If Only- A Tere Bin Story

As days go by...

It's been six days since Meerab declared she wanted divorce to Murtasim. Meerab was standing beside an open window of her room, lost in thoughts. Murtasim had agreed to her demand with not much resistance, did he secretly wanted that too? Meerab was reflecting on their conversation then, she had done it several times in the last 6 days.  But Murtasim looked really sad infact he had tears in his eyes....Oh his eyes! Meerab was reminiscing.

Murtasim's eyes were that part of his body that kept her captivated, not that other parts didn't. But, his eyes were beautiful, expressive and invasive. Meerab had read somewhere that 'Some eyes can touch you more than hands ever can' and immediately felt like it was written for Murtasim. In their 10 months of marriage she had caught him gazing at her several times, when he thought she wasn't looking and at times he just stared blatantly. Sometimes his eyes were like soft caresses making her feel warm with his pure adoration, other times his eyes were hot on her like lasers boring holes in her body as he traces her form. Meerab caught her self feeling hot at the thought and shook her head.

"it's over....No more Murtasim or his eyes" she whispered to herself and Just then Waqas entered her room.

" Meerab beta, I have talked to one of my colleague, he is the best divorce lawyer. I am referring your case to him." Waqas said

Meerab came back to reality and took a moment to react. "Baba, can't you you handle it yourself?"

"I am not a divorce lawyer but ... I can, it's just that with my preoccupations it might take time." Waqas responded.

"No issue...I want you to do this" Meerab said and Waqas nodded.

All of a sudden Meerab felt Waqas is looking too tired, his face was white, his eyes sunken. He had also lost weight. "Baba...are you alright? You look....tired"

"Yeah I am okay, just work" Waqas said not looking in her eyes. He couldn't admit that he had not taken his medicines properly since Meerab left, in fact the only times he took them were when Anila force fed them to him.

"Are you taking your medicines on time ?" Meerab inquired.

He nodded and quickly made his exit before Meerab could ask more questions.

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It was just 2 days after Meerab and Waqas had that conversation about his medicines when Anila came loudly knocking at Meerab's door in the the night around 10.00 pm. Meerab sat up on her bed with a jolt and took a second to realize what was happening. She heard Anila's voice

"Meerab....Meerab! Open the door, look what what happened to your Baba. Open the door !!"

Meerab ran towards the door and opened it "What happened?" Meerab asked in a panicked voice to an already hysterical Anila.

"I don't know...He isn't responding...just lying on the floor of his study" Anila was barely able speak between sobs.

"NO... NO.... NO...." Meerab was saying as she ran towards Waqas's study. She came to Waqas's limp body on the ground and immediately checked his pulse and surge of relief spread through her.

"He has fainted, you stay here Mama, I'll call the the driver. We have to take him to the hospital." Meerab instructed Anila in an urgent voice.

It look 10 minutes for them to rush Waqas to the Hospital and another 30 when he was treated in Emergency. He had suffered what the doctors called 'severe cardiac Arrhythmia'. His ECG was bad and doctors said they needed to shift him to the CCU to keep him under observation for another 24 hours so they did the transfer. It's been 3 hours since they have left the house.

Meerab was dealing which the Hospital paper work and billing formalities as she saw Murtasim walking out of the the sliding door of the emergency department. Even in her distorted state she skipped a beat. Who called him?

Anila apparently called Anwer as she considers him a brother and all her family is now in the USA. Anwer, accompanied by Murtasim left the Haveli immediately and sped through the highway to reach Karachi as soon as possible. 

AS Murtasim entered the emergency department he looked all around the space to find Waqas and Meerab but didn't, so he walked out and then saw Meerab. Just a few feet away standing at the billing counter looking at him in surprise. He walked towards her.

"How is Waqas chacha?" He inquired with concern as Anwer came from somewhere and joined them. Meerab nooded her Salaam to him and answered,

"He is stable for now, but his ECG shows disturbances so they are keeping him in CCU for a day to run some test."

Just then Anila came and upon seeing familiar faces, couldn't hold herself anymore and cried uncontrollably. Everyone tried to calm her down which took several minutes.

"I'll take care of the hospital formalities" Murtasim said as he moved towards the counter

"It's okay, it's taken care of.." Meerab's voice stopped him. He looked at her and realized she really had taken care of everything and then nodded in acknowledgment.

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They were all seated out side Waqas's room for another one hour as Doctors and Nurses went in and out. Murtasim saw Meerab going through everything with complete composure. She took care of the billing, medicines and all hospital paper work. She was talking to doctors and nurses about her fathers condition all the while consoling Anila and being strong for her. Murtasim felt his heart swell. This was Meerab, self-assured, courageous and independent. A realization struck him then, Meerab never needed him, it was him that needed her to ground him.

Meerab came  close to where they were all seated and said, "You guys should go home. it's too late."

"She's right, Chacha sahab, please take Anila chachi home. I'll stay here" Murtasim said.

"No, I'll stay here." Meerab firmly declared and then hold up a hand when she saw Murtasim began to protest.

"I don't need anyone 's support...I can manage one night at the hospital." She concluded and for some reason everyone conceded to her authoritative tone including Murtasim.

In the next few minutes Meerab saw everyone slowly getting up and going out of the hospital one by one.

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Meerab was now sitting inside Waqas's hospital room on a very uncomfortable two-seater sofa, listening to the dull sounds of machines attached to different parts of Waqas Ahmed's body. Just then someone opened the door of the room. She thought the nurse had come to change the IV medicines as she looked towards the drip Waqas had been administered and found that it was still running. With a mild surprise she turned to see the intruder of the room and her surprise elevated from mild to max as she saw Murtasim already half way across the room with two cups of coffee in his hands.

Covering her surprise Meerab started saying something to protest at the intrusion when Murtasim suddenly spoke.

"I know you don't need support, I am just here to give company."

********************************************************************************************************************Well! Waqas is my favorite parent out of all three, so he stays.

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