Zilhaal e Miskeen

Chapter 1

Tumpe miti tumse bani
Tumse hua hai haan khud pe yaqeen
Tu jo nahi to naa sahi
Main hoon yahaan toh tu hai yahin kahin

Meerab was sitting on her bed with a laptop on her lap. She was muttering some prayers while re loading the website that was down due to the crowd. Her hands were shivering with anxiety as she was pressing fingers on the keyboard. Sarah just called her to inform that the MDCAT results are announced and since then she has been in panic mode. It was her dream to be a doctor. Her eyes blink twice to see the page that is now loaded and she quickly enters her id. She closed her eyes in nervousness and recited some prayers. But when she opened them it went wide to see her name on the top of the list. SHE CRACKED IT.
Yayyyyy. She throws the laptop in bed and gets up to do her happy dance. Maayi enters the room to see her dancing like a lunatic. She giggles at the sight. Meerab is still a little baby. She thought.
Meerab saw Maayi entering the room so she quickly went to her and hugged her tightly.
Meerab: Maayi Mera MDCAT hogya.
Meerab said excitedly.
Maayi: Haaye tmhen Kya hogya?
Meerab: Maayi mjhe kch nhi hua woh meine exam diya tha na medical college mein admission k liye woh test clear hogya hai and Mera admission hogya hai medical college mein. Mein ab finally Doctor bannay wali hoon. She explained to her.
To all Maayi maybe just a caretaker but for Meerab she was the mother figure. Her mother died at her birth so Anwar Khan hired Maayi as her caretaker. Though her father loves her a lot she always felt the absence of her mother and to compensate that she always comes to maayi in her childhood and now being 18 years old she still does the same.
Meerab shows her the laptop screen Jo k unki khaak pallay para but Meerab ki ankhon ki Khushi dekh k unke Dil SE bs Dua nikalti thi.
Maayi: Boht Boht Mubarak ho aap ko bete.
Meerab: Thank you so much Maayi.
Maayi: Acha han aapko Anwar Khan ne bulaya hai neechay shayad Maa Begum k pass Jana hai.
Meerab: Arey haan baba Sahab ko bhi btana hai mjhe but Sab se pehle Murtasim ko btaongi. Aaj Sunday hai naa Tou woh Haveli mein hi Hoga. Aap ko yaad hai usne Meri kitni help ki thi test ki preparation mein. Saying she recalls the moment when he was helping her solving numericals.
Flashback:
Meerab was sitting on the carpet with books scattered around her. Her hairs were tied up in a bun when he entered the study room. His lips turn upwards seeing her pouty face. He cleared his throat to gets her attention. She looks up to see him standing at the door.
Meerab: Thank God tm aa gye. Mjhe kch smjh nhi aa rha yeh kese solve krna hai. She said while showing him the book.
Meerab: I swear meine fail ho Jana hai Kal.
Murtasim: Khair woh Tou tm bilkul nhi hogi. I can bet on it.
Meerab: Mjhe boht anxiety ho rhi hai. She said while her eyes were already wet.
Murtasim: Yr ek Tou Rona band kro and take a deep breath. Okay relax.
He said while calming her down. And only he knows how to calm her down.
Murtasim: Good ab btao Kya smjh nhi aa rha.
Meerab shows him the questions and he start explaining her. Though he was a business student still he prefers to teach her as he doesn't trust anybody near her.
Flashback ends.
Meerab!!!!
Anwar Khan ki awaaz aayi Tou meerab tezi se dupatta sar pe dalte hue bahir aayi.
Meerab: G Baba Sahab
Anwar Khan: Bhabhi Begum ne bulaya hai humein Chalo jldi.
Meerab: Baba Sahab woh mjhe aap ko kch btana tha.....
Anwar Khan: Hum aa kr baat krlengy abhi Chalo.
Meerab nods and went outside.
Khan Haveli is made up by two mansions merged up together. With the main lawn and entrance together. The architecture is inspired from old mughals style but the inside of Haveli is quite modern and well furnished. One portion is designated for Maa Begum who lives with her daughter Mariyam Shah Nawaz Khan and her son Murtasim Shah Nawaz Khan. Her husband was the Gaddi Nasheen and after his death Murtasim being a only son was supposed to be the next Ja Nasheen but till he takes over the throne Anwar Khan is leading the Panchayat and all. The second portion is reserved for Anwar Khan who lives there with her only daughter Meerab Anwar Khan. His wife Nazia Anwar Khan died at the childbirth and since then his entire world revolves around Meerab and the village work. Shahwaz Khan and Anwar Khan also have a sister Anila Ahmed Khan who's married to their family friend's son Waqas Ahmed and they had a daughter named Haya. Though they lived in Karachi but on every occasion they kept visiting Haveli.
Upon reaching the Maa Begum side of the house they went towards the main hall.
Maa Begum was sitting on her designated couch whereas Maryam and Murtasim were standing in front of her.
Murtasim went ahead and knee down in front of her taking her hands in his palms but she shrugged his hold.
Murtasim: Maa please...
Anwar Khan: Assalam o alaikum Bhabhi Begum. Aap ne bulaya mjhe?
Maa Begum stands up seeing both of them. She walks towards them and ask Anwar Khan.
Maa Begum: Anwar Kya tm jantay the yeh Sab.
Anwar Khan: Maafi Chahta hoon Maa Begum mein smjha nhi
Maa Begum: Anwar mein Puch rhi hoon Kya tm jantay the k Murtasim Australia ja rha hai?
Anwar Khan looks at Murtasim who himself standing with helplessness written on his face.
Anwar Khan: Bhabhi Begum woh...
Maa Begum: Anwar mjhe tamheed nhi chahiye. Haan ya naa.
Anwar Khan: Jee Bhabhi Begum.
Maa Begum: Aur tm logon ne mjhe btana tk gawara nhi Kiya. Woh Tou Chalo phir apne junoon k aagy bebas hai par Anwar tmse mjhe yeh umeed nhi thi.
Anwar Khan: Bhabhi Begum meine Bhai Sahab se waada Kiya tha k unki aulaad ka har khuwaab poora krunga aur har tarah se unka khayal krunga so mein kese inkar kr skta tha.
Maa Begum: Par tmne yeh nhi Socha k mein kese rahungi iske baghair.
Murtasim walks towards Maa Begum.
Murtasim: Par Maa Sahab mein hamesha k liye thori ja rha hoon bs kch Saalon ki baat hai phir wapis yahin aana hai mjhe.
Maa Begum: Magar Jana hi kyun hai. Agar business settle krna hai Tou yahin krlo. Mazeed prhna hai Tou woh bhi yahin kro kyun pardes k dhakkay Khanay Hain.
Murtasim: Kyun k mein apne dam pe Kuch krna Chahta hoon aur aap janti Hain k woh Yahan mumkin nhi hai. Mera khuwaab hai yeh Maa please mere liye woh mushkil na kren.
Murtasim looks at her with pleading eyes. Maa Begum couldn't see him like this nor could allow him so she walked away and Maryam follows her while Murtasim looks at Anwar Khan.
Anwar Khan: Tm ruko mein smjhata hoon.
Murtasim: Par chacha Sahab....
Anwar Khan: Trust me maan jayengi.
Anwar Khan left the hall too. And that's when Murtasim looks at her who was looking at him with utter disbelief. He realized that leaving her would be far more difficult than he imagined but he has to do this anyhow.
Meerab slowly walks towards him.
Meerab: You didn't tell me anything about it. Why?
Murtasim: Kyun k mjhe pta hai tm bhi Maa Sahab ki tarah hi react krti.
Meerab: But woh sahi Hain Murtasim. Tm mat jao please. Apne khuwaab tm Yahan bhi Tou kr skty ho naa?
Murtasim shook his head as no.
Murtasim: Chah k bhi nhi kr skta. Yahan Sab mjhe Khan family k waris k Tor pe janty Hain. Shah Nawaz Khan ka eklota beta. Gaddi ka waris. Meri apni koi shanakht nhi hai aur mjhe woh banani hai. Mjhe iss system se koi masla nhi hai aur Janta hoon Mera muqaddar yehi hai magar kch waqt Tou le skta hoon apni ek pehchaan bananay k liye. Mein is regret k Sath zindagi nhi guzar skta k Jo kr skta tha woh nhi Kiya. Mjhe yaqeen hai tm smjho gi yeh baat. He said indicating her dream to be a doctor.
Meerab: Aur humein chor k janay ka koi regret nhi Hoga tmhen.
At this point she literally had tears in her eyes.
Murtasim: Yr mein Kaun sa hamesha k liye ja rha hoon. Kch Saalon mein Sab kch wese hi rahega. I promise.
He said while wiping off her tears but she push his hand away.
Meerab: Par agar tmhen aanay mein der hogyi Tou?
Murtasim: Nhi hogi. Bs Thora sa waqt hai palak jhapaktay guzar Jayega. Dekh Lena tm.
At the same time Maa Begum enters the hall with Anwar Khan following her.
Maa Begum: Kb ki flight hai tmhaari.
Murtasim: Jee... Iska mtlab aap maan gyi. Thank you so much Maa.
Maa Begum hugs him.
Maa Begum: Chahti Tou mein ab bhi nhi hoon k tm jao magar janti ho tmhaari zidd ko. So behtar hai k tmhen itni door apni narazgi k Sath nhi magar apni duaon mein bhejun.
Meerab walks out the room as she could no longer bear this.
Meerab enters her room and close the door. She walks towards her bed and sit down on carpet putting her head against the frame of bed.
Meerab: Kch waqt ki hi baat hai guzar Jayega. Smjh nhi aa rha itna rona kyun aa rha hai mjhe. Murtasim pehle bhi Tou Karachi jata rha hai naa. She wipes her tears but deep down she couldn't understand the restlessness of her heart.
Few days later:
It was his day of departure and he still couldn't gets to talk to her. He knows she's upset but yeh baat na krni ki Kya tuk banti hai. He was at the main entrance of house with Maa Begum Anwar Khan and Maryam standing but he was still hoping for her to bid him goodbye.
Anwar Khan: Chalo Murtasim flight ka waqt ho rha hai.
Murtasim: Jee chacha Sahab. He said still looking at Anwar Khan's house. Following his gaze Anwar Khan smiles.
Anwar Khan: Woh nhi aayegi. Tm jantay ho woh jab naraz hoti hai Tou aise hi react krti hai.
Murtasim: Par chacha Sahab Meerab kbhi itni der naraz nhi rehti.
Anwar chacha: But is dafa dukh bara hai naa zyada. After all uska best friend usse chor k ja rha hai. Par tm fikr mat kro kch din mein bilkul theek hojaye gi. Mjhe yaqeen hai hamesha ki tarah iss baar bhi mana logy tm usse. Ab Chalo.
Murtasim unki tassali pe muskuraya par woh Janta tha iss dafa manana asaan nhi Hoga.
Meerab looks at his car leaving the house from Terrace but to show her anger she didn't goes downstairs to meet him. Iss dafa narazgi lambi chalni thi.

A/N:
I know it's a very short update but due to some issues I just couldn't post it but better late than never so here you go. Please save this story so that you won't miss any updates. I am planning to give at least two updates a week but let's see how it goes. Please pray for me to complete it that way.
And lastly I want to show my gratitude to all those comments and excitement you guys showed me on sneak peak. Thank you all.
🫶