"Doctor Singh."
Haseena calls her girlfriend from the bed in Karishma's apartment. She is lying on the bed with her laptop on her lap scrolling through things that she wants to show Karishma. She is comfortable as if this is her own bed. The scent of Karishma on the sheet makes her feel right at home and the fact that she can grab her belongings that has been lying around is another plus. Things that she leaves here are as much as things that Karishma leaves at her place. They are getting more and more comfortable having one another at their place to the point that some additional furniture is something they picked out together.
"Do not call me that." Karishma pokes out from the bathroom and uses the toothbrush to point at Haseena who seems to be smirking in satisfaction. Karishma's med school shirt becomes Haseena's favorite shirt and she is wearing it to bed almost every night now. "Why are you calling me that?"
"It's your name." Haseena says while typing something on her laptop. Her glasses are reflecting the email she is composing while her lips beam into a smile. "I was just calling your name."
"Yes, if you were my patient." Karishma leans against the bathroom door frame that is not far away from the bed. She is brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed.
"I'm not your patient?" Haseena looks up from her laptop and looks at Karishma with a smirk and a pain in the butt.
"Argh." Karishma whines with a smile before heading back in the bathroom. Haseena is messing with her and all she can do is wait: wait for her turn.
"Do you remember Parker? My friend from college?" Haseena asks without seeing her girlfriend's appearance. She is still in the bathroom finishing brushing her teeth. After the sound of water running ends, Haseena looks up from her laptop. "Doctor Singh?"
Karishma comes out of the bathroom and turns off the light. She is now ready for a fight Haseena is picking. She climbs onto the bed and slaps Haseena's thigh: not very playfully. Wearing shorts to bed has never been a bad option until today. "You always call me Karishma, stupid."
"Ouch!" Haseena exclaims with a bit of chuckle and curls up in pain.
Karishma pauses. Something comes up on her mind and she needs a second to process it. "You never call me baby."
"What?" Haseena asks as she slowly sits up while the pain still stands.
"You never call me baby. Babe." Karishma looks at Haseena with curiosity. "Why?"
Haseena smiles while looking at her girlfriend trying to figure things out; figure her out. "Do you want me to call you baby?"
"I'm just curious."
"You're the only Karishma I know." Haseena says while her eyes travel from Karishma's eyes to Karishma's lips. "Karishma already means you. You."
"Me." Karishma smiles.
"If you want me to call you babe, I'll call you babe." Haseena says it with too much emphasize on the b sound; too much bilabial. "Babe."
"Save it." Karishma leans in for a kiss as she notices Haseena 's eyes that are on her. "I remember Parker. What's up?"
"Well, he works in real estate in Buffalo and he has a condo on 34th that he would like me to check it out. You know, and let him know what I think since he can't come down. Do you want to check it out together?" Haseena turns the laptop around to show Karishma the pictures of the condo she is talking about; a two-bedroom, a modern open kitchen and a balcony off of the living room.
"That's super close to the hospital." Karishma looks at the pictures attentively. Haseena observes her and tries to read her reactions. "Sure. We can go on Tuesday when you're off work. He's selling it? It looks nice."
