ALIGNING OUR STARS

Chapter 14 - The Silent Comfort

My mom passed away this year – for the people who need the reason behind my absence. I dont need any kind of sympathies and comments regarding this. Please respect my condition and enjoy the story. I can't say anything regarding the frequency of updates regarding any of my stories.

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Her eyes opened as she sat up. Her hands were shivering, the nerve on her left temple protruding, leaving its imprint for the observer to see. She gulped, but her throat felt dry, her lower lip trembling. She took a few deep breaths. "It's just a dream" She told herself.

Haseena was lying right beside her, she was squeezed between Ashvi and Haseena while Anisha had slept on the other side.

Yeah, they all had slept after a little chutter chatter, they all had just slept and everyone was fine, Ashvi was fine, she was sleeping right beside her. She lied back down and hugged her petite sister. The part of her heart, the colour to her otherwise monotone life, the yin to her yang.

She kissed her head, her heart was still beating fast. What was that dream, when everything had finally sorted, when Rohit was out of her life. Anshi snuggled and Karishma held her close. She was the light of her life, something which had kept her going through during the abuse.

She felt something warm on her stomach, and she restrained a gasp when she realised what it was, it was Haseena's hand. She could now feel how Haseena was sleeping, her hand on her stomach, she right behind her while her face was dangerously close to her nape, making her feel her warm breaths. Karishma closed her eyes, she wanted to feel it. She didn't have an answer for why, but she just did and so she did.

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It was at the breakfast table the next morning. Everyone was gathered while Ashvi was still sleeping quietly. It was a little strange without the little storm on the table, talking and mocking Karishma. But there was someone else today, someone sitting right beside her, someone who had taken her breath away last night. The specific someone dipped her bread in the coffee and took a bite, her movements so elegant and graceful that Karishma could watch her eat her food all day.

She then heard footsteps from the stairs, Ashvi coming down while rubbing her eyes with her closed fists. She quietly came down and sat on Karishma's lap. "Pure din Karishma se hi chipki rehti hai, hum toh dikhte hi nhi hai ise" Durga said and Ashvi chuckled.

"Kya khayega mera baby?" Karishma asked to Ashvi and she chirped "Cornflakes"

Karishma smiled and put some cornflakes into the bowl followed with milk and some slices of bananas. Haseena just kept looking at all this, she craved for such warmth everyday. The warmth of family, the warmth of love, the warmth of familiarty, the warmth of being comfortable around her people.

"Kya hua Haseena, breakfast karo" Anisha said, breaking her chain of thoughts.

"Hmm" Haseena replied and got back to her toast and coffee.

"Aaj kaam pe kab jana hai Haseena" Karishma asked "do ghante me" Came the reply.

Her tone sounded off. Karishma wondered what had happened. Was Haseena not liking the coffee, or the toast? Or was it something else. "Haseena coffee aur toast acha hai kya? Kuch aur laye?" Karishma asked politely but Haseena just shook her head left to right. "Coffee aur toast dono ache hai" Haseena said got up to keep her plate in the sink after finishing the last bite.