the smell of cigarette smoke and tobacco still lingers in her nostrils as she sits on the edge of one of the twin beds, waiting for mustafa to return after the phone call. sharjeena's mind drifts back to the dingy hallway they had passed through, shadows thick in the narrow space, and the men staring at her with an intensity that made her blood boil in anger. she had wanted to lash out, put them in their place, but instead, she had gripped mustafa's hand tighter, focusing on the warmth of his palm to ground herself. there had been enough drama for a night— there was no need to add any more to it.
now, sitting in the dim, stuffy room, she wipes sweat from her face, exhaustion from the night's drive settling in. the furniture is old, dust layered on every surface, and the air carries a smell she can't quite place. mustafa had reassured her earlier with clean sheets, and she silently hopes he brings them soon, something to make this room feel less suffocating.
the soft click of the door breaks her thoughts, and she looks up to see mustafa entering with a gentle smile, folded sheets held in his palms.
"yeh lo, aagaye tumhari bedsheets," he says, opening them up and gesturing for her to rise from the bed. together, they spread the sheets across both twin beds, tucking them under the mattresses, even changing the pillowcases. the joy she felt while doing the mundane day to day tasks as this, feels fairly empty the evening, due to the harrowing circumstances they were in. as they finish, they face each other from their respective beds, the quiet between them heavy with unspoken thoughts.
"kal subah ghar dhekne ko chalna hai," mustafa mentions, pulling off the shirt he wore over his t-shirt and tossing it aside. he grabs the water bottle they had brought with them and takes a swift swig, swallowing both the water and the weight of his exhaustion. he flops back on the bed, crossing his legs and folding his arms across his chest. "tum bhi thak gayi hogi, jaldi so jao," he says softly, lids closing in weariness.
she watches him, still sitting in her spot, her eyes tracing the lines of fatigue etched into his face. despite the calmness in his voice, she can see the toll the night has taken on him. her throat tightens as she asks, her voice barely above a whisper, "tum theek ho?"
mustafa's brow furrows for a second before he lets out a small chuckle, opening her eyes to look at her as he waves off her concern. "mujhe kya hua hai?"
"mujhse baath karo na. tum theek nahin ho," she replies, her voice firmer now, hands gripping the sheet beneath her.
he sighs, trying to dismiss her concern with humor, his usually playful eyes missing the glint in them. "bus itni si maar peet se banda thodi na mar jaata hai," he jokes, touching the corner of his lips where dried blood still lingers from the fist fight that had taken earlier.
"i'm not talking about that," she says firmly, her eyes not leaving his face.
"arre, kuch nahin hua," he insists, turning his back to her, signalling the end of the conversation. but she knows better. everything that could have possibly gone wrong had happened the night. they had left from home under accusations of theft where his father had slapped him in front of everyone, his mother hadn't defended him, and his brother had turned against him. the people meant to stand by him had failed him, leaving wounds deeper than the one on his face.
her face falls at her dismissal, wiping the corner of her eyes as she looks upon his curled body. she wants to insist that he talk to her; to tell her how unfair it all was, how deeply hurt and in pain he must be. she longs to hear him express it, to release the weight he carries in silence. but maybe what he needs right now isn't words. maybe what he needs is just her presence. wiping her tears she puts a small smile on her face. she knows she cannot let him see her weak, not when she is to be his strength at this time.
with quiet determination, sharjeena takes a small step towards him as he lies with his back to her, a barrier made not of walls but of lethargy and she gently breaks it by sitting at the edge of his twin bed without a word. she gently lies down in the small space beside him, wrapping her arms around his chest in a gentle embrace.
mustafa lets out a long, weary sigh as he feels her warmth, scooting over slowly to make space for her on the small bed. the energy to deny his pain or argue against her concern is no longer there. but instead, he takes her hand resting on his chest, holding it softly against his heart as he laces their fingers together. her presence calms the storm inside him, and in the silence, words become unnecessary. the loud, boisterous sounds inside his head and the storm brewing inside his heart slowly calms down, her comfort bringing peace to inner turmoils he had been struggling through the whole night.
after a long moment, he turns to face her, their eyes meeting in the dim light. his gaze settles on the remnants of her teary eyes as he gently pulls her head onto his arm, making it her pillow.
"tum mere saath ho na?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
she nods, her reply soft but firm. "hamesha."
he pulls her closer, wrapping his arms around her small frame. "toh main theek hoon," he reassures her, holding her tightly against his chest.
her arms wrap themselves around his frame, burying her head against his chest as he presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulls back.
"are you sure?" she asks again, peeking up to glace at his face.
he smiles, gentle and sweet, like the warmth of her embrace had dissolved all the hurt and torment the night had put them through, and nod, tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear, "tum mere liye kaafi ho."
"aur tum mere liye kaafi ho."
they no longer need words. the presence of each other is enough to calm the storms raging in their hearts, a silent understanding settling between them. with her head resting on his arm and his hand palming her cheeks, the weight of the day starts to dissolve into the quiet of the night. the warmth of his chest against her back, and her gentle breath against his skin, create a cocoon of safety.
wrapped in the comfort of each other's embrace, they drift off to sleep, the steady rise and fall of their chests a silent promise that they will face whatever comes, together. the night closes in, but with it, a rare sense of calm—a shared peace found only in each other's presence.
