Irresistible

6. Himmat

Karishma slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was how her maddam sir was sleeping on the chair in a very uncomfortable position. She smiled looking at her slightly open mouth. She looked cute even in dreams she thought to herself in her dazed state but everything felt so real. She looked around realising that she was not on her bed or in her room. She lifted the duvet to find herself in patients clothes. She tried to recollect what had happened last night but she remembered nothing other than how she had returned home so tired that she had slept right away. Yeh maddam sir yahaan ka kar rahi hai. She looked for her phone and only found Haseena's but she took it anyway and dialled for Pushpaji.

"Ji maddam sir boliye. Ab Karishma kaisi hai. Humari bachi ko hosh aaya ki nahi." She enquired worried.
"Pushpaji hum hi bol rahe hai." She replied. Her voice sounded meek even to her.
"Aap? Aap theek toh hai. Bhagwaan ka lakh lakh shukra hai ki Maddam sir aapko aspitaal lekar gayi time par. Hum abhi hospital ke liye hi nikhal rahe hai. Aate hai beta." She said
At the same time maddam sir stirred in her sleep and Karishma cut the call looking Haseena.

"Karishma Singh aap uth gayi. Humme uthaaya kyun nahi aapne. Aap theek toh hai." Haseena enquired.

"Ji maddam sir. Hum yahaan pahoch kaise gye. Ka hua humme kuch yaad nahi hai."

"Aap humme aapke appartment mein unconscious mili. Doctor ne bataya hai ki aap kisi drugs ke influence mein waisi hogayi thi. Aur.." Haseena hesitated not knowing how Karishma would react to the double homicide in the Appartment next to hers.

"Aur ka maddam sir." Karishma enquired with a hint of panick in her voice.

"Woh aapke neighbours Mrs. Susheela ji aur unke pati ka kal raat intekaal hua. Wohi beli robbers ka hath hai jisne raato raat unka khoon kiya gaya hai aur unke ghar ko lutaya bhi nahi. Kuch missing mahi hai."

Karishma was silent but Haseena didn't miss the single tear that had escaped her eye

Karishma nodded.

"Aap theek toh hai na." Haseena asked

Karishma nodded again.

"Aap kuch keh kyun nahi rahi hai."
"Kya kahein maddam sir. Ki hum ab kitne useless feel kar rahe hai. Ki humko kitna ginn aah raha hai apne aap par ki hum anjaanon ka kya apnon ka bhi rakhsha nahi kar paaye. Agar hum waqt par kuch kartey toh yeh sab nahi hota na-"

Haseena hugged Karishma and Karishma held her tightly silently sobbing, mourning.

"Humne aapko disappoint kardiya na maddam sir." She said in between her sobs.

"Aapne humko kabhie disappoint nahi kiya hai Karishma Singh. Humme garv hai aap par. Jo bhi hua, usme aapki galati nahi thi samjhi?" Haseena said patting Karishma's back. She let go once she felt Karishma had calmed down and wiped off the stray tears.

"Aap jaisi ek khabil officer ko humne aaj tak nahi dekha hai Karishma Singh aur iss baat ko aap bhi jaanti hai ki uss waqt agar aap hosh mein rehti toh unn perpetrators ki koi chance nahi raha hoga." Haseena's kind words did wonders on Karishma. After all at the end of the day, it mattered to her more than anything in the world.

"Hum aapke dawaiyiyaan lekar aate hai. Aur doctor ko bhi bol dete hai ki aapki hosh waapis aah gayi hai." She said and left Karishma with her thoughts. Karishma thought about the possibilities of how she could've been drugged and her mind settled at the tea she had at the informant's place and she balled her fists in anger.

Humme warn karne ke liye dho masoomom ki jaan ko cheen liye un logon ne. Zinda nahi chodengey unko. She promised to herself. She finally found her phone on the side table and dialled Cheetahs number to ask him to get her informant into custody but immediately cut the call thinking how she was handling the situation in her anger without thinking about the consequences. Just then Pushpaji entered the room.

"Karishma bete aap theek toh hai na." She said sitting near Karishma and caressing her head.

"Hum theek hai Pushpa ji. App kaahe tension le rahi hai." She assured her.

"Hum maa hai aapki tension toh rahegi na humari bachi ke."

One of the nurses entered the room with a syringe.

"Ama yeh itna bada syringe kahe leke aayi hai aap?" She fumbled.

"Aapka prescription hai madam. Dena padega. Aap chaahe toh aapke girlfriend ko bula lijiye himmat ke liye."

Karishma turned to look at the nurse at the speed of lightning.

"Humari ka boli?" She said

"Aapki girlfriend!."