The large haveli was unusually quiet that day, and it was driving Murtasim Khan absolutely mad. Ever since Meerab had left for her cousin's engagement in the neighboring city, the house felt... hollow. It had only been a day—*just one day*—but Murtasim felt her absence in every corner, every room, every little thing that he would usually ignore.
He never thought it would get this bad. He was the "great Murtasim Khan," feared and respected, not a man to be shaken by a little loneliness. But Meerab? She had a way of getting under his skin, even when she wasn’t there.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to go. Maa Begum had insisted on it, something about "family obligations" and showing face. He hadn’t argued because, well, what could he say? It wasn’t like he could tell Maa Begum that he simply didn’t want Meerab to leave because he knew he’d miss her too much.
Now, sitting in his study, surrounded by paperwork that he couldn’t focus on, he regretted not speaking up. His eyes drifted to the clock for the umpteenth time that day, wondering when she’d call. Not that they had had a habit of constantly calling each other, but still, wasn’t she supposed to miss him too? Shouldn't she have checked in by now?
His phone lay silent on the table, mocking him with its stillness.
A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and rubbing his temple. This was ridiculous. He needed to get a grip. It wasn’t like she was never coming back; she was only gone for a couple of days. Yet, the mansion felt too big, the quiet too loud, and his bed—*their* bed—felt too empty.
At night, it had been the worst. He had tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Without her on her side of the bed, fidgeting with her book, mumbling about how she didn’t need him to tell her when to sleep, the night seemed to stretch endlessly. He had even considered calling her around 3 a.m., but his pride wouldn’t allow it. The last thing he needed was for her to think he was needy.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Maa Begum entered, her knowing eyes scanning her son’s restless figure. She didn’t need to ask what was wrong; the answer was written all over his face. She had sent Meerab to the function because she had thought it would be good for her to get out, socialize with family, and perhaps even reflect on her marriage. But looking at Murtasim now, it seemed her son was the one who was suffering the most.
“What’s the matter, Murtasim? You look like a storm cloud about to burst,” Maa Begum remarked, settling into a chair opposite him.
Murtasim sighed again, running a hand through his hair. “Nothing, Ammi. Just... busy.”
“Busy sulking, you mean?” she said with a raised brow. “You’ve been like this since Meerab left. Is there something you want to share?”
He shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m not sulking. Just... working.”
“Hmm.” Maa Begum’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. “Is that why you’ve been staring at your phone all day?”
Murtasim’s jaw clenched as he avoided her gaze. He didn’t need to give Maa Begum any more ammunition to tease him about missing his wife. But Maa Begum wasn’t going to let him off that easily.
“Admit it, Murtasim. You miss her, don’t you?”
“Ammi...” Murtasim’s voice held a note of warning, but it only made her chuckle.
“It’s not a crime to miss your wife, you know. But I must say, I didn’t expect *you* to be the one so affected by her absence.”
Murtasim grumbled under his breath, his pride warring with the truth. Of course he missed Meerab. How could he not? Every little thing reminded him of her, from the half-read books on her nightstand to the scent of her perfume lingering in their room.
“She’ll be back soon,” Maa Begum continued, standing up. “But until then, you should probably focus on something else. It’ll make the time go by faster.”
Murtasim nodded stiffly, though he wasn’t convinced. Nothing was going to make this emptiness go away except having Meerab back where she belonged—right here with him.
As soon as Maa Begum left the room, Murtasim’s phone buzzed on the table. His heart jumped, and he snatched it up immediately, only to see a text from Meerab.
**"Reached the function safely. It’s chaos here. Hope you’re surviving without me.”**
Murtasim stared at the message for a moment, feeling both relieved and irritated. *Surviving without her?* Did she really think he was unaffected by her absence?
He quickly typed out a response, his fingers moving faster than his thoughts.
**"Barely. This place is boring without you. When are you coming back?"**
He sent the message before he could overthink it, then set the phone down, waiting impatiently for her reply.
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again.
**"I’ll be back tomorrow evening. Missing me already?"**
Murtasim let out a quiet huff, shaking his head. She was teasing him, as always. But two could play that game.
**"Obviously not. Just need someone to argue with about pointless things."**
Her reply came quickly this time, almost as if she had been waiting for his message.
**"You’ll survive. Try not to lose too much sleep."**
Murtasim couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips as he read her words. *Too late*, he thought to himself. He had already lost plenty of sleep, and the thought of enduring another night without her was not appealing in the slightest.
The day dragged on painfully slow. Murtasim tried to distract himself with work, with family matters, even with the horses in the stables, but nothing seemed to occupy his mind for long. Everywhere he went, he saw reminders of Meerab—her favorite spot on the verandah, the way she would absentmindedly argue with him during dinner, even her incessant humming while she brushed her hair before bed.
Nightfall came, and Murtasim found himself standing in their bedroom, staring at the empty bed. He ran a hand over the soft sheets, already missing the way Meerab would curl up on her side, often mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep. The room felt colder without her warmth beside him.
With a heavy sigh, he lay down, staring at the ceiling. The silence was deafening.
The hours passed slowly, and despite his exhaustion, sleep refused to come. His thoughts kept drifting back to Meerab. Where was she now? What was she doing? Was she thinking about him too?
At some point during the night, his phone buzzed again. Groggily, Murtasim reached for it, his heart skipping a beat when he saw her name on the screen.
**"You asleep?"**
He smiled tiredly, typing a quick response.
**"No. You?"**
Her reply came a moment later.
**"No. It’s weird being here without you. Too quiet."**
Murtasim chuckled softly. *So she missed him too.*
**"Told you. This place is boring without you."**
There was a pause before her next message came.
**"I’ll be home tomorrow. Don’t worry. Just... try to sleep. You look terrible when you don’t."**
Murtasim laughed quietly, shaking his head at her teasing. Even when she wasn’t here, she knew exactly how to push his buttons.
**"Goodnight, Meerab. Hurry back."**
Her reply was simple but enough to bring a warmth to his chest.
**"Goodnight, Murtasim."**
The next morning, when the sun finally rose, Murtasim woke up with a small smile on his face. Tomorrow evening couldn’t come fast enough.
