KAREENA: A Love Story

8. Dilkashi

'DSP Sir aaj bhi department ko lagta hain ki Mahila Police Thana dusre thane jaisa saksham nahi hain. Dusre thaane jaise khatarnak cases nahi solve karte hain hum. Lekin hum department ko yeh dikhana chahte hain ki hum uss jagah ko saaf rakhte hain janha se criminals panapte hain — logo ke ghar ko, unke rishton ko,' said Haseena Mallik earnestly.

They were sitting at Badnaam's tea stall. DSP Anubhav Singh was visiting MPT on routine inspection. The inspection was over and he had invited SHO Haseena Mallik for a cup of tea.

Haseena had agreed, for two reasons. Firstly, he was her senior and she had found no appropriate excuse to refuse tea from a place right outside the thana.
Second and more importantly, Haseena had a favour to ask of Anubhav. And it was a big favour.

Anubhav gave her an impressed nod. 'Wah Haseena ji, aapke jazbe ko hum jitna dekhte hain utna hi hume aap par garv hota hain. Kash humari mulaqat dusre halaaton mein hui hoti... toh humein aapka dil nahi todna padhta.'

There it was... the perfect opening for what Haseena wanted to ask him. She cleared her throat.

'Sir actually humein aapse kuch baat karni thi. Actually aapse ek favour chahiye thi.'

'Ji ji please boliye na,' said Anubhav politely. But when he saw Haseena still hesitating, he tried to reassure her. 'Aap bejhijhag kahiye Haseena ji. Dekhiye koi mushkil baat ko kahene ka sabse achha tariqa yehi hain ki bas use keh dii jaye.'

Encouraged by his words, Haseena said, 'Okay Sir, toh baat yeh hain ki humne apni ammi ko abhi tak sach nahi bataya hain. Mission Jeet ke barein mein, ya — hum—dono ke barein mein. Toh unko abhi bhi yehi lagta hain ki humara rishta saccha hain aur hum dono, in the future, shaadi karne wale hain.

'Asal mein Sir, humari Ammi heart patient hain aur pichhle kuch dino mein unki tabiyat bhi kharab rahi hain. Isi liye hum mission ke baad do din Karishma Singh ke paas ruk gaye the aur puri tarah se thik hokar hi ammi ke saamne gaye. Sach kahe toh doctor ne strictly kaha hain ki unhe kisi tarah ka shock ya tension nahi diya jaye.'

Anubhav listened to her with a mixed look of concern and guilt.

'Toh basically Sir hum aapse request karna chahte hain ki kya hum thode aur dino ke liye couple banne ka natak kar sakte hain? Sirf Ammi ke saamne. Aur phir hum unhe kisi bahaane se bata denge ki hum dono mein dooriyan ban gayi hain aur phir break up ho gaya hain.'

She looked hopefully at Anubhav who looked a little uncomfortable.

'Sir I know its a lot—'

'Aap jaisa chahti hain waisa hi hoga Haseena ji,' interrupted Anubhav. 'Parantu ek baat hain — ab jab Mission Jeet shesh ho gaya hain, humein kabhi bhi naye mission ke liye bulawa aa sakta hain. Toh aapko jo bhi karna hain, uske liye seemit samay hi hain aapke paas.'

Haseena breathed in relief. 'Bas do teen hafto mein hum mauka dekh kar Ammi ko bata denge. Thank you Sir. For this favour.'

'Thank you nahi kahiye Haseena ji. Jo humne aapke saath kiya, ise uska compensation maan lijiye.'

Haseena and Anubhav shared a look of mutual understanding. There was professionalism and humanity between them. Anubhav didn't give her any mixed signals. And Haseena was surprised to find that it didn't hurt her either to be around him anymore.

That was a remarkably fast recovery from someone she had assumed (and everyone else had convinced her) was her one true love.
Had she really been in love with him?