As the couple slowly recovered from their laughter Haseena realised that they had attracted quite a lot of attention to themselves. She silently pulled Karishma wanting to move to the billing counter so they could leave.
"Kya acting kiya aapne huh." She initiated slightly nudging Karishma as the latter continued to chuckle randomly.
"Tum bhi kuch kam nahi hai kya tha woh haan Mrs Maaaallik." She mimicked which resulted in even more laughing and they exited the store Karishma carrying the bags with Haseena carrying Kiara.
As they drove back home sharing bits and pieces about the hilarious incident Haseena noticed how Karishma was often gritting her teeth something she did when she was overthinking. She let it slide until they were back home and she started cooking, Karishma taking up the task of looking after Kiara. With the little one trying to stand it was quite a task these days as they had to ensure she didn't fall. With Kiara being more active than ever Karishma brought the one thing she hated doing the most which was teaching her something like alphabets or numbers or shapes or colours. This was Haseena's department.
"A for Anjali." Karishma yawned. Kiara looked confused as this was a deviation from what her Maaeek mausi taught but tried to repeat anyways.
"Angie." She mumbled.
Karishma used one of Kia's soft toys as her pillow laying down, letting slumber take over. "Sabhash Ki proud of tu."
"B for Babita." Karishma slowly mumbled, tired from running behind Kiara the whole time.
"C for Chandhini." Karishma said sleepily and Haseena cleared her throat loudly. She had heard a small portion of Karishma's clownery and had come to check only for Karishma to be sound asleep and Kiara crawling away. She carried her before she escaped her sight.
"Aur D for?" Haseena asked, kneeling beside Karishma.
"Dua lipa." Karishma whispered in her sleep and Haseena stifled her laughter thinking of an innovative way to wake her big baby. She leaned in and suddenly the mere similarity of the scenario brought back memories of last night.
"When I said Hum, I meant US Ms.Karishma Singh." A mischievous smile colouring her face, she pulled Karishma into the bedroom closing the door behind them. With Karishma leaning against the door Haseena had her hands locking her against it eagerly eyeing Karishma's lips. She leaned in wanting to capture her lips but Karishma quickly placed her index finger on Haseena's lips.
"Haseena-" Karishma whispered. "Mein apni andar jitna bhi self control hai usko aazmake ye keh rahi hoon..you are drunk baby abhi nahi okay?" She asked in a soft voice, and moved her finger away holding Haseena's chin she leaned to place an innocent kiss on her cheek and Haseena giggled at the ticklish sensation.
"Aap pehle bhi itni achi thi ya waqt ne kiya kuch haseen sitam-" Haseena mumbled slurrily. She raised one finger tracing Karishma's jawline teasingly.
"Nahi mein pehle aise nahi thi. This is Haseena's Karishma talking." Haseena squinted her eyes probing Karishma to speak further.
Karishma chose to be honest and said "Pehle jaise hoti toh tum abhi mere baahon mein hoti, meri naam le rahi hoti woh bhi bina koi kapde ke-" a serious look on her face she held eye contact relishing the effect of her words on Haseena's facial expression and Haseena held Karishma's cheek turning it away to make her face the other side relieving herself from her piercing gaze.
"Kitni besharm hai aap."
"Wah mein? Aur abhi kuch der pehle nashe mein meri izzat lootne waali thi woh toh shareefi ka hadd thaa right?" Karishma joked and Haseena unsteadily took a step back from Karishma.
"Hum khush hai aapke saat..aur isss baar hum bhaagna nahi chahte..
I don't want to run away but I am scared I'll lose this. This- This." She gestured between herself and Karishma not really in the state to find the right description.
Haseena then looked at Karishma with furrowed brows thinking deeply. "Hum donon ko shaadi kar lena chahiye." Haseena suggested in a childish manner and walked away, leaving behind a surprised Karishma. She plopped down on the bed wanting to let slumber take over her confusion. Karishma recovered quickly enough to walk over to her tuck her in.
"Theek hai kal shaadi karenge okay?. Abhi soh jao and remember I have handcuffs if you decide to run." She whispered to Haseena's sleeping form and kissed her on her forehead before turning off the night lamp leaving the room.
Haseena returned from the flood of memories from last night. She had asked Karishma to marry her! How embarrassing she was when drunk, she wondered to herself. Kiara wriggled in her arms so she put her down near Karishma and she herself laid beside her sandwiching their baby between them, she softly placed her hand on Karishma's waist hugging her. Kiara seemed happy with the arrangement and randomly mumbled Babita making Haseena chuckle.
She wanted to figure out her jumbled thoughts and being near Karishma was somehow peaceful yet chaotic. Realisation hit her at how Karishma hadn't let her kiss her because she thought she was doing that only because she was drunk. Little did Karishma know how Haseena wanted her and her alone to be the witness of her deepest desires. She desired Karishma and it was also the result of the blooming love she felt for her. She did find her attractive when she had first laid her eyes on her when they were supposed to go on that date two years ago but she had never desired her until recently and to her those were two entirely different things.
Wait a minute. What about that mark? The reasonable part of her brain brought her out of her train of not very pg-13 thoughts.
She pulled Karishma's collar slightly and rubbed the mark and gaped when the colour came off and she recognised it to be her own lipstick which she noticed was missing from her vanity.
"Kitni badi nautanki hai ye!" She whispered in awe. She wondered why Karishma would create such a drama for her to just cook lunch for her Senior. Who did this drama queen invite over? It's not like she knew any of her colleagues. She thought to herself laying down on Karishma's shoulder again and her mind reminded of one person from the department who she did know. For whom Karishma would go to such an extent.
The oven dinged indicating that the food she put in it was cooked so she got up carrying Kiara with her to the kitchen not wanting to leave her unattended.
Karishma stirred in her sleep inhaling deeply the delicious smell of her favourite dish, smiling in her sleep.
"Haseena." She mumbled in her sleep hugging a soft toy with a goofy smile and then realized that she wasn't supposed to be sleeping. That she was responsible for looking after Ki when Haseena cooked. She ran towards the kitchen and panicked much like last night and then started checking the rooms only to find Kia in her crib sound asleep. She realised with guilt that Haseena had managed to cook AND also looked after their kid at the same time.
Wanting to apologise to Haseena she moved towards the master bedroom but remembered she had to reapply lipstick to the fake mark, for Haseena's eyes were keen and she couldn't afford getting caught at the moment.
She had chosen to wear a black flannel with the collar buttoned high enough to hide the supposed "mark". She couldn't help but wonder what the evening had in store. Growing up, her constant support was from Cheetah who was also her age. She had no parents to teach her how to deal with her problems and she had to learn in her own childish manner how to deal with stuffs. Maybe that explained the tantrums she threw today to get what she wanted from Haseena.
Would Haseena be mad at her for keeping her in the dark? Definitely. Could she live with that? Definitely not. But this was one thing she wanted to do for her. She wanted Haseena to rekindle with her father. She wanted her to have a complete family, unlike her. She gulped back the restrictive lump in throat reminding herself to not go down that dark tunnel. It only brought pain with it. She knocked and Haseena answered her with a come in.
Karishma opened the door and was left in awe forgetting all the pain she had felt moments ago. Haseena was in a simple white kurta with chikankari work over her ankle length linen pants. She was in the process of wearing her earrings and Karishma noticed that she wore kajal. This wasn't good for her sanity, her heart rate which she realised with surprise was thudding very noticeably at the mere sight of Haseena. She dramatically placed her hand on her heart and plopped against the door frame when Haseena spared her a glance making the latter chuckle.
"Kaise dikh rahe hai?" Haseena enquired twirling gleefully for Karishma.
Karishma replied in a lost voice, still not recovering from her position "Itne zaalim naa bano, kuchh toh reham karo, ke tum par marte hain toh kya maar hi daaloge?" and Haseena giggled walking towards her she pushed her by holding her shoulder, towards the stairs.
"Ek hi dinn mein kitnaaa drama karengi aap mohtarma lunch ready hai chaliye table set kijiye. Aapke senior aah rahe honge." Haseena sounded a bit sarcastic and Karishma let it slide thinking she must be imagining it.
"Suno woh actually-" Karishma's words were interrupted by the door bell. She wanted to confess to Haseena about who she had invited, not wanting to catch her off guard but alas, Haseena walked away gesturing she'd get the door.
"Mr. Mallik." Haseena greeted with a straight face not really surprised because she had already guessed it. Abid carried a huge toy house set in one hand extending his other hand to hug his daughter and Haseena half heartedly hugged her old man. She found this gesture to be adorable in spite of her instincts to protect Karishma from this man.
( Imagine Farhan Ally Agha as Abid Mallik)
"Aapko kya zaroorat thi unko itna satane ke. Humse call mein bhi baat kar sakte te aap." Haseena closed the door walking in close pursuit to her father not wanting to leave him alone with Karishma.
"Aap call uthati?" Abid asked monotonously.
"Nahi." Haseena shrugged.
"Ah Mr. Commissioner I see you met Haseena already." Karishma greeted, hurriedly walking up to Abid sensing that the current conversation between the father daughter would lead to nothing but arguments. Haseena did not miss the fact that she was intentionally avoiding her gaze.
"Detective." Abid extended his hand shaking hands with Karishma and Haseena rolled her eyes.
"Too many freaking cops in this house." She mumbled under breath.
"Karishma can I have a word?" Haseena however didn't wait for an answer and instead gripped Karishma by her elbow pulling to the kitchen. Abid chuckled at how everything about them reminded him of Noor and himself when they were still happily married.
"Toh isiliye subah se itna saara naatak kar rahi thi aap? Karishma don't fall for his manipulative crap-" Haseena hissed and Karishma closed her eyes at Haseena's rude words.
"Haseena woh tumhare Papa hai."
"Oh please Karishma. I am asking him to leave. Ye humara bhi ghar hai aur humko haq hai ye decide karne ke liye ki hum kisse milein ya na milein." Haseena started to leave the kitchen but Karishma gripped her wrist pulling her back inside.
"Dekho agar tum abhi waisa kuch kiya toh mein -"
"Kya kareingi aap?" Haseena crossed her arms giving Karishma a scrutinising look. Karishma thought for a couple seconds.
"Mein ammi amma amar mira aur tumhare woh stupid friends sabko ye-" she pulled her collar down "-isko dikha dhungi aur keh dungi ki tumne mere saat zabardasti kiya tha." Haseena frowned. "In fact mein Instagram mein sorry dalungi iska pic kheechke."
"Aap pagal hai?" She whisper-shouted and closed the gap between them buttoning Karishma's flannel while the latter tried to swat her hands away unsuccessfully.
"Commissioner uncleee aapke beti ne humko-" Karishma called out and Haseena placed her palm on Karishma's mouth shutting her up.
"KARISHMAAA CHUP RAHIYE. Hum waisa nahi karenge aap chup chap bahar chaliye humare saat please ab aur nautanki bardaasht nahi karenge hum." She gestured to Karishma keeping her finger on her lips which the former followed obediently except she too kept her finger on lips and Haseena sighed in exaggeration.
"Oh god hum kya kareinhe aapke saat. Haath neeche kijiye aur bahar chaliye." Haseena took the dishes she'd cooked instructing Karishma to bring the rest.
As lunch progressed awkwardly Abid tried his best to initiate small talk which was of course only answered by Karishma.
"Khaana bahoth acha bana hai beta. Aapne kiya Ms. Singh?." Karishma stabbed the deliciously cooked butter chicken awkwardly shifting because she was of no help to Haseena that day.
"Ahh No Mr. commissioner humse jyada Haseena cook karti hai and she's much better at it."
"Kaheen aap poora ghar ka kaam toh nahi karwa rahi humari beti se?" Abid remarked in a voice that was neither strict nor jovial. Karishma shifted uncomfortably. She definitely didn't know how to handle this. She could come off as rude and she didn't want to be rude to Haseena's father.
"Abbu! Bas bahoth horaha hai." Haseena snapped.
"Hasee bacche hum bas pooch rahe te-"
Haseena closed her eyes her anger reaching its limit. "Commissioner honge aap aapke department mein par yahaan aap guest hai Karishma ke. Unko taana dena bandh karein to behtar hoga. Agar aapko unse koi masla hai toh humein usse koi takleef nahi hai kyunki hum unko bahoth pasand karte hai aur rahi baat humare madad karne ki, woh Kiara ko bahoth acche se sambhalti hai, saare responsibilities mein aadhe ya usse bhi zyada hi leti hai."
"Baccha hum bas aapka khayaal rakh rahe-"
Haseena sighed angrily. "Mr. Mallik aapke jaankari ke liye bata rahe hai, Karishma humko ek baar bhi ilm nahi hone diya ki humse achanak se itna bada responsibility kaise hoga. Jo haatsa hua usmein humko sambhaala jabki woh kudh bhi wohi sab se guzar rahi thi. Jab se unke saat move in kiye hai tabse unhone humara bahoth ache se khayaal rakha hai toh please aapko humare khayaal rakhne ki koi zarurat nahi hai." Haseena fumed, defending Karishma wholeheartedly.
"Haseena." Karishma said in a strict voice.
"Aap chup kijiye." Haseena snapped at Karishma who looked as innocent as ever. She didn't know if she should be happy that Haseena was defending her so ferociously or be sad about how Haseena was fighting with her father for her sake. Abid silently listened to his daughter's outburst. At least she was finally talking to him.
"Hum bas pooch rahe te beta." Abid said putting out the fire that was his daughter. They continued to eat in silence and it was even more awkward now.
Haseena chuckled put of the blue and Karishma shrunk in her chair realising her woman was going to have an outburst again.
"Aapne soch bhi kaise liya ki hum aapko humare, Kiara ke zindagi ka hissa banne denge after what you did!? Haan! Aapko sukoon nahi mil raha na? Aur kabardaar aapne pichle baar jaise kuch behudha harkat karne ki koshish bhi karein toh. Iss baar kya offer karne waale hai? A promotion I guess? Afsos ki baat hai Karishma Singh aapke gire hue harkaton mein phasne nahi waali hai."
"Haseena that's enough." Karishma intervened.
"Let her speak Ms. Singh." Abid leaned back on the chair crossing his arms.
"I am sorry humse ye nahi hoga Karishma." Haseena stood walking towards the bedroom upstairs.
"Haseena!" Karishma called out but it was of no use. She looked at Abid with an apologetic expression.
"I am sorry woh hum- hum baat karte unse."
"Shayad humko chalna chahiye Detective Singh. She clearly cannot forgive me and I clearly don't deserve another chance." Abid crossed his arms looking devastated.
"Nahi ek minute bas." She stood wanting to talk with Haseena.
Karishma knew where Haseena would be because by now they did understand that Kiara was their peace. They found her and she was their calm in every chaos. Haseena was sitting on the bench beside the window near Kia's crib looking at the lil one, wiping away her tears because she could hear Karishma's footsteps.
"Did he leave?" She asked Karishma in a whisper, not really knowing what she was hoping to hear.
"I asked him to wait." Karishma sat beside Haseena and Haseena leaned on her shoulder as she continued to look at Kiara.
"Haseena remember that fight we had? Jab tum ammi ke ghar chali gayi thi?" Karishma asked in a low voice.
"Uska yaad kyun dila rahi hai aap." Haseena sniffled adorably.
"Suno toh." Karishma said and Haseena hummed asking her to continue.
"I said things which I didn't mean and all I wanted was for a chance to apologise and make it right yes?" Haseena nodded in silence.
"Toh tumhare abbu bhi woh chance deserve karte hai na? Unko maaf karna na karna tumhari choice hai par give him a chance to apologise."
"No Karishma he doesn't deserve that chance. Aap samajh nahi rahi hai ki that man was never there for me unko bas unke kaam se matlab tha. Hum mauka kyun denhe unhe? Unhone humari girlfriend ko ek case offer ki thi taaki woh mujhe chor dein Karishma ye kitni giri hui harkat hai aap kudh sochiye." Haseena reasoned and Karishma scrunched her nose at the word girlfriend.
"Ek minute. Pehli baat toh woh EX hai tumhari samjhi?" Karishma asked and Haseena chuckled at how irritated she sounded.
"Aur dusri baat agar woh tumse sach mein pyaar karti toh usko consider tak nahi karti. Matlab andhi thi woh!! Mein uski jagah hoti toh tumhare Abbu ko itne rangeen shabdon mein itna sunati na woh dho baar sochte mujhse phir se baat karne se pehle." Haseena giggled silently at Karishma's comment.
"Kounse shabd istemaal karengi zara ghor farmaye?" She asked, her voice displaying her playfulness.
"Arrey baadh mein karungi na abhi distract mat karo. Toh mein keh rahi thi ki-"
"Ki aap abbu ko rangeen shabdon mein sunati." Haseena snickered and Karishma rolled her eyes shaking the shoulder on which Haseena rested intentionally disturbing her. Haseena straightened up to face Karishma.
"Nahi. Mein ye keh rahi thi ki he did you a favour. Aur teesri aur sabse zaruri baat, agar tum ab bhi Tanya ke saat hoti toh mera toh koi chance hi nahi hota na tumhare saat iske liye tumhari abbu ko pakka ek chance toh deni hi chahiye tumko." Karishma joked and Haseena shoved her playfully. Kiara slightly mumbled in her sleep so the duo silently stepped outside closing the door behind them.
"Aap kyun kar rahi ye sab?" Haseena wondered aloud in amusement and fear. She was getting used to this and that was scarier than she could imagine. Karishma was going lengths to just ensure she had the best of what life could offer to her and didn't know what she had done to deserve that and what she had to do to retain that.
"Tumhi ne toh kaha tha. Ki hum family hai." Karishma shrugged. "Mujhe family ka ehsaas pehli baar zindagi mein tumne dilaya hai. Tumhare aur Kia ke liye mein kuch bhi kar sakti hoon Haseena. I was not lucky enough to experience the simple joy of growing up with my mumma papa par mein chahti hoon tum woh khushi ko mehsoos karo aur mein tumko dekke hi khush ho jaungi bas." Haseena looked at her not knowing how to express the surge of love she felt within herself for this woman. So she walked closer and hugged her, holding her to feel her warmth. A silent promise from her side to never leave her come what may. She felt immense gratitude for her best friend, her Santu. She always knew. She had always known.
With a newfound conviction she promised to herself. "Hum hai aapke liye. Aapke liye hum daal bankar kade rahenge. You will always have me no matter what. Hum aapko harr woh khushi denge jiski aap haqdar hai ye Haseena Mallik ka wada hai." Karishma tightened her grip around her waist at her words, burying her face in the crook of Haseena's neck basking in the comfort Haseena's promise brought to her existence, she felt herself tearing up. They held each other each letting the other witness their fragilities and vulnerabilities breaking one more barrier in their unnamed but blooming relationship.
"Tum mere liye apne Abbu se kyun ladd rahi hai?" Haseena separated but Karishma continued to hold her waist tightly, not letting her go.
"Haan hai woh humare Abbu par aap humari family hai. Hum isse bhi zayada ladd sakte hai aap dekhna chahengi?" Karishma chuckled and closed her eyes feeling Haseena's embrace soaking in the feel of the combined essence of her warm and Haseena's cold skin, of her soothing words feeling whole and happy like never before. She had never had a person who'd fight for her. Who would prioritise her like the way Haseena had done.
"Baat karo unse please." Haseena nodded, patting Karishma's back sensing this was more than just a hug for the latter. This was her seeking comfort and she was ready to give her that no matter what.
"Waise you should say Please more often. Suit horaha hai aap pe." Haseena taunted and Karishma separated from the hug to playfully slap her arm.
"Jao abhi jao." She pushed Haseena by holding her shoulder.
"Arrey jaa rahe hai." Haseena said, walking towards the living room.
..
Long chapter because I disappeared. Updates will be slow because I have to study for CA final Group 2 as you all know already. Tell me how it was ig.
Agla update 8 hrs karne ke baadh karein? What say thecreativetake