Elysium

Chapter 1

Ma Begum clearly remembered the day, almost three decades ago, when she rushed behind her husband into the hospital, cradling a shivering Murtasim in her arms. Her mother-in-law was adamant about the fact that Murtasim, being the heir to their clan, had the innate resilience to fight away a silly fever, and Salma Begum, then a newlywed and a new mother, had gone along with her mother-in-law's superstitions until Murtasim ended up with a mild case of pneumonia. It was the first and last time her son was admitted to a hospital until today.

She had heard all about the altercations that had happened in the village. What she thought would be a chance for the new couple to bond had turned into an absolute nightmare. Ma Begum held onto her rosary as she speed walked into the hospital entrance, Haya and Marium trailing behind her. She was received at the entrance by one of Murtasim's guards.

"Khan is in the OR, Ma Begum; the surgery is going on."

Ma Begum clutched onto her rosary as she recited holy verses and prayers, fear and anguish threatening to drown her.

"And Meerab?"

"Infront of the OR"

"What is she doing there, making sure that our prayers do not reach him? I am telling you, Ma Begum, all she has done is bring bad luck into our lives, especially Murtasim's. She first..."

Ma Begum walked away from whatever opinions Haya wanted to share. She had heard enough over the one-hour journey it took them to reach the hospital. She was a mother whose heart was bleeding for her son, and after everything she had heard from multiple people over the last few hours, her rage had mounted to unprecedented levels, and every bit of it was directed at her daughter-in-law. She was afraid that if she heard anything more, she might incinerate Meerab in her rage.

Ma Begum strode straight to the OR to stand guard for her son's life and paused when she saw her daughter-in-law.

Over the last few hours, she had heard so many accusations against Meerab that she was half expecting her to stand in front of the theatre with an ominous shroud around her as if she were waiting to snatch her son's soul.

Ma Begum knew that it was senseless to blame Meerab for the accident when it was her son who was driving. She should probably apologize to the traumatized girl, for her son's black rage might have worsened the accident. But she was a mother and a grieving one at that; she just wanted to blame someone for her son's plight, and since the drunk driver was not near, her anger was directed to the next best person.

She had truly believed at one point that Meerab was the root cause of Murtasim's rage and thus the primary reason for her present situation. But now, standing in front of the OR just a few steps away from Meerab, she knew that her accusations were pointless. Because the woman in front of her could never be the reason for her son's ill fate.

She had heard that many people, in the face of great adversity, get epiphanies. They think about every action and decision that led them to that situation. And as she stood in the hospital corridor, that is exactly what she did. She thought about the moment she had announced Meerab and Murtasim's marriage, the motive for her sudden decision, the last couple of months, her son's unrequited love, and their almost failing marriage, all culminating in the present moment.

And she realized that if she were to blame Meerab for any mishaps in their lives, then it would trace back to herself. Meerab's impulsiveness and defiance were all products of her hasty decisions, her failure to initiate her into a new role, and her selfishness to cage her into a system that has long been outdated.

Meerab had always been a little firecracker; her strength, spirit, and charm were unmatched. But as she strode toward her daughter-in-law, Ma Begum saw a different woman. Meerab slouched against her chair, her eyes closed, tears trailing over her cheeks, and her lips moving fervently as she recited verses and prayers, beseeching her God and destiny to protect the man on the other side of the doors.

Ma Begum gingerly cradled Meerab's head, the latter's eyes opening wide in shock. There were stitches on her head, and her arm was in a cast. Ma Begum could not find any other injuries aside from a few bruises littering her neck. But her eyes, bloodshot and desperate, looked up at her with utmost heartbreak. Salma Begum felt her maternal instincts kick in as she folded Meerab into her embrace.

"Meri bachi, it's alright; shh, it's alright; I have got you now."

"Murtasim.. he.. he.."

"He will be fine; he is my son; he is the Khan; he is not someone to lose a fight." Ma Begum looked straight into Meerab's eyes "Not when he has someone precious to return to".

Ma Begum was sure that Meerab knew about her son's feelings. Her son had started to fall for his wife from the beginning of their marriage and had continued to fall a little more every day since. But Meerab remained stubborn and rejected his advances at every turn. There were times when even she thought that their marriage was doomed to fail and that Meerab did not hold an ounce of affection for Murtasim.

But now, gazing into brown depths full of utter heartbreak and devastation, Ma Begum could confidently say that she was about to witness an epic love story. The unfortunate accident had served as the little push Meerab needed to realize her own feelings towards Murtasim and their marriage. She slid onto an adjacent chair, keeping her hold on Meerab tight as she joined in her prayers. Now all she had to do was wait for her son to wake up to this beautiful reality.