Teri Lakeerein

10. Entanglement

"Aapne toh hamari jaan hi nikaal di thi!" Pushpa ji said with a crying face and Haseena pulled at her ear in apology.

"Aise kese Pushpaji. Nikle aapke dushmano ki jaan. Abhi aapki umra hi kya hai!"

Pushpa ji feigned offence at the remark before her face broke into a smile.

"Maddam sir, aap ab theek hain toh zara bataiye na ki action scene main kya hua tha?" Santosh asked excitedly, and Haseena started to narrate the events, her hands moving to mimic actions.

Mid-narration, however, a hazy face popped into her head before snippets of a woman resurfaced, who had fought alongside her, in that godown.

'Aap theek ho jaengi, Inspector Sahiba'

.

.

'Same here, Inspector Sahiba'

She recalled a hand being forwarded as she placed the rose in it.

And realization dawned.

Haseena realized that a woman who she had crossed paths with, not long ago; a certain Ms. Singh had been the one to rescue her, tend to her and later guard her in the godown too.

What a list of coincidences their meetings were!

Face lighting up, she turned to Cheetah. "Cheetah Chaturvedi?"

Cheetah jumped uncharacteristically in response and her eyes narrowed.

"Aap theek hain? Aap ajeeb sa behave kar rahein hain", She made an observation, and he shook his head in negative.

"Hum theek hai, maddam sir", he smiled, and it didn't reach her.

"Nahi kuch toh baat hai", Haseena turned to Pushpa ji then, "Aap bataiye kya hua inhe?"

"Maddam sir, cheetah ko bura lag raha hai ki ye aapko wahan factory main akela chhod aaya tha".

Haseena turned to Cheetah and on finding his face downcast, she shook her head.

"That was my order, cheetah. Aapko guilty feel karne ki zaroorat nahi hai".

"Nahi, maddam sir. Aapne meri bhalai ke liye order de diya, par main aapka sath dene ke liye uss order ko taal nahi paya", he retorted, deeply ashamed.

Haseena sighed, "Hamari taraf dekhiye pehle".

And as he did that, she added, "Aap agar uss samay hamara order taal dete toh ho sakta hai ki aaj, iss waqt hum dono ki jaan khatre main hoti. Aur aapne hi toh humein bachaya hai. Aap aae thhe wapis".

"Lekin aapko kitni chhot lag chuki thi. Aur agar humein madad nahi milti, yaa deri ho jati toh pata nahi aap-

His voice choked and Cheetah looked away.

"Cheetah aap-

"H-Hum doctor ko bhejte hain", Saying that, he turned and rushed out of the room.

Haseena looked helplessly at the two woman and Santosh spoke up, "Main samjhaungi usse, madam. Aap tension mat lo".

Haseena smiled thankfully and recalled the woman, that she was about to forget yet again.

"Ms Sing--humare sath kya koi aur ladki aayi thi kya? Lagbhag 5'3 and-

"Ji madam", Santosh interrupted, "Raat main toh wo yahan thi. Vese mujhe laga nahi tha ki vo aapki madad kar sakti hain kyuki last time kya-kya bol rahi thi aapke baare main".

One brow rising quizzically, Haseena asked, "Acha? Kya bol rahi thi?"

"Yahi ki aapne unse ris-

But Santosh Sharma's tale was left hanging as the doctor walked in, followed by Cheetah.