Back to You

17) Care

Cheetah's POV

Dil to nhi kar rha tha humara thana aane ka, par kya karein; subah bhi hoti he or uthna bhi padhta h! So, back I am, to the one and only Mahila Police Thana, compromising on my neend. I can never get enough of my beloved sleep.

Anyway, Aap soch skte ho ki is mahila thana ka ik lauta purush hokar humien ajeeb to lagta hoga. But no! I couldn't have been in a better place. Working with the women I know, I have become nothing but more capable in serving the nation.

Magar aaj, thana thana jesa nhi lag rha h. Something is out of place. Pushpaji or Karishma maddam lad nhi rhe hein na. That's why the silence isn't suiting my ears. Santosh ji too is busy in her own file work. Mahol thoda tense he!

Shayad abhi tak Vivan ji ka call nhi aya he Karishma maddam ko. The hospital in which he serves too is on the other end of the city. It takes more than three hours to reach. Otherwise, I personally would have gone and checked the position of our Doctor sahab. He is miraculous. Humein ek baar pet mein dard hua tha. Unki ek dava ne jaadu kia tha jaadu.

" Arey Santosh Sharma! Humein vo Akhilesh Kumar vale case ki file nhi mil rhi h. Humne kal raat ko cabin k drawer mein hi rkhi thi. "

Haseena maddam calls while searching all around the thana. Oh no, she has started to search between the files of the left most Almirah. Wahan to humne chooha daani lagai h! Vo bhi ekdum pracheen zamane wali. Haath par lagi to bade zor se dard hoga!

" Madd...."

" Ahh! "

Lo! Ho gya kaam. Even before I could alert her, the worst has happened. The mouse trap is all stuck to maddam sir's fingers. Arey baap re, unke to khoon nikalne laga he. I wasn't expecting that it could lead to this serious an injury. Hum bhi na! Galti humari hi h. Humein file ko Karishma maddam ke drawer mien shift nhi krna chahiye tha.

" Haseena! "

Karishma maddam runs and quickly takes out the mouse trap from maddam sir's fingers. I have never seen her this concerned before. Not even for Kiara. It's looking as if she herself has gotten stung rather than maddam sir. Humein pata tha ki dono dost hein, magar itni gehri dosti he vo aaj pata chala.

" Cheeteh first aid la! "

Karishma maddam instructs me and I rush to bring the required. She almost snatches it from my hand, taking out the cotton and carefully cleans the wound, trying to stop the blood flow.

" Ye khoon to ruk hi nhi rha h. "

" Karishma Singh. Aap chinta mat kijie. Zara Humein dijie cotton. "

Maddam sir tries to calm Karishma maddam down but her anxiety isn't stopping. She isn't ready to settle before the situation feels good to her. I know her love. Karishma maddam could be the strictest, but within, she is softer than the softness of fur. She can do anything and everything for the person she cares. Once I had fractured my leg in a mission. She was the only one to never miss making the lunch for me, till I got well enough to cook on my own.

" Ese kya kar rhi hein Karishma ma'am. Humne isse kyi zyada bhattar sthithiyan dekhi hien. Shant ho jaiye. "

Maddam sir this time, speaks even more politely, with a tone so soothing that even I find my heart beat get down to normal. I don't understand though why she addresses Karishma maddam as ma'am. Arey yaad aya, Santu ji batai thi humein, shayad kisi waqt Karishma maddam senior hua krti thi Maddam sir ki! Samay ka fer to dekhiye, how things change.

By the way, the music like voice has worked wonders. Karishma maddam has finally calmed down. But her effort to make the blood flow cease is continous. The blood however isn't ready to stop. Pushpaji and Santuji too has started to get a little worried.