( Air pollution case-part 2
   Read , imagine , enjoy 😉)

    It was night, n KS was in her bed room, sitting at one corner of her bed, drowned in the thoughts of everything that happened today....

    A battle was going on inside her, n as she raised one point against Haseena, the next moment she herself came up with one in favour of her....

    She shut her eyes tight, n now all her attention was towards the war inside her...

  " Maddam Sir Aesa kaese kar sakti hain...??
   Case Mira le kar aayi thi, par action to hum ne liya tha na..., Madam sir ne mana kiya tha, phir bhi humne action liya kyunki humein wo zaruri laga..."

    " Par sirf case shuru karna to kaafi nahi hai, uske baad to humari tabiyat kharab ho gayi thi, or hum hospital mein the...
   Uske aage maddam sir ne Mira ki help se hi case solve kiya, isliye usey credit diya...."

  " Lekin humne apna to best diya tha na...
   Apni jaan ko daav par lagaya, aur usse aage bhi chale jaate , agar hospital na pahonch gaye hote...!
   Kaa Maddam Sir ko credit dete waqt humara khayaal bhi nahi aaya...??!!"

    " Par humne credit ke liye to nahi kiya....
   Hum to apne desh ke liye, apne logon ke liye har had tak jaa sakte hain or humesha jaayenge..., chaahe phir humein kabhi credit na mile...!!"

   " Haa!! Public credit se humko faraq nahi padta..., par , Maddam Sir ki baat se to padta hai na...!!
    Kaa wo nahi jaanti, ke humaare liye unki har baat ka kaa value hai....??
    Humein dukh isliye nahi hua, ke Mira ko credit mila..., humein dukh isliye hua, k Maddam Sir ne usey credit diya...!!"

  
      " Ho sakta hai wo na samajhi hon ke hum is baat ko itna personally le rahe hain...??"

    " Humesha...., humesha to ekdum sahi pakad leti hain humein..., phir is baar kaa hua...??"
  

  " Shaayed....wo jaanti hain ke hum hurt hue hain..., par , unke liye shaayed ye baat itna ahem na ho...!!
  Shaayed, unke hisaab se ismein hurt hone jaesi koi baat nahi , is liye wo jaan kar bhi ignore kar rahi hain..."

    She was sinking in deep oceans of misunderstandings...
   In relations close to heart, even small things hurt deeply...!!

  
   " Aesa nahi ho sakta...!!
Baat kitni bhi chhoti ho,  Maddam Sir ko isse fark padta hai ke hum kaa feel karte hain...!!"

    Tears had started accumulating behind her closed eyelids...

   " Yaa... Shaayed..., Na padta ho...!!
   Samay ke saath....thoda thoda badlaav to insaan mein aata hai na....
   Hum mein bhi to aaya hoga..!"

   
      The tears streamed out of the closed eyelids, wetting her eyelashes, n started rolling down....
  
 
    " Haan!! Badal to gaye hain hum bhi...
   Pehle koi bhi bahot aasaani se hum ko Maddam Sir ke khilaaf kar sakta tha...., ab hum apne aap se zyada un par vishwaas karte hain....
    Pehle jab public kabhi un ke viruddh jaati thi, tab humko koi khaas farak nahi padta tha..., Ab koi unki taraf aankh utha kar bhi dekhe,  to humara bas nahi chalta hai ke usko is duniya se hi utha dein...."

    She started chewing her lips to suppress her sobs....

  " Isse achha to hum na badle hote Maddam Sir!!
   Itna dukh na hota hum ko aap ki be-rukhi par....
  Pehle kitni ladaayi hoti thi humaari, par aap ke shabdon se kabhi chot nahi lagti thi hum ko..., kabhi hurt nahi hote the hum....."

    She shook her head, n tried to jerk off the negative thoughts...

  " Hum bahot senti ho kar soch rahe hain....
   Sirf Mira ko credit dene se ye kahaan se prove hua ke unko humaari feelings ki fikr nahi hai...??!!"

   The injured love for HM defended weakly , but misunderstanding had already grown it's roots firm....

   " Sirf Mira ko credit dene tak ka to baat nahi hai...
   Wo jaanti thein na, ke is baat se hum naaraaz hain...!!
  Phir bhi unhone yahi jataya ke wo tin ka dibba hum se behtar hai..., Jab ke unhe pata tha ke hum neglected feel kar rahe hain....!!"

   
   " Maddam Sir! Aap anjaan logon ki chhoti chhoti takleef bhi mehsoos kar leti hain...

 SHO Haseena Malik!! Aap ke jajbaat puri duniya ke liye hain ek Karishma Singh ko chhod kar....!!!"

       The python of misunderstandings coiled around her heart....
   Her trust, her confidence, her belief..., everything was getting crushed into pieces in it's tightened grip....!!

   
     The pain was unbearable, n impossible to hold...., so it was flowing out....!

       Her eyes were still closed...

   Few moment later, she wiped her tightly shut eyes harshly...

  " Theek hai!! Ok!!
  Hum is par itna nahi sochenge....
  Maddam Sir ko agar lagta hai ke is mein hurt hone jaesa kuchh nahi hai, to hum un se bilkul.... bilkul naaraaz nahi honge...."

     She decided...

" Hum apna feeling un par zaahir hi kaahein karein, jab unko humaari naaraazgi ki parwaah nahi..."

    The injured love cried, but she scolded it strictly....

" Hum...na transfer lene ka kahenge, na resign karne ka...
   Hum...zara bhi show nahi karenge ke hum hurt hue..."

    The threats she always gave , that she will resign, or get transferred..., came out of the belief that she had an irreplaceable role in MPT, n in HM's life..., n the confidence that Haseena will never let her go....!

      Just a trivial thing had broken it all...!!

     HM couldn't even think that her few unintentional acts had created so deep misunderstandings in her relation with her best friend n best junior...
    Indeed she was irreplaceable in her life, but she had lost that belief....

    Ek zara si ranjish se...
    Shak ki zard tehni par...
    Phool badgumaani ke
    Is tarah se khilte hain...!
    Zindagi se pyaare bhi....
    Ajnabi se lagte hain...
   Ghair ban ke milte hain...!!
    Ek zara si ranjish se...
    Saath toot jaate hain...!!

  ( Ranjish - conflict
    Shak - doubt
    Tehni - branch
    Badgumaani - distrust)

  KS took a deep breath...

   " Hum normal rahenge...!
Ekdum normal...!! Ekdum normal ..!!"

      As she opened her eyes, she found VS right in front , on a chair...
   She got scared at once, seeing him suddenly...

KS: Vani!! Dara diya humko...

    She whined, stealing glances from him, as by his position she could understand that he had been sitting there for long time, n had definitely seen her crying...

    She was frightened of his questions now, but instead he smiled n sat beside her, n took her in a side hug...

   VS: Bahot thak gayi ho na...
   So jaao...!

      He started running his fingers through her hairs softly...
KS's eyes welled up on this gesture of love....

   KS: Vani!!

   VS: Hmm...

  KS: Aap kabhi hum se pareshaan nahi ho jaate..??

   Her voice was choking...
  VS took a deep breath..

VS: Rona chaahti ho to ro sakti ho...
   
    He said, enveloping her in his arm completely...

VS: Wajah nahi puchunga...,
      I promise!!

    She rested her head on his shoulder, n an ocean flowed out from her eyes...
   He kept caressing her hairs...

   As promised, he didn't ask anything, but she didn't hide anything..., she cried her heart out!!

    She knew, he won't judge her...
She was blessed to have him...💕

_________________________________

    Next day , as Haseena Malik entered MPT..., no one was present except Karishma Singh...
    CC, PJ n SS had gone to head quarter for some official work...

    KS was busy with her work, on her table...

 
   HM (in mind): Kal Karishma Singh ko credit nahi diya, kya is baat par wo ab tak naaraaz hongi..??

     She was scanning KS's face to get something....

HM (in mind): Shaayed haan!!
Tum to gayin Haseena Malik...!!
Bhaukaal dekhne ke liye tayaar...!

     She stepped forward warning herself..., n suddenly a mischief tickled her mind....

HM (in mind): Jab manana hi hai, to thoda aur chhedne mein kya harj hai...?!!😉😉😉

    She cleared her throat..., to grab her attention...

   KS looked at her n stood up...

KS: Jai Hind Maddam Sir!!

   She said with a slight smile...
HM was taken aback!!
She didn't seem to be angry at all...

HM: Jai hind!!
Baaki sab??

KS: Ji head quarter gaye hain Maddam Sir!!

    She again replied normally...
HM started with her mischief...

HM: Achha!!
  Suniye humein aap ko kuchh batana tha....

KS: Ji maddam sir!

HM: DSP Sir ne humein ek case allot kiya hai.....
   In fact, isey mission kehna chahiye, or ye mission bahot hi secret hai, iske baare mein kisi ko bhi bataane se mana kiya hai sir ne....
   Sir ne kaha hai ke hum apni team se sirf ek officer ko choose kar sakte hain...!
  Aesa koi officer jo honhaar or talented ho..., is mission ke qaabil ho..., qk hum fail hona bilkul afford nahi kar sakte...

     She said quite confidentially...

KS: Haa to bataaiyye na Maddam Sir! Kaa mission hai...??

HM: Arey Karishma Singh!
Abhi Abhi to humne bataya ke hum kisi ko nahi bata sakte..!!

KS: Haa to Maddam Sir!
  Hum hi to hain yahaan, or kaun hai...

HM: KS! Humein sirf us officer ko bataane ki permission hai, jisey hum mission k liye select karenge....

     KS raised her head in confusion, n the next minute HM cleared her doubt...

HM: Hum Mira ki baat kar rahe hain...
   Kahaan hai Mira??

   HM asked, pressing her lips to control her smile...

KS: Mira... Maddam Sir charge ho rahi hai...

    She replied quite normally, completely ignoring the uproar inside her....
  HM was surprised to see that...

HM: Ooo..ok!
  Humaare khayaal se Mira is ke liye bilkul suitable rahegi...
   Mira ke is mission mein shaamil hone se hi success ki 100 percent guarantee ho jaayegi..., hai na?!!😉

    She was teasing her, n also having hard time controlling her laughter....

   KS would get her naughty intentions, n HM would get her immense pain, only if KS had raised her lashes at that instant, but she didn't!!!

KS: Haa Maddam Sir!
  Bilkul....
   Uska jo advance technology hai, wo bahot kaam aayega aap ke...

   She replied again with a slight smile, shocking HM to get core....

KS: Wo jaese hi charge ho jaaye, hum aap ke paas bhejte hain...

    There wasn't a single line of offence on her face.
She was giving shocks over shocks...

HM: j..ji!!

    HM walked towards her cabin, pondering over her behaviour...

HM (in mind): Karishma Singh ko gussa nahi aaya...
Impossible!!
  Hum Mira ki taareef karein or unhein bura na lage, naa mumkin!!
   Kuchh to baat zaroor hai...

  In attempts to act normal, KS was behaving more differently...
   She didn't know that trying to look normal when you are not, isn't an easy art...!!

________________________________

    KS was still busy with a file on her table, when PJ n SS entered the station having a debate over something, while cheeta was behind them trying to cease fire....

   SS: Pushpa ji! Har baar headquarters jaate hue raaste mein ruk kar gol-gappe khana zaroori hai aap ka??
  Waapas aate waqt bhi to kha sakti hain na....

  PJ: Arey! Wo....💁💁💁chaat ki dukaan😋😋 dekh kar👾👾, hum rok nahi paate 🙆🙆🙊🙊hain na khud ko....
   Aur phir unhe dekha 🧐🧐👓👓or nahi khaya🍴🍽️, to bechaare gol-gappon🥺🥺🥺🥺 ko bura nahi lag jaayega...??🥺🥺

     Overacting queen was on fire...😉

SS: Aap ke is gol-gappa prem ki wajah se humesha head quarter pahonchne mein der ho jaati hai... , aaj phir daant padi DSP sir se....

CC was gesturing both of them to keep quiet , as he was fearing that KS will definitely scold them for making so much noise..., but none was looking at him...

PJ: Achha!! Humaari wajah se der hoti hai...🕑🕒🕓🕔🕕⏳⏳
   Or tum jo head🐵 quarter⏹️⏹️ ke baahar rickshaw wale se 5 rupey 💰💰💱ke liye 1 ghanta⏳🕓🕔 khade ho kar behes🗣️🗣️ kar rahi thein, uska kya....??

SS: To aur kya Pushpa ji! Main usey bol rahi thi ke mujhe golden wala coin chahiye, par phir bhi wo normal wala de raha tha..., jab ke uske paas golden wala tha....

CC: Uff.....ye sikkon wala maasoomiyat!! Ye had se jyada maasoom wala masoomiyat!!
Santu ji!!!

PJ: Tum band karo ye maasoomiyat warna kantaap khaaoge Karishma Madam se...

    CC looked at KS , scared, but got surprised to see that she was still busy with her work...

  CC: Itni der se lad rahi hain aap donon..., Pushpa ji ka overacting ka tsunami aagaya yahaan, magar Km shaant rahin??

    He drove their attention towards KS..., n all 3 of them started talking very slowly...

SS: Haa Cheete ! Sahi kaha tu ne...
  Ye to next to impossible hai...
Pushpa ji! Kya kiya hai aap ne Km ke saath ??

PJ: Arey! Hum se kya puch rahi ho humne kuchh nahi kiya...

SS: Aap saas hain PJ! Kuch bhi kar sakti hain...
Sach bataaiyye!!
Kahin naashte mein fevicol mila kar to nahi khila diya unko...
  Ye gharelu hinsa hai PJ, Main...🙋 Main dungi Km ka saath...!!

PJ: Arey...

   CC cut her...

CC: Santu ji! Santu ji! Fevicol se muh chipka ho ga , haath to khule hain na ....
Hum abhi 'uff ye masoomiyat' bole, humko maarein bhi nahi...

  PJ: Wese aaj subah se kuchh alag hi bartaav kar rahi hai...
Khud hi uth kar chai bana di, bina lade..., or hum ne bahot koshish ki ladne ki phir bhi nahi ladi...
   Khoi khoi si hai, jaese gehri soch mein ho...kisi or hi jagah dhyaan hai....

       Suddenly, KS raised her head n looked at all of them...

KS: Arey , aa gaye aap log??

CC: Kaa baat kar rahi hain maddam...! Ihaan paani pat ka choutha yuddh ho ke khatm bhi hogaya, or aap ko kuchh pata bhi nahi chala...

   He said gesturing at PJ n Santu...

KS: Wo...hum zara kaam mein busy the to....isliye...

PJ: arrey aesi kaesi busy, ke aas paas ka kuchh hosh hi nahi hai...??
   Yahaan aa kar koi bomb rakh kar bhi chala jaata , to pata nahi chalta aap ko...
   Dhyaan pata nahi kahaan rehta hai aap ka.!!

    Sasu maa inside PJ emerged with full energy...

KS: Amaa ghalti ho gaya Pushpa ji!
   Insaan hain hum bhi....

     She retorted irritatedly, yet much calmly...., shocking all of them....

KS : Hum ko ek zaroori kaam se jana hai..., Hum nikalte hain...

   She left, leaving all of them astonished....

  CC: Humaara mahila manovigyaan keh raha hai ke kuchh gadbad jaroor hai...!!

   KS was herself not realising that this wasn't the " normal Karishma"
  Hiding something is quite difficult for a person like her, who is so pure at heart...

_________________________________

   Two days passed, n everybody was noticing KS's changed behaviour, but none could find the reason...
    The more they asked her about it, the more she tried to act normal..., n would end up behaving even more abnormal...

  
    It was lunch time in MPT, n HM was out for field duty...

  Everyone had gathered around the table for lunch....

PJ: Arey arey !! Aap kahaan chalein?? Khaane ka samay hai...

She asked KS who was walking towards the door, spinning her keychain in her finger...

KS: Pushpa ji! Hum ko sach mein bikul bhook nahi hai...
   Humein jaroori kaam hai, hum thodi der mein aa jaayenge.., or chinta mat kijiye hum wahin kuchh kha lenge...

PJ: Arey par...

    But she didn't wait to listen to her....

  PJ held her head in her palms...
      
PJ: Samajh mein nahi aata kya ho gaya hai inhe...
   Khaana bhi theek se nahi khaa rahi hai do din se...

SS: Pushpa ji! Aap ne notice ki ek baat???

PJ: Kya?

   SS moved a little forward, resting her hands on the table...

SS: Jis din Km hospital se waapas aayi thein, yani ke jis din wo air pollution ka case solve hua tha, us ke next day se hi Km ke behaviour mein change aaya hai.....

   PJ thought for a while...

PJ: Haa Santu! Keh to tum theek rahi ho....
   Arey haan! Usi din wo press conference bhi to hui thi..., aur Km ko bahot bura laga tha kyunki Maddam Sir ne saara credit Mira ko de diya tha...

SS: To kya km us wajah se aesa behave kar rahi hain..??

PJ: Pata nahi Santu!! Humein lagta to nahi hai aesa....
   Waese dukhi to bahot hui thein wo...
   Humne bataya tha na , raat ko hospital mein achaanak us aadmi ne hum par hamla kiya tha.., or tabhi km hosh mein aayi thein or humein bachaya tha....
   Tab hosh mein aate hi, unhone sab se pehle yahi kaha tha, k unhe thane jana hai, case mein Maddam Sir ki madad karne ke liye..., aur...., unke aane tak na sirf case solve ho gaya, balke maddam sir ne credit bhi Mira ko de diya.....

SS: Hum bhi to wahin the, hum ne dekha hi nahi ke Km aa gayi hain....
    Maddam Sir ko aesa nahi karna chahiye tha, is case ka sab se pehla qadam km ne hi to liya tha....

PJ: Santu...! Maddam Sir kabhi ghalat nahi hoti hain...
  Kuchh soch kar hi unhone aesa kiya hoga, ya ho sakta hai unke dimaagh se nikal gaya ho ke Km ka naam lein...

   Santu nodded..

SS: Sahi keh rahi hain aap...
 
PJ: Lekin sirf itni si cheez ke liye Km itna asar nahi le saktein...

SS: Ye itni si cheez humaare liye hain PJ!
Par jis ne mehnat ki hoti hai , aur usey thoda bhi credit na mile to.... bahot bura lagta hai..., Phir Km ne to apni jaan daav par laga di thi is ke liye....

   SS said wisely...
PJ looked at her lovingly, who was most innocent of all, yet very smart...

PJ: Haa Santu!!
  Par , aese mein Km ko bura lagta hai na to wo bas har cheez par ghussa nikalti rehti hain..., or us din shaam tak unka wahi haal tha...
   Baat be baat Malaika pe barasna, hum se ladna, bartanon par ghussa utaarna..., par achaanak uske agle din se...pata nahi kya hua...

   For a few minutes, there was silence, while everyone's thoughts were flying in different directions...

CC: PJ! Usi din maddam sir ne mira ka command Karishma Maddam ko diya na...
Us din maddam sir ke cabin mein MS aur Km ke beech kuchh baat jaroor hua tha, shaayed kuchh behes...
   Kaa pata, tab hi kuchh hua ho...

     His idea drove their thoughts in that direction...

PJ: Haa , ho sakta hai...
Par us ke baad raat tak to wo aesa nahi kar rahi thein....
  
    She held her head again...

PJ: humaari kuchh samajh mein nahi aaraha hai...

CC: Humaara mahila manovigyaan keh raha h , ke Km ko koi baat andar hi andar khaaye jaa rahi hai..., aur usko andar dabaane ki koshish mein u aesa kar rahi hain....

PJ: Kya karein hum unka...kuchh batati bhi nahi hai....
   Khair chalo, khana khaate hain...

     They opened their tiffins, unaware of the presence of HM, just a step behind the entrance, who had heard everything, n was now standing like a statue...

HM (in mind): Hum to...us baat ko bhool bhi gaye the Karishma Singh!!
   Hum....soch bhi nahi sakte the ke...aap ke is behaviour ki wajah hum ho sakte hain...

   She didn't enter inside, n instead dragged herself to badnaam's tea stall...

   " Nahi!! Aesa nahi ho sakta...!
Agar Karishma Singh hum se naaraaz hotein to humein zaroor pata chal jata...
  Unhe to waese bhi baatein chhupana nahi aata...."

    She was thinking sitting on the chair at tea stall....

  " Karishma Singh ki to hum rag rag se waaqif hain, aankhein padh lete hain unki..."

    She thought, consoling herself...

HM (in mind):  Ho sakta hai koi or baat ho..., Par kya???

    She was thinking about it, when an idea struck her mind...

HM (in mind): Vyom bhai! Shaayed unhe kuchh pata ho....

    She dialled VS's number...

HM: Hello! Vyom bhai..!
Hum Haseena Malik....
   Aap se Karishma Singh ke baare mein kuchh puchhna tha, lekin ek request hai..., plz hum se kuchh chhupana mat....

_________________________________

     She was sitting numb like a robot, staring at her mobile screen, which was still displaying the duration of 4 minutes 55 seconds, for which she had talked with VS.....
  She was shaken to her core....
    The tea infront of her had turned into ice-tea by now...

    She was dragged out of her deep thoughts by the sound of KS's bike...

   She composed herself, as KS came n greeted her....

  
    KS too settled down next to her...
   She took first sip of the tea, n Badnaam was  looking at her, ready to recieve her kantaap....
   But she took another sip, n then one more..., without any complaint...

   HM was observing her carefully...
   Her eyes were searching for one line of anger.., one mark of offence on her face, but failed to....!!

HM (in mind): Hum ne aap ko itna hurt kar diya Karishma Singh..?? ke aap ko khud ko hum se chhupaane ki zaroorat pad gayi...??!!!

     
     She thought painfully....
She called her...

HM: Karishma Singh!

KS: Ji Maddam sir!

HM: Mira ki training kaesi chal rahi hai..??
   Koi problem to nahi aarahi??
Waese to Mira ek amazing machine hai, har cheez mein perfect..., lekin phir bhi...

    She asked looking directly into her eyes without even blinking...

KS lowered her gaze instantly, but HM's eyes had caught what they were looking for...

KS: Ji! Koi dikkat nahi hai Maddam Sir!!

   She said , n went inside the thana, leaving HM in deep oceans of guilt...

   One moment, just for one moment her pain was reflected in her eyes before she hid it behind her eyelids, but it was intense....!!!
   She had still not learnt to hide herself from Haseena Malik...

      Two crystals fell down from HM's eyes, n got mixed in her ice tea....!

_________________________________

   It was evening, n in HM's cabin  , she was sitting on her chair, apparently working on a file...
    A tumult was going on inside her, n her restlessness was rising n rising....!

   On the chair in front of her, Karishma Singh was there , preparing the monthly report...

    Time n again HM's eyes were having a glance of KS, n every time they would get filled with tears, for HM to struggle with....

HM: Karishma Singh!!

   She called softly..., without raising her head from the file...

KS: Ji Maddam sir!

HM: Kya aap humein maaf kar sakti hain...??!!

     Her eyes were still on the file, n her pen was running...

   KS raised her head...

KS: Kis liye Maddam Sir??

     And now HM raised her head..., surprised again....
 
No sign of anger..!!!
  Was this the same Karishma, who was, when angry n offended with her, had refused to drive the jeep, n hadn't agreed to resume it , until she apologized...?!!

    The scene inside the jeep , in the case of paternity leave flashed in her mind...

KS: Maddam Sir ! Kahiye na kis baat ki maafi...?? Kaa keh rahi hain aap??

    She was dragged out of her flashback by KS's voice...

HM: N..nahi ..  kuchh nahi ..

   She stuttered...
  KS resumed her work, while HM's eyes were still on KS, who was engrossed in her work , as if nothing else was more important...

  Tum ne naaraaz hona chhod diya...??
  Itni naaraazgi bhi theek nahi...!💕

( I don't know if it's upto the mark, or is it kind of overexaggerated...
   Anyways, I am waiting impatiently  for your response...😊😊)