"Oh dear." Aanya quickly wraps Haseena in her embrace and rocks her gently with a few pats on her back. She has yet to know what Haseena has been through and from the reaction she is getting, she doubts if she wants to. It would be too heartbroken for her to know. It was already heartbroken enough for her to learn that Haseena
got missing. "It's alright now. You're safe now."
"I... I..." Haseena stutters as she tries to catch her breath between her pouring tears. There are so many things happening in her head and she doesn't know which one is real and which one is not anymore. "Karishma's heart stops."
…….
"Don't you want to go back?" Karishma's mom asks as she watches her daughter eat the very-late first meal of the day. They are sitting at the dining table surrounded by white clouds of calm and peace that comes out of nowhere. Karishma doesn't even question it. She rides along whatever that is happening around her. She rides along the fulfilling feeling that completes the cracks in her heart.
Karishma glances at her mom while chewing the homemade breakfast; the taste that she misses. "Do I have to?"
Karishma's dad joins them at the table with a cup of warm coffee in his hand. He takes the empty seat next to his girl; across from her mom. He places the cup down and clears his throat to find the serious tone that Karishma would listen. "You're supposed to be here when you're 73 years old."
"73? Dad, come on." Karishma puts down the cutlery, wipes her mouth with the napkin and sips the warm black coffee. She needs to be well-prepared before raising her argument. She knows exactly how to win this kind of thing. She has learned from the best. "As far as I can see... I'll be serving a sentence for kidnapping.... that's 8 years. Also, I'll be serving a sentence for assaulting a police officer... that's probably a year... might be less if Brian lives. Including the trial time, that'll be roughly 10 years in total. Then, I'll spend another 30 year-ish being ex-convicted with no jobs; sitting and wondering how things would be so different if I just died. No, thank you."
"Sweetheart." Her mom starts as she leans it close and grabs her daughter's hand. She knows Karishma listens to reasons and she is about to provide her with one although it is rather weak. "Haseena wouldn't let any of that happen."
"That's the point." Karishma leans back on the dining chair with her heavy heart. Haseena is stubborn and Haseena is determined in whatever she has set her mind to. Now, her mind is set on something else differently from her career. Her mind is set on clearing Karishma's name if she needs to. "If I went back, Haseena wouldn't let any of that happen. She would throw everything she has worked for away. I... don't want that."
……..
Haseena got to Aanya's apartment a few hours later although she was recommended to be hospitalized for a night; just to be cautious. Haseena wants to stay but not in her hospital bed, she wants to sit, stand and pace in front of the surgery where Karishma is undergoing the operation. Aanya begs to differ. What Haseena needs right now is some rest and she wouldn't be able to do that here. Therefore, Aanya proposes the idea to take Haseena back to her place. It is definitely safer and more comfortable than Haseena's where everything happened. Haseena's parents are flying in from India and that makes her agree to the idea easier. She knows that being in the hospital will get her parents even more worried than they already are.
The night falls as well as Haseena's spirit. She sits on the couch with her feet laying on the coffee table. She stares right at the empty wall and holds a cushion tightly in her arms while the well-dressed man is sitting on the armchair by her. He crosses his legs with a small pile of papers forming a hill on his laps. The hair by his ears is changing color and the wrinkles by his eyes are marking experience he has. His hour is expensive and he makes sure that every cent he gets paid is well-worth. He works faster than any karmas ever can as he already has had quite enough information in his hands. Papers and documents are flipped through while his tablet also shows some written pages of something that couldn't be printed fast enough. Aanya joins them with cups of tea before taking a space next to Haseena while James is watching from the kitchen counter stool.
"The police will take your statement tomorrow. Just a couple of questions related to the incident." Her lawyer says without really looking up from all the files. "I've talked to the police. They said they would try as best as they can to not disclose anything to the media but if somehow it goes out, they will have no choice but address it publicly. In the meantime, if it's possible, you'll need to proceed whatever you have on your work schedule."
"Are... the charges pressed against anyone?" Haseena asks with her raspy voice that refuses to go away although she had a sip of the tea. She clears her throat and looks at her lawyer who is now looking up from his pile of information and taking a peek over his glasses towards Haseena.
"They will not press charges until they get your statement." He takes off his glasses and leans back into the armchair to make himself look comfortable. He doesn't want to make the atmosphere gloomier than it already is but truth needs to be heard so that his client can be prepared of what could happen. "But they are very likely to press a few against Detective Singh... considering the current circumstantial evidences. There are still a few things that need lab results--"
.......
Please give me your opinions and forgive my over emotional high on hormones behavior. I feel no shame in accepting my mistake and it doesn't make me less of a person.
Take care
Bye'll 👋👋
Chapter 14
Start from the beginning
