Nadaan Ishq - KarEena

Chapter 72

The constable showed Haseena the way to the cell where they have kept Karishma in custody. It was completely dark all around, just a ceiling Bulb was glowing in the centre, that was the only source of light for the three to four connected cells. The constable left after instructing Haseena that she is allowed to meet her only for fifteen minutes.

Haseena walked towards the bars and saw Karishma lying on the floor with her hand over her eyes. Her eyes brimmed with tears looking at her miserable state. Her clothes had become dirty as she was sleeping on the dusty floor. A plate with some plain chapattis was kept there untouched beside Karishma. There was a pot of water and a glass kept in the cell nearby.

Haseena called her name in a cracked voice "Karishma..."

As soon as Karishma heard Haseena's voice, she got up with a jerk, quickly dusting off her clothes and standing up, so that Haseena couldn't see her in such a state and worry about her.

She walked towards the bars with a wide smile and said in an elated tone while holding one of the bars "Tweety, aapko andar aane de diya unhone?"

Haseena looked at her face closely for any signs of pain or discomfort but instead she found Karishma's eyes sparkling with positivity & hope, along with a delightful smile on her face.

Haseena glanced at her with teary eyes and kept her hand over Karishma's and slowly caressed her thumb on her knuckles. As soon as Haseena touched her hand, Karishma's smile widened and she held her hand firmly.

Haseena said in a cracking tone "Aapse milne ke liye humein duniya ki koi taqat nahi rok sakti samjhi na aap."

Karishma said in a soft tone "Kahe aise ro rahi hain aap. Aapse toh humein himmat milti hai, aap hi aise karengi toh hamara kya hoga. Aap chahti hain ki hum bhi rone lagein?"

Haseena composed herself a bit, wiping her tears and kept her palm on Karishma's cheek lovingly. Karishma smiled only and asked "Unhone sirf 15 min hi diye honge na milne ke liye?"

Haseena stared at her for a moment in astonishment. Karishma seemed to be strangely calm and Haseena could sense that she was just pretending to be okay in front of her.

Haseena cupped her face and asked in a serious tone "Uss Bulbul Pandey ne aapko hath toh nahi lagaya na? Dekhiye jhuth mat boliyega humse. Hum jaante hain woh kitna gira hua insaan hai. Aap par lage aarop ko saabit karne ke liye kuch bhi kar sakta hai."

Karishma kissed her palm softly and said with a gloomy smile "Yeh jo ilzaam hai na hum par, hamare liye sabse bada thappad hi yahi hai. Isse bura aur kya hi ho sakta hai."

Haseena said looking into her eyes with a determined tone "Kuch bura nahi hoga ab. Kal aap begunah saabit ho jayengi aur hum raat ka khana sath mil kar kha rahe honge."

Karishma stared at her lovingly and said "Bus toh fir fikar kis baat ki hai. Aap bhi jyada pareshan mat hona, sab thik ho jayega."

Suddenly Karishma remembered something and pulled her arm near her, closely observing the bandage on Haseena's hand. Then looked at her and asked in a concerned tone "Aapki chot kaisi hai ab. Koi takleef toh nahi hai na?"

Haseena held her palm and said with a forced smile, pointing at Karishma's injured knuckles "Khud ko jakhmi aap karti hain, takleef humein hoti hai."

Karishma just smiled sheepishly and stammered "Ji yeh woh, bus.."

Haseena looked at her in annoyance and then kissed on her knuckles softly. Karishma was about to say something when the constable interrupted from behind "Madam time ho gaya hai. Ab aapko bahar jana hoga."

Haseena glanced at Karishma with a poor face but Karishma assured her by blinking her eyes with a calm face. Haseena sighed and then declared in a firm tone before leaving "Kal milte hain."

Karishma replied with a smile "Ji bilkul."

.
.

Haseena was talking to Rajvir while pacing here and there in her room with a restless expression on her face.

Rajvir said from the other side "Madam sir, sab proof hamare paas hain, aur woh Nadeem Khan ki dhamki wala message bhi mila hai Karishma madam ke phone se. Kal dopehar tak woh riha ho jayengi. Aap befikar rahiye. Aur ho sake toh thoda aaram kar lijiye."

Haseena said in a relieved manner "Thank you Rajvir. Aaplog nahi hote toh hum ye akele nahi kar paate."

Rajvir replied in a polite tone "Madam sir, aap sharminda kar rahi hain, yeh to hum sab ka farz hai, MPT hum sab ka pariwar hi toh hai na. Jai hind"

Haseena smiled faintly & replied "Jai Hind" and then disconnected the call. After that she lay down on the bed with tiredness while her mind was occupied with the thoughts of Karishma and her face was flashing in front of her eyes. She tried to sleep but inspite of being tired, sleep was far away from her eyes.

After tossing and turning on the bed for sometime, she ultimately got up with an irked face and looked towards the photo frame of Karishma kept nearby with a sad layer.

She picked up the photo frame and caressed it with teary eyes. She recalled how Karishma was sleeping on the floor inside the cell and it seemed like she had also not eaten anything since last 2-3 days. Then she remembered the smile that appeared on Karishma's face, after seeing her there. All this was not letting her heart be at peace.

"Bin tumhare kabhi nahin aayi..
Kya meri neend bhi tumhari hai."

Haseena caressed Karishma's smiling picture with a sense of longing and said looking at it, in a crying tone "Itni Takleefon me bhi muskura rahi thi aap. Kis mitti ki bani hain aap Karishma. Aapko kya lagta hai hum samjh nahi payenge. Aapke dil ki har dhadkan ko samjhte hain hum. Hum pareshan na ho isiliye aap itna kuch seh kar bhi khush hone ka dikhawa kar rahi thi."

She got up from the bed and lay down on the floor, while gazing at Karishma's photo & soon started sobbing profusely. She fell asleep after sometime due to exhaustion, there on the floor itself while holding Karishma's photo near her chest.

On the other side, Karishma was sitting at one corner & was recalling about the worst days of her life. She knows that tomorrow she is going to be free of all charges. But the demeaning questions that were raised against her dignity and the way her pure love for Haseena was humiliated by the insulting allegations was actually very disturbing for Karishma.

Her innocent mind was not able to take all that and her soul was wounded for life. Her mind was still replaying the questions again and again. She started to cry uncontrollably after hiding it for long hours. Her anxiety had taken over her senses and she was having an emotional breakdown. She started to punch the wall with extreme rage just to vent out these maddening emotions.

She started to talk to herself in frustration with teary eyes "Aakhir humare hi saath kyu hota hai aisa. Kya galti hai hamari bholenath. Bus pyaar hi toh kiya hai na humne. Koi chori nahi ki, kisi ka Dil nahi dukhaya. Fir bhi humein hi kyu haq nahi hai khush rehne ka. Kyu jab jab bhi hum hamare beete hue din ke dukhon ko bhul kar aage badhte hain, aap humein fir unhi andheron me dhakel dete hain. Hamare Amma bauji tak ko cheen liya aapne humse. Ab ek Haseena hi toh hai na hamare paas. Unke alawa toh aur koi cheez nahi maangi humne aapse. Uss din hum unke sath na hote toh pata nahi kya ho jata. Unko bhi cheen lena chahti hai duniya humse. Galti kya hai hamari. Humse pyaar karna kya unki galti hai, jo hamari wajah se unko bhi takleef de rahe hain aap. Kabhi kabhi toh jee me aata hai ki mar hi jate hum toh acha hota. Sukoon hota, Shanti hoti, roz roz ki takleefon se mukt ho jate hum. Lekin fir Haseena ka chehra hamari aankhon ke saamne aa jata hai. Hamari Haseena ke sath hum aisa nahi kar sakte. Kaise de de hum unko itni badi saza, woh bhi bina kisi kasoor ke. Itne swarthi nahi ho sakte hum. Hamari zindagi ab unki amanat hai. Majboor hain, mar bhi nahi sakte."

She held her injured hand with pain and closed her eyes being too exhausted and literally starved for the last 3 days. After crying continuously for an hour or so, she lay down there trying to get a hold on herself and soon she drifted off to sleep due to the excessive crying and tiredness.

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"Khudkhusi ki himmat nahi mujhme..

Dil ab kisi Haadse ki dua karta hai."