Mehr-o-Mah (مہر و ماہ) -
The sun and the moon
A collection of short stories filled with love, spice, drama and a roller coaster of emotions and of course, a huge part of my imagination.
(The second generation of Ahd-e-Vafa)...
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*****
Two weeks.
That's how long Masar has been avoiding Faeezah like a plague. He merely visited the Bukhari house now and when he did, he made sure not to come across his favourite cousin. Ahzan had tried dragging him back to the Bukhari house but that had just resulted in a baseless argument and profound curses from Masar.
At the moment, he was seated beside his Father, Mustafa, while his mother was busy preparing the breakfast. He already had an omelette and paratha on his plate but rather than devouring it, Masar just kept toying with the bits and pieces.
Mustafa looked at him in worry. What was it that had gotten the cyclone to calm down all of a sudden? He had been observing his son's behaviour for the last few days and to say he was worried would be an understatement.
"Masar, kuch hua hai kya?"
No reply
"Masar?"
He called out once again, this time a little louder than before. The voice broke Masar out of his travelling thoughts and he looked up from his plate and towards his father.
"Ji?"
Mustafa sighed to himself before closing the tabloid and making eye contact with his son.
"Masar, kab se dekhe ja raha hu tum apne hi khayalo mein khoye hue ho. Koi baat hai kya jo pareshan kar rahi hai tumhe?"
Masar's form stiffened considerably for a second before he shook his head in negative. He passed his father a smile and tried to assure him that he was doing just fine but the reality was far from it.
"Main theek hu abbu. Bas studies ka thoda pressure hai lekin woh sort out ho jayega. Nothing to worry about."
His father looked the least bit convinced but anyhow nodded at him and turned his attention back to the latest headlines.
Sahar, who had just finished making the rest of the breakfast, heard the part of the father and son's conversation and was herself confused.
She came out and placed the casserole on the table before taking a seat on the left side of her husband and passed her son a full blown smile.
"Agar itna hi stress hai toh kuch dino ke liye nani ke ghar chale jao. Saari tension hawa mein gum ho jayegi."
It was meant to relieve his worries but it did the opposite. Masar quickly shook his head at his mother and without thinking, blurted out an excuse.
