Solace

Chapter 9

Is there anything in this world that could be compared to the mother's love for her child? The answer is easy, it's a big no. Mothers and their unconditional love for their child is glorified everywhere in every possible way and it is justified somehow.

But what about a child's love for its mother? How does it feel like to lose your mother when you are just a mere child? How does it feel like not even remembering her face or her affection? How does it feel like to have barely any memories of your mother? These questions were something we don't really want to face in our life.

When Amrutha Singh died, Karishma being three years old couldn't really figure out what was happening.
She saw her house full of people but there was a deadly silence consuming them. She couldn't find her mother or her brother anywhere and her father instructed her to be in her room
with Malaika.
After sometime she was taken to her mother, who was looking like a beautiful bride in a red saree and sindoor in her forehead. But she was asleep, that too in the lawn, in a weird bed. Some women were crying profusely sitting beside her mother, some of them she recognized as their relatives. She tried to wake her mother up but Malaika stopped her. Suddenly her mother was taken away along with that weird bed and a little Karishma just kept looking at the bracelet in her hand that was given by her mother on her birthday.

And that was the last time Karishma saw her mother.

After that day, Karishma had visited this scenario numerous times in her sleep. It came back haunting her as nightmares. She used to wake up crying and couldn't really sleep after that. But then she came across her Hasi, her Solace. After her, whenever Karishma had those nightmares, she would find her Hasi caressing her forehead gently as if telling her "Don't worry. You are not alone. You have me."

Karishma thought she would always have Haseena by her side no matter what. But who could possibly control their future?

"Pata hai choti thakarani sa, bohut bada khandan se rishta aya hai, aur ladke ka sarkari naukri bhi hai Delhi mein", Malaika informed Shivani while doing her chores.

"Chalo accha hai. Bohut acchi ladki hai humari Haseena, bhagwan kare uski naseeb bhi accha ho", Shivani replied with a smile.

"I hope I didn't disturb your conversation", Karishma said. Shivani and Malaika both looked at her direction. Karishma wore a white formal skirt with a burgundy red blazer. Her open hair and light makeup completed her look.

"Are wah! dekho toh aj chand utar aya hai humare ghar", Shivani complimented her and she smiled in response.

"Karishma didi ap to ekdam inglis film ki heroine lag rahi hai, aayie mei nazar utarti hu apki", Malaika said taking off the evil eyes of her.

"English hota hai woh Malaika", Shivani corrected her.

"Well thank you", Karishma said bowing and keeping her hand on her chest.

"Kahan chali subah subah taiyar hoke?" Shivani asked

"Office ja rahi hu. Apke patidev ka adesh hai", Karishma sarcastically said and Shivani chuckled.

"Aur kal raat ko ghar kab ayi thi?", Shivani again asked raising her eyebrows.

"Woh thodi late ho gayi thi", Karishma scratching her forehead. "Bas is baar last. Agee se aisa nahi hoga, pakka", she promised making a cute face.

"Mai to kehti hu ke ab apke liye bhi baat chalai jay. Haseena baji ki bhi shadi ho rahi hai aur ab apki bhi hogi. Hayee kitna maja ayega", Malaika said smiling whole heartedly.

Karishma's expression changed hearing this. "Haseena ki shadi ho rahi hai matlab!", she asked furrowing her eyebrows.

"Haseena ka rishta aya tha aur kaal usse dekhkar gaye hai ladkewale", Shivani replied.

As soon as Karishma heard this, she felt as if someone was clutching her heart tightly in their hands, as if her life was being taken away from her.

She remembered Haseena talking to someone in the garden area yesterday. Karishma soon felt anger rising inside her replacing the pain she felt a few moments before. "Toh isliye itna sajna sawarna ho raha tha aur uske saath woh ladka..".

"Aur mujhe kisine kuch bataya kyun nahi?" Karishma chided at them.

"Woh toh bas dekhne aye the. Rishta pakka hota hai toh baat pakki pe chali jana. Isme kiya hai", Shivani said. Karishma didn't reply anything and stormed out of the room. She called someone, "Hello..."

"Ammi hum kuch jaldbazi nahi kar rahe hai iss rishte kot leke?", Haseena said to her mother who was having her breakfast.

"Kaisi jaldbazi. Humne konsi teri nikah ki date pakki kardi hai!", Salma replied.

"Bas woh bhi kal parso kar hi dena toh quota pura ho jayega", Haseena said whispering, not wanting to be heard by her mother.

Karishma called Haseena a few times but she didn't pick up. She went towards her house but didn't go inside, rather stood there looking towards Haseena's room and again called her. This time she picked up the phone.

Haseena was going towards her room after having breakfast. She thought of having a conversation with her brother Adeel about this whole marriage thing. She knew Adeel would definitely understand her and also put her opinions first. He could also convince ammi to reject this proposal. She then entered the room and heard her phone ringing.

"Hello, kahan ho tum Hasi! Kabse phone kar rahi hu", Karishma voiced her restlessness, from the other side of the phone.

"Niche the hum, nashta kar rahe the. Ap kyun puch rahi hai", Haseena replied, then she saw something as she gazed outside and went, "ek minute. Woh ap hai jisse hum abhi dekh rahe hai?"

"Haa", Karishma replied from the other side.

Haseena quickly went closer to her window only to find Karishma standing there looking towards her while her one hand was occupied by her phone, she kept her other hand on her forehead blocking the sun rays. Haseena looked at her intently and then said, "ap rukiye hum abhi aate hai".

"Areh lekin baat to suno pehle", Karishma said only to find the call was already dead.
"Yaar yeh ladki!" she nodded her head in disbelief.

After some time, Haseena came out with some food and water in her hand. She gestured towards the shade and they sat there side by side.

"Baat karni hai mujhe tumse, abhi", Karishma voiced her urgency.

Haseena ignored her words and said, "Khana khaye bina kyun nikalte hai ap gharse? Dekhiye kaisa muh ho gaya hai. Aise office jayengi ap to fir apko date ke liye koun puchega?"

"Tumhe kaise pata mein office ja rahi hu!" Karishma asked being surprised.

"Apka huliya bata raha hai", Haseena chuckled.

Karishma pouted but then she remembered why she was there. But before she could start the conversation Haseena shoved a piece of paratha in her mouth.

"Yeh kya kar rahi ho! Abhi dress kharab ho jati meri", Karishma spoke with a mouth full of food like a five year old. "Lekin bohut accha bana hai", she changed her statement after taking another morsel. Somehow she forgot the topic she wanted to discuss. The food tasted heavenly, maybe because she was hungry or maybe because Haseena was feeding her by her own hand.

Haseena offered her another morsel but Karishma stopped her, holding her hand and looked into her eyes.
Haseena looked at their joined hands first and then at Karishma. She gestured as "what" twisting her eyebrows, being confused by her action.

"Hasi tum...tum iss shadi ke liye mana kardo", Karishma said, not breaking the eye contact. Her voice was trembling unknowingly.

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That was the chapter 9 of Solace.
I hope you all are doing well. Do vote, comment and follow. Feel free to give your opinion in the comment section.

One thing that I have noticed my story has many views but not enough votes. I mean if you are reading this story you must've liked it, right? So what's the problem voting? Please vote, it will only motivate me to write better. It's a humble request.

Until then see you in the next chapter.