WORLD OF HATE

CHAPTER 21

The next morning, brimming with excitement, Haseena bounds down to the living room where Noor Jahan is seated. She approaches her and gives her a warm side hug.

"How are you?" Noor Jahan asks, planting a kiss on Haseena's forehead.

Haseena replies enthusiastically, "I'm perfectly fine. Isse pehle aap puche, hum bata de... Yesterday I had my chemotherapy at home. I didn't say anything to your doctors."

Relieved, Noor Jahan thanks God, "Shukar hai... Sakshi aur Kumar bhaisahab kahan hai?"

Looking around while a servant serves her black coffee, Haseena says, "Don't know. Shivi is back home. She is more safe in the house. Maybe with her. Saath mein ek doctor ki team bhi appoint ki hai jo din raat uske pas rahenge."

Noor Jahan, holding Haseena's hand, gestures for her to sit beside her and whispers, "Shivani ne divorce kyu diya? Hum Sakshi ko puch kar unhe embarass karna nai chahte especially when Shivani is in this condition. When did she take this decision?"

Haseena begins to explain, "She wrote me a letter confessing that she likes Misri and wants to give a chance to her. Hume wo file, documents aur letter milte aur puchte usse pehle Shivi ka accident hogaya..."

Concerned and worried, Noor Jahan asks, "Are you fine? I can't believe that Shivani can do this. Wo itna pyaar karti hai tum se, kaise dur hone ka faisla liya? Aur iss sab mein Misri ka kya role hai?"

Haseena side hugs her and rubs her arm, "She is good and it's absolutely fine with me. Anyways I never liked her in a romantic way. As a friend she will be always special to me. Wo toh aap ki zabardasti ki wajah se hum ne shaadi ki. And Misri? Wo duffer Shivi ko bachpan se pyaar karti hai lekin uske pas himmat nai thi ki wo usse confess kare."

Karishma, descending the stairs, begins to call out, "Hasu..." but stops short upon seeing Noor Jahan with Haseena. "Ohh aunty bhi hai? Aap kab aayi?"

Noor Jahan recognizes Karishma from a past incident. "Karishma beta tum yahan? Hasu you didn't say about her."

Haseena rises and moves towards the dining table, her voice blunt as she says, "Usme batane wali kya baat hai mumma? She is my friend and staying with me."

Noor Jahan joins them for breakfast at the dining table and addresses Haseena sternly, "You need to inform Haseena. I need to know who is with you and what is happening around you."

Karishma, still hurt by Haseena's earlier statement referring to her as a mere 'friend' and now feeling like an outsider with Noor Jahan's strictness, silently takes her seat beside them. She attempts to serve Haseena, mimicking what she had seen Shivani do in the past, but Haseena stops her immediately and asks the servant to serve instead. Conflicted thoughts swirl in Karishma's mind as she wonders why she couldn't fulfill the same role as Shivani, whom Haseena didn't even love, and why Haseena allowed Shivani's actions but not hers, despite her feelings for Haseena.

Noticing Haseena eating the paratha with a fork and knife, Karishma intervenes, "Tum angrez ho?"

Confused, Haseena looks at her, "Nai... Hum Indian hai."

Karishma swiftly takes the knife and fork from Haseena's hand, asserting, "Toh phir haath se khao. Koun paratha isse khata hai? Aunty bhi toh haath se kha rahi hai."

Haseena retrieves another set of utensils from the table and begins to eat, explaining, "Humare haath gande honge. These are called basic ethics and etiquettes of the table."

Undeterred, Karishma takes away the utensils from Haseena once again and feeds her with her hand, asserting, "Hum Indian hai. Hum khana haath se khate hai. Ye etiquettes bahar follow karna. This is our home where you do and eat anything and the way you want."