LET ME LOVE YOU

THE ORANGE CAT CHAOS

"Karishma Singh!! Uthiye.." She whisper-yelled.

"Kaa hua?" Karishma lazily opened her eyes, still groggy from sleep, only to find Haseena holding the cat in front of her angrily.

"Yeh sab kya hai, Karishma Singh? Yeh billi yahan kya kar rahi hai??" She directly threw up the question at her.

"Meow"
"Ayee shhh! Shhh!" Haseena tried to shush her.

Karishma immediately sat up straight, looking at Haseena with a sheepish and worried face. "Suniye, maddam sir, kal yeh humko balcony mein mila tha, toh hum isko andar le aaye aur... Aur thoda sa doodh dia, bahot sweet hai yeh, ek baar dekhiye toh." She gently stroked the cat's fur, which again let out a meow.

"Shhhh!" Haseena shushed her again. Karishma took the cat on her lap and kissed him. "Maddam sir," She held Haseena's hand and made her stroke the cat's fur. "Look at her eyes, Kitne pyaari hain. Aur yeh kitna maasoom hai."

A sweet grin appeared on Haseena's face as the cat tried to charm her with its pleading eyes. Just then, they heard a knock on the door. "Shazia! Shazia!" Haseena whispered in a panicked tone as she quickly tried to hide the cat inside the blanket.

Both of them gave an enlarge, sheepish smile to Shazia as she barged inside with a cup of tea. She gave them a weird look and turned to leave.

"Meow"

Haseena and Karishma looked at each other and then at Shazia. "Meow, meow." Haseena imitated the cat's voice. "Pata hai Karishma Singh, aaj na humne ek billi dekhi thi, aise hi awaaz nikaal rahi thi."

Shazia looked at her as if she were insane and then moved out of the room without saying anything. Haseena and Karishma sighed in relief as they took the cat out.

"Tumhari wajah se ek naya panga shuru ho jaata ghar pe." Haseena said to the cat as she petted her.

"Maddam sir!" Karishma gently said, holding her hand. She leaned closer, her voice softening. "Let's adopt him!"

Haseena's eyes widened in disbelief as Karishma mentioned adopting the cat. She stopped petting it abruptly and looked at Karishma incredulously. "You know Ammi doesn't like cats! You want to adopt him? I'll be the one out for adoption tomorrow!" She said it in a panicky tone.

"Aisa nahi hoga maddam sir, aap overthink kar rahi hain." Karishma said it sweetly.

"Nahi! Hum overthink nahi kar rahe hain, aap underthink kar rahi hain. Humne kaha na hum is bille ko yahan nahi rakh sakte." Haseena said it sternly.

"Billo" Karishma interjected.

"Oh my god! You named him!" Haseena was shocked. Karishma gave a sweet grin. "Karishma Singh, humari baat samajhiye," she said after a sigh. "Isko rakha toh bahot badi problem hogi, aur phir humare paas iske liye time bhi nahi hai, plus cat is a huge responsibility! It's..it's like having a baby... together."

"Having a baby together?..." Karishma's voice trailed off as she imagined that.

"An average cat lives for 12-14 years. Karishma Singh, aur hum is bille..."

"Billo"

Haseena glared at her. "Hum billo ko ek din bhi nahi rakh paayenge, ammi nahi maanengi."

"Baat toh karke dekhte hain."

Haseena aired her hands as a gesture of backing off. "Aap hi dekh lijiye."

"And what about, 'I will support your every decision, and we'll face every problem together, Karishma Singh'?"

"You!" Haseena said it irritatingly and covered herself with the blanket, pretending to be asleep.

Karishma smiled and slightly uncovered her face to peck at her cheek. "No buttering." Haseena said it sternly, only to realize that she was blushing.