Meri Meerab *Discontinued*

20 Inkaar, 21 Mulaqaat

As soon as Murtasim walked through the doors of the haveli into the courtyard, Maa Begum called out to him. 'Mere beta, idhar au.' She was sat outside on the second floors balcony, but she could been due to her elevation. Mariyum was sat to her left with her novel in her hand and house staff attended to the houseplants, waterings and fertilising them, under Ma Begums watch.

When he had made the journey up the stairs, Maa Begum gestured for her staff to leave her and she invited Murtasim to take a seat, just in-front of her. They said their salams to one another.

Mariyum lowered her book slightly as asked, 'Aap kaisay ho bhai?'

'Theek. Tum?'

'Theek.' Mariyum smiled at her brother. She had not been made aware of the situation between Meerab and Murtasim. She then put her novel down, as her prying ears wanted to be updated with what went on at the mahal.

Maa Begum's eyes wandered over her son, an inspection of sorts. 'Kaam kaisa chal raha hai? Safdar nay acha khayal rakha tha?'

'Safdar kay saath business theek hai Maa.' She didnt need to be informed of the drinks and cigars that had been offered prior to their business meeting- if thats what she meant by khayal.

She was sat on a plush velet chair, and was in burgundy shalwar kameez outfit, her dupatta draped over her head, showcasing the embroidered egde bordering her face. She looked motherly. 'Meerab ki khidmat may koi khami tou nahi rahi the?'

He thought back to the state of the guest wing but chose not to worry his mother. Nothing could be done now to save her from the state that he found her in the previous evening. 'Munasib tha. Saba aur Rohail wahan par thay. Meerab nay unkay saath-he wakt guzara tha.' He chose to omit the fleeting parts that included his own contact with her.

'Acha hai.' She looked around, as though she was following him and would walk through the door any second. 'Meerab hai kahan pe?'

He didn't know, she had walked off as soon as they entered the haveli. She hadent said a word further in the car, after informing him that she wasent sorry about the kiss. Nor did Murtasim comment any further. He regretted taking the first step. To him, it was wrong of him to take her first kiss. He felt like a theif.

Marium understood his silence and stood up and annouced, 'main theyk kar aathe hou.'

It was just the two of them left alone now. 'Anwar gaon say nahi lauta abhi?' He was making small talk.

Maa Begum shook her head.

This meant that he had been given leave of the gaon's management as Anwar was attending to it. One less thing to worry about.

She seemed dissapointed in her son. She asked, 'Tumne mera haal nahi poocha Murtasim. Tum khoy hou lagrahe hou mujhay.'

'Nahi Maa. Lamba safar say thakgaga hou main.' That was an understatement- he was exhausted. He had always been fine with Meerab being mad or dissapointed at him- it had always been like that. But when she looked at him with yearning eyes- with expectation- it made him think every step 100 times over. It was alot of money he planned to invest. He was been swayed over to invest rather than buy outright because of Meerab. He was taking on risk on her saying so.

Maa Begum got off of her seat and stepped forward towards him. She patted him on the shoulder and told him 'Tum ja kar araam karou.'

But he couldnt rest until Meerab name had been seperated from Anas. This was the time to face Maa Begum- the Anas problem needed to come to a halt before he could continue functioning and resume to his duties.

'Pehle aik zaroori baat karni hai.' He stood up and just before he turned to leave, he told his mother, 'Meerab ka nikkah, Anas kay saath nahi ho sakta.'