The scorching afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting golden patterns on the cool marble floors of the haveli. Meerab sat on the plush divan, fanning herself with a delicate hand, feeling every bit of the eight months of pregnancy she was carrying. Her once petite frame had blossomed into full curves, her belly round and heavy with the life inside her. Yet, as beautiful as the idea of motherhood was, Meerab couldn't shake off the creeping insecurities that had recently taken root in her mind.
She caught a glimpse of herself in the ornate mirror across the room and sighed. "I’m huge. No, I’m a whale," she muttered to herself, poking at her swollen belly. "He probably doesn’t even find me attractive anymore. Why would he? I’m all fat and bloated, and... ugh."
Her thoughts spiraled further into doubt. Over the past few weeks, she had noticed Murtasim being more distant. He was coming home later than usual, lost in his thoughts more often, and to top it off, she had seen him whispering on the phone late at night. *With whom?* The question gnawed at her.
"That’s it," she declared, pushing herself up from the divan with great effort. "I’m going to get to the bottom of this."
---
Murtasim, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of the storm brewing in his wife's mind. He was busy dealing with matters that required his attention—a surprise he had been planning for Meerab for weeks now. He had noticed how the pregnancy had worn her down, how she was feeling more insecure about her changing body, and he wanted to do something special to remind her of how much he loved her, just as she was.
But his frequent secretive calls, the hushed conversations with their servants, and his late-night outings to arrange everything had inadvertently fed into Meerab’s paranoia.
This evening was no different. Murtasim had just returned home, carrying a bouquet of her favorite lilies, and was about to head up to their bedroom when he was stopped by a sudden and very angry voice.
"And where do you think you’re going, Mr. Khan?" Meerab stood at the top of the stairs, her arms crossed over her chest, her round belly peeking out from under her loose-fitting kurta.
Murtasim froze, the bouquet of flowers hidden behind his back. "Meerab, jaan, you’re supposed to be resting," he said, plastering a smile on his face.
"Resting? While you’re out gallivanting with some other woman?" she snapped, her eyes narrowing.
Murtasim’s smile faltered. "What? What are you talking about?"
"Don’t play dumb with me!" she hissed, making her way down the stairs. "I know you’ve been sneaking around, coming home late, whispering on the phone. Who is she? Who’s the woman you’ve been seeing behind my back?"
Murtasim’s eyes widened in shock. "Meerab, I swear, there’s no other woman! Only you!"
"Oh really? Then why have you been so distant lately? Why are you always on the phone? Why do you come home smelling like another woman’s perfume?" she accused, although the last one was a bit of an exaggeration, driven by her pregnancy hormones.
Murtasim was utterly bewildered. He stepped forward, trying to take her hands in his, but she pulled away, glaring at him with fire in her eyes.
"Meerab, I’ve been planning something for you. A surprise. That’s why I’ve been coming home late and making all those calls," he explained gently, trying to calm her down.
"A surprise?" She raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "What kind of surprise?"
He sighed, knowing there was no way out of this without revealing his plans. "I was organizing a small party for us—just the two of us. I’ve been arranging for your favorite dishes, decorating the garden with your favorite flowers, and even preparing some gifts... for you and our baby," he said, his voice softening with each word.
Meerab’s anger began to wane, replaced by confusion. "But... why didn’t you tell me?"
"Because it was supposed to be a surprise, Meerab. I wanted to show you how much I love you, how much I adore you, even more so now that you’re carrying our child," he said, his voice full of sincerity.
She looked down at her feet, suddenly feeling a bit foolish. "You mean... you weren’t cheating on me?"
"Of course not," Murtasim said, stepping closer and gently cupping her face. "There’s no one else but you, Meerab. There never has been and there never will be."
A tear escaped her eye as she looked up at him. "I’m sorry, Murtasim. I’ve just been feeling so... unattractive lately. I thought you might have... found someone else."
He smiled, wiping away her tear with his thumb. "You’re the most beautiful woman in the world to me, Meerab. Even more so now that you’re pregnant with our child. How could I ever look at anyone else?"
Meerab finally let out a laugh, the tension in her body melting away as she wrapped her arms around him. "I guess I’ve been a little crazy, huh?"
He chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "Just a little. But that’s okay. I love every crazy bit of you."
They stood there for a moment, just holding each other, the misunderstandings and insecurities dissipating into thin air. But then, Meerab pulled back slightly, looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"So... this surprise of yours," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Does it involve food? Because I’m starving."
Murtasim laughed, a deep, rich sound that filled the room. "Yes, it does. Come on, let’s get you fed before you start accusing me of something else."
---
Later that night, as they sat in the garden surrounded by flickering candles and a feast fit for royalty, Meerab couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed about how she had jumped to conclusions. But every time she looked at Murtasim, she was reminded of just how much he loved her, and how foolish her doubts had been.
As they enjoyed their meal, Murtasim kept sneaking glances at her, a playful smile on his lips. "You know, you accusing me of having an affair was kind of cute," he teased.
Meerab rolled her eyes, popping a piece of naan into her mouth. "Don’t push your luck, Khan. I’m still pregnant and hormonal."
He laughed, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "I wouldn’t dream of it, jaan. But just so you know, there’s no one else but you. Always."
She smiled, her heart swelling with love for the man who had gone to such lengths to show her how much she meant to him. And as the night went on, they talked, laughed, and reveled in the love they had for each other, knowing that no matter what, they would always have each other.
---
The next morning, as Murtasim was getting ready to leave for work, he noticed Meerab watching him from the bed, a small smile playing on her lips.
"What’s that smile for?" he asked, pulling on his uniform.
She shrugged, still smiling. "Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."
He walked over to her, leaning down to kiss her softly. "I’m the lucky one, Meerab. Don’t ever forget that."
As he left the room, she couldn’t help but feel a little silly for ever doubting him. But she knew that their love was strong enough to overcome any insecurity, any doubt. And as she rested her hand on her belly, she knew that their love would only grow stronger with the arrival of their child.
But then, just as she was about to doze off again, she remembered something.
"Murtasim!" she called out, making him stop in his tracks at the door.
"Yes, jaan?" he asked, turning back to her.
She gave him a stern look. "You’d better not be late tonight. And no more secret phone calls!"
He laughed, nodding his head in agreement. "Yes, ma’am. No more secrets. I promise."
And with that, he left, leaving Meerab with a heart full of love and a smile on her face, knowing that no matter what, they would always have each other. And she was determined to never let her insecurities get the best of her again.
Because in the end, she knew that Murtasim was hers, just as much as she was his.
