In Every Universe

Meerab's Confession

A scene insert in Tere Bin's final episode. Murtasim finally hears what he means to Meerab.

.
.
**********************************
.
.

"Promise me ab kabhi nahi jaao gi."

"Kabhi jaa hi nah sakti ab....mohabbat jo karti hoon tumse. Bohot zyada. Bohot shadeed."

Meerab smiled happily at him, her face glowing with warmth.

Murtasim froze. His thumb stopped caressing her cheek. It felt like time stopped. His eyes looked at Meerab beseechingly. He had waited an eternity to hear those words from Meerab's lips.

Meerab raised her hand, wrapped it tenderly around Murtasim's wrist and brought Murtasim's hand that was lodged in her braid back down into her lap. She then slipped her fingers into his and held his hands gently in her lap. The caress of her soft warm skin caused Murtasim to gulp involuntarily. Her smallest touch of affection would always send his senses into havoc.

She took a deep breath before she continued, "Bohot waqt laga is ehsaas ko qubool karne main. Bohot himmat lagi iss baat ko maannay main. Bohot dabanay ki koshish ki thi maine apnay jazbaat ko. Jhutlaanay ki bohot koshish ki. Magar tum jeet gaye Murtasim. Tumhari mohabbat ne mujhe jeet liya."

Meerab gently squeezed his hands and she gave him another dazzling smile, droplets of tears forming in the corner of her eyes after her confession.

Murtasim let out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding. His lower lip quivered as he said with deep emotion, "Mujhe pata tha! Mujhe pata tha tum bhi mujhse mohabbat karti ho! Pata tha aik din tum khud kahogi! Pata tha aik din tum khud mere qareeb aao gi!" Tears had begun streaming down his face again and red rims were now visible around his eyes. He grasped her hands back, tightening his grip further and pulled Meerab in closer towards himself. His eyes hungrily scanned her face.

"Ab khabi nahi jaane doonga," he whispered. "Kahin nahi jaane doonga." He closed the small gap left between them and rested his forehead on hers, their noses touching slightly. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling her sweet floral scent.

He took a moment before he spoke again. "Bohot intizaar kiya hai maine tumse yeh sunne ke liye. Bohot tarsa hoon main. Phir se kaho. Mujhe dobara sunna hai! Bolti raho Meerab. Bas bolti raho, aur main sunta rahoon. Please!"

"I love you Murtasim," Meerab said sweetly. "And I missed you too."

Still tightly clasping her hands, Murtasim opened his eyes and slowly pulled his head back so he could gaze at her face again. She looked like the radiant sun smiling softly down at him, while he knelt in front of her earnestly, looking like the earth in her orbit.

Meerab continued, "Koi aik din, koi aik lamha nahi aisa guzra jiss main maine tumhe yaad naa kiya ho. Jis din ghar se nikli, ussi din se tumhari yadoon ne mere picha kiya. Agar khush hoti toh tum yaad aatay, bemaar hoti to tumhay pukarti. Tumhara mere irdh girdh ghoomna aur mujhe har waqt taktaki laga kar dekhna yaad aata. Tumahra khayal karna aur har choti choti baat par tawajo dena yaad aata. Mere liye sabse lar parna, aur meri har waqt hifazat karna yaad aata. Tumhara jaan chhirakana yaad aata. Lar jhagarnay ke baad tumhara mujhe pyar se manana yaad aata. Sach baat yehi hai ke mere dil ko khabhi tumse door rehna gawara hi nahi tha. Mujhe aik din tumharey paas wapas aana hi tha Murtasim. Meesam naa bhi hoti, mere paas wapas aane ka koi bahana naa bhi hota, phir bhi mere dil ne aik din mujhe tumhare paas wapas keench kar le hi aana tha!"

Murtasim's mouth lifted in a smile. He was touched to know she had been longing for him badly the entire time, just like he had been longing for her.

"Murtasim tum mere liye thandi chaaon ki tarhaan ho. Tumse door jaa kar ehsaas hua hai ke tumhaarey beghair main jal jaaongi. Tum meri zindagi ka sabse ahem hissa ho!"

A warm fuzzy feeling of peace erupted in his insides, melting away his insecurities and making him feel content for the first time in what felt a like very very long era.

Meerab unlatched one of her hands from Murtasism's grip, and this time it was she who placed her hand on the side of his face, cupping his left cheek endearingly, her soft snowy palm contrasting against his rough beard. A somber expression made its way onto her face. "I'm sorry Murtasim. Mujhe bhi maafi ki zaroorat hai. Maaf kardoge mujhe?"

"Kis cheez ke liye Meerab", Murtasim implored, looking slightly puzzled.

"Humaray darmiyaan jo kuch bhi hua ho, mujhe Meesam ko tumse door nahi rakhna chahiye tha", Meerab replied wistfully. "Kaash main jaldi himmat jor leti wapas aanay ki, magar logon ka meesam ki valdiyat par shaq karna mujhe baar baar khauf main daal deta."

Murtasim shook his head. "Tumhe maafi maangne ki zaroorat nahi hai Meerab. Maine hi har baar Rohail ko lekar tumpe bilawajah shaq kiya. Maine hi har baar haya ki behooda harakaton aur saazishon ko nazar andaaz kiya. Tumhe unsunna kar deta tha, aur doosron ki baaton ko ahmeeyat deta tha. Bolnay ka mauqa tak nahi deta tha tumhe, aur tumhe saza suna deta tha. Kasoor iss baat main bhi aakhir mera apna hai. Tum par aitbaar karke dikhaya hota toh tumhe wapas aanay ka khauf nahi hota." Attempting to soothe her, Murtasim started drawing little circles with his thumb on Meerub's hand that was not cupping his face and was still encased in his on her lap.

"Meerub yaqeen karo, ab jo tum aur Meesam meri zindagi main aa gaye ho, toh sab khud ba khud theek ho gaya hai. Woh waqt jo hum sab ka saath zaya ho gaya, uski bharpayi ho jaaye gi." Murtasim smiled encouragingly up at her.

Meerab smiled back, her face full of love and warmth, her eyes teary.

"Aik aur baat ki maafi mangni hai mujhe Murstaim."

"Aur woh kya baat hai?"

Meerab moved her hand which was cupping Murtasim's cheek and brought it to gently touch her fingers to the spot just under Murtasim's left eye. She swallowed, then spoke. Her voice shook slightly as she said, "Yahan thooka tha maine. Mujhe tum par thookna nahi chahiye tha. Main iss baat ke liye bohot sharminda hoon. I'm so so sorry Murtasim."

Murtasim started to shake his head. "No Meerab you don't have to-" he started, but he was cut off. Meerab had leaned across the distance between them, removed her fingers and pressed her lips on the place she had just touched under his eye. She kissed him there gently. She had kissed the spot where she had spat on two years ago.

Murtasim let out a sigh. Meerab leaned back to look at Murtasim looking absolutely lovesick, an expression of pure awe on his face. Meerab could help but let out a small giggle at his drunk expression.

"You just kissed me," he marveled quietly. Murtasim raised his own fingers and touched the spot she had just kissed, a dazed look still on his face.

"Toh kya tum mujhe iss baat ki bhi maafi de doge?" Meerab asked.

Murtasim focused his gaze back on her face. He grasped both her hands in her lap again before answering, a cheeky grin on plastered on his face; "Agar tum mujhe aisay hi, issi jagah, har din kam se kam aik baar choomo gi, toh maafi tumhari paaki hui!"

Meerab and Murtasim let out a chuckle simultaneously. Meerab felt at ease and Murtasim finally felt like the weight of the world has been lifted off his shoulders.

It was at this point Meesam let out a happy giggle. Meerab and Murtasim turned to look at her smiling happily at them. They didn't realise when she had woken up.

Meerab turned back to look at Murtasim, a fierce blazing look of affection on her face. "Pyaari haina?"

"Humari tarhaan," responded Murtasim.

"Tumhari tarhaan," corrected Meerab.

They both let out a joyful laugh. Their worst trial was finally over. They had survived. Their love had made it.

"Aansu saaf kardo?" requested Murtasim.

Meerab nodded and raised both her hands to lovingly wipe Murtasim's face.