Irresistible

11. Home

By the time Haseena had gotten ready to leave for thaana Karishma was still getting ready wearing her uniform in haste. Haseena slowly knocked on her door.
"Karishma?" She called. "Chalein?"
"Ji maddam sir." She replied, opening the door.
"Chaliye." Karishma said looking everywhere but at Haseena.
"Woh humari jeep theek ho chuki hai. I had asked for a mechanic to look into it yesterday. Hum jeep mein ayengey." Haseena informed.
"Oh. Theek hai Haseena ji." Karishma replied with disappointment and Haseena smiled at how her face was a reflection of how she felt.
Karishma moved towards the key holder looking for her bike keys but it was not there.
"Ama yaeen toh thi." She said looking again.
"Haseena ji aapne humara bike ka chabi dekha kaheen?"
"Nahi toh." Haseena replied.
Karishma could recognise the lie before it had even left Haseena's mouth.
"Spare key toh humare ghar mein hai."
"Koi baat nahi humare saat ayiye." Haseena offered and Karishma nodded moving out and they left for the thaana together.
..

Karishma was looking at various dead-ends with regards to the robbery case. There were no finger print matches, no criminal records with similar descriptions nor could they predict the next target of the group.

She got frustrated and went to Haseena's cabin looking for her.

"Maddam sir." She saluted Haseena.
"Ji Karishma Singh." Haseena acknowledged her.
"Ka humare saat chai piyengey aap?" She asked.
Haseena looked up at Karishma.
"Arrey wah. Aaj tak toh aisi khaas invitation kabhie mili nahi humko. Aaj toh barish hoga pakka.."
"Humme uss case mein kuch leads nahi mila aur humme humare dost ke saat waqt bitanae ka mann kar raha tha. Aap busy hai?"
"Ji nahi chaliye."
"Maddam sir hum kaheen aur piyengey aaj chai." Karishma said, opening the jeep door for Haseena. Haseena obediently climbed inside the jeep.

"Where are we going Karishma?" Haseena asked Karishma as she drove away from thaana returning to her friendly demeanor which was reserved for Karishma.

"Woh Haseena ji woh Shyam's Halwa Tela hai na nukkad gali ke pass uske bagal mein. Badiya chai milta hai wahaan ekdum mast."

"Chaliye chaliye." Haseena said excited.
..
"Kaka dho chai, ekdum kadam humara signature style mein. Aur ek adhrak waali humari maddam sir ke liye." She said to the tela wala as if she had known him for years. Haseena internally smiled at how Karishma knew how she liked her chai. In fact Karishma knew everything. She knew nothing in comparision and that bothered her.

"Karishma aap toh humare baare mein sab jaati hai. Humme aapke pasand napasand ka andaaza bhi nahi hai." Haseena stated in a low voice. Karishma smiled at her innocent expression.
"Toh ab jaan lijiye na Haseena ji."
"Matlab joh joh sawaal hum karengey uska jawab milega. Haina?"
"Aisa hi kuch samaj lijiye."
"Theek hai."

And Haseena started asking random questions from the school Karishma had studied in, to her favorite dishes, colour.. the questions didn't stop until kaka called Karishma forwarding two glasses of tea to her. Karishma passed one glasses to Haseena.

"Hogaya aapka?" She asked taking a small sip.
"Abhi shuru hua hai." Haseena replied. Holding her glass. Karishma also knew that Haseena didn't like drinking her chai too hot unlike most.

Haseena started again with her questions. This time Karishma too asked back questions to Haseena which she answered readily. Their conversation flowed easily.

Just then something familiar and shiny in Haseena's gun holster caught Karishma's eyes. If she was right it was her bike keys. She simply smiled, imagining Haseena nabbing the keys from the key holder before Karishma could find them.

Bacchi hai aap SHO Haseena ji.

Tajurbha kehta hai humara she recalled Haseena's famous lines and smiled even wider.

..

By the time Karishma and Haseena reached home it was raining. Karishma parked the jeep and they ran inside the house trying not to get wet.
On reaching the porch, Karishma found some unknown courage inside her. She walked closer to Haseena not leaving much distance between them and unhooked her gun holster. All the while, Haseena was a silent spectator too stunned to react or speak.
Karishma's hands could easily find her keys inside.
She held the keys before Haseena's face with a victorious smirk and before Haseena could deny or explain, she leaned more towards Haseena and said "Agli baar keys kaheen aur chupa lijiye Haseena ji. Humare saat chalne ka itna hi shauk hai toh humme bata dijiye, hum kal ki tarah aapke jeep ki wiring karaab kar dengey." She stated as a matter of fact and moved inside the house and into her room nonchalantly. Haseena was still standing in the porch processing what Karishma had said. She was amused at how Karishma easily confessed her mischief and also at how she had caught Haseena but didn't probe her or make her uncomfortable.

She entered her home with a smile. With Karishma inside, her home now truly felt like one.