Aa Bi Jaa - Kareena

29

Karishma moved towards the bed and lay on her side. Haseena standing on the same place, looking at her with a gentle smile, feeling extreme happiness that Karishma had chosen to stay.

"Kia dekh rahi hain, Madam Sir?" Noticing Haseena’s gaze, Karishma asked,

Haseena shook her head slightly, still smiling. "Kuch nahi, bas aise hi."

Karishma, slightly puzzled, "Yeh aaj itna kyun muskura khae rahi hain? chal kya raha hai inka? Koi tou bat ha." she thought.

Haseena, while smiling headed towards her side of the bed and lay down.

While on the other hand Karishma was shifting a bit uncomfortably. Karishma's mind was racing with thoughts, earlier Haseena was just Urmila for her, just like every one else and that doesn't make any difference for her. But now, laying beside her, where she knows that she is not urmila she wasn’t just anyone else but she is Haseena, the only person she loves, the love of her life. "Kia thoughts hun gay ab in ky humen lay kar yeh jany ky bad ky humen pyar ha in say, kia samjha ho ga inhun nay humen, kia humen asa accept kia ho ga." Her mind was full of doubts. "Pyar tou nae karen gi kabi accept wo tou impossible ha, wo hum expect na phly kabi kia ha in say na aaj karty han likan kia humen usi tarah usi respect say dakh gi."

She recalled the day when she told her that she love madam sir and how she was quite for a while and was in shock.

Unable to control her thoughts she changed her side and turned her face, found haseena facing her with her eyes closed. Haseena's face was appearing much more relaxed, a contrast to the tension Karishma felt within herself. As she continued to watch Haseena, Karishma's anxiety began to fade away, replaced by a sense of calm. Just seeing Haseena was so peaceful brought her own mind some rest.

She turned back and faced the ceiling, trying to steady her breathing.

"Karishma Singh?" Haseena opened her eyes and softly called out.

Karishma, startled, quickly responded, "Hmmm?"

"Ap jaag rahi hain?" She asked.

"Nahi, hum so rahe hain. Bohat gehri neend mein hain, ap bi so jayay."

Haseena couldn't help but chuckle at Karishma's statement, picturing the likely grumpy expression on Karishma while saying this. Haseena shook her head with amusement.

For some moments after observing Karishma Haseena, feeling a need to comfort Karishma, gently placed her hand on Karishma's, which was resting on her stomach. The moment her skin made contact, Karishma's breath caught in her throat. Her heart pounded.

Karishma turned her head slightly, her eyes searching Haseena's face for any clue as to what this gesture meant. She found Haseena's gaze already on her.

"Sab theek ho jayega, Karishma Singh," Haseena said, her voice was a tender murmur due to her need for sleep. "Hum sab theek kar denge. soo jayiye, aaraam se."

Haseena, feeling Karishma gaze and sensing her continue stress, didn't withdraw her hand. Instead, she closed her eyes, hoping that her presence alone would be enough to offer comfort.

"Ab kasie soyan gay hum," Karishma thought. She glanced down at Haseena's hand, feeling the warmth and the weight of it. Her own hand tingled under the contact, a comfort yet unbidden spark of something more. She didn't dare to move, afraid that any movement might shatter the fragile moment.

She turned her face to see her. The steady rise and fall of Haseena's chest indicated she is already sleeping. She was looking so peaceful, so calm what Karishma needed at that moment.

Karishma's eyes traced the contours of Haseena's face, memorizing every detail in the dim light questioning herself how she had come to feel this way about someone who had started as just a colleague, then became a friend, and now.....deeply in love with her.