Aakhirat

Shehzadi

The next day, Haseena woke to the sound of voices outside, the sunlight filtering through the window as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. She shifted, pulling the shawl tighter around her as she stood up from the bench where she had dozed off. Wrapping the fabric close to her body, she made her way outside.

"Doctor Haseena Aman Malik?" a man in uniform called out, holding a clipboard in his hands. Behind him, a large truck was parked, its engine still rumbling.

"Yes?" Haseena replied, blinking in confusion at the sight.

"You have a parcel from Mr. George, from London. Please sign here." The man held out the clipboard, and Haseena's face softened into a smile as she recognized the name. Finally, the equipment she had been eagerly awaiting was here. She signed the document and said, "Aap please sara saman yaha, reception table ke piche laga dijiye. Thank you so much."

"Ji, jarur," the man nodded, then signaled his team to unload the cargo. Slowly, the workers carried the heavy medical equipment she had ordered from her old colleague, George, and began setting it up where Haseena had instructed.

As she supervised the unloading, a raspy voice broke the calm, "Yaaiii... konse yudh ki tayari hai, Haseena ji?"

Haseena turned to see Karishma standing behind her, looking as though she had just rolled out of bed. Her hair was a tangled mess, falling into her face like a bird's nest. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep, crusted with the remnants of a deep slumber, and her jacket hung loosely off her shoulder. She was a disheveled sight, yet somehow, utterly endearing.

Startled, Haseena flinched for a second before letting out a chuckle, amused by the comical appearance of the lady. Without missing a beat, she grabbed Karishma by the shoulders and gently pushed her toward a cracked mirror nearby.

"Apne aap ko dekhiye... Khud kisi jung se hokar aayi hai ase dikh rahi hai!," Haseena teased, her laughter soft but genuine.

Karishma caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and gasped. She was mortified. "Lag gaye! He shivajiii!!! Yai konse nakshe mai aa gaye ham inke samne... Ab toh jitni umeed hai inhe impress karne ki wo bhi gayiii.. dhaattt!!", she thought to herself, horrified that the person she was slowly falling for had seen her in such a state.

Haseena, on the other hand, was completely charmed. She watched as Karishma scrunched her nose, frowned, and shifted from one weird pose to another, trying to assess the damage in the mirror. Her cute, unbothered reactions made Haseena's heart soften even more. For a brief moment, Haseena stood there, lost in the sight of Karishma's antics, unaware that a smile had crept onto her face. But just as she was getting lost in the moment, her phone rang, snapping her back to reality.

With one last glance at Karishma, Haseena picked up her phone, stepping away from the mirror. "Hey George, you still awake? Night shift?"

"Yeah, still awake," George replied with a tired laugh. "Since you left, it's been tough, you know, dealing with all these boring calls."

Haseena chuckled, leaning against a pillar. "I can feel your pain, buddy. Good news though—I got the shipment earlier than expected. Thank you so much for pulling those strings!"

George had been her rock ever since their days in med school. Their friendship was one of those rare bonds that only grew stronger over time. They had relied on each other for everything, from academics to personal life. When Haseena had left London, George knew it was permanent. But distance had done nothing to change their friendship.

"Well, glad I could help! It was strange doing all this without you here, though." George settled into a chair at his hospital, removing his cap and mask. They exchanged a few more updates about the equipment and her plans, but it wasn't long before Haseena's phone buzzed again.