Meri Meerab *Discontinued*

52 - Kulfi

Murtasim had stopped infront of a small stall on the main road. It was just a cart filled with ice and salt and the most usassuming sign, but nestled inside was the best kulfi in Hyderabad.

Murtasim had discovered it in his childhood and regularly used to bring the girls- until work trips and panchaayat obligations had started catching up with him.

Murtasum rolled down the window and called over to the vendor, 'Mateen bhai!' and he gestured with 3 fingers.

Mateen bhai approached with 3 kulfis. Murtasim paid and tipped him heavily.

Before he could even turn to hand it over, Haya and Meerab had snatched it out his hand.'Yeh meri' and 'Yeh meri' could be heard but was indistinguishable between Meerab and Haya. They immediately began devouring it before the summer heat could melt it into a sticky mess.

Before he his window could close, to preserve the cold of the AC, he heard, 'Suna tha aapki shaadi ho rahee hai Khan Saab?'

It was news in their village. Fast approaching was their most anticipated wedding of the decade.

Murtasims mouth turned up at the corners and he replied, 'Jee hou rahee hai.' Then he turned to see the girls and the amount of joy the kulfi had bought them. 'Mateen bhai tum bhe aayegah. Biwi bachoan kay saath.'

'App ne bulaya tou fir ham zaroor ayengey.'

Murtasim knew his eldest son tended to the the Khan's family's fields and his younger son was still studying. 'Main gaari behj dounga.'

They had a sense of optimism back. A small piece of justice had been restored and they were finally able to get back on with their lives.

Then Murtasim licked his kufli and Meerab couldnt help but giggle at the sight. He seemed so boyish and cute- contrasting the sleek of the cars interior and the wide of his shoulders.

'Kya dekh rahee hou?'

She shook her head- her heart fluttered when he addressed her like that. She was thinking thoughts that could not be expressed out loud. Instead she asked, 'Ache hai?', questioning the taste of his kulfi as if she was the one that had bought it for him.

And of course he couldn't answer straight. 'Tumhari kulfi achi hai?' He asked as thought both of their kulfis hadent come out of the same cart.

She nodded and his thumb came the wipe the sweet milkiness spooling at the corner of her smile. 'Fir meri bhe achi hai. ' He confirmed.

She felt the electricity of his touch.

Meerab pulled away in shyness. It was broad daylight and Haya was seated at the back. Thankfully too engrossed in the dessert to catch his touch.

It reminded her of the way he had flicked the whipped cream off her lip after their nikkah and then her mind wandered to other things that occoured after their nikkah and her body heated.

They needed that baraat ASAP.

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A couple days later, Murtasim had been informed that the renovations on the main portion of the mahal were almost complete. Meaning that it was ready to decorate in preparation of the wedding.

It was Haya and Mariyum that were overseeing the stage set up and decorations as they had the so called creative vision.

All the work that needed to be done at the haveli had been done. Retrieving the suits from the tailors, ordering mithai and sorting wedding favours.

With that sorted, 2 cars filled up and set off for the mahal.

Meerab and Murtasim in one.

Maa Begum and the girls in the other.