Ittefaq Say (MeeraSim FF)

10 - Tofa

'Aap tou mazaak kay liye jhoot bhol rahe the.' Meerab stated, assessing that he was taking the whole situation lightly where as every minute passing on the train was another ounce of freedom for her, liberation from the shackles of an marriage she didn't want. (But you were lying for fun.)

A strange constricting feeling encased his chest at the idea that anyone could force her to do something which she desperately didn't want.

His father had not instilled such unjust morals in him- instead Shah Nawaz Khan had advocated for kindness, protection and uplifting of women in his household and gaon. He was a visionary- merciless to anything hindering the progression of his people. Maybe that's where Murtasim got the idealised, enterprising flair from.

'Adha jhoot.' Murtasim chuckled and corrected as though it made a difference to her. 'Tasveer kehnchna mera shauk hai. Islamabad mei mainay kaam bhe kiya, aur tasveerein bhe kehnchi.' He explained with a weak smile, attempting to lighten the mood after her heavy confession. (Half a lie. It is my hobby to click pictures. Half of the time I was working and for the rest I clicked photos.)

Meerab's hands twitched at the ideation of him actually being a photographer, especially after he had unveiled the camera in question. 'Main aapki kehnchey hui tasveer dekh sakti hou?' Meerab asked, her voice a mix of intrigue and apprehension - half wanting to judge his talents. (Can I look at the photos you've clicked?)

Murtasim's his eyes lit up at her interest in his work but then his excitement was retracted as he realised that he wouldn't be able to carry out the request.. 'Abhi process nahi huay...' he stalled in contemplation. '....Par film dikha sakta hou.' (They aren't processed yet but I can show you the film.)

Meerab nodded- anything to distract her from imagining the scenes which must be unfolding back home at the realisation that the bride was not patiently waiting in her room. Besides, she figured he had quite a light aura about him, when he wasen't stood face to face with Farukh.

They were humsafar now.

Meerab came to sit next to him- out of necessity - so he could open the films for her. He retrieved his hard briefcase again - a leather brief case of dreams, and got out a couple of the tubes of film to show her by tenderly unrolling the them in his thick hands and holding them up against the light from the window- bringing them to life.

Through the brown tinted platic reels were the unmistakeable outlines of animals- some were large birds and horses mid-race and even an elephant. He began narrating them for her, as though she they there weren't clearly distinguishable on their own account.

A flurry of child like excitement rushed through her realsing that he indeed was a wildlife photographer. 'Bohat arsa ho gaya hai kai mai zoo pr nahi gaye.' Meerab admitted sheepishly recalling a dream-like memory from her childhood invoking rancid smells and overcrowding of visitors in the summer's relentless heat. ( I havent been the zoo in a long time.)

He almost wanted to take her- and amused himself by toying with the idea in his mind- her in white linen dress, the pinky-ornage overhead sun dancing through her hair, a oversized women straw hat atop of her head to protect her gaze as she looked out to a far away deer. Without a second though, he blurted, 'Main lay jaunga....safari pe.' ( I'll take you... on a Safari trip.)

Meerabs eyebrows furrowed and her eyes instantaneously jerked up to see his face - his features were neutral, lost in reverie. She chucked at his seriousness. 'Acha?' Scoffing at the absurdity of the strangers idea. 'Kaunsa safari?' She teased herself by playing along, assuming there was one in his Hyderabad. ( Really? Which Safari?)

'South Africa mei.' He replied, matter of factly. He had already travelled around Africa, namley Tanzania and Kenya, but South Africa seemed particularly inviting in this moment with large mammals. 'Lions, leopards, giraffes,' he listed - all bustling in the wild, patiently waiting for the honour to be witnessed by her. ( In South Africa.)