TereBin

Knives

One week went by in the same way and Meerab was about to snap. She spent all day in the kitchen, only for her food to be picked apart by Maa Begum on the table.

Haya would constantly hang around her taunting, her asking her fazool questions. She made sure to tell Meerab when she was going out and she kept bringing in flowers from the garden to taunt her with.

Murtasim was barely home, infact he had gone to gaon four days ago and would be back tonight. He had still not given back her phone, and when she had tried to use the landline to call her parents and Saba, Haya would always show up to laugh at her.

Meerab was sure, that Maria, the girl who's sole purpose seemed to be to follow Meerab around was informing Haya of her movements.

Maa Begum continued with her taunts, as Meerab had gotten better with the cooking and had some free time she had been given more useless tasks.

She had organised cupboards and trunks, cleaned out shelves, wrapped gifts to be distributed, sorted through clothes to send to Marium's susral and was now stuck cleaning some show pieces that Maa Begum insisted were too important for the servants to touch. Meerab had seen the servants cleaning these for years but could not say anything.

'Aj Murtasim wapis araha hai, make sure food is ready on time' , Maa Begum said.

Jumping at the chance to stop dusting, Meerab went to the kitchen, ' main bus table set karwati hoon'

'pata hai Meerab main Soch Rahi thi Kay Murtasim tum hay wapis kyun laya hai? lekin ab samajh arahi hai. We needed a new maid and now we have you to cook , to clean and do all our chores', Meerab tried to ignore Haya's usual taunts.

But she simply could not this time, it had been nine days of this continous torture. Without thinking too much Meerab picked up the knife she had been using to cut the salad and threw it near Haya.

She had aimed few feet left of Haya and not actually at her but as expected Haya threw a whole tantrum.

'tum samajh ti kya ho apnay ap ko Meerab, tum anay do Murtasim ko ab dekhna Woh tumharay sath kya karta hai', Haya screamed at the top of her voice.

' Don't you realise Haya ? Main Kuch bhi Kar loon Woh mujhay Nahi choray ga. Main Ghar say bhi bhaag gayi lekin woh tumhara Nahi hua. He chose me over his izzat do you really think you matter. I can do whatever I want to you', Meerab said.

Maa Begum had come running, ' kya horaha hai yahan, kyun cheekh rahi ho Haya?'

' Maa begum, is nay mujhay churi say marnay ki koshish Kari hai'

'Maa Begum main Kaam Kar rahi thi, Haya batain Kar rahi thi is liyay Galti say Mera hath slip hogaya aur churi gir gayi.

' yay jhoot bol Rahi hai', Haya screamed back.

' Acha bus , Meerab apnay kamray main jao, tumhain Murtasim hi dekhay ga. Haya table lagwao'.

Meerab walked to her room panicking. As good as it has felt screaming at Haya she was not sure it would be worth the consequences.

She jumped when the door opened but it was only Maria, bringing her food. So she was not invited to dinner then. She ate a few bites before returning the plate, to nervous to eat.

Murtasim walked in on her pacing in their living room. He looked beyond angry again.

'Meerab ab tum nay kya Kiya hai', he walked towards her.

Meerab burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.

Murtasim froze for a second but then wrapped an arm around her. ' Mainay Kuch Nahi Kiya Murtasim, Haya jhoot bol Rahi hai. I was just making dinner, and Woh Haya akay bakwas Kiyay ja Rahi thi.'