Dr ashutosh moved back ..more in anger than shock...as meera looked at him , her eyes telling the tale of her tragic love."dr ashutosh..plz" as she tried to extend her hand towards him, he put up his hand barring any advances..and lookedseverely at her..meera had a determined look on her face..."dr ashutosh ..i want to talk..." ashutosh spoke in his icy tone"sir..plz call me sir..i am your professor..i think you have forgotten that..havent you"??meera sat on the sofa and replied"tomorrow the course ends ..you d no longer be my professor...we can be colleagues..friends and even more...if you would say yes...i would like to make you the happiest man in the world.."ashutosh's eyes seem to blaze with anger..as he gave her a cold stare and said"dr meera..plz do not cross your limits and for your kind information ..i am married...i have a family..do you understand"?? Meera was certainly shocked for a split second...but then regained her composure..."maybe you are married..but probably do not know what bliss it is to be truly loved ..what it is to be with a woman who loves you...what it is to be transported to anothr world when she touches you...what it is when the two of us create magic ..."ashutosh seemed to have lost his cool completely , he gave a fierce glanceto meera .that quietened her..."what do you know about love??its not the useless fantasy ..the crap that you have in your mind...and anyway i have no desire to explain you what l8ve is..but get this loud and clear..my wife has made me the happiest man in the world..the earlier you understand it ..the better it is.."and then ..seeing meera's tear stained face, he elaborated"dr meera, i value youas a doctor..you have a bright carreer..try to understand ..that i am happily ..v happily married ..and you have no place at all in my life,..plz do not force me to report of this misbehaviour to dr watson..and now plz leave..."meera seemed to have understood that dr ashutosh was angry ..very angry..but she made a last ditch effort" ashutosh...if you d just let me colour your life..let me be with you..you d know what true love actually is..."ashutosh gasped..clenched his fists and snarled.."dr meera..you have no idea what true love is...and probably never will...now before i lose my temper and fore you ..plz leave the place immiedaitely...right now.." a dejected meera walked out with her head bowed down...but her eyes still not hopeless..if only she could make ashutosh realise...
Ashutosh closed the door and retired to his bedroom...looking at the picture of nidhi n nishu..his world..his universe..he smiled softly as he held the picture...and said softly..."i am waiting nidhi...ab bus aa jaao..."as he glanced at the clear night outside...the stars twinkling ..in the dark night ..and as he lay on the bed he hummed an old hemant kumar song that baba had taught him on the piano..it echoed..
NA YEH CHAAND HOGA ,NA TAARE RAHENGE
MAGAR HUM HUMESHA TUMHAARE RAHENGE
CHALE JAAYEIN TUMSE JO DOOR KAHIN
TO YEH NA SAMAJHNA MOHABBAT NAHI
TUMHAARE LIYE HAIN..TUMHARE RAHENGE..
yes..he was only n only for nidhi..his nidhi...
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Nidhi hugged nishu in his bed and kissong him crooned"happy birthday..my chanda...muaah"!!and nishu threw his arms around his mother...as she tried to lift him..she suddenly felt v frail..but s0lift him..she did and brought him out ..where armaan had decorated the entire hall and baba was waiting to greet him...as he wriggled down n ran to armaan n baba..and soon the entire hall was ringing with happy birth day to nishu!!!nidhi quickly readied him for school in the new dungrees and then as nishu was having his halwa...she packed thegoodie bags...but she knew what nishu was really waiting for...a call from his father...just as nidhi wiped nishu's face and baba gave him a set of wonderful board books...and a big paint box, the phone rang,..and nishu ran"hato..mera hai,.mere paoa ka"!!and grabbed the reciever from maxi's hand"hullo papa..its me nishu" nidhi held her breath..but the glow on nishu's face told her that it was his father's phone...and as nishu smiled and said"yes..papa party hai shaam ko..nana..bua nani ..khushi sab aayenge..."and then he asked ..."papa...tum kab aaoge...aa jao na plz".it brougtt tears into nidhi 's eyes...as armaan n baba looked away...nidhi took the phone.."aap chinta nahi keejiye..theek hai..khush hai nishu...woh to bas..." and nishu took the phone again..as probably ashutosh explained that he n nidhi would be flying to england...nishu's eyes twinkled as he held the cordless and jumped around his one hand flying like the plane...and then he ended" bye papa..love you ..lo chacha se baat karo.." armaan took the phone and explained that all arrangements for the visa interview had been made..and finallybaba took the phone"ashu...kaisa hai...dekh aaj tera beta teen saal ka ho gayaa...'dr ashutosh replied"baba..nidhi aur nishu twenty days nahi honge...aap kaise ..." n baba laughed n said"arre koi chinta nahi..armaan gai na..hum khoob mauj karenge aur col samdhanji sab to hain...tu nidhi ko khoob enjoy karana..."and armaan shouted from the back ground"aur shopping bhi...bachchoo tera credit card to gayaa ab"!!!!
Nidhi went to drop nishu to the school, met his teacher and explained it was his birthday n handed the goodie bags..in the hospital she called nitu and handed her the bag..holding ger clise for a moment...before patting and saying"tere birthday pe bhi goodie bags doongi tere friends ko..." nitu smiled and added"mam, mere friends to bade hain..you dont need to give them all yhis...bus ek chocolate kaafi hogi..." nidhi couldnt help feeling proud of this girl...so selfless ..so satisfied...so well mannered..probably daughters were always so beautiful...she bit her lip...
Having finished her work, she knocked at dr dubey's cabin at 4 0clock..as she went in she said..a lil apprehensively"sir...woh aaj nishu ka birthday hai...may i go a lil early..."??dr dubey looked at her severely ..before breaking into a smile"off course dr nidhi ..zuroor jao..you need tobe with him..."as nidhi thanked n turned..twitching her fingers nervously,dr dubey said"haan..tumne apni leave application nahi di ab tak...bhai 25 days ki chutti ke liye application todeni hogi..." nidhi almost jumped with joy...dr dubey smiled"ashutosh ne phone kiya tha...your leave is granted..khoob enjoy karo...you deserve it...per nidhi you look pale..plz look after yourself...ashutosh ki dunoya to tumhi pe tiki hai...so you have to look after yourself..." nidhi smiled n thanked him..reminding him not to overwork himself...as she came out..she bumped into dr ranganath...and said"mujhe chutti mil gayee..yoo hooo!!!!" To which dr ranganath replied"lucky you...aap wahaan europe ghoomiyega...aur main yahaan wards ki sair karoonga..." but then laughed and shook hands...nidhi knew he was her well wisher much before he became her bestie's husband...he had always supported her even during the dark mallika days...
Nidhi readied nishu in his jeans n new sweater...with his watch n brand new shoes...but as she opened her own wardrobe,she just didnt feel like dressing up...a wave of loneliness seemed to sweep over her...and finally she took out her pink n white churidaar kurta..with a white sweater...but vefore closing the wardrobe..she touched dr ashutosh's shirts...his suits that were left behind...her fingers caressed the wool..to feel him..the man she loved..the only man she could have ever loved...she closed her eyes...and his face..with those deep eyes emerged before her...
It was a small party eith only solankis, col verma dadi bua and dr ranganath anji n khushi...
Nidhi had got a cake in yhe shape of n aeroplane and as nishu saw it..he clapped" nanaji..i will go to papa in a plane..."nidhi made nishu stand properly as he cut the cake...she felt very lonely...and though she tried to pull baba n armaan...they both reflected" na...nidhi..ashu ki jagah..koi nahi le sakta..."as nishu cut thecake..and offered nidhi a bite,..she first made him feedbaba n armaan...the two pillars of their home...the guarding angels of their haven...anji began to offer the cake as nidhi organised the dinner..solanki sahib took a plate full of jalebi n rabri...and baba laughed his heart out...armaan made nishu n khushi burst the balloons as the family sat n chatted...nidhi hardly sat..looking after everyone..till finally baba said " nidhi beta..aa..khana kha..nahi to aahu se shikaayat karoonga..." asnidhi sat ..she looked at col verma..."baba mai aur nishu jaa rahe hain 11 ko...aap aate rahiyega baba ke..."col verma smiled ..."tu chinta na ker...main hoon na..." n chote sarkar added"aur main bhi hoon na...'!!!!
As the guests left, nishu sat in armaan's lap opening his gifts...a big toy train from nana...a sweater from bua nani...a big tin of chocolates n a jacket from solankis ...and another teddy from khushi!!nishu as delighted...but then looked a lil sad...as armaan asked.."kya hua beta"??nishu pouted"mere papa ka gift..."nidhi smiled ..she had foreseen this..and she went in to get a big pack that she had got for nishu..with a message"TO MY SON NISHU..
PAPA"
nishu excitedly tore the wrapper...and exposed a beautiful quilt with superman on it..nishu was ecstatic"mere papa ka gift ..dekho...choo chweet" and running around he stood near the pic of ashutosh in the drawing room..trying to reach it he said"thank you papa...love u sooo much"!!as baba n armaan hugged him...nidhi looked at them...her family...the people who had stood by her even when the world was against her...
As nidhi patted nishu in his superman quilt...she looked at their photo on nishu's wall...taken when she had come home after nishu's birth...dr ashutosh holding her..his strong arm firmly around her shoulders...nidhi seemed lost..mesmerised at the memory ..but feeling v lonely...she knew the party had been good...food, decorations cake wasall perfect..but without dr ashutosh's presence..his song...nothing in their life could ever be complete...as nidhi returned to her bed..their bed...she recalled their tragic separation in kerala...but then wiped her tears as she looked at their wedding photo...the picture of a heavily pregnant nidhi...with dr ashutosh rubbing her toes...with the month old nishu...and then her favourite...the one at their sangeet...dr ashutosh holding her...a lil awkwardly ..but she loved it...them and she loved it now...it had been a long time ..since they met...the obstacles...family resistance..mallika..barbs of the society were all fresh in nidhi's mind...but she also knew that their union had been inevitable...no one ..absolutely no one could have torn such lovers apart..they were destined to be together..to be one ..for ever n ever...as nidhi lay in bed looking at the pics on the wall...and millions more that flashed in her mind..she hummed
TU BADAN HAI ..MAI HOON CHCHAAYA
TU NA HO TO MAI KAHAAN HOON..
MUJHE PYAAR KARNE WAALE
TU JAHAAN HAI MAIN WAHAAN HOON.
HUME MILNA HI THA HUMDUM ..
KISI RAAH BHI NIKALTE...
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Dr ashutosh was glad as he kept the cell back..nishu n nidhi had got the visa..so just 8 days more...his lectures were over n he went to the hospital n college only to research for his thesis...as he smiled at the breakfast table, zafar who had just come in smiled too..n asked"sir..you seem very happy...may i ask what is it..it certainly cant be the weather..."dr ashutosh laughed as he looked outside..a typically london day..overcast and dull..but there wasbright sunshine in his heart...he answered"zafar,..you are right ..its not the weather..its my wife..she n my son are goung to arrive on 11 .."!!zafar seemed elated"oh wow sir...great...tell me what arrangements need to be made...shopping...room for your son..would he like to stay here or separately where he can hang out with boys n girls of his age...you take care of madam..leave the son to me...he must be in college..i d take him to the most happening places in london...by the way is he bringing his international licence to drive..we could drive ..he n i to scotland..while you n madam can visit friends..go to museums...history..the stuff that all professors do.."!!! Ashutosh raised his eyebrow at zaffar and halted him"hey zaffar..chill..you can certainly have loads of fun with my son...but you would have to take him to amusement parks and candy stores..." zaffar seemed a lil confused but then said"well what ever he wishes..but dont you think he d be haier staying separately ..hanging out eith guys of his age..girls too..dont worry ,i d be his guardian ..sir"!! Ashutosh laughed"well zaffar i dont think he can stay separately...he has to depend on us ..for his bath..his clothes..food..."!zaffar gasped...as ashutosh cleared the suspence"you see zaffar , my son is only three years old...he is a baby"!!
"THREE...O MY GOD ...I THOUGHT HE D BE 18..20"!!dr ashutosh laughed"no, he is just three...you see.." zaffar smiled but could not control his curiosity"sir may i ask you...plz dont mind..is it your first marriage or..." ashutosh laughed"yes zaffar..its my first and last...love came late into my life you know..but when it did...it changed everything...wait till you meet my wife...nidhi...dr nidhi..."
Zaffar looked at dr ashutosh smiling to himself...he added"sure sir..i am dying to meet them..and plz let me pkay with your son..take him to candy stores..fun parks...plz sir...and from tomorrow,...operationfamily time preparation...zaffar would be at your service at 9 a.m sharp
That night...as dr ashutosh walked down the west minster bridge...and looked at the londoneye...he could almost visualise nidhi sitting in it..shouting with joy...excited as a kid..and then seeing his raised eyebrow would just put her head on his strong shoulder...n close her eyes...
Ashutosh looked at the reflection of the moon appearing from the clouds...in the ripples of thames...as he walked back...humming a melody..
MERI BAAHON ME LAJAATE JAISE TUM AAYE
BAADLON ME CHUPKE CHUPKE CHAAND CHUPP JAAYE
YE TANHAAI YEH MAI AUR TUM,..
ZAMEE BHI REH GAYEE GUMSUM...
NEELA AASMAA SO GAYA...
yes ..the beauty without nidhi seemed desolate...but ashutosh knew that the moment she stepped in...the dull frozen scenery would dazzle with life n colours...he smiled as he counted on his fingers...8 days to go..."sirf aath din..."he said to himself ...and walked on...waiting to enjoy london n europe thru nidhi's eyes...
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on thread 4 Induji
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