Solace

Chapter 16

The sound of unlocking the door broke Karishma's trance and she left Haseena with a jerk. She saw ammi entering the room and Haseena turned her back to Karishma in urgency.

Without letting anyone speak, Salma started to scold her daughter, "Teri aqal par parda par gayi hai kya Haseena? Gas pe pakwan chodke agayi. Kamse kam hume awaj de deti."

"Kyah! Woh hum...hume laga hum", Haseena fumbled in nervousness.

"Chup kar tu. Na dhang se koi kaam aati hai na dhang se baat karni aati hai", Salma continued with her scolding and Haseena just stood there lowering her head as she felt her eyes welling up.

Karishma's heart ached seeing Haseena like this but it was soon changed into rage for Salma. She clutched her fist tightly, trying to control her anger. If anyone else had dared to behave like this with her Hasi, they would find themselves buried to the very ground. But, it's her mother, she had every right to scold Haseena. Karishma excused herself before she lost her cool and misbehaved with Salma.

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Santosh was sipping on her tea, sitting on her balcony, with a satisfactory smile on her face. The day was perfect with a cup of well made tea and soothing weather. She took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, tabiyat kaisa hai tumhari?", Santosh asked.

"I'm fine. Tum batao", reply came from the other side of the phone.

"Thik hu aur baat karni hai tumse", she said leaning on the railing.

"Kalse office ja rahi hu, uske baad milte hai", reply came from the other side.

"Areh wah, badi utavli ho rahi ho office jane ke liye! Kya baat hai Karu baby", Santosh teased Karishma.

"Ultimatum mil chuka hai mujhe ke bahar jana mana hai. Iss chakkar mein ek hafte se kaid hu. Ab office ke bahane hi sahi ghar se nikal paungi yaar", Karishma replied, taking the thorns out of a beautiful pink rose.

"Bohut accha hua. Akal thikane ana hi chahiye tumhara", Santosh chuckled.

"Ha udalo mazak", Karishma chided.

"Accha baba nahi bolti mai kuch. Kahan milogi waise?", Santosh replied.

"Ghar ajao. Bhabisa bhi yaad kar rahi thi tumhe", Karishma replied.

"Nahi ghar nahi, bahar kahi milte hai. Ek kaam karti hu, mai office ki taraf ajaungi kal", she said.

"Done", Karishma replied.

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"Tumne shadi ke liye mana kardiya kyuki Karishma ko woh ladka pasand nahi aya?", Mira remarked, being perplexed. She couldn't believe what she had heard now.

"Nahi", Haseena meekly replied. She was tired and clearly not up for a confrontation right now but Mira being Mira wouldn't stop. She wanted to meet Mira so that she could cheer up a bit but with a pull of questions firing at her, it seemed impossible.

"Shadi tumhari hai, Karishma ki nahi jo uski pasand na pasand ka dhyan rakha jay. Aur usne tumhe wajah batayi hai?", Mira asked.

"Nahi batayi lekin..", Haseena answered. "Lekin Karishma aise hi thodi itni badi baat kahegi?" she added.

"Woh tumhare liye badi baat thi, uske jaisi gair jimmedar ladki ke liye yeh baat ka kuch khas important nahi ho sakti", Mira said with visible irritation.

"Aisa nahi hai", Haseena fired back, hearing her remark about Karishma. "Aur hum kya kisise bhi shadi karle kyuki uske paas sarkari naukri hai?", she was frustrated.