"Sweetheart." The lady in a plain white dress smiles at her. She has the same exact hair color and the same exact smile as Karishma. The only obvious difference between her and Karishma is the fact that she hasn't been considered as a living one for a very long long time now; at least that is what Karishma thought.
"Mom." Karishma immediately reaches out for a hug and ignores all the questions that start to form on her mind. As soon as the warmth from her mother's skin touches her, she knows this is not just a dream. Then, another touch lands on her shoulder. It is solid and it is comforting. She looks. "Dad."
"What are you doing here, beanie?" The man who is also in a plain white outfit asks as he shoots her the gentlest smile she has always missed. "You shouldn't be here."
"What do you mean?" Karishma is confused. She doesn't know where she is but it feels like a good place to stay. It might be spontaneous but all she wants to do now is to stay as long as she possibly can. "Is this a dream or something?"
"You can say that." Her dad says. He is still everything she remembers; not a single grey hair, not a single worry and not a single extra wrinkle. It feels almost like their time stopped right when they stopped breathing.
"But you need to wake up soon." Her mom takes her step back to keep close to her husband. He puts his arm around her shoulder as his eyes are still on his daughter. "Haseena needs you, sweeHaseenart."
"Haseena?" Karishma furrowed her eyebrows. Her memory isn't playing tricks on her but hearing the name from her mom's mouth is something she has never anticipated. Somehow, it sounds like a perfect melody.
"She's really got your head spinning, hasn't she?" Her dad makes a remark as if he has seen everything that happens between them. He smiles sneakily and raises one of his eyebrows. "You need that, beanie. Someone who..."
Her mom is nudged to fill in the blank and that tiny nudge almost ignites a fight her dad would not win. "... can keep up with you. Keep you on your toes."
"Yes. That." Her dad looks at his wife so adoringly and looks back at his daughter with the same degree of love that doesn't know how to fade away. He sighs. He sighs because he knows his daughter. She is not a stubborn child but in the time like this, she undoubtedly chooses to be one. The only person he sees her give in to so willingly is no other than Haseena. "We're glad that you're doing so well, beanie. We are so proud of you."
"We really are." Her mom backs up her dad's words with the biggest smile on her face.
Karishma is suddenly overwhelmed. She covers her eyes and starts to sob uncontrollably. Her parents had said this to her before; a million of times. They had said it enough times that she eventually thought that they were just saying it without really meaning it. Then, there were these years going by without her being able to hear it from them. There were these years she wanted nothing more than to hear this again. She gets to hear it now and she doesn't want to let it go.
"Beanie..." Her dad approaches her and holds her tight in his arms. He rocks her gently like the time she fell off her bike when she started learning how to ride it; like the time she got her first heartbreak. Once she falls in his arms, memories and flashbacks start to play. "You really need to go back."
"You don't want to leave Haseena all by herself, right?" Her mom mentions Haseena for a second time but this time, there is a question attached to it; a question Karishma knows the answer to but saying it out loud might not be the thing she wants to do.
……….
"Karishma!"
Haseena starts to scream and holds on tighter to Karishma's hand when the heart monitor beeps slower and slower. Karishma has an intubation tube hanging from her mouth since she seems to forget how to breathe properly. Also her heart; her heart seems to forget how to beat when it normally beats so fast when Haseena is this near.
"Detective." The EMT calls out as she prepares some med to inject into her. "We really need you to take a breath right about now. This is not funny anymore."
"Please." Haseena whispers as she doesn't let go of her hand; not even one second. She needs Karishma to know that she is here and she needs Karishma to know that coming back to her will be the best possible decision she can possibly make.
"I'm starting chest compression." The EMT announces for the driver and Haseena to hear. She looks at Haseena to silently ask her to move a bit away.
Haseena complies without any fuss as her breath starts to rush faster and faster. The scene before her eyes and the scenes hanging on her mind keep circling around with no exits in her brain. She keeps touching the red bruise that starts to form on her wrist to remind herself of this cruel reality. The pain that should be felt is not there. All she can feel right now is the big void in her chest that weakens her. Her eyes are on the rhythm of the chest compression that is occurring by her. Karishma doesn't seem to respond to anything or anyone. For a second, Haseena's heart drops when the realization hits her. This could be it. This could be that moment where she has to learn the requiem. "Will she be alright?"
The EMT breaks into a tiny smile although her eyes don't move away from Karishma. She is counting and following every step that should be done to bring Karishma back to life. "She has gotten worse and she survived."
Once they arrive at the hospital, Haseena is taken into a treatment room while Karishma and Brian have taken a different turn to the traumas. She is kicking and screaming just to be by Karishma's side but after a few repetitions and persistence, her head gets too light as if it will fly and that forces her to sit down. A nurse who is taking care of her ensures that she will keep her posted on Karishma's condition and a resident who will examine her ensures that he will make everything as fast as he possibly can. That's right about when Haseena takes a notice of how cops start to flood the ED. There are already a few in front of the treatment room where she is. A bunch more are making their ways to other destinations. Words fly fast; way too fast but her mind is too foggy to find the reason why.
"Haseena!" Aanya manages to break through the two cops in front to get into the room while James is stuck by the block. He tries to explain but they won't let him past. They didn't want to let Aanya pass through either but she was smaller and stronger. Aanya turns to observe James' situation but with a nod from James, she proceeds to reach Haseena. Her face is flooded with concerns and worries that cannot be described into proper words. She quickly throws her arms around Haseena although the doctor is trying to examine her. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." Haseena answers indifferently as her wrists are still in the doctor's hands. The bruises get darken every minutes although the cuffs were not tightened that tight. She looks at James who stands as tall as the cops but isn't able to do anything. "James, can you go and check on Detective Singh?"
"Sure." James responds.
Aanya shifts her attention to the doctor who is about to stand up from the stool. He has examined everything his eyes can see and so far, he is not worried. "Is she alright?"
"There are just a few scratches and bruises but I'll run some labs just to make sure." The doctor explains but his explanation can't make it through to Haseena. Physically, she is there but mentally, she is somewhere else entirely. "A nurse will come in and take care of that."
"Thank you." Aanya says quietly as Haseena nods to show her appreciation.
As soon as the doctor leaves the room, Haseena sighs and covers her face. Then, she starts to sob. Her mind keeps replaying the moment Karishma got shot, the moment she shot Brian and the moment Karishma's heart monitor went too weak to beep a sound. It was a day that feels like forever. It was a day that she wishes it was just a crazy nightmare.
"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 👋👋