Solace

Chapter 3

Around 11.20 am, Karishma's flight landed in the Jaipur Airport.

"Chalo bhai aa gaye ghar", Cheetah said taking out their luggage.

"Kaha agaye ghar? Abhi bhi kamse kam do ghante ki drive hai ghar tak. Tune taxi toh bulaya tha na Cheeteh?", Karishma asked taking her luggage from Cheetah. Her voice carried impatience.

"Ha, maine book kar liya hai", Santosh responded.

"Chalo phir", Karishma and Cheetah said in unison and they shared a laugh together.

Santosh sat by the window, Karishma sat beside her and Cheetah took the seat beside the driver. Santosh stared at Karishma for some moments and she looked at her gesturing as "what?"
"Nothing", Santosh replied nonchalantly.

But it was not "nothing". She wanted to talk to Karishma about it but figured it was not the right place. She looked through the window and her mind replayed the little incident of the morning.

"Cheetah packing ho gaya tera?", Santosh asked peeking inside his room.

"Ha, mera ho gaya. Tum jake Karu ko dekhna. Kya pata uthi bhi hai ya nahi", Cheetah replied.

"Udhar hi jaa rahi hu, socha pehle tera puchke jaao", Santosh informed him.

"Accha, mera puchne ayi thi tum?" Cheetah said grinning widely as his eyes sparkled in happiness.

"Ha toh?" Santosh asked ignoring his tone.

"Nahi kuch nahi. Thank you", Cheetah blushed. Santosh closed the door with a thud sound and went away, bringing Cheetah back from his dreamland.

As she went towards Karishma's room she saw Risha coming out of her room. Risha was the one who was trying really hard to impress Karishma this whole weekend. Santosh didn't like the fact that she was in Karishma's room and thought to talk to Karishma about it.

"Utarna nahi hai kiya Santu? Ghar agaya hai tumhara", Karishma tried to draw her attention.
"Accha. Bye then", Santosh hugged Karishma and bid Cheetah farewell.
"Dhyan se jana", she said with concern in her voice.

"Andar aaja Karu. Mummy se bhi mil lena", Cheetah offered while getting out of the taxi.

"Nahi yaar. Tu ja mai baad mein mil lungi aunty se", Karishma replied.

"Darr maat meri behen nahi hogi filhal ghar mein", Cheetah gave her a sheepish smile.

"Haha, bohut accha joke tha. Aur sunn darti varti nahi hu mai kisise, woh toh teri behen hai isliye kuch bolti nahi hu. Ab ja aur mujhe bhi ghar jane de. Bye", Karishma said hitting his arm.

"Okay. Ghar mein sabko meri taraf se namaste karna", Cheetah said bidding Karishma goodbye.

"Okay", saying this Karishma gestured the driver to continue with the journey. "Aur bas 5 minute and I will be with you", she mumbled with a soft smile.

"Bua sa aa gayii.. bua sa bua saaa", Ashu ran towards the doorway and hugged Karishma who had luggage in her hand. She kept the luggage on the floor and hugged her nephew back.

"Kaisa hai humare chote thakur sa?", she asked placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Ap agaye ab toh mai bilkul choukas ho gaya hu. Jaldi chalo bua sa, mujhe aapko mera naya plane bhi dikhana hai", Ashu said holding her hand, dragging her inside the house. Karishma smiled looking at him but her eyes were searching for someone else as she kept looking here and there.

"Yeh waqt hai ghar aane ka? Kabse bula rahe the hum tujhko? Ek baar haveli mein gayi toh waqt ka koi thikana hi nahi rehta tujhe", Salma said looking at her daughter who was entering the house.