Knotted in Love

Part 19

Alice secretly looks over her shoulder to Haseena who is sitting crossed leg at the table by the window in the coffee shop. The gang needs a refill before setting out to their hometown for their little high school reunion. There is an alumni hockey game to raise some money for the school so Haseena and Kevin are wearing hockey jerseys underneath their jackets. As sport peeps in high school, they are definitely playing.

“She can tell when people look at her.” Kevin says with his eyes on the chalkboard menu behind the counter. He understands Alice’s concern but he also understands Haseena’s nature. She can detect their concerns for her faster than the speed of light. “She can definitely tell that you have been looking at her.”

“It’s a good thing, right?” Alice needs another reassurance after a hundred of them that she has already got from Kevin. She is worried. She was worried once before and when it happens again, she can’t stop herself. Haseena is like a family to her and she loves her so dearly.

“I don’t know.” Kevin says whispery. He doesn’t want anyone but Alice to hear his thoughts; especially Haseena although she seems to be too busy with replying emails to care about the surrounding. “But I mean it’s not that noticeable. You and I see it because we’ve known her for all our lives.”

“Karishma sees it.” Alice argues right away.

“She does?”

“She is her wife. We should be surprised if she didn’t.” Alice steps towards the counter when it’s their turn. She places orders for Kevin and Haseena without any hesitations or words from them. She knows them like the back of her hand. “She said she didn’t want to mention it. She was afraid it would be just another pointless fight.”

Kevin shrugs. “Well, it won’t be any...”

“If she is like this. I know.” Alice finishes Kevin’s sentence and lightly slaps his arm in agreement.

“We can just ask her.” Kevin suggests and grabs the drinks for him and Haseena after Alice grabs hers. They turn around and head back to the table that Haseena has been occupying.

“Thanks.” Haseena mumbles as she still goes through emails on her phone. It is a weekend but a big project is approaching and she doesn’t want any surprises.

“Are you alright, bud?” Kevin sits down next to Haseena and turns fully to face her. He makes sure his gesture suggests that he wants an honest genuine answer.

Haseena looks up from her phone and reaches for her coffee. Her eyes travel from Kevin to Alice who looks suspicious. He looks like a man on mission and she looks like she has things on her mind. “Why... Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Just asking.” Kevin leans back on the chair with his coffee. He won’t push. If that’s all they’ve got, that’s all they’ve got.

“You’re too calm.” Alice takes one for the team. “Again.”

“Okay.” Haseena responds. “So you’re saying I should be fighting someone. Where is the fight club?”

“Forget it.” Alice decides to back out as she sees Haseena’s stubbornness taking a peek.

Haseena grins and puts her phone down on the table. She leans back on the chair; imitating Kevin’s posture that looks so uncomfortably comfy. “What do you want me to be mad about?”

Kevin chuckles at the question that they don’t really have the answer for before sitting up so suddenly and so furiously. The reason to be mad has just walked into the coffee shop. The whole table looks with Kevin when they see his erupted expression. The couple who has just walked in is Jack and Kat. It is something that is bound to happen when one of them lives near the hospital area.