Where Shadows Reach

The Mango Tree

It was past eight the next morning and Meerab was still asleep. Mari had been busy with her assignment at her desk while Meerab slept undisturbed.

She was rudely awakened by Mari singing in her ear "What in the world! Who's bey-suri awaaz is that?"
Meerab murmured as she covered her ears with a pillow, trying to shut out the loud screeching in her ear.

"Dont you have to meet Amana today?" Meerab almost screamed trying to be heard above Mari's awful singing.

"No, no, noooooo!" Mari kept exaggerating each word "I dooo not haaave to seee Amaaanaa."

"Ok stooop it Mari, I am awake."

Meerab knew Mariyam could sing really well except when she wanted to annoy Meerab then she could change her voice to sound as bad as scraping chalk on a blackboard.

"Ooh good." Mari excitedly sat down on Meerab's side of the bed and wanted to know "What happened on your date? Have you guys decided?"

"No Mari, we just talked for a few minutes and then went to sleep. It was nothing like a date."

"Aww.." disappointment coloured Mari's face.

"Lets go eat, I am famished. I will freshen up and we will go down." Meerab said getting out of bed, ignoring Mariyam's frown.

"I already ate. You go and eat, I am going to have a shower after you are done using the bathroom."
By the way, why aren't you using your room at all this time?"
Mariyam asked with a curious look.

"Don't mind me asking, I love having you here in my room but you do have you own room you know."
Mari said laughed adding "Just saying."

"I know. Sorry yaar, I am just hesitant to sleep on my own after that nightmare." Meerab explained.

Mari hugged her best friend and declared "Its going to be ok. I will fight monsters for you!"

Meerab hugged her back with a kiss on Mari's head. "You are the bestest!"

"You could always marry Bhai and move into his room.."
Mari declared with a smirk so like Murtasim that Meerab laughed in Mari's face.
"Ha ha ha! Funny Mari!"

"Eww Meerab, your breathe stinks!" Mari dodging Meerab's hands laughed out loud as she ran to the other side of her room.

___________

Meerab, wearing a dark pink salwar kameez and matching dupatta walked into the empty dining room.

There was breakfast laid out just for her. Looked like everyone else was done with theirs and long gone.

On the way to breakfast she had even checked her parents room and it was empty.
They were probably out with Ma Begum.

After a quick breakfast of eggs and toast Meerab with a cup tea, Meerab headed out of the Haveli and into the courtyard that extended behind the house.

She stood under the shade of the portico that wrapped around one corner of the main building.

Looking out at the greenery behind the house, Meerab gazed at the fruit trees that were evenly paced with several bushes in between bearing different types of flowers.
There were jasmine, gardenias, bougainvillae and several types of marigold among them.

She walked down the three steps and onto the wet ground where the caretakers had probably watered the plants that morning.

After a few minutes of trying to figure out which direction to take first, she turned right and came to a small path.
A path wide enough for two people to walk comfortably together.