes smile at her: Hamaare ghar mein bhi Hiraman Kaka hain. He is an amazing cook.
Nidhi leans forward in obvious enthusiasm as her eyes sparkle with joy: Mujhe na gobi ke parate bahut pasand hain. I just love them. Hot hot paratas with cold cold dahi. Wow!! Simply yummy I tell you. Sochte hi muh mein paani aajata hain.
Ashu: And whats your favourite subject in MBBS?
Nidhi: Paediatric medicine and ophthalmic. Aur aap ka? The subject chose you or you chose the subject?
Ashu: Both I guess. I wanted to do something in the department of Neurosciences and luck was with me. (Then they went into the topic of medical college and ragging and Nidhi starts describing some of the most horrendous and hilarious episodes of hers. And by the end of it Ashu is throwing back his head and laughing at the incidents and the way Nidhi narrates them) Kya hua? Why are you looking at me like that?
Nidhi blinks and tilts her head a little: Sir, pehli baar aap ko itna haste dekha hain..thoda spellbound hona toh laaz mein hain.
Ashu coughs a bit and clears his throat at that and decides to change the topic: During my college days, the ragging was even worse I tell you.
Nidhi gets a surprised look on her face: Matlab aap ke saath bhi yeh ragging hua?
Ashu frowns: Haan. Why wouldn't I have had?
Nidhi shakes her head innocently: Nahin..I was just thinking ki kisme itni himmat hain jo aap ko rag karen. All you had to do was give them your look and they would have run away.
Ashu: My look?
Nidhi: Woh aap aise dekhte hain na hum interns ko.. (Saying that she puts on a scowling face with a little frown and one eye brow raised.) Buss uske baad koi bhi aapke saamne aake toh dekhe!
Ashu sits back in his chair and gives her "the look": But you don't seem to be scared of my look.
Nidhi: Kya baat kar rahe hain sir. Of course I get scared. It's just that I hide better. (Then a waiter approaches and asks if they want anything else. Nidhi frowns and looks at the time.) Oh my God! Its 7 already! We were talking for more than an hour?
Ashu gets up and both of them make their way out at a faster pace: WE didn't talk. YOU talked for 2 hrs.
Nidhi: Yeah I know. Once I start talking, I can't seem to stop. Aap ko pehle bolna chahiye tha na. Bore kardi kya meine?
Ashu shakes his head and answers with a perfectly straight face: Nothing that a couple of aspirin can't cure. So don't worry. (Nidhi gives him a horrified look and he laughingly starts the car.) Just kidding. Relax.
Nidhi: Aap ko mazaak karna bhi aata hain?
Ashu shrugs and gives her a rueful smile: Ab kuch baaten apne interns se bhi seekhne padte hain na.
Nidhi then gives him directions to her house and soon the car stops in front of the gate.
Nidhi turns towards him..suddenly feeling a little shy and awkward: Thank you sir. For the lift and the coffee and..everything. Aap andar aana chahenge?
Ashu's face remains impassive but his intense eyes take in her pink cheeks and smiling lips: You are welcome Nidhi but not now. May be some other time. Waise bhi we are running late. Nidhi nods her head and gets down from the car, closes the door and leans over the window: Ek baat kahoon sir. Dr Sanjay told me about the foundation you started for the kids at KGH. Sunkar bahut achcha laga. I am proud to say that Dr Ashutosh is my Dean. See you later sir. (With a slight wave she turns and goes inside the house. And for a long time afterwards, her words keep reverberating in his mind. "I am proud to say that Dr Ashutosh is my Dean.")
It's almost 7.30 by the time Ashu reaches home and he rushes through and gets ready. BB asks him about his surgery and he tells him about that and also about the child while knotting his tie. He picks up his coat and is about to leave with HK shouts: Arre Ashu beta, naashta toh karthe jaona.
Ashu: No Kaka. No time. Am already late.
BB: Ashu, aisa nahin karthe. Chal aa bait. You should not skip the first meal of the day. And dekho aaj Hiraman ne Gobi ke parate banaya hain breakfast mein.
Ashu halts turns back: Gobi ka parata?
HK: Haan beta. Ek toh khaale.
Mujhe na gobi ke parate bahut pasand hain. I just love them. Hot hot paratas with cold cold dahi. Wow!! Simply yummy I tell you. Sochte hi muh mein paani aajata hain. A slight smile playing on his lips, he makes his way to the dining table and rolls his sleeves: Chaliye Kaka, breakfast deejiye. (HK happily gets a couple of hot paratas on the plate and puts some achaar and gets it for Ashu.) Kaka, ghar mein dahi hain kya? (BB and HK both look up in surprise. Ashu never asks for anything and is known to eat whatever is put before him.)
HK: Haan beta. Dahi toh hain. Laa doo?
Ashu: Ji. (HK serves dahi in a bowl and Ashu takes a piece of parata, dips it in dahi and puts it in his mouth and starts chewing, all the while, with that little smile still on his face. Both BB and HK keep looking at him strangely.)
HK: Chai peeyoge beta?
Ashu: Haan Kaka. Elaichi wala. (Now the looks become even weirder. But HK quickly makes the tea and gets it for Ashu and BB. Ashu takes a tentative sip and looks as if his thoughts are somewhere else..somewhere pleasant and..joyful.)
BB: Ashu, kya baat hain beta? Aaj bahut khus nazar aaraha hain?
Ashu: Nahin Baba, aisa kuch nahin hain. Why do you ask?
BB: Nahin, aaj tere chehre par ek nayi chamak hain.
Ashu for the first time in BB's memory stammers a little: Kuch nahin Baba. Woh buss..mein..woh..abhi abhi nahaake aaya hoon na. Issliye..(He literally gulps down the rest of the hot tea and hightails out of the house leaving behind a contemplating BB and HK.)
BB: Kuch toh zaroor hain Hiraman.
HK nods: Ji Mathur saab. Ashutosh wakai mein badla badla sa lagraha hain.
BB gives a kind of hopeful smile: There is a spring in his step as if he found something very interesting in life. His smile was not perfunctionary today.
HK starts stacking the plates and tea cups: Aap ko kya lagta hain Mathur saab? You think he found someone?
BB smiles: I hope so Hiraman. I really hope so.
Col.Verma opens the door to Nidhi: Beta, badi der hogayi. Ab woh bachcha kaisa hain?
Nidhi sighs: He passed away Baba.
CV hugs his daughter in comfort: You ok beta?
Nidhi but tightens her arms around her father before pulling away: Ji Baba. Dr Ashutosh didn't want me to drive because I was a bit upset so I left the car at KGH and he dropped me home.
CV: That's really nice of him Nidhi. You should have invited him inside na beta.
Nidhi: Baba, I did. But both of us were getting late for work so he said some other time. Waise I told him about your Orphanage and he said he would visit it some time soon.
CV smiles: Any time. Any time. He is most welcome. Ab jaake thoda aaraam karle.
Nidhi: No Baba. Aaj 8 to 3 ka duty hain. Toh abhi niklna padega. But I promise I will be home by 3.30 and will sleep off. (CV gives a relieved sigh on seeing his daughter in her usual talkative self. He had been worried as to what this little boy's death would do to her. But his daughter is a strong girl!)
CS: Babyji, aap keliye coffee banau kya?
Nidhi: Nahin CS ab toh seedha nashta aur chai.
DB: Arre abhi abhi toh aayi hain aur abhi chal padi. Yeh ladki bhi na! Yog tumhi samjhao iss ladki ko!
CV grins: Arre Bua, woh ek doctor hain aur apni internship kar rahi hain. Ab mehnat nahin karegi toh kab karegi?
DB: Par Yog ab shaadi nahin karegi toh kab karegi?
CV: Bua, I already told you, I won't pressurise her for a marriage. I did that with my wife and later on she never got a chance to complete her medicine. Uska adhoora sapna adhoora hi rehgaya. Nidhi ke saath mein aisa nahin hone doonga. Aur uski umr hi kya hain? Karlegi shaadi. Aap tension mat leejiye.
(He walks away on that note and DB shakes her head at the situation. Nidhi does a super quick shower and spends an extra 2 mins cutting her nails and doing a top knot for her hair and wearing another of her kurta pyjama and comes out yelling to CS for breakfast. Anji also joins in and both smile and catch up on each other's day before. Anji, upon hearing the kid passing away, hugs Nidhi and comforts her and soon CS gets the breakfast on the table for everyone including Anji.)
CS: Babyji, aap nashta keejiye, hum aap ke liye chai lekar aate hain.
Aap ko kaun si chai pasand hain? Adrak wali. Nidhi's face lights up and she shouts after CS: Adrak ki chai CS!
CS gives her a confused look: Par aap toh hamesha..
Nidhi: Haan lekin aaj adrak chai peena ka mann hain buss.
DB: Arre manhoos ab dekh kya raha hain? jaake chai leke aa. (Then she looks at Nidhi and runs an affectionate hand over her head) Meri Bachchi, tujhse ek baat karni thi.
Nidhi continues to chew and doesn't look up: Haan haan boliye DB.
DB: Dekh beta, hamaare rishedaaron mein jaan pehchaan wala ek ladka hain. Woh kya kehte hain'MBA..haan..MBA kiya hain..achchi khaasi naukri bhi hain. Meine uske ma baap se na teri baat chedi hain..
Nidhi gets completely irritated: DB, aap meri shaadi ki baat kar rahe hain? I joined my internship last month and you want me get married NOW? Aur woh bhi kisi MBA ladke ke saath? No way DB! Forget it. Just forget it.
DB: Arre par beta tu pehle use mil toh le. Milne mein kya harzi hain? Hain na. Aur kya pata. Agar pasand aagaya toh?
Nidhi's temper spikes up even more: DB aap ko pata hain..
Anji intervenes: Yaar woh sab chod. Jab aayega ladka tab dekha jaayega. Tujhe toh der horahi hain na. Chal dono saath saath chalte hain. I will drop you at KGH and go to my college. (She forcefully pulls Nidhi away and Nidhi collects her coat and steth and book on her way out still in an angry mood.)
Nidhi: Kya Anji, tumne dekha na DB ko. How many times do I tell her that I don't want to get married now? Aur waise bhi I want to first fall in love and then get married.
Anji: Haan haan mujhe pata hain. Don't take her words too seriously. Waise ek baat bata..tujhe kaise pata chalega ki tujhe kissi se pyaar hogaya hain? (She wriggles her eyebrows suggestively.)
Nidhi gets a thoughtful look on her face: Hhmmm..jab mein apne aankhe band karke pyaar ka naam loon toh ussi ka chehra mere aankhon ke saamne aayega. Then I will know. (Saying that she closes her eyes in demonstration and sees Ashu's face and immediately blinks them open with a frown.)
Anji shakes her a little: Ab kya hua? Phir se kahan khogayi? Chal chal lets go. It's getting late. And once we get back, we will go shopping. Uncle ne permission dedi hain and we'll get you a new dress for Priyanka's wedding. Ok?
Anji drops Nidhi at KGH in her car and leaves for her college. The day rushes by till the lunch hour and Nidhi goes to the canteen to have her lunch. But as soon as she sits, her gaze automatically goes to the opposite chair where Aayush used to sit and share his lunch with her. Her eyes fill up and she pushes away her plate that's on the table and is about to get up when a voice behind her stops her: Aise khaane ki thaali ko chodkar utna nahin chahiye Nidhi.
She turns and finds herself face to face with Ashu, with a solemn look on his face and his own lunch plate in his hands. He then comes and sits at her table and when he sees her still standing and looking at him, gestures her to sit and shows her own lunch plate. Nidhi slowly takes her seat and both have their lunch. That evening Nidhi and Anji spend their time shopping and Nidhi ends up buying a beautiful dark blue and gold combination sari along with all the accessories. Then both of them go to Priyanka's house and attend the Mehendi. The function was done that morning but since Nidhi was on duty, she could not attend. Priyanka in a jubilant mode forces her and Anji to put mehendi on their palms. They have their dinner there and come back home exhausted and fall into bed. The next day, Nidhi is in the process of shifting to Orthopaedic dept, now that the one month shift at paediatrics is done. She gets introduced to the HOD and the assistants when Priyanka drops in.
Nidhi gives a big grin and playfully pushes her: Hi! Ab yeh Dulhan yahaan pe kya kar rahi hain? I thought you were on leave until after your wedding and of course, the honeymoon.
Priyanka: Haan yaar. But I just came to give the wedding cards and invite everyone formally to the wedding.
Nidhi: Oh ok. Toh mera invitation kahan hain?
Priyanka gives one playful slap on her shoulder: Tujhe meri shaadi attend karne keliye invitation chahiye? Achcha sunn Nidhi, sab ko invitations dedi meine. Dr Ashutosh ko dena baaki hain. Tu bhi chalna yaar mere saath. (Her tone turns pleading)
Nidhi frowns: Kyon? You invited everyone na. Waise hi Dr Ashutosh ko bhi invite karlo.
Priyanka rolls her eyes: Yaar..mujhe unko dekhte hi bolti band hojaati hain. Pata nahin what he will say. Aisa na ho ki I give him the invitation and he gives me a lecture on taking off for so many days. (she tries to make her voice base and a little masculine) Dr Priyanka, aap ki shaadi toh ek din ki hain na. Then why did you take an off for one whole week? Yeh school hain ya hospital? (Nidhi doubles over with laughter) Aisa boldenge toh? Please Nidhi, tu bhi chal na mere saath.
Nidhi giggles some more: Achcha teek hain chal. (Both of them make their way to Ashu's cabin and knock on the door to hear a rumble of "come in" from the inside. Priyanka tells a silent prayer and holds onto Nidhi's hand and both of them go inside.)
Priyanka: Sir, good morning sir!
Ashu looks up: Good Morning Dr Priyanka! Ranganath said you were on leave and that it's your wedding.
Priyanka nods repeatedly like a doll: Yes sir. I am..that is..yes sir. Woh mein..sir, I have come to invite you for my wedding. Please do come sir. (Saying that, she extends the wedding card.)
Ashu gets up, silently accepts it and nods his head: Congratulations and all the best!
Priyanka, not wanting to test her luck further: Thank you sir. Ab mein chalti hoon. Shaadi mein zaroor aayiyega sir. (She looks at Nidhi, who gestures her to go ahead and that she would follow. Priyanka leaves the cabin and closes the door behind her.)
Ashu looks up and then notices Nidhi's palms all filled up with mehendi design: Shaadi Priyanka ki hain ya aap ki?
Nidhi laughs: Woh buss, kal mehendi ka function tha na..toh sir, are you going to attend the wedding?
Ashu shrugs at that: I don't know. I don't think so. Mein shaadi mein aake kya karoonga?
Nidhi makes a face at that: So true sir. Aap shaadi mein aake kya karenge. And I told the same thing to Priyanka also. I told her why bother? Sir won't come. He would find it boring. Ek invitation card ki bachat toh hogi. (She too shrugs her shoulders) Lekin woh nahin maani. I even made a bet with her ki aap nahin aayenge. (Her eyes filled with equal parts of challenge and mischief lock with his impassive ones.) Dekte hain sir, ki mein yeh bet jeetungi ya nahin. (On that note, she leaves Ashu's cabin and closes the door softly behind her.)
And..thats chapter 3 for you! Now..guys..I changed a few scenes and dialogues in this chapter. Can you find out what they are? Do give it a try. And of course, comments and / or like button clicks most welcome.
I am proud to say that Dr Ashutosh is my Dean.
To b contd...😆
3. First paragraph Ranga waiting on terrace for Nidhi.
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