Murtasim Khan was not a man easily shaken. He had faced down enemies, handled family feuds, and protected his honor with the fierceness of a lion. But on this bright, sunny morning, as he stood frozen outside the bathroom door, holding a pregnancy test with two glaring lines in his hand, his world had come crashing down in a way that no amount of machismo could prepare him for.
He blinked. Once. Twice. Surely, this had to be a mistake. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. Maybe Meerab had bought one of those prank tests to tease him. Yes, that had to be it.
"Meerab!" His voice was shaky, a rare crack in the steely resolve that defined him. "Can you come out for a second?"
Inside the bathroom, Meerab was blissfully unaware of the chaos she had unleashed. She emerged, wrapped in her robe, hair wet from her shower, a small smile playing on her lips. Murtasim was standing in the middle of the room, holding the test in his hands like it was a ticking time bomb.
"Murtasim? What's wrong with you?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.
He turned to her slowly, eyes wide. "You're... you're... pregnant?"
The moment those words left his lips, Meerab's eyes widened, and a blush crept up her cheeks. She had taken the test on a whim, not really expecting a result. And now, here they were—standing on the precipice of a new chapter in their lives.
"Um... I guess I am," she replied, biting her lip.
Murtasim blinked again. This time, he let out a strangled laugh. "You're... pregnant. We're having a baby."
He said it like he was trying to convince himself, but the realization was starting to sink in. His face went from shock to joy in a matter of seconds. He crossed the distance between them in two long strides and lifted Meerab off her feet, twirling her around in a circle.
"We're having a baby!" he yelled, his voice booming through the house.
Meerab squealed in surprise. "Put me down! I’m pregnant, not a rag doll!"
Murtasim stopped immediately, setting her down with the utmost care. "Oh my God, you're right. I shouldn’t be spinning you. What if I hurt you? What if the baby—"
Meerab placed a hand over his mouth to stop his rambling. "Calm down, Khan saab. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack."
But Murtasim was already in full overprotective-husband mode. He crouched down to look at her belly, which was still flat, and placed his hand over it like he expected to feel something.
"Hey, little one," he murmured softly. "It's your dad. Don’t worry, I'll protect you and your mom from everything. No one will come near you."
Meerab couldn't help but laugh at his sudden transformation. "You know the baby can’t hear you yet, right?"
He stood up, looking affronted. "Of course it can! I mean, what if it’s already developing super hearing? We have to be careful about what we say from now on."
Meerab rolled her eyes. "It's a baby, not a superhero."
But Murtasim wasn’t listening. He was already making plans. "You’re going to rest, Meerab. No more running around the house. You’re not lifting a single finger."
Her jaw dropped. "What do you mean no running around? I’m not an invalid! I’m just pregnant."
Murtasim shook his head, his expression deadly serious. "No arguments. From now on, you are resting. I’m going to call Maa Begum and—"
"Don’t you dare!" Meerab lunged for his phone, but Murtasim held it high above his head, far out of her reach. "Murtasim, I swear if you tell Maa Begum, she’ll lock me in my room for nine months!"
