Qubool Hai (MeeraSim FF)

12 -Farmaish

Rohail was driving the jeep, the car jostling every so often from the uneven road. His face covered with oversized sunnies and Meerab was sitting in the passenger seat, taking in the endless fields on either side. It was a long narrow dirt road to reach the beginning of their mango farm.

'So Meerab, what's it like being back in Hyderabad?' Rohail asked, trying to make light conversation with her. They were practically strangers and had only had a brief meeting on the night of Meerab's baraat, which consisted of teasting Murtasim.

She pondered over the question for a brief moment. How was it? Nothing like she had anticipated at all. She had been moved around like cattle, from Shah Nawaz's house and now to Nano's and she had been reduced to rely on her enemy for support.  'Its nice. There's a slower pace of life,' she replied, choosing to focus on the positives : Nano was sweet, the food was fresh and the air had a sense of cleaness about it.

Hmm, he hummed not really appreciating what she way trying to convey. The goan, Karachi and Hyderabad is all he had ever known. He had never stressed himself in education or had tried to climb the corporate ladder.

She already knew that he he lazed around all day, ocassionally taking a walk around so he still looked like he was the boss, but she asked just to make conversation, 'So... you manage the fields?'

'Haan, the fields and the dairy farm,' he elaborated.

Meerab though he definatley was friendlier than Murtasim- the trip could perhaps even be a pleasant outing. 'What do you grow?'

'We have sugar cane, cotton, bananas and mangoes, obviously, and we've started wheat on the new land,' he listed pridefully.

He was also was willing to elaborate fully she noted. Maybe he would be the source of her answers. 'Tou... Anas kya karta hai?,' she probed further, always inquisitive. ( What does Anas do?)

He looked like he was in the zone- as though driving around his cousin's wife, through their lands, was part of the mundane for him. 'He does processing and distribution aspect.' She noted the way answered her questions in english. Maybe he just wanted to look cool infront of his foreignly-educated cousins wife.

Her mind couldn't help but wonder, 'And Murtasim?'

'He manages the properties and investments. He helps me and Anas sometimes, too with accounts and legal matters,' he explained.

Right- she knew how to read in between the lines. Murtasim did everything and these two stood up to take the credit it seemed. 'Woh kahan hai?' ( Where is he ?)

'Tafteesh kar raha hai, panchaayat say pehle.' ( He's doing some investigating, before the court.)

Her eyebrows knotted, 'Koi khaas panchaayat hai?' ( Will there be some special court?)

'Tumein nahi pata?' ( Don't you know?)

'Tumhara Malik Mir nay goliyaan chalaaye the humpar.' He said it in a mocking way- creating a clear distinction between then with the use of tumhara. ( Your Malik Mir has opened fire on us.)

Bullets. She gasped inaudibly. She knew her chachus son was bad, but not this much. 'Kyun?' ( Why?)

'Humaray drilling say ehtaraaz tha.' ( He objected to our drilling.)

'So shots were fired in an argument? Thats why Murtasim rushed over here.' It clicked for her. As Murtasim was sat in Malik Mukhtar's home, Mir was causing havoc on their land- her heart dropped a little at the way he had been betrayed whilst fulfilling his duty to her. Murtasim had taken her to see her mum and they had hit him in a weak spot.