Take Me Home

17. Everything about You

"Bahoth saalon se famous hai na woh restaurant mein kayi baar gayi hoon. Yahaan dang ka Indian cuisine sirf waheen milta hai."

"Ji. Woh humare family ka hai." Haseena looked proud at how Karishma complimented her family's hardwork but realisation hit her that she didn't deserve to feel proud for a responsibility she was avoiding.

"KYA? AUR TUM CAFE KE LIYE INVESTOR KYUN DOODH RAHI HO JAB TUM ITNI AMEER HO UMMPH-" Haseena had placed her free hand on Karishma's mouth stopping her attracting even more attention than they already were.

"Shhh! Aap itna kyun chillati hai? Chup! Ekdum! Aapko jaanna hai na humare baare mein?" Karishma nodded with a poker face looking cute as ever and Haseena removed her hand and instead pulled her cheek making the former frown. Karishma gestured like she was zipping her mouth and Haseena chuckled at her childishness.

"Ammi ne humko uss business takeover karne ke liye groom kiya tha jabse hum bahoth chote te. She was very strict par woh ghar mein bahoth kam hua karti thi. Unka aur Abbu ka love marriage tha warna humare Nana Ammi ko aise kisi jagah mein Nikkah kara dete jo Nana ka business sambhal lete. Par Ammi ko Abbu se beintehaan mohabbat tha aur abbu ko unke job se mohabbat thi toh Ammi ko akela sab sambhalna pada. She was a good business woman but a bad mother." Haseena looked so casual talking about her past and she felt lighter with each word. It was as if a dam had been broken, she wasn't able to stop and Karishma looked like she never wanted her to stop. She was surprised at how easy it was talking to Karishma.

"I was home schooled after my fourth grade. Isiliye humko waqt lagta hai kisi se bhi baat karne ke liye. Bahoth kam logon ko hum apne paas aane dete hai. Not because I am rude par humko ye dar lagta rehta hai sab ek dinn chodke chale jaate hai jaise. Hum introvert nahi hai. Hum bahoth loud aur chirpy hua karte te par waqt ke saat sab badal jaate hai"

Karishma thought for a couple seconds before replying "Mein accept karti hoon ki it's difficult kisiko trust karke apne baatein use share karna apna har ek cheez usko batana, ye sab mushkil hota hai kuch logon ke liye par mera ye manna hai ki we need to give people their chances, else you never know. Yes, you may end up getting hurt but you may also end up with a person you call your home." Karishma pushed her plate away and started eating Haseena's dish not even bothering to ask and Haseena didn't seem to mind too.

"Haseena mein ek baat bolun?" Haseena nodded simply. "Ye thoda cliché sound kar sakta hai par lucky hote hai who log jinko ab bhi unke dad aur mom ka call aata hai. I know you have your issues with them par maybe you can forgive them? Tumko bhi accha lagega." Karishma braced herself for Haseena's reaction because she knew she had crossed a boundary by asking her to forgive her parents. Haseena nodded and placed her fork aside.

"You remember Tanya?" Karishma nodded a bit too soon and Haseena narrowed her eyes making the former gulp.

"Nahi woh tum usko dekke pareshaan hui thi toh yaad reh gayi bas." Karishma explained herself nervously and Haseena smiled  at how Karishma was sometimes so terrified of her.

"Woh humari ex-girlfriend hai. She was a defence attorney. We started our careers together and she was a good person. Hum donon chaar saal relationship mein te and I wanted to propose." Haseena confessed. She held Karishma's hand under the table, intertwining their fingers before continuing. Karishma felt a numb pain and a feeling of fear and insecurity knowing that Haseena was in such a committed relationship.

"Abbu tab deputy commissioner te and he got to know about my relationship with the junior defence attorney of the NYPD. He was ashamed of me and he gave her a good case to boost her career and gave her an ultimatum that she had to leave me aur funny cheez ye hai ki she actually took it." Haseena laughed with empty eyes. "Abbu bahoth hi homophobic te toh this was expected of him par Tanya-" She left her sentence unfinished. Karishma could imagine the kind of impact such a thing could have on one's confidence. The person they loved ready to leave them for something so trivial in return.