After the End (Tere Bin) (ON HOLD)

Baba

"Meerab vo muje bhul toh nahi jayegi na?" Murtasim whispered, appalled at the mere idea.

("She won't forget me right?")

Meerab laughed.

They had been talking about the same thing for 2 days now. Murtasim had been home with Meerab and Meesam everyday since they came back. He had wanted to spend all his time with them, he still did, but he could no longer avoid his feudal duties and had to go to goan to attend the panchayat.

He hated the thought of being away from them. Even though he'd only be gone for a few days, he felt unsettled. Things had only just begun to go smoothly between them. His relationship with Meerab was getting stronger by the day, his daughter had finally started to seek him out and, he daresay, love him. He was scared him leaving would somehow undo all of that.

"Murtasim siraf ek hafte ki toh baat hai. Meesam kitna attached hai tumse vo bhala kaise bhul jayegi tumhe? Yakeen karo mera. Jab tum aayo ge toh sabse phele tumhare taraf bhagti hue aaye gi vo!" Meerab tried reassuring him for the 5th time during the day.

("Murtasim its only a matter of a week. She adores you. How can she forget you? Trust me when you come back she'll be the first one to great you.")

"Hmm dekhte hai.." he muttered, still not completely convinced.

("Yeah we'll see about that")

They were lying on their bed, facing each other. Meerab lovingly traced his face with her fingers. Her touch still effected him the same way it did the first time around. His breath hitched, he looked at her like he'd never seen her before in his life. His eyes dazed, staring at her like she was his everything. She was.

Her hand reached up to his forehead, trying to sooth the frown lines that seemed to have set up a permanent residence on his face. He had been worried and anxious ever since he realised he's going to be apart from them again.

Meerab was anxious too. She didn't want him to leave, but she knew if she told him as such he'd put aside his duties and stay with them without a second thought and she didn't want him to do that. She had made him a promise all those years ago, to take care of him and herself, and she was determined to keep her word to him.

"Chalo so bhi jayo aab. Kal subha jaldi uth ke nikalna bhi hai" she said, smiling at him.

("Just sleep now, you have a busy day tomorrow")

"I love you" he whispered, his frown softening a little.

"I love you too" she replied and moved forward to kiss him.

~~

"Murtasim chalo bhi aab late ho raha hai tumhe!"

(C'mon Murtasim you need to get going you're going to he late!")

"Just a few minutes more please."he mummered. He was standing near their window holding Meesam in his arms. He was hugging her closer than usual, rocking her back and forth as she played with the buttons of his beige waist coat. He had been this way since Meesam woke up, kissing her face, sniffing her hair every now and then. He wanted to take her all in, her scent, her smile, everything, before he left.

Meesam, ofcourse, was oblivious to the troubles that plagued her father's heart. In the little time she'd been here Murtasim had already managed to spoil her rotten. She'd look for him first thing in the morning, wanting to be held and cuddled, and he'd happily oblige. On some days they'd stay like this for hours and now Meesam always wanted to he pampered like this, much to everyone else's dismay.

"Chalo aab bhaut ho gaya, Meesam ko muje do, aise toh tumne jana hi nahi hai" Meerab walked over to them and took Meesam in her arms. He was already 2 hours late.