After the End (Tere Bin) (ON HOLD)

Bridesmaid duties

The Baig household in Karachi had been lit with festivities for the past week. It seemed like there was not a single person who wasn't aware
about or invited to Saba Baig's upcoming nuptials. The only child of the family was getting married after all... if it were up to Mr Baig the whole world would know so!

But in the midst of the chaos and hustle-bustle of the household no one noticed that the bride and her bridesmaid were nowhere to be seen.

"Saba kuch kha toh lo yaar. Shadi ke time pet kud kud karega sab mazak udayege tumhara"
(Saba please eat something! You will be hungry later and everyone will make fun of you when your stomach howls in the middle of your wedding!)

Meerab and Saba were on the roof, hiding in the corner.

"Muje ice cream khani hai yaar. My last ice cream as a single woman!" She wined for the millionth time

(I want to have ice cream! My last ice cream as a single woman!)

Meerab bit her lips to hold herself from cussing her out. Saba had a kack for being especially infuriating when she was hungry. The coupled with the fact that Meerab hadn't had anything since morning herself just made her even more irritable.

She gave her darling best friend a tight lipped smile and said in the sweetest voice she could muster up

"Saba.. meri jaan 3 ghante mai shaadi hai tumhari... abhi aise dulhan ke tarakh saj ke aadhi raat ko kaha leke jayu mai ice cream khulane tumhe?"
(Saba my dear... you're getting married in 3 hours. How am I supposed to sneak you out in the middle of the night especially when youre all dressed up in your bridal wear?)

"Vo sab muje nahi pata. Muje bas apni shadi se phele ek last time aise raat ko ice cream khane sneak out karna hai...just like we used to when we were kids! C'mon yar Meerab!" She held her hand and pulled, trying to show her best puppy eyes.
(Thats not my problem, all I want is to sneek out before my wedding and have ice cream... just like when we were kids! C'mon Meerab!)

Meerab scoffed at her. Sometimes Saba acted so much like Meesam it was hard to believe she was full grown an adult.

'Or maybe I am was going through withdrawal' she thought.
She had been with Saba since the wedding festivities started. She hadn't seen her husband and daughter in the past week and it was safe to say that she missed them dearly. Their nightly video call sessions couldn't come close to being around them in person.

She was glad Saba was finally getting married today. More for herself than Saba since she could finally go back home to her family now.

"Acha let me see what I can do" she mumbled

She pulled her phone out of her bag and dialled a number

"There is an emergency. How soon can you reach here." she asked impatiently

Saba strained her ears to hear the reply but it was in vain.

"No...20 mins is too much, come here in 10. We'll meet you at the back gate" With that she hung up.

~~

Murtasim Khan was a man with a lot of virtues. He was a leader, kind, powerful, strong, loving, loyal, a protector, and family man through and through.

But a patient man, especially when it came to matters concerning his wife, he most definitely was not.

Meerab had been whisked away by her friends for what seemed like and eternity and he had lost half his wits already.

As much as he loved her, his daughter was quite a handful to deal with alone. Meesam was used to having Meerab around her all the time. Her mama's absence made her cranky and difficult to deal with...But not as much as her father though, if one were to go by Ma Begum point of view.