Khaani ka Khan - Tere Bin FF

Chapter 3 - Back to the Nest

Meerab zipped the large suitcase as she finished packing her and Murtasim's luggage, ready to leave for the village. "Feena" she called for the house help to carry the suitcase to the car while she packed Meesam's belongings. It was the first time Meerab was going to travel on a vacation with Meesam. The thought was driving her crazy. She didn't want to take any risk of being stuck in the village with something missing. It would be a complete nightmare as she knew the closest market was many kilometres away and that too might not have all the necessary items. Warm clothes, shoes, socks, hair clips and bands, medicines, baby food packets, napkins, towels, toys.... She went through the list mentally again and again as she kept adding items to the luggage. Once done, Feena was called again along with Mari to carry all of Meesam's luggage and to make sure that it was put in Murtasim's car itself, in case they need something on the way.

"Ji Dulhan Begum, we'll let Baktu Bhai know" Feena and Mari responded and carried the luggage outside.

Meerab walked out towards the driveway to see Murtasim instructing Baktu on the details while Maa Begum and Anwar played with Meesam. Meesam, ran around the garden with Anwar running behind her pretending to catch her. Maa Begum smiled, rather laughed seeing the two together which made Meerab think if she had ever seen the two grandparents laugh in her life, EVER? She had always known them to be strict actually stuck-up individuals who saw nothing important rather than their family's image. Only if things had not turned out the way they did, if Meesam was born in this very house, how different Maa Begum and Anwar would have been. She was thinking to herself, when she felt Murtasim's breath on her shoulder. Murtasim: Shall we? He whispered standing right behind her bringing Meerab back to reality. He wore a crisp white salwar kameez with a brown shawl loosely dropped at his shoulders. She loved how he felt near her. The intoxicating scent of his cologne creating havoc on her senses. She slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder. Her lips parted slightly and her honey eyes blinked furiously. Murtasim inhaled deeply and bend down his head closer to level his face with hers.

Muratsim: "You okay?" he whispered with a smirk playing on his lips.

Meerab bit her lower lip, her eyes fixed to the floor as she lightly placed her right hand on his chest close to the heart. Meerab: "You should be asking this question to yourself. Your heartbeat is rising, Khan Sahab" She smiled looking straight into his eyes as she turned on her toes and walked to the car leaving her husband flushed. As Meerab took Meesam in her arms and sat in the car, Murtasim took the keys from Baktu and said his salaam to Maa Begum and Anwar. As they started the journey two cars followed Khan Murtasim Khan's. The journey was a short one or so it felt to Murtasim seeing Meerab and Meesam besides him. Throughout the journey, Meerab kept pointing outside and showing random things of interest to Meesam. She giggled and pointed back at birds, cattle and the green fields.

Murtasim stopped the car near the fields and turned to Meerab before leaving the car. Murtasim: Please don't....

Meerab continued: We won't leave the car. I promise. Murtasim smiled and turned his attention to his daughter. He kissed her cheek and spoke: "Take care of your Mama" before winking at Meerab and leaving the car. Meerab's lips formed a cute 'O' as she looked back at her husband shocked. Murtasim walked out to see Baktu approaching him. He noticed that only one other car was following him now.

Murtasim: Where's the other car?

Baktu: Ah, Maalik! The other car broke down on the way. I have spoken to Rafique, he has taken it to the garage. The car will be here by tomorrow morning.

Murtasim nodded and walked into the fields inquiring about the happenings around the village to a few farmers. It had been two long years since he had been here. Things were much worse than he had imagined. The Maliks now held maximum of the lands making the lives of poor farmers a living hell. Things were no where like how they used to be when he had last visited his village. He promised to meet them all the next day and asked Baktu to organise the meet with the panchayat as well. As Murtasim took his seat back in the car, Meerab questioned looking at his tensed face: Everything alright?