Snippets of Madam Sirr (S1)

Chapter 10

"Madam Sir..."

Haseena looked at her, her mind fluctuating midst unspoken words. Haseena saw KS as more than a friend who had stayed true to Haseena supporting her in her darkest times. Haseena thought back to the initial days of her posting where she and KS were always confronting one another but as time gave way, they transformed into a friendship that left space for no doubts.

"Madam Sir...." She began again, stiffening her posture. "Do you remember the challenge I made?"

A gleam twinkled in Haseena with KS's words as her memory presented the brutal confrontation that Haseena and KS had engaged in that ultimately resulted in KS challenging Haseena's authority. She smiled.

"Haan KS, you said that I'll leave this station in one week." Haseena crossed her arms against her chest.

KS looked down, the weight of guilt suppressing her. "Madam Sir....I never believed in you or your emotions at first...." She said, her eyes stinging with tears. "But now....there's no one in this world that I believe more than you madam sir."

Haseena placed a hand on KS's shoulder, her eyes mellowing with love. "Madam Sir....I always troubled you...argued with you....but you never held anything against me. Thank you for that madam sir."

"KS, would you rather I punished you for every small mistake?" she asked hoping to lighten the mood.

KS looked up, standing at attention, her posture stiff and rigid. "Honestly madam sir, yes. That's the only way I knew but now....."

"KS....punishing someone isn't the only way to understand." She said crossing her hands again. "And....I think my emotions worked better." She paused looking at her. "The bhaukhal queen is now emotional."

KS laughed genuinely with her eyes.

Haseena closed the gap between them pulling KS into a fierce hug. The two friends embraced one another, the love and warmth nestled between the unshed tears and the unspoken emotions. KS kept her head on Haseena's chest, their proximity deepened by the years of friendship, trust and camaraderie.

"Thank you KS" Haseena whispered cradling her head softly.

***

They went back inside as the team gathered around Haseena forcefully pushing her onto a chair. SS knelt next to her, a large leather-bound book in her hand.

"Madam Sir....we made this" she said handing the book to Haseena "For you."

Haseena took the book, slowly turning the pages as the content melted her heart. Inside, she saw photographs, newspaper clippings, articles and handwritten notes detailing her tenure at the MPT. As she turned the pages, her fingers trembled hovering on the edge, each page evoking a a memory within her.

Haseena was dumbfounded. She looked around her team, their faces strewn with their love and respect for her.

"I have no words..." she said as she cradled the book close to her heart. "This means a lot. Thank you."

"Madam Sir...." Pushpa Ji stepped forward. "There's one thing that you can do for us."

"Anything Pushpa Ji."

"Let's have lunch together."

"Absolutely Puspha Ji. I'd love nothing more."

As lunch time neared, Haseena came out of her cabin, her nostrils flaring with the aroma of food. She felt herself being dragged towards the table. She stumbled over herself, lost for words as she saw the spread.

"Madam Sir please come" Pushpa Ji led her by the hand and seated her on a chair.

Haseena invited the team to sit down as Pushpa Ji sat next to her. She took a serving of roti and fed Haseena with her own hands. As the team set about finishing the glamorous feast that Puspha Ji had made, Haseena noticed that she was crying.

"Pushpa Ji....are you crying?"

She shook her head, the tears falling atop Haseena's hand.

"Aarey Puspha Ji..." she asked cupping her face. "Did I do something wrong?" haseena asked.

Puspha Ji touched her hand, still unable to speak.

"Aarey no madam sir" KS said as she knelt near Puspha Ji. "She's just remembering the past aren't you Puspha Ji?"

"The past" Haseena asked, blinking.

"Madam Sir....the SHO before you....she was not kind to her juniors. Once Puspha Ji went and invited her for lunch and she had scolded Puspha Ji" KS revealed, an anger flushing her face red.

Haseena felt a storm of contempt brewing inside her. She stood up, kneeling next to Puspha Ji.

"Pushpa Ji...you are like my own mother. Please stop crying." She said as she kept her head on her shoulders. "And Puspha Ji...if my mother gets to know that I made you cry, she'd pull my ears" Haseena said, a look of horror on her face.

Everyone laughed as Puspha Ji wiped her eyes and embraced both her daughters.

"But madam sir...." SS began, her mouth pouting in confusion. "How can your mother get to know?"

Behind her CC melted at her words whispering "Uff ye masumiyat."

Haseena got up positioning Pushpa Ji near herself and feeding her with her own hands.

"Haan I almost forgot. Ammi invited you all for dinner." Haseena said as the team chorused happily, setting about finishing the course.

Haseena looked around the room and all she could see was a family, nibbling at food, laughing and talking over jokes. Haseena's heart was flooded with sensations that mere words couldn't describe. Puspha Ji resumed feeding Haseena as KS mumbled that she was also her daughter, seating herself next to Puspha Ji. Haseena looked around again, a happiness washing over her as the events of the day settled in her mind. What she thought would be an ordinary day turned out to be the best day at her life. She was content. She had her family and a home.

***