Irresistible

1. Haq

After her very emotional reunion with her MPT members, Haseena was drained. She was about to leave for her home where her ammi was waiting for her. She was still unaware of the way her Urmila self had behaved with her Ammi.
She heard a knock on the door and it was Karishma standing there with an unreadable expression on her face. Haseena could see that her eyes were moist almost accusing even.

"Come in Karishma Singh."

Karishma slowly moved inside her cabin. Haseena also noticed a small limp in her walk. Afterall, she had been beaten up on the very same day. On her instructions. Guilt immediately crawled its way into her heart.

"Jai Hind Maddam sir.."
"Jai hind Karishma Singh boliye kya baat hai."

"Woh woh bas aapse yeh ek sawaal poochna tha joh andar se humme khaatha jaa ra hai. Agar nahi pooche toh humme takleef hoga. Aur isse jyaada takleef seh nahi payengey hum."

Haseena's eyes moistened. How much she must have been through. How much had she put her through.

"Ji please baitke baat karein?" And after saying that she held Karishma's upper hand guiding her to the sofa in the nawab sahab room and made her sit. Karishma looked at Haseena and Haseena immediately sat beside her.

"Madam sir, kya aap ko thoda sa andaaza bhi hai ki pichle kuch maheenon se humare upar ka beet raha hai? Kitni takleef hui thi humein? Kitne bechain tey hum?" Haseena was not able to look into Karishma's eyes anymore.

"Nalayak samajkey kudh ko din ba din kostey rehte tey ki aapke khaatil tak pahonch nahi paaye. Yeh..yeh.." she stood up with some difficulty and moved towards the cupboard where she had kept her bloodied uniform. The one with Haseena's blood on it. ".. yeh isko roz roz dekha kartey tey. Ab aapse ka chupaana maddam sir. Rote tey hum ROZ. Bure sapne aate tey aapke baare mein. Zinda laash bankar ghoom rahe tey."

By this time Haseena couldn't stop her tears. Karishma was however not crying. It was like she had run out of tears. Haseena opened her mouth to console Karishma. To give her her heart felt apology but Karishma gestured to her to stop.

"Aur aap Urmila ban gayi." She said throwing the bloodied uniform on the sofa near Haseena. Haseena looked at Karishma in shock. She knew about her anger, her baukal but she had never been in the receiving end of it like she was now.

"Kya hum itna bhi barose ki layak nahi tey Maddam sir ?" She asked, her voice cracking. Her hands were shivering. Haseena stood up and closed the distance between them and engulfed Karishma in a hug. She was at a loss of words.

"Humme maaf kar dijiye Karishma." Karishma didn't reciprocate the hug however she did notice how Haseen had referred to her by her first name and it made her heart flutter. She shoved aside any such thought. She just stood there her hands aching to hug Haseena back but her anger got the best of her.

Haseena withdrew, holding Karishma's shoulders and looked at Karishma who was looking at the ground. She placed her hand below her chin and made her look at her.

"Humme maaf kar dijiye?" She repeated herself more softly this time.

Karishma let out a hollow chuckle.

"Aap maafi maangkar humme sharminda kar rahi hai maddam sir. Hum kaun hai. Humara ka haq hai. Hum hi galat teh joh aap par yeh humare saare expectations top rahe tey. Humme nikalna chaiye. Jai hind maddam sir." She left the room as fast as her limp allowed her to.

Haseena sat on the couch and picked up the uniform which Karishma threw. The same bloodied one. She ran her hands on the name plate.

"Karishma Singh" she pronounced each syllable carefully. She got up taking the uniform with her and left the station.