Qubool Hai (MeeraSim FF)

24 - Bewakoof

Maa Begum witnessed her staff walking out of the kitchen and walked in to see the reason why. 'Kya kar rahee hou?' ( What are you doing?) she asked to the back of Meerab who was fiddling with something on the counter top.

She turned to see Maa Begum and announced to her, 'Haath mitha kar rahee hou.' Meerab's voice carried excitement, a new task to focus on, something to win her husband over. ( Making some thing sweet.)

This would be the first time that Meerab cooks in the Khan house.

Maa Begum smiled at her wanting to assimilate. 'Madat chaiye?,' she asked as she surveyed the ingredients which Meerab had gathered for the recipe.

She didnt want to mess up and be the talk of the house, so she reluctantly accepted. 'Yes please.'

But then Maa Begum corrected her for the first time. 'Urdu mei.' ( In urdu.)

Meerab stumbled slightly at having to rephrase herself, just to accomodate to her mother in law. 'Mei aapki madat kay liye shukar guzaar houngey.' ( I would he grateful for your assistance.)

'Acha?' Maa Begum smiled with kind eyes- she looked different without the presence of her sick husband. She was more lively herself. 'Kya banaugey?,' she asked in a tone of intrigue. ( What are you going to make?)

Meerab didnt have a large repertoire to select from. But there was one thing that she had made, that had gone down a treat, and her husband had Unfortunatley missed it. 'Nano kehti hai Murtasim ko sheer kurma pasand hai,' she shared, mind skipping back to that eventful day. ( Nano says that Murtasim likes sheer kurma.)

'Haan. Ukso tou harr mithi cheez pasand hai,' she added whilst nodding, knowing her golden son's palette. ( Yes, he ljkes all sweet things.)

Meerab made note of his love for sweet things, as though it would come in handy to manao him in the future. 'Aur baba ko kya pasand hai?' ( What does baba like?) She asked with sincerity about her almost second father, slash, guardian.

'Shah Nawaz ko tou kaanay mei koy nuqs nahi nikaalta. Sab kha jata hai,' Maa Begum shared endearingly, praising her husband for being so easy going. 'Par sheer khurma asaan hoga tumhare liye. Ziyadi derr garmi mei khara hona bhe nahi parreyga,' she reasoned, and it seemed like the winner. ( Shah Nawaz isnt picky, he will eat anything. But sheer kurma will be simple and you wont have to stand in the heat if the kitchen for too long.)

Meerab sighed in relief- she seemed like a reasonable woman. 'Teek hai. Sheerm khurma banadoungey.' ( Thats fine, i'll make sheer kurma.)

She remebered how Murtasim had asked to taste it on the roof, after he had returned from the hospital and had seemed a little deflated at hearing it had long finnished. Maybe this could be the key to winning him over.

'Rohail aur Anas phir rahee hai aaj. Unsay mangwa lena. Main mariyum ko bejti hou- woh boht shauk say mitta khana banati hai,' Maa Begum informed before turning to leave, not wanting to excessivley interfere as Meerab took the lead- she needed her own domain to dictate too. ( Rohail and Anas are around today. You can order anything you need from them. Ill send for Mariyum- she loves making dessert.)

Meerab winced slightly at being pushed into the kitchen with Mariyum- she had remained so distant. Never the less, Meerab nodded in agreement. 'Jaisey tummay sahi lagga Maa Begum.' ( As you wish.)

Meerab pushed her open hair behind her ears behind her ears and tried to scarf around her waist, out of the way. Time to be down to business.

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Meerab hadent needed to order anything in as their kitchen was fully stocked, nor was it a particularly onerous recipe that requires a large pantry.

The milk was heating on the hob in a large silver pot. She had the sugar jar out infront of her, and a plastic packet of thin vermicilli noodles. Whilst her hand her hands on her waists, she raked her brain for any hints that could tell her if he liked saffron or rose or nuts.