Tere Bin - A Parallel Universe

Chapter Twenty One

Meeting you was like listening to a song for the first time and knowing it would be my favorite. 

(Unknown)

The morning sun streamed through the hospital window, casting a soft glow on the sterile white room where Meerab lay peacefully on the hospital bed. Her delicate features were now relaxed in a deep slumber under the effect of painkillers. Murtasim was still sitting by her side as he watched her with a mixture of concern and affection. The events of the previous day had taken a toll on both of them but the weight of responsibility rested heavily on Murtasim's shoulders.

Meerab's hand was still clasped in his, a silent reassurance amidst the chaos that surrounded them. He had been reluctant to leave her alone, even as his phone incessantly buzzed with missed calls and urgent messages from Malik Mukhtar and the Karachi DGP. The world outside had faded away as he solely focused on comforting Meerab, sitting by her side, his protective instincts kicking in. Truth be told, it was he who needed the comfort and for that, he needed to be around her. She was his sukoon.

After Meerab had initially woken up in the early hours of the morning, he had held her sitting by her side on the bed, her body continuously shivering as he tried to calm her down. Her eyes had been closing on their own despite her trying to stay awake. She wanted to talk to him but the weakness had not allowed her to do so. 

The rage within Murtasim had intensified as he had witnessed Meerab's frailty, the subtle tremors in her body amplifying his determination to shield her from further harm. The room echoed with the occasional beeping of medical equipment and the distant sounds of hospital activities at the farther end of the corridor.

He was dead tired but the nap that he had taken was enough for him for now. Nurses entered the room to check her vitals every now and then, their presence disrupting the otherwise quiet atmosphere. 

The light blue hospital gown against the crisp white sheets and Meerab's pale complexion created a poignant scene. He saw her completely blend in her surroundings. Her usually rosy cheeks were void of their usual color.

Murtasim's gaze lingered on her face, hoping that the peacefulness of her current state would erase the haunting memories of the turmoil they had faced the day before.

His gaze shifted from Meerab towards the door as it slowly opened. There stood Maa Begum, Anila, and Maryam who entered quietly, their expressions were somber mirroring the gravity of the situation they had faced last night.

He rose from his chair as a mix of relief washed over his face upon their arrival. Anila approached the bedside with a gentleness that only a mother could possess. Murtasim stepped aside, allowing her the space to sit beside Meerab. As she reached out to hold Meerab's hand, a tear escaped from the corner of her eye falling on her hand. 

The sight of her daughter lying there brought an immediate cascade of tears, expressing both relief and the profound emotions that had built up within her since yesterday afternoon. She had felt as if she was close to losing her daughter once again.

The sight of her lifeless figure covered in blood as Murtasim walked towards the emergency room had shaken her to the core.

She remembered the time when Waqas had left her like this all of a sudden. She did not want to lose her daughter a second time.

Maa Begum had also walked to her other side as she took in her unconscious state. She leaned down pressing a tender kiss on Meerab's forehead, her lips brushing against the pale skin briefly before stepping back as she began reciting soothing prayers, her low voice a comforting backdrop to the beeping of the medical equipment.