The 30-minute car ride has started with silence. No one says anything. Amar is paying too much attention behind the wheel as if this was his first time on the road after getting a license. Mira occasionally checks the rearview mirror to see her mom and Karishma . Karishma is looking out the window while Noor Jahan is staring at her own hands on her lap.
"How long have you been together?" Noor Jahan asks as they stop at a traffic lights. She glances over at the girl who seems: as Haseena has described, fearless. "You and Haseena?"
"Four months." Karishma answers quietly. Her throat is so dry like all the champagne she has drunk was for nothing. "We'll move in together this Spring."
"Oh, that's exciting." Amar says. The first full sentence he has said in 10 minutes. He thought some positive comments might lighten the tension in the air.
"That's not long." Noor Jahan ignores Amar's statement and continues with her own. She can't help but feels a little disappoint that she was blinded for the full four months.
"It's not." Karishma knows that for fact but she doesn't feel like that. When Haseena becomes a part of her days, four months don't feel like just four months. "Look, Mrs. Malik. I know you're not a fan of me or a big fan of Haseena being with me and that's fine. I can live with that..."
"This is not really about you, dear." Noor Jahan smirks without looking directly at Karishma. Instead, she looks out the window hoping this conversation will die on its own. "I'm sure Haseena will be angry at you for this."
"I would rather have Haseena be mad at me than for her to be mad at you. It's not easy for her to do this... be out... with people. She needs you more than she needs me. I know this, Mrs. Malik. I've been through this. She used to talk about how you taught her to cook this and that and now she barely talks about you. I know it's killing her..." Karishma lets it all out like a broken dam. Haseena is definitely mad at her for choosing this path and she hopes she will be able to fix it later. She hopes she will fix everything for her. "And that's killing me."
Noor Jahan turns to look at Karishma who seems worried sick about Haseena. This is not even directly about her but she is going all in for Haseena. Besides Alice and Kevin, she has never met anyone who is willing to go above and beyond for Haseena.
Amar parks in front of the driveway but everyone stays seated for a few more seconds. Mira decides to be the first to take an action and gets out of the car to walk her mom to the front door. Amar unfastens the seatbelt but he decides to wait in the car. Karishma looks at Noor Jahan's house and sees the front porch Haseena has told her about; the spot where she slipped on too many times. Noor Jahan finally unfastens her seatbelt and grabs the handbag on her lap.
"Amar, honey, do you want to step inside for some water?" Noor Jahan taps on Amar's shoulder.
"That's fine, Auntie. I'll just wait here." Amar declines her offer. Although he is considered to be a part of the family now, he still feels like this is a family matter that he shouldn't unnecessarily jump in.
Noor Jahan opens the door and turns back to Karishma. "You should come inside, Karishma . I'll show you some of Haseena's baby pictures. That should be something you can talk about so she won't stay mad at you."
"I would love that. Yeah." Karishma responds with a smile on her face although this is unexpected. If Haseena were here, she would probably stop her and try to convince her that her mom would kill her inside the house.
"Do you want to change your mind, Amar?"
"That's fine, ma'am." Amar smiles while looking at the rearview mirror. He smiles for Karishma . He knows she would need some kind of this encouragement. "Take your time."
