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!
***********
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