Teri Lakeerein

21. With you, in delight

At last, the great wall was surmounted.

The Haseena Malik was swayed.

Through the power of pure sincerity and effort.

Haseena cast aside all her reservations and opened her heart to Karishma, who at long last, obtained her heart's desire.

Three weeks had passed since their 'talk', and everything was transformed. Karishma discovered that Haseena was the complete antithesis of the persona she had projected.

She was chatty, possessed an incredibly dry sense of humor, and a very mischievous laugh.

Karishma chuckled as she remembered the first time she heard Haseena laugh. The SHO had told a particularly bad joke, and when Karishma responded with an exasperated expression and rolling eyes, Haseena had burst into laughter like the raavan plotting a shadyantra.

Karishma was utterly baffled yet simultaneously amazed. Haseena's genuine happiness was evident, her beautiful eyes twinkling like stars. The sound of Inspector Sahiba's laughter acted as a dose of serotonin for her, so infectious that Karishma couldn't help but roll on the floor laughing in response.

Her soliloquy was interrupted by a ringing sound. Karishma set aside the book she hadn't really been reading for the past ten minutes and picked up her phone.

'Lankeshwari' flashed on the caller ID, bringing a smile to Karishma's face.

As she swiped the green icon, the person on the other end bypassed formalities and began speaking. It was Haseena; she had moved beyond the usual 'Hi' and 'Hello'.

"Aapko pata hai Karishma, aaj DSP sir phir aaye thhe aur hamara lunch lekar chale gaye!" Haseena's complaints came from the other end of the line, and Karishma could easily picture her pouting.

"Fir aapka lunch?" Karishma inquired and could hear a shuffling noise in the background. Meanwhile, Haseena, who had just risen from her chair, walked over to the window of her cabin to receive a plate of biryani from Iqbal.

"Humne biryani mangwa li. But guess what?" And Haseena laughed. Wickedly.

Karishma smiled in response and waited.

"Humne unhe lunch dene se pehle, paneer main jo namak milaya hai na! Ek bite lete hi unka muh kharab ho jaega!"

Karishma Singh shook her head, amused by her friend's childish antics. Indeed, despite her age, Haseena was an absolute child at heart, and quite a mischievous one.

"Aap bhi Haseena ji! Ab aapke sir, wo khana khayenge nahi aur ann ka barbadi ho jaega na. Ye toh theek baat nahi hai".

"Ofohh!" Haseena groaned, stuffing her mouth with biryani, "Aap phir shuru ho gayi. Ye logic tab kahan jata hai jab aap apni gram panchayat main logon par haath saaf karti hain".

And Karishma closed her eyes in embarrassment, "Woh aavashayak hota hai unn logon ko seedha karne ke liye. Aapka jajbaati philosophy sabpar kaam nahi karta".

Haseena nodded, "Wahi toh! Kabhi kabhar ungli tedhi karni padti hai. Aapko pata hai, ek baar khala ka thane main call aaya aur DSP sir uss samay thane main baithkar, unhi ke haath ke khane ka lutf utha rahe thhe. Toh unhone kaha ki wo khala ko shukriya karenge, and khala being khala...humne phone speaker par daala aur fir unke muh se jo phool jhade DSP sir ki tareef main!"

Karishma hummed along. She was listening to this anecdote for the fourth time, but the repetition didn't bother her if it brought joy to Haseena.

"Phone uthate hi khala full fighter mode main- ki Haseena khana khaya ya tera wo bhukhad, takla, tondu DSP hazam kar gaya sab kuch- Haseena chuckled and continued, "Kya batayein aapko kya halat thi hamari, humein suspension letter ki aatma dikh rahi thi uss samay! Lekin DSP sir ki jo halat hui thi na! Upar se Santu aur Pushpa ji ki hasi roke nahi ruk rahi thi".