ALIGNING OUR STARS

Chapter 13- Family At Stake

It had starting to sweat in the middle of the night. Haseena's eyes were closed, in a half sleepy state. She had woken up due to discomfort in her sleep.

She tried to change her side, but she couldn't. Something was stopping her. She reluctantly opened her eyes, only to find Karishma and Anisha clinging to her in their sleep. She gulped, she had not experienced being in a situation like this ever, even in her dreams.

She slightly pushed them, making sure not to let them fall down the bed and got up, stepping down from the bed. She took her blanket and pillowand shifted to the couch to sleep. Before she closed her eyes, she looked at the time. The short hand pointed at '1' and the long hand at 12. She had two hours before waking up, so she closed her eyes.

Just the next second, she felt fast footsteps running from the bed to the bathrooom. Ahe opened her eyes and found that Karishma was not in the bed, rather, the bathroom light was on and the door was open. Haseena got up and rushed to the toilet only to find Karishma sitting on the floor and vomitting in the pot once again.

"Karishma" Haseena whispered in worry and bent down to rub her back. A few seconds later Karishma stood up, half tired. She went in the room and Haseena handed her a glass of water.

"Aap theek hai?" Haseena asked and Karishma nodded and looked at her. "Pakka?" She asked once again. Her eyebrows had come together due to worry.

"Hum bilkul theek hai, shyad kha na hazam nhi hua" Karishma lied. Her suspicion was growing more

"Okay. Abhi apne ulti kardi, kuch laaye apke liye khane ko?" Haseena asked. Karishma shook her head sideways.

"Sorry apko ese jagane ke liye" Karishma said, appologizing.

"It's okay. Agar koi madad kar sakte hai toh bataiye" Haseena said. "Doctor ke pass chale jaiye na ek bar" She said.

"Ok, sochenge" Karishma said and sat on the bed. "Aap so jaiye, apko phir uthna bhi hai"

"Hmm. Are you sure apko kuch nhi chaiye" Haseena asked, conforming.

"I'm sure" Karishma said and laid down. Haseena too went and laid down on the couch. One had a half hour was all she had to rest.

"Haseena?" Karishma called from the bed.

"Hmm?"

"Aap couch pe kyu sone chali gayin?"

"Jagah nhi thi teen logo ke sone ki" Haseena said and Karishma made an 'O' with her mouth.

Some time passed. Karishma turned and tossed and even Haseena wasn't able to sleep. Haseena was right, Karishma was getting hungry now. But it was not hunger, it was craving. Craving to have a nice plate of pani puri.

"Haseena"

"Haan?"

"Pani puri khani hai" Karishma said, peeping from the bed.

Haseena sat up straight. "Iss vaqt?"

"Hmm" Karishma said, looking down.

"Subah khayenge, hamari treat" Haseena said. "Abhi so jaiye, ya phir apke liye kuch laye... Jo ghr me mil jaye?"

"Nhi, kuch nhi." Karishma said, and then the door opened. Both of them look at the door, the little figure of Ashvi was standing there with her blanket and pillow.

She looked at Karishma with big, innocent eyes and Karishma smiled. "Dar lag rha hai bacha?" She asked and Ashvi nodded. "Ajao mere pas"

Ashvi, with small steps, walked towards Karishma and lied down beside her as she snuggled into her. "Bura sapna aaya kya?" Karishma asked and Ashvi nodded, her head snuggled in her neck. Karishma kissed her temple and hugged her closer. "Now you are safe, okay?"