AR-mujhko khuda ne

padma-shahank teri ore

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 17

The evening turns into a celebration of sorts … Dr. Shashank has been reinstated and Dr. Keerti is back as well. Abhimanyu will stay on for some time, to help resolve the financial issues, as all the funds have not been recovered. So all’s well that ends well. (dia’s note – and the strike is over as well – as is this story!) Everybody stays on for dinner at Shashank and Padma’s invitation, and it becomes a party atmosphere. All are in a very good mood and it is late by the time they all leave.
As soon as they all go, including Anjali for night duty (dia’s note – had to get rid of her), Riddhima waits for her parents to retire to their room, and almost runs to Armaan’s room, heart beating fast. She had not talked to him all evening … had not known what to say, and she didn’t want to say it in front of so many people.

She enters his room very quietly … he is standing with his back to the door, a letter in his hand. She closes the door and leans against it, looking at him …

Then he turns … and sees her ….

There is no need for words.

The letter falls to the floor as he opens his arms … and she runs into them. They close around her tightly, they hold each other close, her tears finally flowing, tears of sheer relief.
He lifts his head. She looks at him, smiling through her tears. He holds her face in his hands, wiping the tears with his thumbs.

Rid: Armaan … I’m sorry …
He shushes her, a finger on her lips, shaking his head slightly.
Ar: “voh … kab …?” gesturing to the letter.

Rid: “kal raat … tumhare phone ke baad … tum night duty par the …”

He smiles softly.
Ar (in explanation): Main tab se kamre mein aaya nahin … aaj subah jab se ghar aaya, tumhare papa ke saath tha, phir Abhimanyu … abhi dekhi …

She nods ... it doesn’t matter. He knows now that she trusted him even before she knew the truth … that was all that mattered to her … to them. She looks at his face so close to hers, his eyes smiling and sends a silent prayer of thanks to whatever diety had prompted her to write … She recalls what she wrote in the letter …

“Armaan,

Tumne mujhse aaj ek sawaal poocha … kya main tum par bharosa karti hun?

Tumhe papa aur Abhimanyu Modi ke saath dekh kar mujhe bahut bura laga … laga ki tum Modi ke saath papa ke khilaaf ja rahe ho …

Magar phir maine socha … main itna zaroor jaanti hun ki tum kabhi aisa kadam nahin uthaoge jo tumhe galat lage … aur tum sirf apne liye Modi ka saath nahin doge … tum tabhi uska saath doge agar tumhe lage ki voh sahi hai …
Iss liye … mera jawab hai … haan, Armaan, mujhe tum par bharosa hai … ki jo tum kar rahe ho, use peeche koi vajah zaroor hai … jise tum sahi samajhte ho.

Lekin, Armaan, tum hi kaha tha ki Riddhima Armaan alag nahin hain … main tumhare saath khushiyan hi nahin, tumhari pareshani aur dukh bhi baantna chahti hun. Jab tumhe sahi lage, mere saath apni yeh pareshani bhi baant lena … sab kuch seh sakti hun, lekin tumse doori ab nahin seh sakti.”


He holds her close again.
Ar (softly, apologetically): main tumhe batana chahta tha … lekin tumhare papa ne mana kiya … aur voh theek bhi the … kaise bolta ki unhe fraud ke maamle mein suspect kiya ja raha hai? Tumhara dil toot jaata … aur unka bhi. Ek aadmi apni beizzati saari duniya ke saamne bardaasht kar sakta hai, lekin apne bachchon ki nazaron mein girna, uske liye bahut mushkil baat hoti hai …
He stops and looks at her, as though searching for her understanding.

Rid (she looks at him questioningly): Armaan … ek baat bataoge? (he nods) … agar papa tumhe chup rehne ko nahin kehte … kya tum mujhe yeh baat bata dete?

He thinks for a bit … then slowly shakes his head.
Ar: Shayad … nahin. Yeh ek aisi baat thi, jo shayad unke bina kahe bhi … main tumhe nahin bata sakta … (he starts to say more, but she stops him with a finger on his lips.)

Rid (softly): Tum mujhe sachmuch bahut achchi tarah se jaante ho, Armaan. Aur kuch chupane ke liye main shayad tumhe maaf nahin kar paati … lekin … yeh baat … main sachmuch seh nahin paati. (she looks up at him, lifts a hand to his face and says simply) … thank you …

She reaches up to kiss his forehead. He holds her close again, his cheek close to hers.

Ishq leta hai, kaise imtihan ….

After some time, she looks up at him, a very small smile on her face.
Rid (mock-scolding him): lekin abhi maaf kar diya, iska yeh matlab nahin ki tum mujhse aur kuch chupao … kuch bhi … Dr. Armaan Mallik … samjhe? Kuch nahin … aur kabhi nahin! Agli baar maafi nahi milegi! Mujhe sab kuch batana hoga! Chahe papa kahen ya koi aur … chahe usse mujhe kitna bhi dukh ho …!!!

Ar (teasing her back): chahe kitna bhi dukh ho? Oh, to apni pehle ki teen biwiyon ke baare mein abhi bata dun … unke baare mein bhi sun kar tumhe dukh to hoga … lekin mujhe sab sach bata dena chahiye … hai na?

She punches him with her fists.
Rid: Armaan!!!!

They both laugh, then he links his arms around her waist, and looks at her lovingly.
Ar: I love you, Riddhima (kisses her very gently).
Rid (smiles back at him tearfully): I love you …

Now it’s really … The END!!!!

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 16

Shash: Aap sab log jaante ho ki Sanjeevani mein financial crisis hua … lekin aap yeh nahin jaante ki yeh crisis ek fraud ki vajah se hua tha … koi trust funds ke saath speculate kar raha tha. Abhimanyu Modi yehi investigate kar rahe the … aur unka shaq mujh par tha … kyunki … (he holds up a hand as there is an angry buzz and everyone looks at Abhimanyu resentfully) … main is trust ka signatory hun. Lekin …

Flashback to the morning of Dr. Shashank’s suspension:

Armaan sees the announcement on the notice board and is as speechless as the rest. This was not supposed to happen … Abhimanyu had promised him …
He strides to Abhimanyu’s office, anger making him walk faster. He knocks perfunctorily and enters …
Abhimanyu looks up.
Abhi (pleasantly): I thought I would have the pleasure of your company sooner or later this morning …
Ar (not listening, angrily): what the hell is going on??? You said you would give me some more time to look …

Abhi: what you found already … and what I have found … abhi ke liye kaafi hai …

Ar: Mujhe aisa kuch nahin mila … jiski vajah se tumne yeh step uthaya hai … there’s still nothing concrete! Aur unhone apne personal funds Sanjeevani mein transfer kare hain … not the other way around …
Abhi: And why would he do that? Pakde jaane ke darr se … to replace what he had taken out … it’s very clear, Armaan! Aur mujhe jo bank se documents mile hain … well, both put together are enough …

Ar: They are not!!! I’m telling you … documents jaise bhi hon … tumhare conclusions galat hain …
He stops … Dr. Shashank has entered quietly. Both the men stare at each other, then Armaan’s gaze falls. He makes to leave.

Abhi: Ruko, Armaan. Kahiye, sir.
Dr. Shash (ironically): ab to mujhe aapko Sir kehna chahiye …
Abhi: Aisi koi baat nahin hai … aap abhi bhi mujhse senior hain … please, baithiye …
Dr. Shashank sits down – he looks at Armaan and gestures at the other chair. A little surprised, Armaan also sits.
Dr. Shashank looks back at Abhimanyu.
Sh: So … aapne kar hi diya. Now what?

Abhi: Now you tell me …
Sh: Maine aapse pehle bhi kaha hai … jabse mujhe pata chala hai, main bhi pata lagane ki koshish kar raha hun. Aur rahi paison ki baat … main vapas daalne ki koshish kar raha tha … that’s all.
Ar (starts): I told you …!!! (he stops at Dr. Shashank’s look)

Abhi: That’s not good enough. Papers par aapke signatures hain. Ya to aap mujhe proof dikhayiye ki yeh sab aapne nahin kiya … otherwise …

Sha: I don’t have proof, Abhimanyu … if I did, to tumhe mujhse yeh kehne ki zaroorat nahin hoti.
Ar: Abhimanyu … tumne kaha that tum muhe vaqt doge … give me some more time, man … main proof dhoond dunga … there must be something … I’m telling you … this is a mistake …

He pushes his hands through his hair in agitation. Abhimanyu looks at him consideringly, and then back at Dr. Shashank.

Abhi: theek hai … I’ll give you the benefit of doubt … lekin main bahut zyaada vaqt nahin de sakta. I have to meet the trustees next week … tab tak tum (looking at Armaan) koshish kar sakte ho.

Sh: Thanks, Abhimanyu … mujhe pata nahin ki iska kuch fayda hoga par …
Ar: Sir, don’t give up hope! Hum koshish to kar sakte hain …
Sh (shrugs his shoulders, but it’s obvious he is not optimistic): … theek hai … tum koshish kar lo , lekin one request - Yeh baat … ki yahan fraud ka maamla hai, yeh baat is kamre se bahar nahin jaani chahiye. Main nahin chahta ki meri betiyon ko pata chale ki mujhe … I am being suspected of dishonesty … voh sambhal nahin payengi. Agar Armaan kaamyab nahin hua – I will resign.

For the first time, he looks seriously upset. Armaan swallows. Now he knows exactly what Riddhima went through … hiding this from her is not going to be easy … for both of them … He nods briefly.

Ar: Ji, Sir. I understand

Abhi : Agreed … is kamre ke bahar, kisi ko bhi iss baat ki bhanak tak bhi nahin pade ki asli mamla kya hai. Dr. Shashank remains suspended …

Armaan and Dr. Shashank both nod.
Ar: it’s better that way, Sir … jisne bhi kiya hai, use lagega ki aapko pakad liya hai … shayad voh relax karke kuch galti kar de …
Dr. Shashank looks at him.
Sh: Armaan … tum bahut sure ho ki kasoorvar main nahi hun … (he ends with a question in his voice. Armaan looks directly back at him.)

Ar (simply, firmly): Yes, Sir.


All three get up … Armaan makes for the door, followed by Dr. Shashank. As he opens the door, he freezes.

Anjali and Riddhima stare at him accusingly.


Back to present :

Sh (looks at them all): So … Armaan yeh koshish kar raha tha … yeh dhoondne ki kaun yeh sab kar raha hai …

Abhi: I’m sorry, Dr. Shashank … agar main aapko aur achchi tarah se jaanta, to main yeh kabhi nahin sochta …

Sh: It’s all right, Dr. Abhimanyu …you were doing your job … aur saare signs meri hi taraf point kar rahe the … so I don’t blame you. And I’m grateful to both of you … tumne mujhe sab ke saamne accuse nahin kiya … aur Armaan ko vaqt diya … aur Armaan … he had complete trust in me … aur akhir usne proof nikal hi diya, asli gunehgaar ko pakadne ke liye …

Anj: But who was it, dad? And hua kya?

Sh: Anjali beta … it was my broker … jise main tees saal se jaanta hun. Tees saal se voh sab personal investments kar raha hai. Mujhe uss par itna bharosa tha ki main use blank forms sign karke de deta tha – issi ka usne fayda uthaya, aur Sanjeevani ke funds ko invest karke, profit nikalkar, funds vapas replace kar deta tha. Phir economic crisis hua aur paise banne ki jagah, losses hone lage, voh darr gaya aur bhi zyaada speculate karne lag gaya taaki paise replace kar sake … which never happened … The problem was that I had signed blank forms which he had used, the signatures were mine, so the finger pointed at me … I could not prove ki maine yeh nahin kiya hai … although shaq to broker par tha, as he was the only other person apart from me, who could have done this.

Rid (impatiently): phir … kaise …?

Dr. Shashank looks at Armaan smilingly.

Sh: Armaan … he went through all the documents … each and every one … aur ek bahut hi simple mistake saamne aa gayi … Broker thoda greedy ho gaya tha aur mere signatures forge karne lag gaya tha … aur kuch investments usne forged signatures ke saath uss time par kare, jab Padma aur main Paris mein honeymoon par gaye hue the. So I could not have been responsible … voh forgery samne aayi, to humne baaki forms bhi handwriting expert ko dikhaye … and bas, we got the proof we needed!!! Broker ko confront kiya … aur usne sab confess kar diya.

He breaks into a broad smile, and the others all crowd around him and Armaan, congratulating them. Rahul, Anjali, Muskaan, Atul and Nikita come up to Armaan and very shame-facedly apologise … they make up, but Riddhima stays on the periphery … looking at Arman, willing him to look back at her … how she wishes she had managed to tell him before all this that she did trust him! Now will he believe her? Will he forgive her for not trusting him …?) ….


The END

Dia’s note - Hey … end kaise … no AR???!!!!
Ok – last pre-cap … next part - will Armaan forgive Riddhima? (Is that really a question??!!)

Armaan-Abhimanyu Part 15

Riddhima stares at Armaan, dumbstruck … and she feels her anger rising again. So after all that talk about her trusting him, he’s spying on her father … thinking that nobody will be home at this time, he’s going through all Dr. Shashank’s papers … and here she was thinking she would talk to him, tell him that no, she did trust him …
She makes a move forward, ready to confront him … and then stops again.

Dr. Shashank appears from one side – he had been behind a bookshelf … he brings some more papers and hands them to Armaan … Armaan looks up and takes them, frowning. Both men look at the papers and shake their heads …

There is a murmured conversation … she can’t hear anything, then Armaan picks up some papers and files and holds out his hand. Dr. Shashank gives him his phone and they talk softly again.

Armaan looks up suddenly, as though sensing another presence, and Riddhima ducks back behind the curtain … her brain is whirling … what is going on?
Armaan starts to leave and Riddhima quickly moves away so that he can’t see her ... both men now come out of the study and go to the front door, Armaan leaves and Dr. Shashank stands at the door for a few seconds and then comes back, looking depressed and worried.

Riddhima stares at her father … then she decides against talking to him just then … she is too confused as to what is going on, she will talk to Armaan first, she thinks … she goes to her room, her headache now in full force as she sits on her bed and tries to understand what is going on.


In Sanjeevani …

Armaan … in Abhimanyu’s room … door shut, both deep in conversation with a very serious looking man, dressed in a dark suit and tie … all three are going through papers and files …

A few hours later … Armaan and Abhimanyu are still there … now in conversation with another stranger …

A police officer and another plain clothes man join the group.

Some time later … Abhimanyu’s room is empty.

Gupta house :

Ridhima has dozed off … her headache and the tension got too much for her … she is awakened by Anjali shaking her shoulder. She springs awake. For the first time in days, Anjali is looking cheerful … very cheerful … !!!
Anj: Ridzi, get up … jaldi aa jaa … it’s all sorted out … Dad’s back!!! … and Dr. Keerti bhi vapas aa gayi hain …

Riddhima jumps up.
Rid: Dr. Keerti? Papa …?
Anj (impatiently): Haan … jaldi kar … sab log yahan hain … Dad sabse baat karna chahte hain.

Both girls go into the hall, where as Anjali said, everyone is gathered … Dr. Shashank, looking relieved and relaxed, Padma, Shubhankar, Rahul Muskaan, Atul, Nikita, Abhimanyu, Keerti and Armaan. Padma is smiling, Abhimanyu is sitting on the sofa, looking completely at home and Keerti and Shubhankar are looking very happy. Dr. Shashank looks up and sees Riddhima and Anjali …
Sh: Riddhima … kahan thi … come, come …
Riddhima looks wonderingly at everyone and then she looks at Armaan.

He looks back at her, a closed expression on his face … and for a few seconds, all the people around her fade and she can see only him … as though they are the only two people in the room … she tries to convey through her eyes …

Then Dr. Shashank claps him on the shoulder …
Sh: well done, Armaan! Maine to yeh socha bhi nahin tha …

Abhi: Good thinking!
Shub: Lekin yeh sab …
Keerti: Thank god .. sab saamne aa gaya …
Riddhima looks around at everyone … the other interns are also looking foxed. Dr. Shashank says …

Sh: Well, now that it seems to be all over, main aap sab ko explanation de sakta hun … Abhimanyu ..?
Abhimanyu nods.
Abhi: Aapne kaha tha ki aap sab ek family jaise hain … so I agree … they all deserve to know … lekin pehle main yeh announce kar dun … Dr. Shashank is back to his former position … and jo yeh sab problem ke liye zimmedar tha … usse pakda gaya hai … thanks to Armaan …

Rid (looking at Armaan, but he avoids her gaze): papa … yeh sab … kaise?

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 14

The next few days are not pleasant for anyone. The interns go about their work silently, completely ostracizing Armaan … Armaan tends to disappear for hours on end, no one knowing where he is. Surprisingly … or maybe not surprisingly, the interns discuss scornfully … Abhimanyu does not seem to be concerned at Armaan's frequent absences. And he seems to be perpetually on night duty, so he is never around during the day.

A few nights later,
At home - As Riddhima is getting ready for bed, her phone flashes … she looks at it … Armaan.
Pursing her lips, she ignores it. It rings again … and again.
Frowning, she looks at the bathroom door … Anjy will be out in a minute … she takes the phone and goes out onto the terrace. She presses the answer button, but doesn't speak.

Ar (in a somber tone): Baat bhi nahin karogi?
Rid (coldly): kuch baat karne ko raha nahin …
Ar: Riddhima … kam se kam yeh filmy dialogue to mat bolo … teen din se tumne mujhse ek shabd bhi nahin kaha …
Rid (still cold … doesn't he realize she is hurting so much at what she can only see as his betrayal): kya kahun, Armaan?

Ar (quietly): sirf itna keh do … ki tum mujh par vishwas karti ho … jo kuch bhi maine kiya, ya kar raha hun - tum jaanti ho ki kisi vajah se kar raha hun … Ya itna bhi bharosa nahin hai mujhpe … ?

She is stricken silent … his words stab her, suddenly and acutely painful. For the first time, the pain in his voice reaches her – he is hurting too … as much as she is, maybe even more. Déjà vu, she thinks slowly … when this whole thing had started, and her father had been disturbed, she hadn't told Armaan for ages … had expected his instant understanding – and he hadn't. And now he is expecting the same from her … and she finds herself equally unable to give him that … Had she been wrong then? Or is she wrong now … ?

She holds the phone close to her ear, her fingers tighten on the instrument … she wants to get angry, berate him … but at the same time she wants to listen, to hear something that will lessen the distance between them … that will explain …

Rid: to phir bolo, Armaan … kuch batao …
Armaan is silent. Her anger rises again.

Rid: Main sab samjhun … tum kuch nahin bologe … yehi expect kar rahe ho ki … tum par andha vishwas karun …
He is still quiet.
Rid (twisting the kada on her wrist … she makes a sudden move as though to take it off …)

Rid (annoyed and disappointed beyond measure at his continued silence): Kuch bolna hi nahin hai … to phone kyun kiya?

There is a long pause, then he says …
Ar: tumhari awaaz sunne …

There is silence again … the line is disconnected. She brings the phone down and stares at it. She sinks down onto the terrace floor, tears flowing silently, as she shoves the kada back onto her wrist, and clutches onto it tightly.


Next day -
Armaan is missing at work. And again, Abhimanyu doesn't seem concerned – he has been giving the interns duties himself since Dr. Shashank was suspended, and he matter-of-factly announces the duties for the rest. However Muskaan had seen Armaan and she confirms to the others that Armaan had come for his night duty the night before, so he was entitled to an off day.

Anj (resentfully): Acchcha hi hai ki voh night duty kare … at least humein uska munh nahin dekhna padega …

Riddhima is quiet, Armaan's phone call from the night before is preying constantly on her mind. She keeps hearing his voice again and again … itna bhi bharosa nahin hai mujhpe …? The tone of his voice haunts her with its utter loneliness …

By afternoon, she has a splitting headache from sheer tension. She requests Dr. Shubhankar and leaves early … maybe Armaan will be at home, and she can try to speak to him …

She reaches home and enters quietly … oh no, she thinks as she hears sounds from the study, papa is also home. She peeps into the study to check …
Armaan is sitting at Dr. Shashank's desk, a heap of papers and files next to him as he scribbles notes on a piece of paper. Riddhima stares at him in complete shock!


luv

dia

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 13

Back in the locker room
Armaan stands on one side, alone. The other six face him, their faces bearing identical expressions of anger and disgust. Riddhima stands slightly apart from the rest, twisting the kada on her wrist.

Ra: Humein bata kyun nahin sakte … kya baat hai … tum Abhimanyu Modi ke saath kya kar rahe the?
Ar (trying to appease their anger): Main sirf uske saath baat karne gaya tha …

Anj (angrily): Aur humein nahin bata sakte … aisi kya baat hai … jo tum hamare saath share nahin kar sakte? Voh Modi tumhara itna dost kab se ban gaya hai kya? Ya apne job ki fikar thi … Dr. Keerti, dad … uske baad tumhari baari na ho …?

Armaan looks at her helplessly – how to explain that he knows his job was never at stake?

Ar: Anjy, aisi baat nahin hai … mera hi job nahin, hum sab ke jobs, humara future … Sanjeevani ka future …

Rid (angrily): Sanjeevani ka future … Sanjeevani ko dad ne itne saalon se run kiya hai … unse zyaada tumhe Sanjeevani ki chinta hai kya?
Ar: Riddhima …

He looks at her pleadingly – looking for some understanding … but he had known this would happen … Riddhima's blind spot was her father, her family … and now she felt he was with Abhimanyu, and Abhimanyu was against her father …
She turns and walks out of the room.
The others look at him, and turn their backs on him. He looks at them, then shakes his head and leaves. There's no point … not till he manages to succeed in what he has to do.

Wanting some time alone, he goes up to the terrace. He stands at the edge, looking out … feeling completely alone … he had never wanted this, he thinks bitterly, all he wanted was his girl, and she was the one thing whom he never seemed to get. There was always one obstacle after another …

"Ab kisko dhokha dene ki soch rahe ho?"

Slowly he turns and looks around.
Riddhima is standing behind him.

Riddhima looks at Armaan steadily, her eyes clear. His gaze falls. Then he lifts his eyes and looks back at her, running his hands through his hair.

Ar: tum bhi mujhe samajhne ki koshish nahin karogi?
Rid (fiercely): kya samjhun? Bolo Armaan, main kya samjhun?
Ar: Riddhima …

Taking no notice, she continues,
Rid: Tumhe pata hai, Armaan, pichle hafte se … tum roz der se aa rahe ho … aur roz main chinta kare jaa rahi hun, ki koi baat hai, jo tum mujhe nahin bata rahe … lekin tum jaante ho main kya soch rahi thi …?

He is silent … he knows what she had been thinking, and he had kept her in the dark … had let her think that …

Riddhima (she comes up to him and speaks even more fiercely): Main soch rahi thi, ki problem tumhe hai … Modi tumhare peeche pada hai … tumhe yahan se bhejne ki baat kar raha hai … iss liye tum mujhse chupa rahe ho … roz raat main tumhare liye ro rahi thi … I cried myself to sleep every damn night, Armaan!!! (tears coming to her eyes again. He looks at her, his own eyes red and suspiciously moist … he puts out a hand to her and she shrugs it off angrily.)

Rid: Don't touch me! Muhe chuo mat! Main … main … Armaan, how could you do this?!!!

Ar: Riddhima, maine kuch nahin kiya, believe me! Abhimanyu …
She looks at him accusingly through her tears.
Rid: Tum jaante the ki voh Papa ko suspend karne vaala hai … voh papa ko yahan se nikalna chahta hai …?

Ar: Riddhima, voh Dr. Shashank ko nikalna nahin chahta … voh to sirf … (he stops … what the hell can he say?!! he thinks savagely! He's been sworn to silence, not just by Abhimanyu, but by her own father … He looks at Riddhima pleadingly.)
Ar: Riddhima, … please … trust me … sab theek ho jayega … (he stops again, furious at himself … how inane his words sound! Riddhima looks at him, her expression suddenly changing from anger to resignation.)

Rid: Pata nahin, Armaan … ab kabhi kuch theek hoga ki nahin …

She turns and leaves the terrace in tears. He looks after her, then smashes his fist into the wall. He sinks down against the wall, head in his hands.


luv

dia

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 12

"Dr. Shashank Gupta is on indefinite leave from his duties in Sanjeevani until further notice."


Rahul, Muskaan, Nikita and Atul read the notice slowly over the heads of the other staff. They turn to look at each other, their expressions mirroring their shock. For once, they are completely speechless.

Anjali, Riddhima and Armaan reach Sanjeevani – as they enter, the crowd of nurses, staff and doctors makes way for them, the buzz of conversation dying away as they walk, and resuming with redoubled intensity behind them. They look around, a little surprised, then walk towards the nurses station. Rahul comes up to them.

Ra: Armaan … dude … problem … big problem …

Anjali and Riddhima look at the crowd around the notice board, then walk ahead. The crowd makes way for them … they look at the nurses, who avert their eyes … then they look at the board.
Anjali gives an exclamation … Riddhima gasps.

Armaan pushes forward … he reads the notice … he is shell shocked.
Anjali and Riddhima clutch each others' hands tightly.

Rahul, Muskaan, Nikita, Atul form a group around Anjali and Riddhima and quietly take them away. The girls go unresisting … almost in shock.

Armaan stands staring at the notice board for a few moments, his lips compressed, his eyes red.

The others go to the locker room and Muskaan and Nikita put their arms around Anjali and Riddhima. They sit on the bench, still speechless.
Rahul finds his voice first.

Ra: there must be some mistake … kuch galti hai …
Mus: Aise kaise yaar … yeh kya ho raha hai Sanjeevani mein ..?
Nik (fiercely): yeh Modi na … I hate that guy … yeh sab uski karni hai …
Anjali shakes her head, almost in a daze. Nikita holds Riddhima's hands comfortingly – they are shaking.

Nobody quite knows what to say. They look at Anjali and Riddhima and then at each other … Dr. Shubhankar enters, his face grim for once.

Shub: Doctors … main aapke liye teen baar announcement kar chukka hun … aap yahin hain? Please report for your duties …
Ra: Dr. Shubhankar … sir, Dr. Shashank …

Shub (sternly): Dr. Rahul … this has nothing to do with you all. Aap log apni duties par jayiye …

Ra (angrily): Sir … aap yeh kaise keh rahe hain … yeh Sanjeevani mein kya ho raha hai …
Shub (in his normal tone): Main jaanta hun, Dr. Rahul … yahan bahut kuch ho raha hai … jo pehle kabhi nahin hua. Iss liye I'm telling you all … please, aap log duties ke liye jayiye. Aaj kal kuch nahin pata … deevaron ke bhi kaan hote hain … zyada mat boliye. Baad mein hum yeh sab discuss kar sakte hain. Dr Anjali, Dr. Riddhima …
The girls look at him, still in a daze.

Shub (in a very kind tone): Aap dono aaj Path lab mein duty kijiye.
Anjali looks at him gratefully – she knows why Shubhankar is giving them this duty. In the Path lab they don't interact with patients or nurses, and at the moment, neither of them is capable of doing so. She gets up and pulls Riddhima to her feet.
Anj: Thanks, Dr. Shubhankar …

Riddhima looks around, coming slightly out of her daze – where is Armaan?

They disperse for work, all in a very solemn frame of mind.

In the Path lab, Anjali and Riddhima have their minds only half on their work.
Anj: Aisa kya ho gaya, Ridzi … why has Dr. Modi done this …
Riddhima shakes her head.

Rid: Papa bahut worried the … unki Dr. Modi ke saath pichle do teen din se roz meetings ho rahi hain … remember … (she remembers the night Armaan had come home so late, and she had told him about the meetings … where is Armaan???)

Anjali looks at her.
Anj: Ridzi … hum jaakar Dr. Modi se baat Karen … poochein to sahi ki kya hua … he's our father, we have a right to know …
Rid: Di, humein Papa se pehle nahin poochna chahiye? … papa aur mom ne bhi humein kuch nahin bataya, ki yeh sab kya ho raha hai …

Anjali thinks.
Anj: Agar dad ne humein batana hota, then he would have told us …
Rid: maybe he didn't know ki yeh hone vala hai … nahin to voh humein aise pata lagne nahin dete …
Anjali nods.
Anj: lekin, Ridzi … dad to Poona gaye the … trustees se milne … pata nahin aaj aayenge ki nahin. Modi se ek baar baat to karte hain …
Riddhima nods, still too upset to think straight. Where is Armaan??? She needs him …

Anjali and Riddhima leave for Abhimanyu Modi's office.

They look through the glass door and for the second time that morning, they are bereft of words.

Abhimanyu, Armaan and Dr. Shashank are talking fiercely and animatedly inside the room.

Precap – Where was Armaan???
******************************

**********************


luv

dia

Armaan-Abhimanyu-part 12

"Dr. Shashank Gupta is on indefinite leave from his duties in Sanjeevani until further notice."


Rahul, Muskaan, Nikita and Atul read the notice slowly over the heads of the other staff. They turn to look at each other, their expressions mirroring their shock. For once, they are completely speechless.

Anjali, Riddhima and Armaan reach Sanjeevani – as they enter, the crowd of nurses, staff and doctors makes way for them, the buzz of conversation dying away as they walk, and resuming with redoubled intensity behind them. They look around, a little surprised, then walk towards the nurses station. Rahul comes up to them.

Ra: Armaan … dude … problem … big problem …

Anjali and Riddhima look at the crowd around the notice board, then walk ahead. The crowd makes way for them … they look at the nurses, who avert their eyes … then they look at the board.
Anjali gives an exclamation … Riddhima gasps.

Armaan pushes forward … he reads the notice … he is shell shocked.
Anjali and Riddhima clutch each others' hands tightly.

Rahul, Muskaan, Nikita, Atul form a group around Anjali and Riddhima and quietly take them away. The girls go unresisting … almost in shock.

Armaan stands staring at the notice board for a few moments, his lips compressed, his eyes red.

The others go to the locker room and Muskaan and Nikita put their arms around Anjali and Riddhima. They sit on the bench, still speechless.
Rahul finds his voice first.

Ra: there must be some mistake … kuch galti hai …
Mus: Aise kaise yaar … yeh kya ho raha hai Sanjeevani mein ..?
Nik (fiercely): yeh Modi na … I hate that guy … yeh sab uski karni hai …
Anjali shakes her head, almost in a daze. Nikita holds Riddhima's hands comfortingly – they are shaking.

Nobody quite knows what to say. They look at Anjali and Riddhima and then at each other … Dr. Shubhankar enters, his face grim for once.

Shub: Doctors … main aapke liye teen baar announcement kar chukka hun … aap yahin hain? Please report for your duties …
Ra: Dr. Shubhankar … sir, Dr. Shashank …

Shub (sternly): Dr. Rahul … this has nothing to do with you all. Aap log apni duties par jayiye …

Ra (angrily): Sir … aap yeh kaise keh rahe hain … yeh Sanjeevani mein kya ho raha hai …
Shub (in his normal tone): Main jaanta hun, Dr. Rahul … yahan bahut kuch ho raha hai … jo pehle kabhi nahin hua. Iss liye I'm telling you all … please, aap log duties ke liye jayiye. Aaj kal kuch nahin pata … deevaron ke bhi kaan hote hain … zyada mat boliye. Baad mein hum yeh sab discuss kar sakte hain. Dr Anjali, Dr. Riddhima …
The girls look at him, still in a daze.

Shub (in a very kind tone): Aap dono aaj Path lab mein duty kijiye.
Anjali looks at him gratefully – she knows why Shubhankar is giving them this duty. In the Path lab they don't interact with patients or nurses, and at the moment, neither of them is capable of doing so. She gets up and pulls Riddhima to her feet.
Anj: Thanks, Dr. Shubhankar …

Riddhima looks around, coming slightly out of her daze – where is Armaan?

They disperse for work, all in a very solemn frame of mind.

In the Path lab, Anjali and Riddhima have their minds only half on their work.
Anj: Aisa kya ho gaya, Ridzi … why has Dr. Modi done this …
Riddhima shakes her head.

Rid: Papa bahut worried the … unki Dr. Modi ke saath pichle do teen din se roz meetings ho rahi hain … remember … (she remembers the night Armaan had come home so late, and she had told him about the meetings … where is Armaan???)

Anjali looks at her.
Anj: Ridzi … hum jaakar Dr. Modi se baat Karen … poochein to sahi ki kya hua … he's our father, we have a right to know …
Rid: Di, humein Papa se pehle nahin poochna chahiye? … papa aur mom ne bhi humein kuch nahin bataya, ki yeh sab kya ho raha hai …

Anjali thinks.
Anj: Agar dad ne humein batana hota, then he would have told us …
Rid: maybe he didn't know ki yeh hone vala hai … nahin to voh humein aise pata lagne nahin dete …
Anjali nods.
Anj: lekin, Ridzi … dad to Poona gaye the … trustees se milne … pata nahin aaj aayenge ki nahin. Modi se ek baar baat to karte hain …
Riddhima nods, still too upset to think straight. Where is Armaan??? She needs him …

Anjali and Riddhima leave for Abhimanyu Modi's office.

They look through the glass door and for the second time that morning, they are bereft of words.

Abhimanyu, Armaan and Dr. Shashank are talking fiercely and animatedly inside the room.

Precap – Where was Armaan???
******************************

**********************


luv

dia

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 11

Later that night.
Armaan comes home late – purposely - hoping that Riddhima has gone to bed. Thankfully, the lights in the house are all off. He goes to the kitchen to get a drink of water, and stands looking out of the window, cursing Abhimanyu Modi, the global crisis, and the world in general. Frowning, he drains his glass and turns to put it on the counter.

Riddhima is looking straight at him.
The glass shakes in his hand – he puts it down with a clatter.

Ar: tum soyi nahin?
Rid: main tumhari wait kar rahi thi …

He crosses to her and takes her hand.
Ar (trying to make a joke out of it): you know, basket … tum din par din … meri girlfriend kum … aur biwi zyaada banti jaa rahi ho … agar kal main late aaunga, tum to belan lekar khadi hogi …

Rid (ignoring his feeble attempts at teasing): Armaan … baat kya hai …?
Ar (tries to laugh): baat …? Kya baat, basket? Koi baat nahin … oh – main late kyun aaya? Gussa ho? Sorry, baba … (tries to hold her hand to his cheek.)

Rid (she twists her hand out of his): Armaan … mujhe taalne ki koshish mat karo. Tumhari aaj shaam ko Abhimanyu Modi se kya baat ho rahi thi?
As he looks at her with a mixture of shock and guilt, she continues …
Rid: Ya yeh poochun … kya jhagda ho raha tha?

Ar (trying his best to act clueless): Riddhima … tum kya baat kar rahi ho? Jhagda? Abhimanyu …?
Rid: Armaan … maine tumhe aaj sham ko dekha … uske cabin mein … tum dono argue kar rahe the! Voh kya bol raha tha? Tum itne upset kyun the …?

Ar (caught completely unawares, trying hard to think of something to say … oh god, she had seen them talking, now what was he to say to her?): Riddhima …

She puts her hands on his shoulders, catching hold of his collar urgently and looks at him, tears suddenly springing to her eyes.

Rid: Voh tumhe jaane ko bol raha tha? Armaan … kya yeh baat hai? voh tumhe bhi nikal raha hai? Armaan, please mujhe batao … shaam se main worry kar rahi hun …

He covers her hands with his, feeling like a complete and utter heel, low down rotter, back-stabber, snake in the grass … all the names he can think of, he calls himself silently.
Ar: Riddhima … no, don't worry about me … main theek hun … really … I'll be okay …

She takes in a sharp breath.
Rid: "I'll be okay" … kya matlab … voh yehi kar raha hai … I was right … Armaan, no … tum yahan se nahin jaa sakte …

She throws her arms around him, her tears coming now, and he holds her in his arms, horrified that she has misunderstood so completely …
Ar: Riddhima, nahin … tum ro mat … voh yeh nahin …

He stops. What is he to tell her … why was he arguing with Abhimanyu … for the life of him, he can't think of something plausible to say. He holds her tight … when she finds out what he was actually talking about and what he is going to do, it might be a long time before he got the chance again, he thinks bitterly …

******************************

**********************
Pre-cap -
A few days later – in the morning - Sanjeevani
All the nurses, other staff and doctors are gathered around the nurses' station … there is a buzz of disbelief and shock at the new notice up on the announcement board.

"Dr. Shashank Gupta is on indefinite leave from his duties in Sanjeevani until further notice."


luv

- dia

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 10

Pred 11

Next day – late evening

Armaan waits till late evening, when he's reasonably sure that everyone would have gone home, then he barges into Abhimanyu's office. Abhimanyu looks up in surprise at his entry.
Armaan comes right up to him.

Ar (angrily): Jo tumne mujhe kal kaha … sab par nazar rakho … all that was rubbish, right? Tum ek hi insaan ko suspect kar rahe ho … sirf ek …
Abhimanyu smiles faintly.
Abhi: mujhe laga tha ki you'll figure it out sooner or later …

Ar: And that's why you were trying to get close to Riddhima …

Abhimanyu doesn't say anything, but his face shows that Armaan is right.

Armaan says slowly: And that's also why … jab Riddhima ne kuch response nahin diya, tumne mujhe approach kiya. Tum soch rahe the … ki agar unki koi problem hogi, to Riddhima mujhe zaroor batayegi … iss liye tum baar baar pooch rahe the ki main aur Riddhima kitne kareeb hain …

Abhi shrugs faintly but doesn't reply.
Ar (forcefully): You are wrong! I told you earlier … and I'm saying it again … yeh galat hai! Tum galat aadmi par shak kar rahe ho …

Abhi: Armaan, logically socho … aur koi ho hi nahin sakta …
Ar (challenging): Kyun? Tum khud hi to bol rahe the ki sab ko financial problems hain …
Abhimanyu laughs: oh come on! Atul? Rahul Muskaan? Where and how will interns have access to hospital funds and accounts … tumhe lagta hai ki main unhe kabhi bhi seriously suspect kar raha tha? This was somebody very intelligent … and very senior … the only other person who was ever a possibility was Dr. Keerti … and she's out … now …

Riddhima, passing outside, looking for Armaan, is surprised to see Armaan in Abhimanyu's cabin, apparently having a roaring argument. She can't hear anything throught the closed door, but by Armaan's gestures, and Abhimanyu's closed expression, there is obviously something very serious being discussed.

Ar: Dr. Keerti nahin … aur Dr. Shashank bilkul nahin! Main Riddhima ko jaanta hun … usko apne principles, apne values apne baap se mile hain … how can a person like that …

Abhi (patiently): Desperation makes people do desperate things, Armaan …
Armaan throws his hands in the air in exasperation.
Ar: You're mad! I'm telling you … yeh ho hi nahin sakta!!! It's impossible … Dr. Shashank aisa bilkul nahin kar sakte!

Abhimanyu says nothing … just looks at him. Armaan stares back.
Ar: Tumne mujhe ek impossible situation mein daal diya hai … do you realize that? Why the hell did you tell me all this? I don't even want to know!!! Agar mujhe lage bhi ki tum sahi ho … do you think ki ismein main tumhari help karunga? I can't do this!

He runs his hands through his hair and over his face, and walks up and down the small cabin.

Riddhima watches from outside, growing more and more disturbed. What on earth is happening? Why is Armaan looking so distraught?

Abhi: Armaan, listen to me …
Ar: No!!! You listen! I can't! This is impossible.
Abhi: Armaan, listen … this is what you have to do … just once … (he lowers his voice and speaks, and Armaan gets even more agitated) … you live there … you can do it …

Ar: No way!!! I am not going to do this!
Abhi (firmly): Then I'll have to do it … officially … and you know how that will look …

Armaan stops pacing and looks at Abhimanyu. He curses.

Ar: s***!!! S****!!! S***!!!

Pre-cap – Riddhima confronts Armaan

Fan Fiction Contest- Suggested by Sookie

Hey Niha/Dia,Its a good idea to start a blog exclusively for DMG fan fictions. I have seen predictions posted here with other fan fictions.I have a few ideas (which I have seen in other fan fiction sites) and thought I will share them here. Here are a few.Apart from the regular fan fiction, why not have a challenge writing? As in Dia or Niha posts a challenge like - "How can interns make 20 Lakhs in one month (perhaps most logical way)?"There are other ways to give out a challenge - 1. You (Niha/Dia) can give a vague story line in 3-4 lines and ask writers to make story out of it.2. Give out words (about a dozen to start with) which you expect to see in a fan fiction. 3. Name of a movie, song, drama - the theme of that has to be used as a tool or should play an important role in the story.The frequency of these types of challenges is left to the moderator. There can be polls to find out the reader's verdict and this can be normalized with time.I am not sure if this information is useful at all, but I thought I will share it with you guys.~Sookie

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 9

Pred 10 – (nov 22)
Night – AR

It's late night by the time Armaan reaches back – for once he is thankful to see all the lights off. He doesn't want to talk to anyone, not even Riddhima … not till he can sort out in his head all that Abhimanyu had said. Someone in Sanjeevani had been committing fraud … had been siphoning out funds … to the extent that the trust was almost bankrupt? Who could it possibly be?

Even for one moment he cannot believe it could be one of the doctors … Muskaan and Atul he dismisses out of hand – they are so completely simple and straight forward, they could never hide something like this … besides which, none of the interns has any money … and if they had committed any fraud, they would have the money, right? He asks himself, then shakes his head – why is he even thinking of them?
It's impossible … Abhimanyu's suspicions have warped his own thinking. As for Dr. Keerti … and her sister … he remembers Riddhima telling him about Dr. Keerti's strange behaviour in taking money from all the staff … and then returning it – he had been away in Singapore during that time, had never seen the different looking Keerti … or maybe, that was the twin, that could explain it, he thinks suddenly … but again, she had been in need of money …
And then she had returned it … he thinks slowly … could that be it? Was that why Keerti was the first to fall under suspicion …

"I'm going mad," he says aloud to himself as he enters and walks slowly to his room. "Main pagal ho raha hun … kya kuch soch raha hun … I'm in serious trouble …"

"Voh to tum ho …"

He jumps and looks around. Riddhima is standing behind him, dressed in her red nightgown, arms crossed across her chest and an extremely irate expression on her face.

In spite of himself, he smiles … she looks like a furious wife waiting for an erring husband … he crosses back to her and tries to hold her in his arms … she resists strongly.

Rid: where were you? Itni der se aana hai, to agli baar bahar hi rehna … samjhe …?!!

He grins again … the scolding just completes the picture!
Ar: Riddhima … tum abhi tak meri biwi bani nahin ho … aur abhi se hukum chala rahi ho?
Rid (very pleasantly): main hukum nahin chala rahi, Armaan … (changes her tone, becoming fierce) … main tumhe strangle karne jaa rahi hun …
She puts her hands on his throat as though to strangle him … he catches them and pulls them around himself.

Ar (smiling): par kyun …? Ab maine kya kiya … ? yeh to Niki ko gale lagane ke liye tha, na? maine aisa kuch nahin kiya … I promise …

Rid: phir tum kahan the? Itni der tak? Naa kuch bataya, naa phone kiya … kabse try kar rahi thi …
He hesitates, not knowing how much to say. To distract her, he says …
Ar: lekin tum itni der tak jaag kaise rahi ho … sab so gaye kya?

Rid: Nahin … papa ke visitors aaye the … abhi abhi gaye hain … voh itni loud discussion ho rahi thi ki main so hi nahin saki … phir dekha ki tum abhi tak nahin aaye …

Ar (surprised): Dr. Shashank had visitors … itni raat ko?
Rid: Haan … pata nahin kyun … papa bhi kaafi pareshan the … saari sham study mein band the unke saath. Khaana bhi theek se nahi khaya …
Armaan looks at her, a slow sinking feeling growng in his heart …

Ar (trying to speak casually, and cursing Abhimanyu inwardly – that guy has made him suspicious of everyone): Kaun the … kuch important kaam hoga … agar itni raat tak baithe the …

Rid (impatiently): hoga, Armaan … mujhe kya pata … bank se the so obviously Sanjeevani ke problem ke baare mein hi hoga … lekin tum batao, tum kahan the … ?
Ar (slowly): … bank se the … ? tumhe kaise pata?

Rid (looking at him a little strangely): voh … ek to papa ka broker hai … pehle bhi ghar aa chukka hai … I think Dr. Abhimanyu ke saath uski koi baat hui thi … to voh papa se complain karne aaya tha … (she smiles) … lagta hai Dr. Abhimanyu sirf doctors se hi nahin, sabke saath rudely behave karta hain …

Ar (carefully): Riddhima … kya voh Dr. Abhimanyu ki complaint karne aaye the … are you sure?
Rid (impatiently): no … I'm not … maine unki baatein suni kahan … lekin Papa ki bhi aaj Dr. Abhimanyu ke saath kaafi lambi meeting hui … aur inki bhi … shayad vahi kuch discuss kar rahe the … kyun? Tum itne interested kyun ho?

Ar: nahin … kuch nahin … just wondering ki … aaj tumhare papa aur Dr. Abhimanyu ki meeting thi …? How do you know that?

Rid: Papa ne kaha … aur kaise? … voh abhi bhi worried hain … Armaan, tum itne sawaal kyun pooch rahe ho …?

He doesn't answer. A cold hand seems to be squeezing his chest … he is very, very worried … a thought is shaping in his head, and becoming more and more a certainty …


luv

Dia

A note from the Blogowner/Moderator

Hey guys.....

I hope you all remember me... I am niha... I started off as a blogger who loved/still loves DMG! Over the past few months we have not only lived DMG through TV we have brought it alive in our lives, through various stories, predictions,video-mix compilations and the like...

thats the reason why, we have this blog!

i have two co-authors to this blog! they will also from time to time keep interacting with you...

but please do write in your stories, your predictions, your video mixes... they are most welcome...

today i wanted to share something new with you all.. we have all written many fan-fictions in the past with a storyline that is very similar to DMG- the hospital, the interns and the romance... i now have a changed plan...

lets write a Fan-Fiction, with the same characters, your Armaan will be the same, your Riddhima will be the same, you can have all the other characters also as it is, add a few more, like A Nikhil or an Asma of our EDK, but change the set up and write another story... if i may take the liberty to say, something like what Kiran has tried with Green-Blue Hues... i simply love that piece of work and would love it if the girl contributes here as well....'

i expect responses from you all, and also active participation....

for now, thats about it... i will see you all when we have to make an annoucement... but do come...

loads of love,
niha

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 8

Pred 8

The next day is a bit of a red letter day – Armaan and Riddhima actually find they have fifteen minutes break together for coffee in the evening, as Armaan has lighter duties than usual because of his injured arm. They meet in the café and are just about to sit down, when Armaan feels his pocket and gives a small groan.
Ar: Pager ward mein reh gaya …
Rid: Armaan, pundrah minute ki baat hai … kuch nahin hoga … ek coffee to pee lete …
He shakes his head.

Ar: nahin Riddhima, ek patient kaafi sick hai … call aa sakti hai. I'd better go and get it … won't be a minute …
He turns and almost bumps into Abhimanyu, standing just there, who has obviously heard what he just said.

Armaan says awkwardly (after last night, he can't really be rude): sorry … didn't see you, Dr. Modi …

Abhi: it's ok … I'll keep Dr. Riddhima company till you get back.
He sits down in the chair that Armaan was going to sit in. Riddhima also now can't get up without looking rude, so she keeps sitting, looking after Armaan as he leaves.

Abhi (speaking chattily): So, Dr. Riddhima … are you okay after last night?
Rid (speaking a little coldly): mujhe kuch nahin hua tha, Dr. Abhimanyu … chot to Armaan ko lagi …
Abhi: Lekin aap kaafi ghabrayi hui thi …

Rid: Jab Armaan saath ho, to main ghabrati nahin hun … (after a short pause) … but aap kal bahut sahi vaqt par pahunche …

Abhi (sighs a little theatrically): chalo … kuch to tareef ki aapne … varna main to soch raha tha ki aap apni naraazgi kabhi nahin chodengi!

Rid (reluctantly – after all, he had come to their help when they really needed it): nahin … aisi baat nahin hai … I'm really grateful ki aap uss samay pahunch gaye.

Abhi: So am I … (he looks at her seriously, and she looks back at him, wondering a little at his tone, then she breaks his gaze and looks down into her cup. He sighs and tries to change the subject.)

Abhi: Aap dono bahut acche dost ho …?
Rid (non-committally): haan … hum sab bahut achche dost hain … bahut samay se saath kaam kar rahe hain … (she lifts her gaze and looks straight at him) … Dr. Keerti aur Dr. Shubhankar bhi … hospital mein hamare seniors hain, lekin hospital ke bahar hum unke bhi bahut close hain …

Abhimanyu sighs again, giving no sign whether he has understood the jibe about Dr. Keerti or not.
Abhi: I hope … aap log mujhe bhi aise accept kar lenge … ki hospital ke andar jo main karun … that's my job. I have to do it … I don't have a choice …
Riddhima looks at him … is he trying to explain what he did regarding Dr. Keerti, or is he getting at something else? What he is going to do in future …
Abhimanyu looks straight back at her, then shrugs, as though to say – forget it …
Abhi: Main coffee lekar aata hun … excuse me.


He gets up and goes to the counter. Atul, Anjali, Rahul and Nikita come in together, seeing Riddhima sitting alone, they come to her table.

Niki: Riddhima! Kitne din ho gaye … lagta hai it's been ages since we met!

Anj: Are Niki … hum dono ek ghar mein rehte hain … aur maine bhi Ridz ko teen din se nahin dekha! Pehle meri night duty, phir uski, phir meri … crazy schedule, man!

They all sit down noisily and start ordering their coffees. They don't notice Abhimanyu who is busy with a phone call at the counter. Their coffees arrive and they chat noisily, all complaining about the new schedules, the workload, the lack of free time …

Abhi (from behind them): I was under the impression that you all were here to work … lekin aap sab logon ko dekh ke to lagta hai ki aap yahan socialize karne aaye ho … ab galat fehmi meri hai ya aapki …?

They look around – he is standing there looking at them gently, an oh-so pleasant smile on his face.
Atul stands up looking panicked. Abhimanyu comes and sits at the table … the noise level dies instantly as all of them look at each other.

Nikita gulps her coffee … "I'm through … main jaa rahi hun …"
Atul follows her, muttering something.

Anjali makes an attempt to speak to Riddhima, ignoring Abhimanyu. Within a minute, she also gets up and leaves, followed by Rahul. Riddhima is left alone with Abhimanyu – she takes a sip of her coffee, feeling angry again, and more than a little awkward.

Rid: I think voh sab apne break par aaye the … they weren't breaking any rules.

Abhi: Did I say they were?
He smiles when he sees her angry look.
Abhi: Actually, main aapse akele mein baat karna chahta tha … so I'm glad they went …
You chased them away, you mean, Riddhima thinks, but doesn't say it out loud. Abhimanyu pulls his chair closer to hers and she looks at him, a little startled, and not too comfortable.

Abhi: Main aapse kuch pooch raha tha …
Riddhima looks enquiringly at him – she has forgotten what he was talking about.
Abhi: Kya aap mujhe bhi dost maanne ko tayyar hain … I mean, hospital ke bahar … jaise aap Dr. keerti aur Shubhankar ko maante hain … voh bhi aapke seniors hain … voh bhi wards mein kabhi kabhi kadvi baatein karte honge, daantte honge …

Rid: Haan, lekin bahar voh aise nahin hain … hamari bahut help karte hain … Muskaan Rahul ki Dr. Keerti ne itni help ki hai …

Abhi: Voh to maine bhi ki thi … kal raat ko … aapki aur Dr. Armaan ki …
She looks away. He sighs.

Abhi: Aap abhi bhi yakin nahin kar sakti ki main Armaan ko vahan chhod kar nahin jaane vala tha?
Rid (fiercely): Agar aap chhod ke jaate, to voh buzdilli hoti! Agar Armaan aapki jagah hota, to voh aisa kabhi nahin karta!

Abhi (softly): main bhi aisa kabhi nahin karta … believe me.
He puts out his hand and covers hers as it lies on the table. For a second, she stares at his hand, then at him – he looks back at her directly.

Armaan enters to see them frozen in this tableau – he stops in his tracks. He backs off quietly, half hidden behind the café door. Riddhima withdraws her hand from under Abhimanyu's.

Rid: Mera break khatam ho gaya hai … main chalti hun …

She leaves, not even noticing Armaan, her mind whirling in confusion.

Abhimanyu stares into his cup – then he looks up and sees Armaan.
Abhi: Aaiye, Dr. Armaan … baithenge? … ya aap bhi mujhe company dena nahin chahte?
Grimacing inwardly, Armaan goes to the table – after last night, he can't quite bring himself to be outwardly rude. You couldn't be rude to someone who had saved you from a thrashing by hoodlums … but why was he was trying to hold Riddhima's hand?

Ar: Nahin … aisi koi baat nahin hai … Riddhima gayi?
Abhi (sardonically): voh bhi … aur baaki sab bhi. Aapne sahi kaha tha, Dr. Armaan … aap logon mein bahut unity hai. Ek baar kisi ko dushman karaar diya, to chahe voh kuch bhi kar le, dushman hi rehta hai.

Armaan sita down and looks at him cautiously. Abhimanyu goes on.
Abhi: Lekin aap ko yeh nahin lagta … ki Sanjeevani ka dushman main nahin, koi aur hai?
Ar (carefully): kaun?
Abhi: aap log khud.
Armaan stares at him, dumbfounded.pred - 9 (this is really long .... but it's the crux of the story)

Abhimanyu's cabin – much later the same evening, after the rest have gone home.
Abhimanyu sits at his desk, Armaan sits across him, still looking cautious.

Ar: Aap kya kehne ki koshish kar rahe hain?
Abhi: Look , Armaan … pehle ek baat samajh lo … I'm really not here as the enemy. Main kisi ko nikalna chahta nahin hun … yeh mera shauk nahin hai …
Ar (sardonically): I'm glad to hear that … mujhe to lag raha tha ki …

Abhi: … aapka number kab aayega?
Both laugh slightly.
Abhi: well, you can rest assured … abhi aapka number door hai … unless of course, mera munh phir se kala karne ka irada hai … in which case, I might reconsider …
Armaan looks down, trying to hide his grin. So Modi had realized that, had he?! Well, so much for Armaan's conspiracy theories about throwing the interns out!
Abhimanyu smiles slightly as well, then speaks more seriously.
Abhi: Mere yahan sirf do kaam hain … ek to, Sanjeevani ko financial crisis se nikalna …
He pauses …
… aur doosra, yeh pata lagana ki yeh crisis hua kaise, aur kaun iske liye zimmedar hai …

Armaan looks up at that.
Ar: zimmedar hai? You mean …?

Abhimanyu nods.
Abhi: Kaafi dinon se yahan financial irregularities chal rahi hain. Normal course mein shayad pata bhi nahin chalta … lekin recently kuch aise haalat hue hai ki chhoti chhoti baatein bahut badi ban gayi …
Ar: kya matlab? Recently kya hua hai?
Abhimanyu sighs.
Abhi: aapko world ke economics mein kitna interest hai?

Armaan looks a little blank, and Abhimanyu looks surprised.
Abhi: You disappoint me … I thought you were an intelligent guy. You do know ki saari dunia mein aajkal financial meltdown chal raha hai?
Armaan nods.
Ar: Of course … yeh kisko nahin pata …?
Abhi: To uska effect Sanjeevani par bhi …
Ar (interrupts): kaise? Sanjeevani to ek trust hai … uske deposits ke returns se hospital chalta hai … and it's a non-profit organization, so how …?

Abhi: So you do know that much … good, I'm glad I wasn't mistaken in you … well, you're right, Sanjeevani deposits ke returns se chalta hai … lekin those deposits are in investments aur … aajkal saare investments doob rahe hain … as you know (Armaan nods) … aur uske saath Sanjeevani ka capital bhi thoda dip kar raha hai - so the trustees were getting worried ... and started looking at it more closely ...
And found ....... koi yahan Sanjeevani mein, Sanjeevani ke capital ke saath … recently speculation kar raha tha … and obviously with the stock market going only one way these days … down … jo bhi yeh kar raha tha … uski risk taking ne Sanjeevani ko dubo diya hai.

Armaan listens in shock. So that is why this sudden crisis has happened … he looks at Abhimanyu …
Ar: One person can do this??!!!
Abhi: One person can dubao a whole bank … so yes, even one person can do this …
Ar: Aur aapko lagta hai ki yahan koi …
Abhimnayu nods definitely.
Abhi: It is definitely yahan koi – no question. Aur voh bhi … jise Sanjeevani ke funds ko access hai … aur zaroorat hai … it could be anyone here.

Armaan nods thoughtfully, then he looks at Abhimanyu.
Ar: So aap mujhe yeh sab kyun bata rahe ho? Main bhi to …
Abhimanyu shakes his head.
Abhi: I've done my homework, Armaan. Yahan par tumko, aur Anjali aur Riddhima ko koi financial issues nahin hai. Baaki sab ko koi na koi problem hai. From top to bottom.

Arm: So why not tell Anjali or Riddhima?
Abhi (smiles slightly): main vahi koshish kar raha tha … Riddhima ke saath. Lekin lagta hai ki voh mujhe trust karne ke liye tayyar nahin hai. And before you ask, why Riddhima, and why not Anjali …
Armaan looks enquiringly at him – that had been foremost on his mind, he just hadn't known how to ask!
Abhimanyu says simply: … I liked Riddhima.

Armaan's fists clench … he can't help it. Abhimanyu looks at his clenched fists and sighs.
Abhi: I thought so. So … main teesri baar pooch raha hun … aap dono bahut achche dost ho … ya kuch aur?

As Armaan still doesn't say anything,

Abhi adds: … you might as well tell me, you know. Tumhare liye behtar hoga. I'm only asking because mujhe triangle ka teesra angle banne ka koi iraada nahin hai.

Armaan says slowly: I told you … we're very good friends …
Abhi (impatiently): very good friends as in just good friends or the bollywood hollywood type of "good friends"? Quote unquote?

Armaan grins reluctantly and admits finally: hum ek doosre ke bahut kareeb hain … lekin yeh baat abhi koi aur nahin jaanta.

Abhimanyu nods: okay, fair enough … I guessed as much. It won't go further … lekin tum mere saath cooperate karoge?

Ar (surprised): Me? Main kya kar sakta hun?
Abhi: well – main sab ko investigate to kar raha hun …
Ar (interrupts): aap doctor ho ya CID?
Abhimanyu grins.
Abhi: better for you not to know too much … bas itna samajh lo that I have the authority to do what I'm doing …
Armaan nods.
Abhi: main investigate to kar lunga, but I'd like to know personal details from you – things I can't find out by looking at papers and accounts …
Ar (still a little puzzled): Jaise …?

Abhi: Jaise ki … kisi ko financial problems chal rahi hain … kisi ko paison ki zaroorat hai? kisi ke paas recently bahut saara paisa aa gaya hai …that you have noticed?
Armaan thinks for a moment. He shakes his head.
Ar: Not that I know of … but mujhe nahin lagta ki hum doctors mein se kisi ko itni problems hongi ki voh dishonesty par utar aayenge …

Abhi (interrupts him): did you know that Dr. Keerti has a twin sister who has been in and out of jail a few times?
Armaan stares.

Abhi: … and Keerti has to keep paying her off to keep her away and out of trouble? Did you know that Shubhankar has a daughter (Armaan nods – yes, that we all know) … did you know that Dr. Shashank has been dipping heavily into his personal finances recently and his savings are almost down to nil?

Armaan stares at that again.
Ar: Dr. Shashank ... no way …
Abhi (shaking his head): I'm not saying it's him … or anyone else … yet. Main sirf itna keh raha hun … ki koi bhi ho sakta hai, a lot of people have problems.
Ar: lekin aap sirf doctors ko kyun dekh rahe ho? Yahan par aur bhi to staff hai …
Abhi: agreed, and I'm not targeting only doctors … lekin ek to, not many other people have access to Sanjeevani accounts, except for the senior doctors and people actually in Accounts … aur doosre, mujhe aapki help sirf doctors ke liye chahiye … kyunki aap unko achchi tarah se jaante hain …

Armaan looks very reluctant.
Ar: you're asking me to spy on my friends and colleagues …

Abhimanyu says impatiently: if it's a question of saving Sanjeevani … and that includes all your friends … or saving just one of your friends … tum soch lo ki tum kya karna chahoge … It's up to you … aur tum yeh keh rahe ho that you don't think it could be any one of them … well, show me that, I'm ready to be convinced. Jaise maine kaha, main yeh sab apne shauk ke liye nahin kar raha.

Armaan nods a little reluctantly.
Ar: I'll do what I can … lekin mujhe phir bhi nahin lagta ki doctors mein se koi ho sakta hai.
Abhi: just tell me if you see anything different … that's all I'm asking. Doctors, staff, anyone …

Armaan nods and gets up.

Ar: I can do that.
He shakes Abhimanyu's hand … Abhimanyu gives a small grin.

Abhi: and don't worry … main Riddhima se door rahunga. But … (he hesitates and Armaan looks at him questioningly) …

Abhi: usse yeh baat mat bolna … what I told you about her father's financial situation … abhi nahin …

Ar (forcefully): you know … Dr. Shashank aisa nahin kar sakte …

Abhimanyu says noncommittally: From what you say … in mein se koi aisa nahin kar sakta … lekin koi to kar raha hai … that's the problem. Just keep your ears and eyes open … you know the people here better than I do … I'll do the fact-finding …

Armaan leaves … now to face Riddhima!!!!!

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 7

part 7
***********

It's almost a week after the night of the dinner, that Anjy is on night duty and Armaan and Riddhima can go home together. And because they haven't got any time together after the night of the dinner, the first half of their journey home goes in making up for lost time, as they drive home in Armaan's car holding hands and smiling goofily at each other – until the car gives a shudder, a couple of jerks and comes to a stop. Armaan curses.
Ar: Kya yaar … iss ko abhi kharab hona tha …?
Riddhima smiles. He looks at her quizzically.
Ar: Kya baat hai, basket … tumko bahut hansi aa rahi hai?
Ri: Kuch nahin … main to soch rahi thi, ki … tum pehle kitne romantic hote the … aur ab …
Ar: Kyun? Meri gaadi ka kharab hona aur romance mein kya connection hai?

Rid: Ab dekho, Armaan … gaadi mein hum dus minute mein ghar pahunch jaate … aur ghar mein aaj shayad naani bhi hai … lekin ab … humein chal ke jaana padega … zyaada time lagega … mausam bhi itna achcha hai. Lekin tumhe to ghar pahunchne ki itni jaldi hai … (she pretends to sulk).
Armaan grins at her.

Ar: ohhh … yeh baat hai … kya baat hai, Dr. Riddhima … aajkal aapko romance zyaada hi pasand aa raha hai …

She blushes a little, but says shyly,
Rid: kya Armaan, romance to kya … itne dinon se theek se baat bhi nahin hui …
He grins as he gets out of the car and comes to her side to help her out.
Ar (wickedly): ab tumhe baatein karni hain … ki romance karna hai … pehle mujhe bata do. Jo tum chaho, vahi karenge …

She blushes red as he holds her hand again and lifts it to his lips.
Rid: Armaan!!!

He pulls her to him and drops a kiss on her temple. Their arms around each others' waists, they start walking home and Armaan remembers what he's been wanting to talk to her about.
Ar: Riddhima … tumhe yeh Abhimanyu Modi kaisa lagta hai?
She looks at him puzzled.
Rid: Abhimanyu … uski yaad kyun aa gayi?
Ar: bolo … seriously …
Rid: I don't know … pehle mujhe laga ki achcha insaan hai … jab voh bachche ko bachaya … (he nods, she had told him about that) … lekin phir … Dr. Keerti ko nikal diya … and so rudely … Papa se bhi – I don't like the way he talks … but voh mere saath to kaafi friendly hone ki koshish karta hai …

Ar: Aur voh hospital mein jo sab changes kar raha hai … voh?
Riddhima thinks carefully about what he's asking.
Rid: I don't know … Papa ke saare systems ko change kar raha hai … but agar usse crisis manage ho jayega aur Sanjeevani band nahin hoga … then …
Ar: aur agar …

He stops. A group of four-five young guys are strolling on the other side of the road, leering at them. He pulls Riddhima a little closer and imperceptibly increases his speed. She looks at him enquiringly, one of the young men whistles admiringly and she sees them. Feeling slightly nervous, she also gets a little closer to Armaan.
"Hey beautiful!"
Armaan's brow furrows, Riddhima tugs on his arm.
"Forget it, Armaan, voh aise hi …"
He sets his jaw and they walk faster.
"Darr gaya kya? Oye, hero!!!"

He stops. Riddhima pulls at him again, scared.
"Armaan, voh paanch hain … goonde lagte hain … please, chodo … let's go …"
But the men have crossed over to their side of the road now and come very close to them.
"Hey, sweetheart … usko chhodo … hamare paas aao …!"
"Come on, baby, we'll give you a good time …"
Armaan shakes off her hand and turns to face the guys menacingly. Riddhima tries to pull at him again, now really scared. The men look like goons and they're all well-built – Armaan can't match up to five of them.

"Forget it, please," she whispers, but the men are already too close. One of them comes up to Armaan.
"What're you staring like that for, huh?" he asks rudely. "I don't like it. Guys, do you like the way he's staring?"

A chorus of 'no, no' comes from the rest and the first guy chuckles and shoves Armaan, pushing her away from Riddhima. She staggers, and Armaan swings his fist into the guy's face. He stumbles, then regains his balance and looks at Armaan, furious. He swings back, Armaan blocks him, another of the guys comes from the back, Armaan blocks him as well, then the rest join in …

Riddhima looks desperately at the fight now in full swing – Armaan in a rage is like a bull let loose, but these guys are all fighters as well … she runs to the side of the road and picks up a thick stick … rushing back, she tries to hit one guy … he grunts as she gets him hard across his shoulders, then he turns back on her and makes a grab for her, almost snarling with rage. She twists out of his way, but he grabs her dupatta … she lifts the stick, trying to hit him again … Armaan gets a blow from one of the other guys and he staggers back … then the leader pulls out a knife and Riddhima screams out a warning … just as an open jeep with blazing headlights rounds the corner …
All the men pause in the glare, temporarily blinded by the bright light and Riddhima runs to the jeep, shouting "help, help, please ...!!!"

The jeep comes to a halt, tires screeching … Abhimanyu vaults out.
"What the …?"

Riddhima grabs his arm.
"Please, help … voh goonde Armaan ko … "

"Abhimanyu, get her out of here!" Armaan shouts and shoves Riddhima forcefully into the jeep.

Abhimanyu takes in the scene … jumping back into the jeep, he guns it and takes off with tires screaming in protest. Riddhima grabs the dashboard in front of her for balance, then turns on him …

"NO!!! stop … go back …!!!!"
He gives her a quick glance as he maneuvers the jeep, she tries to grab the steering wheel from him, almost crying with rage and fear.

"Abhimanyu!!! You can't leave him … stop …!!!"
He brakes hard … he looks at her.

"Tum mujhe kis tarah ka kameena samajhti ho?" he asks softly. She stares at him incomprehendingly, her entire attention on Armaan fighting alone with five men. Abhimanyu says briefly …
"Hold tight …" and pulls the jeep around in a tight circle, he accelerates with a roar back towards the circle of fighting men. Without reducing his speed, he directs the jeep straight towards them … they all jump out of the way and scatter … he brakes hard right next to Armaan.
"Jump in! Fast!"

Armaan half climbs, half falls into the jeep and Abhimanyu roars off again, scattering the men as they re-group and try to come back.
Riddhima pulls Armaan onto the seat, sobbing in panic.
"You're hurt! Tumhe lag gayi hai … dikhao … oh god, Armaan …"
He leans back against the seat … he has a swollen eye, his lip is bleeding from a cut, and his arm has a deep gash from the knife. She tries to stop the bleeding by tying her dupatta around his arm, and then dabs at his lip gently while he protests faintly.

Abhimanyu glances at them as he drives … within ten minutes he pulls up at a strange house and Riddhima looks up for the first time from Armaan, wondering where they are. He looks at her.
Abhi: yeh mera ghar hai. Andar aa jao … let me take a look …
Riddhima says worriedly: he'll need stitches …
Ar: I'm okay, Riddhima …
She turns on him fiercely.
Rid: you're not okay … ab chup raho aur mujhe dekhne do …

Abhimanyu and Riddhima help Armaan into the house … Abhimanyu brings a first aid kit and Riddhima cleans Armaan's cuts and gashes and bandages them, then she looks at the cut on his arm, and then back at Abhimanyu …
Rid: Stitches chahiyen … it's very deep …
Abhimanyu takes a look and agrees. They go back to Sanjeevani, Armaan gets his stitches and then Abhimanyu drops them home. On the way, Riddhima cradles Armaan's arm to prevent it from getting any jerks.

Abhi (his eyes on the road): Aap dono kaafi achche dost lagte hain …
Ar (brusquely): Sanjeevani mein hum sab ek doosre ke bahut kareeb hain …
Abhi: haan, mujhe yaad hai … aapne kaha tha … you're like one big family, right?
Armaan doesn't answer. He leans back against the seat, his eyes closed, lips pursed. Abhimanyu pulls up at Riddhima's house, then looks at Armaan.
Abh: aur tumhe kahan drop karun …? I'll take you home. Tum theek nahin lag rahe. Take a day off tomorrow, if you want to.
Ar (reluctantly): I'll be okay, thanks. Aur main yahin rehta hun …

Abhimanyu raises his eyebrows.
Abhi: Really are a big happy family … ok, then …
Armaan and Riddhima get out, then Armaan comes around to Abhimanyu's side of the jeep and holds out his hand.
Ar: Thanks …
Abhimanyu (shakes his hand): no problem … glad I could be of help. Aur Riddhima … (looks at her standing a little further away) … main sach much Armaan ko chhod ke jaane vala nahin tha , you know …
Riddhima looks at him as though not sure whether to believe him or not. He sighs.

Abhi: I'm really not that bad … (smiling) … don't paint me so black …
Armaan looks at him sharply at his choice of words, Abhimanyu looks blandly back.
Riddhima (reluctantly): I … main darr gayi thi … thank you …

He raises a hand to both of them and drives off. Armaan and Riddhima watch him leave, then they look at each other.
Ar (questioningly) … not that bad …?
Rid (consideringly): … paint him black … ?

Armaan kisses her temple … because he wants to.
Ar: Clever girl … tumhe kaise pata main kya soch raha tha?
Rid: he's smart … Armaan … humein dhyan rakhna hoga …
Armaan grimaces, partly in pain.
Ar: he hasn't left us much choice … tumne notice nahin kiya … smart to voh hai …
They turn towards the house, Riddhima's arm around his waist as he leans on her.

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 6

part 6

Armaan doesn't even manage to talk to Riddhima for the next few days – or nights – either he is on night duty, or she is. If Abhimanyu Modi doesn't know about them, he still manages very well to keep them apart, thinks Armaan, annoyed, as he doesn't even manage to meet Riddhima in the fire escape for five minutes over the next few days. But a few days later, Armaan and Rahul, on duty together, go late for their coffee break because of an emergency, and find Muskaan, Anjali and Nikita all in the café – for once, their times have overlapped. In the ten minutes that they get together, the three girls talk while Armaan and Rahul listen … Anjali is changing her mind about Abhimanyu, Muskaan is still grumbling about the amount of work and Modi, and Nikita is nervous, as Abhimanyu is pulling her up constantly.

Anj: No, Nikita, I think he's quite fair … yesterday I got late because my patient caught me in the café … ab café mein baat kar raha hai, to main use kaise bolun ki mujhe yahan sirf 15 minutes allowed hain … so I told Abhimanyu that, and he understood …

Nik: Lekin, Anjali … I was in the OT the whole morning, phir my files were not complete, to usne itna daanta … I told him ki operation zyaada lamba ho gaya, Dr. Shubhankar ne bhi kaha … but he still …
Armaan and Rahul exchange looks.

Mus: Sister Lovely bhi complain kar rahi thi … ki voh unpe bahut pressure daal raha hai …
Ra: Lekin Sister Sunita to keh rahi thi ki unhone kaafi procedures streamline kar diye hain …

Ar (curiously): Atul kya bol raha hai, Anjy?
Anjali laughs sympathetically.
Anj: Poor Atul! Use to abhi bhi lagta hai ki Abhimanyu use nikalne ke chakkar mein hai … but I think Modi is being quite sweet to him … usne Atul ko bola ki voh chldren's ward mein kuch din aur rahe, because the kids really like him … mujhse to bachche sambhalte nahin hain, so I got out!

The girls leave and Armaan and Rahul look at each other again.
Ar: So?
Ra: Divide and rule … yeh angrezon ke zamaane ka jailor …

Armaan laughs.
Ar: jailor is correct … usne to voh unity ka threat challenge samajh liya hai … not only us, but all the staff … oh well , dekhna padega ki voh kya karega. Maybe I should start looking for a new place to work! Rahul, where is Dr. Keerti these days? Tum log abhi bhi unke ghar mein reh rahe ho na?
Ra: She's working in another hospital close by … lekin voh khush nahin hain … she wants to come back. Dr. Shubhankar roz shaam aakar unhe daily updates dete hain … at least, that's his excuse … (he chuckles.)

Armaan grins. "vahan se to koi news nahin milegi … shayad mujhe unse naukri dhoondne mein help maangni padegi. What about your lottery money?"
Rahul looks grim.
Ra: Shayad next two weeks mein mil jayega …

Armaan looks at him enquiringly.
Ar: So why aren't you happy?
Ra: Phir Dr. Keerti ke ghar mein rehne ka excuse kya rahega? Muskaan kab se bole jaa rahi hai … jaise hi paise milen, hum apna alag alag ghar le lenge … ab main use kaise kahun …?

Armaan says impatiently … "dude, just tell her na … phir jo hoga dekha jayega … "
Rahul: Aur usne na keh di to? Bahut awkward ho jayega … agle do hafte to humein saath rehna hi hai … forget it, yaar, meri love story to lagta hai kabhi track par nahin aayegi …
Armaan claps him on the shoulder.

Ar: mujhe bhi kabhi aisa lagta tha … don't give up …
Rahul makes an effort and grins.
Ra: meri kismat hi aisi hai … paagal ladki se pyaar karunga to yehi hoga … vaise, Armaan, it's interesting …
Ar (curiously): kya?

Rahul laughs : yeh Modi hamara moral custodian bhi ban raha hai kya? Mujhe Muskaan ke saath nahin post karta, Atul ko Anjali ke saath nahin …
Ar (interrupting with a grin): bet she's not complaining about that!!!
Ra (continues): aur tera chakkar use kuch samajh nahin aaya ab tak … tujhe Riddhima ke saath bhi nahin, aur Niki ke saath bhi nahin …

Armaan laughs out loud.
Ar: you mean Anjy ke saath Modi bhi confuse ho gaya! Yaar, dhakkan bhare hain iss hospital mein …
Ra (grinning): see no evil …
He ducks as Armaan threatens him with a raised fist … then gets up
Ra: … chal, yaar, clock's ticking … duty calls!

***********

Armaan-Abhimanyu Part 5

Pred – part 5

Riddhima enters the house – Anjy is surprised to see her coming from outside.
Anj: Kahan thi, Ridzi?
Rid (awkwardly): voh … Di, Dr. Abhimanyu ko bahar tak chhodne gayi thi …
Anj: Lekin voh to kab ke chale gaye … voh Rahul Muskaan ke saath hi nikle the …
Rid: Haan, phir voh bahar thodi der baat kar rahe the … aur … phir … I was taking a walk …
Armaan enters, he hears the last part of the conversation.

Ar: Kaun bahar baat kar rahe the?
Anj : Ridz aur Dr. Abhimanyu … voh dinner ke liye aaye the … you must have just missed him. Lekin why are you so late? Tumne dinner bhi miss kar diya …
Ar (not looking at Riddhima, trying to hide his smile): kuch kaam tha hospital mein …
Rid (blushing again): Main tumhare liye kuch khaane ko laati hun …

She slips out to the kitchen. Armaan looks at Anjali, remembering his suspicions.
Ar: So you entertained the enemy tonight …
Anjali smiles slightly.
Anj: well, he behaved better today … voh dad ke saath kaafi polite the … aur hum sab ke saath bhi … he was quite friendly … so I don't know …
Riddhima comes back carrying a plate for Armaan, just in time to hear this. She looks doubtful.
Rid: Di, mujhe to nahin laga that he was friendly … I mean, voh baat to achche se kar rahe the … but voh baar baar new rules, new regulations ki kaise baat kar rahe the … jaise ki Papa ke saare purane rules bikul galat hain …
Anjali sighs and looks at Riddhima.

Anj: Ridzi, don't take it so personally … he has a job to do …
Rid (stubbornly): I didn't like the way he was talking to papa … and to Atul … mujhe to Atul ke liye bhi dar lag raha hai …
Anj: Ridzi, theek se to baat kar rahe the … and Atul can be quite funny sometimes …
Rid: Aur voh kya keh rahe the … staff ke baare mein … inefficiencies …
Anj (impatiently): well, he has to look into everything …
Armaan listens to the two sisters arguing, his brow furrowed in a frown. He is thinking hard … he needs to talk to Rahul, but before that, he has to figure out … he abruptly breaks into the conversation …

Ar: Riddhima, tumhare papa ne tumhe Dr. Modi ko bulane ke liye kaha?
Riddhima looks at him in surprise.
Rid: nahin … I think unhe Papa ne phone karke bola … Dr. Modi ne mujhe bataya … kyun?
Ar: kab?
She tries to remember.
Rid: shaam ko … duty ke khatam hone ke kareeb aadha ghanta pehle …

So the phone call that had come just after they replaced the phone was probably Dr. Shashank's … and soon after that, Abhimanyu had spoken to Riddhima to arrange for her to ride home with him, and had taken care to load Armaan with the extra work, Armaan thinks, and his suspicions become stronger. Abhimanyu did not want Armaan to be at dinner with the rest. But why? Why separate Armaan from the rest? Or was it just coincidence? And was he, Armaan, getting too hyper only because he had seen Abhimanyu leave with Riddhima?
Wait and watch, Armaan decides. One thing is for sure. Abhimanyu Modi is not going to be pushed out easily.

Next morning, in the clear light of day, Armaan wonders if he really was creating a mountain out of a molehill. But back in Sanjeevani his suspicions start crystallizing. It is not only Armaan that Abhimanyu is targeting. Abhimanyu is using Shubhankar as his mouthpiece, but he is making sure that the interns have barely any time together. Their breaks are staggered. Their duty hours are increased and their end times are also staggered. So the times they usually got together – for lunch, for coffee breaks – are all at different times, and with the hospital hours increasing – another of Abhimanyu's changes – by the time the interns do get off, they are so tired, they are happy to just go home, except for the two people doing night duty every night. End of all practical tricks, end of all plotting and planning.

Armaan manages to speak to Rahul – Rahul has also noticed exactly the same thing – Abhimanyu is making sure the interns don't get any time together at all. He definitely doesn't want a repeat of the first day's tricks.

And Rahul tells Armaan something else – Niki was not there for dinner that night.
Ar (thoughtfully): So … what do you make of that?
Ra (thinking hard): tu aur Niki … next in line to go?
Ar: shayad … lekin main kuch aur bhi soch raha hun … (at Rahul's enquiring look) … ek to … divide and rule … (Rahul nods in agreement) … and also … voh humein target nahin kar raha … eventually it's Dr. Shashank who will also go … and if he does that, he won't touch Anjali or Riddhima, he can't get rid of the whole family, otherwise Sanjeevani mein to hartal ho jayegi … so he's trying to win them over, and as many of us as he can … ek ek kar ke …
Ra: So … the ones he's not bothering with …
Ar: Niki aur main … hum dono bhi out ho jayenge …
Ra (trying to figure it out): lekin … tum dono …
Ar: maybe … Niki kyunki … voh nayi hai … se he thinks voh jayegi to zyaada hungama nahin hoga … and me because …
Ra: you stood up to him the first day … so he thinks …
Ar (finishing for him): … that I'm the trouble- maker … haan, mujhe bhi aisa lagta hai … mai ne kaha tha na, that we're all one family … he's trying to break that unity.
Ra: or maybe, Armaan … maybe it's Niki, kyunki usse pata chal gaya hai … that you and Niki … you know … so he feels she will be as much a trouble-maker as you …

Armaan looks a little upset.
Ar: shit, that's not fair … meri vajah se … it shouldn't backfire on her … voh to Riddhima aur meri help kar rahi thi ..
Ra: Aur usse agar yeh pata nahin hai ki tu aur Riddhima … Agar voh tujhe nikalega to Riddhima upset ho jayegi … she won't be very cooperative then …
Armaan thinks again.

Ar: I think usse yahan ki sabhi relationships ka poora andaza nahin hua hai … and maybe we'd better keep it that way. Pata nahin uske man mein kya hai … but one thing is sure … he's definitely keeping us all away from each other …
Rahul chuckles.
Ra: Maybe he just doesn't want another black face ….!!!
Armaan chuckles too – 'that was funny,' he agrees, grinning. "right, maybe we're just making too much out of this … but somehow …"
Rahul agrees, 'I don't think so, either, … well … let's wait and watch …

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 4

Pred – 4

Riddhima looks back at him, completely nonplussed at his question and his tone.

Ri: Main kahan thi? Ghar pe, aur kahan! Lekin tum kahan the … itni der kyun lag gayi? Dinner pe bhi nahin aaye? Hum sab tumhari wait kar rahe the!
It is Armaan's turn to be surprised.
Ar: Ghar pe? Dinner?

Rid: haan … Papa ne Dr. Modi ko ghar pe dinner ke liye bulaya tha. Dr. Modi ne kaha ki tum thode late ho jaoge, isliye main unke saath aa gayi. Unko ghar ka raasta bhi nahin pata tha. Vaise bhi, maa abhi bhi vapas nahin aayi hai, so mujhe tayyari karni thi.
Ar (a little reassured, but still far from happy): lekin tum mujhe bata nahin sakti thi ki tum jaa rahi ho? Aur phone kyun nahin uthaya …. Kitni baar phone kiya …

Rid (puzzled): Dr. Modi ne tumhe bataya nahin ki voh ghar pe dinner ke liye aa rahe hain? I thought tum samajh jaoge ki main vapas aa gayi. Aur agar mera mobile nahin laga, to tumne ghar pe phone kyun nahin kiya?
Ar (annoyed): mujhe kya pata ki tumhara Modi ghar aa raha hai?! Usne kuch nahin kaha … usne to mujhe teen ghante ka extra kaam pakda diya … aur main tumhe batane aaya … to dekha ki tum uss Modi ke saath …

He stops suddenly. He hadn't really meant to tell her that he had seen her going off with Modi – now he's feeling a little foolish at all the strange thoughts that had been coming into his head. Riddhima looks at him, a little puzzled again.
Rid: Lekin Rahul … Muskaan … Atul … kisise se to tumne baat ki hogi. Sab yahan the … sirf tum nahin the.

Armaan thinks back over the evening … he had gone into the ward to complete the files … had not seen the others leave … so he had got no clue about the dinner. And he had been so engrossed in wondering why Riddhima had gone with Abhimanyu, that he hadn't even thought of checking with one of the others. He says slowly, a suspicion entering his mind …
Ar: Nahin, main kisi se nahin mila.

Rid (still a little puzzled): Lekin, Armaan, agar tumhe pata tha ki main Abhimanyu ke saath gayi … to tum itna pareshan kyun the?
Armaan keeps quiet. Riddhima looks at him, and then understands slowly what he was thinking. A small smile comes onto her face, as she realizes he was jealous.

Rid: ohhh … to tum soch rahe the … ki main Abhimanyu ke saath date par jaa rahi thi? Hmmm … Not a bad idea …

He turns to her, forgetting his suspicions, his annoyance rising again.
Ar: Not a bad idea??? Riddhima, kya matlab hai tumhara? Tum us … uss bandar ke saath date par jaogi? Aur yeh "Abhimanyu" kab se ban gaya … huh?

Rid (pretends to think very seriously, but her lips twitch with the effort to hold back her smile): Dekho, Armaan, tum to mujhe date par le jaate nahin ho. Ek baar le gaye … to hum jail pahunch gaye! Ab main bhi ladki hun … mujhe bhi shauk hai ki main bahar jaun, ek handsome boyfriend ke saath … romantic candlelit dinner ke liye …

Armaan holds her tightly by the arms, and pulls her close to him, getting more and more worked up at her teasing.
Ar: Riddhima … main tumhara boyfriend hun … jahan bhi jaana hai to mere saath jaogi! Aur voh bandar tumhe handsome lagta hai??!! Tum uske aas paas bhi gayi … to main …

She looks at him, her smile growing, teasing.
Rid (softly): to tum … kya …?

Ar (still in a temper): main … (he sees her smile and stops … his face changes …
He holds her closer to him.)
Ar (now his tone is suddenly as soft as hers): Bataun … ki main kya karunga …?


She looks at him, her heart beating faster … her smile fades as she sees the expression on his face. Slowly he bends his head towards her … when he is just a hair's breadth away, blushing, she dips her head and hides her face in his shoulder.

With one hand, he slowly lifts her hair and pushes it to one side. He whispers into her ear …
Ar: main uska kachumar bana dunga … aur … tumhe …
She smiles into his shoulder. He holds her even tighter.
Rid (very softly): aur … mujhe …?

Ar (still whispering into her ear): aur … tumhe apni baahon mein kass kar bandh lunga … taaki tum mujhse door kabhi nahin jaa sako … Uss bandar ke paas to bilkul nahin …

She chuckles softly and raises her face slightly to whisper back into his ear … Idea achcha hai … lekin …
He lifts his head to look at her, now smiling back.
Ar: lekin … kya?

She grins mischievously at him.
Rid: Maine to tumhe 30 second diye the … Niki ka haath pakadne ke liye … to tum mujhe …
He pulls her back close to him.
Ar (half joking, but very fiercely): ek second bhi nahin …

His arms tighten impossibly around her … her arms steal around his neck … they hold each other as closely as they had done in the fire escape so many months ago, but this time … they both know what they're doing … and why …

His hands clench on her clothes, her hand buried in his hair, her other hand holding a fistful of his shirt. He pushes her hair aside and kisses her neck, moving to her cheek, her temple, her ear … in turn, she kisses his neck softly and her touch nearly drives him over the edge. He holds her tighter still, pressing her close to him, his hands roaming her back. She gives a soft gasp – he lifts his head to look at her, then he bends again to kiss her just at the corner of her mouth …

Asmaani rang ho … pyaar ki boond ho ….
Roshni ho … dhoop ho …
Chahaton ki goonj ho …
Aankhon mein hai … kanak chandni … haathon mein voh chaand hai …
Gairon se bhi hai vaasta … apnon mein pehchan hai ….

Saaya tera … mera aashra … tu mera armaan hai …

Anjali's voice rings out from inside … Ridzi …? Where are you?

Riddhima pulls herself from Armaan's arms, her hand going to her mouth as she returns to reality. They stare at each other for a long moment … then, blushing deeply, she turns and runs back inside the house.

Armaan looks after her, his pounding heart slowly settling into a more normal rhythm. Then, as he recovers, a very small smile plays on his lips. He looks up at the sky, runs his hands through his hair, then walks slowly towards the house, in a far better mood than the one in which he had entered the gate.

Armaan-Abhimanyu part 3

Prediction – 3

Abhimanyu Modi speaks briefly on the phone, and puts it down. He stares at it thoughtfully. He is very, very sure his phone has not been in his room, sitting on his chair, the whole day. A small grim smile comes onto his face as he goes over the events of the day.

Too many things have happened in one day for them to be a coincidence, and Abhimanyu Modi is not one to take things lying down. And he is very smart – he knows exactly who the ring-leader of the interns is. Now is time to start taking some action – to make the interns realize that their games are not going to work.

So although duty hours are almost over, Armaan is handed some files very apologetically by Dr. Shubhankar, who tells him that he has to make the patients' records up to date, and that too before he leaves that night, because they are scheduled for surgery the next day. Armaan looks at Shubhankar in disbelief at such an unusual request.
Shub (apologetically): Sorry, Dr. Armaan, Dr. Modi ne kaha ki aap hi ko yeh kaam karna hai.

Armaan grimaces – so Abhimanyu Modi wants to play games, does he? He reassures Shubhankar that he wll finish the work, then goes to find Riddhima to tell her of this latest development.
He can't find her anywhere. There are still twenty minutes for their new duty hours to finish, so she couldn't have gone home – Nikita has not seen her, neither has Rahul.
One of the nurses tells him that she saw Dr. Riddhima going towards the exit of Sanjeevani. A little surprised, Armaan goes to the main door and looks out.

Abhimanyu Modi's open jeep is parked a little way from the main door. An auto, the one Riddhima usually uses if she is not going with Armaan or Anjali is standing next to the jeep. Riddhima is standing next to the auto with … Abhimanyu Modi. She seems to be deep in conversation with him.

Armaan watches in surprise, then Abhimanyu leans forward to the auto driver, says a few words to him and the auto drives off. Abhimanyu looks at Riddhima again and takes her arm – Armaan starts forward angrily – then Riddhima shrugs it off and gets into the passenger seat of the jeep. As Armaan watches, completely bewildered as to what is going on, Abhimanyu gets into the jeep and drives off with Riddhima.

Armaan turns and walks slowly back into the hospital, his face clouded. Riddhima … has gone off with Abhimanyu … where? Why?
He goes to do his filing work, but his mind is totally distracted and it takes him double the time it should have normally taken. Twice he tries to call Riddhima, but her mobile is off … not charged as usual, he thinks frustratedly.

It is late night by the time Armaan drives into the gate of the Gupta residence. As he drives in, his headlights sweep across the lawns to the main door – Riddhima and Abhimanyu are standing just outside the shut door. Riddhima has her hand raised – almost as though she is going to hit Abhimanyu? Both of them freeze in the sudden bright light.
Wth a screech of tires, Armaan's car comes to a stop. He leaps out and with three strides, he reaches Riddhima. She looks at him, surprised at the grim expression on his face.

Abhimanyu looks at Armaan, a mocking look on his face..
Abhi: Ah, Dr. Armaan … aapko bahut der ho gayi. Kaam bahut zyaada to nahin tha?
Armaan (gritting his teeth): No, sir. Mujhe kaam karna koi problem nahin lagta.
Abhi: Oh? Good to hear that. Well, main chalta hun. Thanks, Riddhima, for a very nice evening. Kal subah hospital mein milte hain.
Ri: Good night, Dr. Modi.
Abhi: ah, please … hospital ke bahar to aap mujhe Abhimanyu bula sakte ho.
Ar: Sir, aap hamare senior hain … aur Sanjeevani ke head … aap hamare liye Dr. Modi hi rahen to better hai.
Abhimanyu looks at him.

Abhi (sarcastically): Main aapse baat nahin kar raha tha, Dr. Armaan.
Armaan fumes. Riddhima feels his anger and presses his hand to stop him saying anything more.
Abhimanyu nods at Armaan, smiles warmly at Riddhima, and roars off in his jeep.

Armaan looks at Riddhima, his face expressionless, trying to hide the anger and jealousy battling inside him.
Ar: tum kahan thi saari sham?

Armaan- Abhimanyu track-part 2

Prediction - 2

Next morning – Sanjeevani

Interns gather at the nurses station – Dr. Shubhankar is there to give them duties. He is solemn-faced, so are all the interns. They are all finding it so strange not to have Dr. Keerti there that they keep looking around, half-expecting her to emerge from some corner and start shouting at them.
Dr. Shubhankar looks very uncomfortable. He is holding a paper in his hands.
Shub: Umm … interns … yeh aapke liye kuch naye orders hain … issued by Dr. Modi. Interns ke duty hours aaj se badha diye jayenge by 2 hours everyday. Kyunki wards mein beds ka number badhaya jaa raha hai, aap logon ko zyaada patients bhi dekhne padenge aur clinics attend karni hongi. Night duties hafte mein ek baar nahin, twice a week hongi. Aapko ab lunch break sirf 45 minutes ka milega aur two coffee breaks in the day only. …

He carries on and the interns look at each other and at him unbelievingly.
Ar: Sir! This is slavery! Humare hours itne badha diye gaye hain … aur breaks bhi nahi le sakte …

Shub (looking very uncomfortable): Dr. Armaan, main jaanta hun … lekin yeh orders hum sab ke liye hain … not only you. OPD hours badha diye gaye hain, beds increase kar diye gaye hain, lekin staff strength utni ho rahegi … to zaahir hai hum sab ko zyaada kaam karna padega. Please … sab apni apni duties par jayiye.

They all go off, muttering to each other, then as they go out of earshot of Dr. Shubhankar, Armaan looks at all of them.
Ar: Ready, guys?
All nod. For the first time in the day, they have small grins on their faces.
Ar; Okay … here we go. All the best … aur yaad rakhna … be very careful. Here …
He distributes three pens to Anjali, Nikita and Muskaan.
Ar: Jab yeh kaam ho jaye, to baaki dono ko bata dena. The same trick can't be done twice. Go, guys!

The rest of the day is rather uncomfortable for Dr. Abhimanyu Modi. Twice he finds his files missing, and they mysteriously turn up in strange places … always found by a wardboy or nurse, when one of the interns is suspiciously nearby.

Then Abhimanyu's phone goes missing, and he is extremely annoyed. He calls all the interns to ask if anyone has seen it.
Abhi: Bahut expensive phone hai … aur usme meri sab appointments aur important notes bhi hain.
Ar (looks blankly at him): Sir, hum sab subah se apni duties kar rahe hain. Humne kaise dekha hoga?
Abhi looks hard at him. All the interns look studiously at their shoes.
Abhi: Well, look for it … I need it.
Ar: Sir, why don't you call your number … aawaz se mil jayega …
Abhi: Dr. Armaan, I have already called … aawaz nahin aa rahi.
Anj (helpfully): aapne switch off kar diya hoga …
Abhi: Dr. Anjali, I don't switch off my phone … mujhe kabhi bhi zaroori calls aa sakte hain … you all please look for it.
Ra: Sir, humein 15 minute se zyaada break allowed nahin hai … so …
Abhi (losing his temper): Jisko mera phone milega, use kal half an hour extra break milega … OK????
All: yes, sir!!!

Next, Abhimanyu's pens are missing, both from his pocket and from his table. The nurses are reluctant to give him extra pens as they say they have orders not to give any extra stationary. Nikita is nearest to Abhimanyu in the ward when the nurse says this to Abhimanyu, and she comes to him.
Nik: Sir, mere paas extra pen hai … if you want to borrow it for today …
He looks at her suspiciously, but she looks back innocently. He puts out his hand and she gives him a pen. He tries to write with it, then calls her back impatiently.
Abhi: Dr. Nikita … this pen doesn't work … aapke paas koi aur hai?
Nikita approaches him with a puzzled look on her face.
Nik: doesn't work? Abhi to theek chal raha tha …
She takes it from him and looks at it carefully, then shakes it vigourously.

A fine stream of ink emerges and spatters all over Abhimanyu Modi's expensive suede jacket, his pristine white shirt, and his face. He looks down at his clothes, then puts a hand to his face … only managing to smear the black ink all over his face in the process.
Nik (trying desperately to hide her laughter): Sorry!!! Sir, I'm so sorry!!!! Yeh kaise ho gaya!!! Sir, main saaf kar deti hun … I'm so sorry!!!

Abhimanyu glares at her and at Anjali, Atul, Rahul and Muskaan who are all in the ward and are trying to hide their grins, as are all the nurses and the wardboys there.

Abhi (he puts up his hands as though to fend her off as she approaches him to "help"): NO!!! It's ok! Main … kar lunga …
Nik: I'm really sorry, sir …
Abhimanyu glares at all the rest through the black smears of ink all over his face and stalks out of the ward. All the interns collapse with laughter, and even the nurses and wardboys cannot hide their grins. The Anjali carefully takes the pen from Muskaan and Nikita, brings out hers and drops them all into the dustbin. She rubs her hands together.

Anj: Done!!!!

Ra: Now what?

Mus: Phone … chalo … duty ka time khatam ho raha hai … jaldi, isse pehle ki sab log chale jayen …

They go looking for Abhimanyu. After some time, he emerges from his office, changed into a fresh shirt and with his face washed, but still with some black marks. Muskaan nudges Rahul.
Mus: Munh to kaal ho gaya gadhe ka ….
Ra: Shh … chal …

They meet Armaan and Riddhima downstairs, and take up their positions. Armaan sneaks into Abhimanyu's room and places the phone carefully on his chair in full view of everyone, making sure it's switched on. Then he slips out quietly, giving a thumbs up to the others.
They wait as Abhimanyu goes into his office … before they can execute the next part of their plan … to call his number, his phone rings shrilly.

They watch gleefully as Abhimanyu looks unbelievingly at his chair with the phone flashing prominently on it. He looks at it, then picks it up as though checking whether it is really there or is a figment of his imagination.
Bursting to contain their laughter at the expression on his face, all of them steal away from there to the locker room where they can let out their laughter in peace.

Pre-cap – what was the phone call that Modi received?