KAREENA: A Love Story

24. Propose Day

After driving her Ammi to Khaala's house, Haseena made her way to the grocery store where she agonised and deliberated for a long time trying to decide what to cook for Karishma Singh. She wanted everything to be perfect for their first dinner date. Karishma had asked her out for coffee first, so it made sense that Haseena should plan their first dinner together. That Karishma would be on night duty and their date would technically take place in the Mahila Police Thaana did not worry Haseena at all. After all, MPT was their second home.

No, what really worried Haseena was the way Karishma Singh was suddenly behaving.

Yesterday they had given each other roses and kind-of— sort-of hinted at being in love. Today, for no reason that Haseena could think of, Karishma was behaving very reticent with her. The replies to her messages this morning had been stilted, cold; and in stark contrast with their flirty text exchanges from the day before.

Spooked by her nightmare and then Karishma's coldness, Haseena had come up with some flimsy excuse to call Karishma. And Karishma's voice had been completely devoid of the usual warmth. She gave very formal responses to Haseena's queries.

'Karishma Singh... aap thik toh hain na?'

'Hum hamesha thik hote hain Madam Sir. Hum jaise logon ki yehi toh dikkat hain.'

Before Haseena could ask the meaning of this strange answer, Karishma excused herself with some case and disconnected the call.

Haseena hurried to the thaana as soon as she could, so she could see Karishma Singh in person and satisfy herself. But strange things continued to happen, making Haseena further perplexed. For example, the moment she got out of her jeep, Badnaam and Iqbal blocked her way and tried to stop her from going inside. They had no valid reason for their demand beyond "Madam Sir aaj chhutti hain".

Haseena frowned. Badnaam and Iqbal were often clowning around with everyone, but they never dared to joke with her. Haseena's personality was such that everyone knew their boundaries without her ever having to say it out loud, and regardless of whether or not she was in uniform.

But today they did show that audacity. When she looked behind her, there was Billu, pretending to do yoga in the middle of the road. But Haseena Mallik (who was guilty of using this yoga excuse on her Ammi just the day before), could have sworn he had been caught trying to signal something to Badnaam and Iqbal.

Haseena however, had other things to worry about at that moment. She ignored the three jokers and strode into the police station.

Inside MPT, nobody other than Pushpa Ji was present. Haseena stopped short. Where were the others? On beat duty, all together?

'Pushpa Ji, Karishma Singh thik hain? Nahi matlab, unka accident hua tha na... toh chot wagaira... tabiyat thik hain?' Haseena tried to sound as casual as possible.

Pushpa Ji gave her a cautious smile. 'Karishma Ji thik hain. Aap bataiye Madam Sir... aap toh ekdum chamak rahi hain! Kuch baat hain kya? Aap humein behichak bataa sakti hain...'

Haseena observed Pushpa Ji carefully. The woman looked simultaneously happy and also a little scared. Why?

'Hum bilkul thik hain Pushpa Ji. Aajkal ek naya moisturiser use kar rahe hain na... Miracle brand ka, usi ki chamak dikh rahi hogi aapko. Behraal sabko thaane wapis bulaiye. Humein baat karni hain.'
Haseena walked away grinning, quite sure that Pushpa Ji would never be able to catch the "miracle brand" hint.

Within half an hour, all three missing officers rushed back to the thaana. Haseena watched them carefully. There were no clear signs of anything amiss with them, but somehow something was still nibbling at Haseena's gut feeling.