Meri Meerab *Discontinued*

4 Nawaazish, 5 Lihaaz, 6 Sukoon

4 - Nawaazish

She hurried off up the stairs and into her dressing room to change into some clean dry clothes and then went down to place her empty teacup in the kitchen.

The kitchen was large and full with all the things a chef could possibly want. Although the house didn't have many residents, they had many guest rooms and ample space to host guests and extended family, all of which was serviced by their house staff. Cupboards upon cupboards of ingredients and serving dishes.

Although Meerab would never willing enter the kitchen to cook, her tea was the exception. Meerab went to grab the small tea pan and placed some water from the water dispenser and then added her tea leaves , aswell as some crushed cardamom. She allowed it to boil before adding some milk, and waited for it to heat up again.

She thought, seeing as though Murtasim had returned home late, if not hungry, he would definaltey be tired from the stress of the day. And Meerab only planned to unload her stress onto him too.

The tea was just about to boil over before she turned the heat down, then she added some shakkar for some sweetness. Better start with a good impression, shethought.

She poured the tea into the teacups, and placed them into her tray, with the matching tea plates and some left over treats from the dawat. Then she began to walk towards his office through the candle lit hallways of the haveli. The kitchen wassituated far out from the main haveli as it was

closer to the servants quarter, yet she saw no house staff at the time.

The door was slightly ajar so she pushed it further with one foot and let herself in.

He was at stood to the right side of the room, not immediately visible as sheentered . He was stood facing the window, waiting for her. He had a coupledocuments spewed on his desk, as well as a lighter and cigarette pack.

Then the smell hit her. It wasn't usual for Murtasim to smoke so nonchalantly- his work must be catching up with himself. He was like a solider that had removed his uniform at the end of a long day. His hair was disheveled and his shirt's top button undone. He had even removed his shoes and socks.

He turned his head as the door creaked and saw her, he then turned and exhaled the smoke towards the window before throwing the remaining cigarette out.

Meerab invited herself in and placed her tray ontop of the desk. She sat on the chesterfield chairs opposite to his. He remained standing.

'Haya told me she saw you, with Anas... holding hands'.

He posed it almost like a question.

'Well actually, Anas was holding my hands. I didn't....' She wasn't able to finish the sentence out of disappointment in her ability to justify herself.

He still wasn't making eye contact. Was he ashamed of her actions? She knew the haveli's traditions and and that Murtasim supported Ma Begums kaandaani rivayatein. He had never allowed the girls to wander freely when he has men over for business.

'He said that he had confided in Ma Begum about his... feelings for me.... and she had approved,' the words rolled off her tongue in aims it patching up her broken image in front of him. 'We're only friends, I don't know where he got this idea from.'

'Ma Begum?' Murtasim questioned himself. It wasn't like her to allow such a thing. He looked up and she Meerab rubbing her wrists in her discomfort at the situation, trying to distract herself from the overwhelming notion that he could think that she liked another.

She then went to grab her tea and take a sip, in order to slow her racing thoughts. 'Fir, beech mein, Haya came and she saw him with Anas.' Meerab's heart sank at her remembrance of Haya, she must have been heartbroken. ( During that, Haya came and saw us together) 'I don't know what must be running through her mind. I don't likehim like that, woh tou Haya usse pyar karte hai.' Meerab talked out loud in a rushed manner. Only when she heard herself did realise that she had exposed Haya's crush before Murtasim. (It's Haya that fancies him)