Irresistible

2. Gussa

The next day at the thaana, Karishma was working on a high profile robbery case involving armed thugs who were looting homes by the night. The case was gaining media attention because of the heartless murders being committed by them and because of the kind of influential people that were being targeted, there was a lot of pressure on Karishma. She was so engrossed in the file that she didn't notice when Haseena had entered the thaana.

"Jai hind maddam sir" cheetah saluted and Karishma finally looked up to see Haseena staring at her. She immediately got up from her chair and saluted her SHO.

"Jai hind. Sab humare cabin mein assemble hojaiye humme Beli robery case ke baare mein discuss karni hei." She had Karishma's full attention now.

"Par maddam sir woh case toh hum handle kar rahe hai. Humare tareeke se. Waise bhi yeh murder case hai, FIR register ho chuka hai toh ismein jazbaat koi kaam nahi aane waala hai." she said hastily. Haseena looked at her patiently.

"Hum yeh case ko discuss karengey Karishma singh and that's final. Humare cabin. ABHI." She said and walked away. Karishma's anger knew no bounds. She picked a glass paper weight from her table and threw it at the wall making a loud crash. This was not unnoticed by Haseena. Karishma took a deep breath closing her eyes.

"Karishma singh humme aapse kuch baat karni hai."

Karishma walked into her cabin.

"Ji maddam sir."

"Yeh kya tareeka hai Karishma Singh? Aise gusse hone ka kya zaroorat hai? Ek SHO hone ke naate yahaan ke saare cases ka responsibility hum par hai. Yeh aap kab samjeingi?" She spoke.

Karishma looked at Haseena. Her face was again unreadable much to Haseena's dismay.

"Theek hai maddam sir aage se khyaal rakengey." She said simply and left the cabin after saluting. Her non-reaction bothered Haseena more than her letting out her anger or frustration.

Yeh inko ko kya gaya hai..yeh humare saath theek se baat tak karne ke liye tyaar nahi hai. Aur hum kyun itne pareshaan ho rahe hai. Haseena thought to herself.

Meanwhile Karishma got a call from forensics regarding the robbery case. She was about to leave when Haseena abruptly came before her from nowhere. They collided onto each other and both fell down from the impact.

"Karishma Singh aap theek hai?"

"Ji maddam sir hum theek hai." Karishma replied rubbing her head where it had hit Haseena's shoulder. Haseena moved towards Karishma and replaced her hands with her own rubbing her head. Karishma looked at her in shock.

"Hum theek hai rehne dijiye." She said and got up with difficulty. Haseena realised that she had unknowingly crossed an invisible limit and distanced herself from Karishma quickly.

"Aap itne jaldi mein kyun hai Karishma Singh?"

Karishma diverted her gaze still dazed by Haseena's touch.

"Hum woh ek case ke silsile mein bahar ja rahe hai."

"Konsi case?" Haseena asked holding her hands behind her back. Trying too hard to be her professional self again.

"Woh highway robbery wala." She said looking away.

"Aap nahi jayengi." She turned to look at Pushpa ji. "Pushpa ji aap jaiyiye aur humme update kijiye kuch pata laga toh." Haseena turned to go to her cabin.

"Pushpa ji?????" KS asked with utter shock.

The situation was serious but Haseena chuckled at Karishma making her even more angry. Haseena realised with dismay that her Urmila self was bound to resurface then and now.
Karishma was however determinant and she followed Haseena into her cabin with her limp of course.
"Aap aisa kyun kar rahi hai maddam sir. Humse badla leh rahi hai ka humare kal ke bartaav ke liye." She chided.

"Karishma singh hum koi bachi nahi hai joh humari personal matter ko humare professional kaam par asar padne dengey."

"Acha toh aapka humpar koi bharosa na rakhna aapka personal maamla hai?"

"Karishma Singh ab baat ko kahaan se kahaan lekr ja rahi hai. Humara woh matlab nahi tha."

"Toh phir ka matlab hai aapka Maddam sir. Nahi aap saaf bata dijiye na humko." Karishma said

"Karishma singh kya hum iske baare baadh mein baat karein.. abhi nahi." Haseena said turning towards her desk.

"Theek hai maddam sir. Jaise aapki marzi. Humesha ki tarah." With that left she Haseena's cabin and Haseena closed her eyes not knowing for the first time in her life, how to deal with the situation she found herself in.