The evening had settled into its usual rhythm. The golden glow of the bedside lamp cast a soft warmth across the bedroom, creating a cocoon of comfort. Meerab sat on the bed, her legs curled under her, deeply absorbed in a novel. The book in her hands had captivated her attention, but the silent tension in the room was beginning to press on her awareness.
Across the room, Murtasim sat on the sofa, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, clearly lost in thought. His expression was focused, brows furrowed slightly, and his fingers absentmindedly tapped against his thighs. Every few moments, he would glance toward Meerab, his mind clearly working through something serious.
Meerab, still lost in her fictional world, wasn’t paying much attention to him, but his silence was starting to grow noticeable.
Suddenly, he broke the quiet.
"You know, Meerab," Murtasim began, his voice thoughtful, "I’ve been thinking... maybe it’s time we tried something new."
Meerab blinked, lowering her book slightly. "Something new?" she repeated, looking up at him with a curious frown.
"Yeah," Murtasim nodded, his gaze still distant. "Something that could bring a... fresh experience. You know, shake things up a bit, explore new areas."
Meerab’s eyes widened ever so slightly, her mind beginning to race. "New areas?" she echoed, her voice laced with confusion.
"Yeah," he said, now turning his attention fully toward her. "Maa Begum suggested it. She said that she and my father did it all the time to keep things exciting and... well, to try out all the options. It could really strengthen things between us."
Meerab’s face immediately flushed, her book forgotten on her lap. Did he really just say that? Maa Begum and his father?! What on earth is he talking about?
Her heart started to race as she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. The words “keep things exciting” and “new areas” were suddenly taking on a very different meaning in her head, one that made her extremely uncomfortable.
"Murtasim," she said slowly, her voice slightly shaky, "What exactly do you mean by... exploring new areas?"
Murtasim, oblivious to her growing discomfort, leaned back on the sofa, relaxing into the conversation. "I mean, sometimes you have to drill deeper, right? Try different approaches. Maybe even use the other... hole," he said casually, as if discussing something entirely normal.
Meerab’s face turned scarlet. The other hole?! Her hands clenched the bedsheet as her mind jumped to the most mortifying conclusion. Her pulse quickened, and she stared at him in shock.
"I-I’m not doing that!" she blurted out, her voice filled with panic. She looked at him as if he had just suggested the unthinkable, which, to her, he had.
Murtasim, still completely unaware of what she was imagining, shrugged nonchalantly. "It’s not a big deal, Meerab. Maa Begum said it could add some excitement, something we haven’t tried before. She and my father tried it all the time. You wouldn’t believe how many times they switched things up."
Meerab’s jaw dropped. She could barely believe the words coming out of his mouth. Maa Begum and his father... did that? Her face burned with a mix of embarrassment and shock.
Seeing her still hesitant, Murtasim added, "Look, I get it if you’re nervous, but if you’re not comfortable... I mean, it’s fine. I can always ask someone else to help with it. Haya, maybe."
At the mention of Haya, jealousy flared in Meerab’s chest. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and her hands fisted in the sheets. "Haya?" she repeated, her voice icy and incredulous.
