TereBin

Loss

The rickshaw drove away while Meerab thanked God for her dumb luck. What were the chances of her running into him again, and why was a bus conductor even driving a rickshaw?

Before she could ask him, he stopped the rickshaw and told her to get out, 'kya ?'

'tu aur kya =, tumhain apnay ghar lay jaon ?', he asked.

Meerab had left the cash, Malaika had sent back at the hotel. She was now once again stuck on the streets without any money and no where to go.

'Waisay bhi main tum jaisi aurtoon ko apnay rickshay main charhnay bhi nahi deta, challo ab utro'.

He thought she was, 'main woh nahi hoon jo tum samajh rahay ho' Meerab tried to justify hereself.

'Poora sheher jaanta hain kay wahan kya hota hai', he waved off her excuses as he got out of the rickshaw and opened the small side door.

' main aisi waisi larki nahi hoon , mera ghar hai mera shohar', Meerab trailed of as she realised how much trouble she really was in. When Murtasim, Maa Begum and Anwar found out where she had been what they would do, as far as they were concerned Meerab had completely destroyed their izzat. She would not be forgiven if they found out about the hotel.

The rickshaw driver made her get out and drove away. Before Meerab could walk away from the road, two boys on a bike showed up and began to tease her,

Meerab froze, her blood turning into ice. She knew what was going to happen and there was no way for her to get away. She began to walk away, and they started to drive alongside her. One of them jumped off the bike and came towards her, and Meerab wished she had never left home. It had been better than this, Murtasim was after all her husband. 

As the man reached for her, the rickshaw driver suddenly came back, stepping in front of Meerab. He pulled out a knife and held it to the man's neck. They jumped on their bike and ran away.

Meerab remembered when Murtasim had come to rescue her in the village. How he had stormed into the warehouse and taken her home. How safe and protected she had felt wrapped in his arms. He had forgiven her then, would he forgive her now ? What if she went home and begged him, would she even be allowed back inside?

'ghar kahan hai tumhara ?', the rickshaw driver asked her again.

'Mai ghar nahi jana chahti', Meerab wondered if she even had a home any more.

Even if Murtasim forgave her, Meeran knew Maa Begum would not. What had happened with Marium had been the last straw, there would be no more second chances for her now. 

'Ghar say bhaagi hui ho ? kab tak yahan khari raho gi? waisay bhi shikari kuttay raat ko hi nikaltain hain, do tou bhugat chuki ho'. 

Meerab had grown up in Karachi, had always know the city was dangerous. But until today it had not been real to her. She had never gone anywhere alone, even though she could drive, her mama had insisted the driver drop Meerab wherever she wanted to go.

If Meerab was out late, her baba would come pick her up himself. In hyderabad, the guards always went with her if. She had always thought of herself as independent, confident and able to handle everything. She had realised, now, how truly sheltered and pampered she had always been. Murtasims anger on her going to Anas's house and wandering in the village were making alot more sense now. 

Even if Anas had not been Malik Zubair, Meerab had made a huge mistake. She had put both herself and Marium in alot of danger without caring, simply because she wanted to prove Maa Begum and Murtasim wrong. And he had still been willing to forgive her, had come to pick her up but had found her with Rohail instead. 

No wonder he had been so angry at her, no wonder his control had snapped. She had pushed him at every turn, never giving him a chance. Yet what he had done was unforgiveable ... wasn't it?

'Jitni bezati duniya walon kay samnay tum meri kar wa raho ho,jis din meray khanday us ka bojh na utha sagay, us din sab say pehlay mun kay bal tum giro gi Meerab'. Having burnt all her bridges, Meerab now realised how right he was.

'challo tumhain ghar chor deta hoon, apnay ghar walon kay pass wapis chali jao'. The rickshaw driver/ bus conductor was insisting. 

Her baba had stood up for her though, had finally stood up against Maa begum. He had even said he would not make her leave again, Meerab was not sure she completely trusted him, but after the events of tonight did she really have an option?

She got back into the rickshaw and told the address of her parent's house. The sun was rising as he pulled up to her street. She wanted her baba, he would help her sort this mess out. She would explain that she had not run away thoughtlessly this time.

She did not notice, Murtasims guards standing outside as she rang the bell. 

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