Tere Bin SS - After the Storm

After the Storm - 8

"Meerab?", Murtasim asked confused seeing her sitting in the terrace outside. Meerab looked up surprised. "What are you doing here?", Murtasim asked coming closer. It was almost midnight. Meerab turned away from him and wiped her eyes discreetly. But Murtasim managed to catch the gesture.

"Nothing, I couldn't sleep so I thought maybe some fresh air might help", she replied after composing herself. Murtasim's heart ached seeing her trying to hide her pain from him. She had once trusted him with even the smallest of matters, but now? He couldn't even protect her invisible ghosts.

He approached her cautiously and sat down next to her on the bench. "I couldn't sleep either. Can we talk for some time?", he asked lightly not wanting to scare her away. Meerab looked at his carefully guarded face and nodded finally. "Tell me more about your life in Islamabad", he asked.

Meerab had a faraway look in her eyes as she said, "After I left from here, I stayed in Karachi for some time with Papa. After a while I felt like I needed to move on somewhere new where I could start fresh. Even though I know Papa loves me and don't mind me staying with them, I just couldn't bring myself to depend on them completely. Not after everything I went through", she took a deep breath at that. "Papa helped me enrol in a law course in Islamabad and also to get a loan. I moved there and started studying and worked some part-time jobs. After a while I got used to living there, made some friends. Papa and mama visited me whenever they could. They can't stay away from Sana, you know", she said the last part smiling side ways at him.

"I am sure they couldn't stay away from you too", he said in a low whisper. Meerab scoffed bitterly as some of the old anger and hurt creeped into her voice, "Trust me, people find it too easy to abandon me for some reason. It has become the story of my life". Murtasim couldn't look her in the eye, he was scared of what he might find there.

"Anyways, I should get going", Meerab said getting up. Murtasim sat there long after she had gone and reached for his cigarettes but stopped himself. No he didn't deserve to feel better. He had to feel this pain even if it kills him. After what he had done to her, he deserved it.

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"Murtasim sahib, there is someone here to see Meerab ji", Murtasim looked up from the files he was reading in the living room. His eyebrows drew down, "Send them in", he said closing the files and getting up. A tall, good looking man in his late twenties walked in.

"Ahil?", Murtasim turned around to see Meerab walking up-to the stranger with Sana in her arms. She smiled broadly after the initial surprise wore off. "What are you doing here?", she asked as she stood in front of him. Ahil smiled at her just as widely. "Surprise! I was in Hyderabad for some work so thought I could stop by and see you girls", he said smiling.

"Sana!", Ahil called out to the little girl who was distracted by her mother's necklace, which she was chewing busily. "Uwhgel", Sana said excitedly catching sight of him finally and leaned towards him to be held. "Ah, that's the welcome I was hoping for", he said smiling wider and tossed the now laughing girl in the air before catching her and held her close.

Murtasim's jaw clenched at the sight. He absolutely hated the guy, he hated the smile he evoked in both his wife and daughter. He was so jealous. He hadn't seen Meerab smile this genuinely since she came back and it hurt him seeing it being directed at another guy. Where was his gun when he needed it? He thought angrily.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?",Murtasim asked fake sincerely breaking the happy bubble. Meerab turned to look at him as if noticing his presence for the first time. His jaw muscle twitched. "Ah, This is Ahil. Sana's paediatrician and a good friend of mine. Ahil, this is Murtasim", she introduced them wondering about the tension in the air. "Oh it's him", Ahil said assessing Murtasim with an odd glint in his eyes. Murtasim clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white.