Solace

Chapter 3

"Kaha toh tha aate aate thodi waqt lag jayegi. Kyun bula rahi thi ap waise?" Haseena responded quickly not wanting to make her mother angry.

"Ja naha kar aa, khana bhi khana hai", Salma said.

"Ammi aj, woh Shivani bhabisa...", she couldn't finish her sentence as her mother interrupted her.

"Choti thakarani sa", Salma glared at her.

"Ji woh choti thakarani sa ne unke saath khana khane bola hai. Karishma bhi wapis aa rahi hai aj, toh..", Haseena said looking at her mother.

"Baad mein chali jana. Mai khana bana chuki ho, woh zaya ho jageyi", Salma sternly said. "Aur kitni dafa samjhaya hai humne tujhe, aise unlogo ki naam maat liya kar. Woh iss haveli ke malik hai aur hum unke ghar rehte hai. Woh to tere abbu ke hatre ke khatir unlog humse accha bartav karte hai, warna humara unke mulajimo se jyada kuch farak hai nahi."

"Ammi ek dafa jaane dijiye. Hum bas Karishma se milke wapis aa jayenge", Haseena requested.

"Kaha na abhi nahi. Sham ko mil aana. Aur waise bhi woh bahar se ayi hai, aram karna hoga unhe", Salma replied.

Haseena knew there was no point arguing with her mother. So she went towards her room. She thought of Karishma, who would want to meet her, for the first thing, after coming back to the house. She knew her every move, every habit, preferences. It's been a long time since they met, they talked.
"Karishma", she whispered looking through her window, doing futile attempts to see Karishma. But it was not possible, she could neither see the entrance nor Karishma's room from her window, unless Karishma decided to show up at the backyard of the haveli.

"Akhirkar aapne apna chand sa chehra dikha hi diya?", Shivani taunted.

"Bhabisa, apko hi dhund rahi thi. Kaisi hai aap?", Karishma said hugging her.

"Ha bohut acche se pata hai kisse dhund rahi thi. Tum kaisi ho? Kuch chinta hai ke hum log itne sino se tumse baat kiye bina kaise rahenge", Shivani scolded her.

"Wohh..", Karishma said scratching her eyebrows.

"Accha chalo. Pehle jao shower lelo phir lunch karenge. Jao jaldi", Shivani said breaking the hug.

"Lekin", Karishma tried to protest.

"Shayad apna ghar gayi hogi", Shivani replied getting who Karishma might be asking about. "Mai kisiko bhejti hu usse bulane. Ab tak yahi thi, khana bhi banaya hai tumhare dost ne, khas tumhare liye", Shivani informed her.

A smile crept on her face hearing this. She went to her room to freshen up. She couldn't wait to see her best friend, her solace, with whom she shared her fear, her pain that she generally would hide behind her anger. She is the first person who Karishma wanted to see when she entered her house. Her face, her soft smile had the ability to calm down a literal storm inside Karishma.

"Kahan ho tum Hasi", Karishma murmured impatiently looking at the door.

"Karishma didi, kaisi hai aap? Hum sabne apko bohut mess kiya", Malaika said smiling at Karishma who was walking to and fro through her room.

"Mess nahi miss hota hai Malaika didi. Kuch bhi bolti rehti hai aap", Shanno corrected Malaika, standing behind Malaika.

"Thik hu mai. Ap log kaise ho", Karishma smiled at them.

"Hum bhi bilkul thik hai. Chaliye khana lag gaya hai, kahi thanda na ho jaye", Shanno informed her.

"Haseena ayi hai kiya?", Karishma couldn't hold herself back to ask this question. Her voice was filled with expectations and longing.

"Abhi tak to nahi ayi", Malaika replied.

"Okay. Ap jaiye mai aati hu", Karishma said half heartedly as her appetite for food died.

"Baba sa, aur bhai nahi aye?", Karishma asked while sitting on her chair, to Shivani who was busy setting the table.

"Important meeting hai unlogo ko. Sham tak wapis ayenge dono hi. Waise maine khabar bhej diya hai ke tum ghar agayi ho", she replied putting food on Karishma's plate.

"Khabar bhej ke kiya fayda kisiko koi pari hi nahi meri. Wapis na aati to hi accha hota", Karishma chided.

"Aisa nahi hai Karu. Busy hai woh log aur meeting mein toh tumhe bhi shamil hona tha. Lekin tum toh aj hi wapis ayi ho. Aur..", Shivani couldn't finish as Shanno came running.

"Woh, Haseena baji keh rahi thi ke woh abhi nahi aa sakti, sham tak ayengi. Unki ammi ki thodi tabiyat kharab hai toh woh unke saath ruki hai, aur aplogo ko tension lene se mana bhi kiya hai", Shanno said in one go, holding her breath.

"Kya hua hai unhe?" Shivani inquired.
"Wohi high pressure ki problem", Shanno quickly replied.

As Karishma heard her first line, a sudden rage clouded her mind and she couldn't concentrate on her following sentences. She clutched her hands tightly to control her emotions and left from there, not even touching the food that was served for her.

"Karu? kaha ja rahi ho? Khane ko toh abhi tak haath bhi nahi lagaya hai", Shivani tried stopping her but in vain.

"Baad mein", saying this she stormed out of the house.

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"What's up you lovely people? doing well, I hope.
Feel free to give me your feedback in the comment section, both positive and negative. I am happy to take notes and do better. And if you like my story, do vote, let me know your thoughts through comment and follow (maybe!🤞)
See you in the next chapter.