For the next few days, AS had assigned HM with loads of work… All day she would be engrossed in files and in the evening, she would simply go off to sleep… The team helped AS by asking HM’s help in trivial matters and not letting her go anywhere…
“Ji… Thik hai… Hum pohchte hai…” HM said while ending the call. Santu only heard the last words and came running to PS and CC. “Pushpa jii… lagta hai MS us Zubair se milne ja rahi hai…” she said… “Santu ji, santu ji aapko aisa kyu lagta hai??” CC asked worriedly… “Maine abhi unhe phone pe baat karte hue suna… keh rahi thi ‘Hum pohchte hai’” SS replied… “Kuch karna hoga Santu…” PS said… “Koi kaam socho… jaldi…” “Koi kaam nahi bacha Pushpa ji… abhi toh sirf mere quarters ke kitchen ka naal thik karna baki hai…” Santu said… “Mhmm…Ek kaam karo… tum dono jhagadna shuru karo do…” PS said to CC and SS. “Kya baat kar rahi hai Pushpa ji… hum kaise Santu ji se ladh sakte hai… No… Never…” CC said… “Amma jadbuddhi… sachme ladhne ko nahi keh rahe… Natak karo… chalo jaldi… MS bahar aati hi hongi…” PS explained… As if on the cue HM walked out… “Cheete… tu aise kaise kar sakta hai??” SS said… “Humne kya kiya santu ji??” CC asked confused, he hadn’t seen HM walking out… “Tune mujhe promise kiya tha ke… ke… tu mere liye ice-cream le aayega… toh fir kyu nahi laya??” SS said winking at CC… “Hum nahi laayenge aapke liye ice-cream… Hum le aate hai aur woh Chadde ka bachcha sab chat kar jata hai…” “Aisa karega abhi tu cheete…” “Haan… hum aapke liye sab kare aur aap us Chadde ke saath ghumne jati hai…” CC said annoyingly… HM was shocked to see them fighting but ignored as she was in a hurry… PS hurriedly went to her and said, “MS dekhiye na in dono ko… kabse ladh rahe hai… Kuch kijiye na… inka jhadga suljaiye…” “Pushpa ji abhi nahi… abhi humare paas waqt nahi hai… Hum aake suljhate hai…” she was about to leave when PS stopped her again, “Tab tak toh bohot der ho jayegi MS… Agar in dono ne maar-pit shuru kar di toh??” “Pushpa ji bachche nahi hai dono…” “Haan magar bachchon se kam bhi toh nahi hai…” PS said… “Aisa kuch nahi hoga Pushpa Ji… Aur aap aur KS hai na… sambhal lijiye kuch der…” with that she left… KS was watching all this… She hurried behind HM… “MS…” she called… “MS… Aap kaha ja rahi hai??” she asked when HM halted and turned… “Hum Headquarters ja rahe hai… Kyu kuch kaam tha aapko??” KS was relieved… “Nahi MS… itna urgent nahi hai… aap wapas aaiye fir batate hai…” “Thik hai… chalte hai…” HM left… “Ye Santu bhi na…” KS thought…
HM reached the Headquarters… She was told AS was busy attending a meeting and she was asked to go through a case file while she waited for him in his cabin… “Hadd hai… agar meeting mei hi jana tha toh hume itni hadbadi mei kyu bulaya…” HM thought…
She sat down to look at the file… but her mind travelled to the day she was discharged from the hospital… HM and Z were driving home… HM was looking out of the window and was lost in the memories of last night… “Hum aapko kho nahi sakte…” made her smile… “Waise Haseena…” Z said breaking her reverie… “Ji…” “Kuch hua hai kya??” Z asked… HM looked at him confused… “Nahi… woh jabse aapse mile hai… dekh rahe hai… kafi khush nazar aa rahi hai aap aaj… Isiliye hume laga kuch hua hai shayad…” Z said… “K… kuch bhi toh nahi…” “Acha… thik hai… aap kehti hai toh maan lete hai… lekin ek baat kahe…??” “Ji boliye…” “Aapke DSP sir jaal gaye…” Z said teasingly… HM felt a blush creeping on her neck but she composed herself…
The other day, Z was waiting for HM inside the restaurant… He walked out to see if HM had arrived when he saw her in AS’s arms… both lost in each other’s eyes… Z wanted to tease AS a bit so he walked over and interrupted their conversation… He pretended to flirt with HM and put his arm around her shoulder saying, “Woh aaj humari lunch date hai…” AS’s expressions had confirmed his doubt… Z was sure that AS loved HM… HM remembered Z telling her what he did while doubling over in laughter…
Suddenly her work had doubled up… The entire team was trying to keep her busy in the Thana itself… Even after the duty hours, either Santu or KS would ask her to accompany them to some store or chat centre… AS’s visits to MPT had increased… He had started flirting with her just like he did before… She was enjoying all the attention but… The wounds on her heart were still fresh… She was not going to fall for these tactics so easily this time…
“Jai Hind Haseena ji…” AS walked into the cabin… HM stood up, “Jai Hind sir” “Baithiye… baithiye… Chai piyengi aap??” “No Sir Thank you…”HM declined politely… “Toh aapne file padh li…” “Ji sir… lekin yeh file toh humne hi banakar aapko di thi… toh fir…” before she could complete her phone rang… It was Z… The smiling face of AS changed to a grumpy one… “Sorry Sir… Ek min…” HM answered the call… “Haan Zubair boliye…” “…...” “Nahi… aaj nahi ho payega… Hum aapse kal milte hai…” “……” “Thik hai… abhi hum thoda busy hai… baad mei baat karte hai… Bye…” She ended the call and looked ahead to continue the discussion with AS… “Ji sir…” “Haseena ji… aap in Zubair mahashay par kuch jyada hi vishwas nahi karti…??” HM looked at him confused… “Nahi… aap abhi unse parichit hui hai… itna milna julna thik nahi…” AS completed… HM knew what AS was trying to say… “Maaf kijiye sir… lekin yeh humara niji mamla hai… aap isme na hi bole toh acha hai…” AS was hurt… but quickly recovered… “Parantu yadi aapka niji mamla aapke kaam ko hani pohcha raha ho toh…??” HM again gave him a quizzical look… “Yeh jo file aapne banayi hai… isme kuch documents kam hai… Aapka dhyan kahi aur hai jis karanwash aapko punah isse padhne par bhi gyat nahi hua…” AS said sternly… “Sorry sir… Hum dobara check karke isse update karte hai…” HM said guiltily… “Hmm… Kal tak hume de dijiyega… Aap prasthan kar sakti hai…” “Jai Hind Sir” “Jai Hind…”
AS was feeling bad for scolding HM… He tried to hide it but she had already read his eyes… She had understood why he was doing all this… She left the cabin smiling to herself…
