Kabhi main, kabhi tum, kabhi yeh, kabhi voh

Part 4: Breakfast and Lunch

Mustafa woke up before the first light of dawn, determined to start the day right. For once, he wanted things to go smoothly. He cleaned the house quietly, making sure not to wake Sharjeena, and set about preparing breakfast. The smell of tea and fresh parathas filled the kitchen as he meticulously arranged the tray, smiling slightly at the thought of surprising her with breakfast in bed.

As he carried the tray toward their room, he noticed her missing from the bed. The faint sound of retching from the bathroom caused his heart to drop. Concerned, he set the tray down on the bedside table and knocked softly on the bathroom door.

"Sharjeena? Tum theek ho?" he asked, his voice tight with worry. There was no immediate response, only the sound of running water. A few moments later, the door creaked open, and Sharjeena stepped out, her face pale and drawn.

"Kya hua, Sharjeena?" Mustafa asked with brows furrowed.

"Kuch nahi bas normal morning sickness," she said flatly, brushing past him as if his concern was misplaced.

Mustafa frowned, watching her closely as she made her way back to the bed. He followed, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Accha, idhar baitho. Maine tumhare liye breakfast banaya hai. Socha tha tumko uthaunga aake with this, but...koi nahi. Try and eat something. Tum better feel karogi." He guided her to sit on the edge of the bed.

Sharjeena hesitated for a second, her exhaustion apparent. She looked uncertain, perhaps at the effort Mustafa was suddenly putting in, but after a brief pause, she nodded. "Okay... sure."

Mustafa handed her the plate, smiling as she took a tentative bite. The silence that followed wasn't particularly warm, but it wasn't as distant as it had been in the past few weeks. He watched her eat, a soft smile on his face. There was something almost soothing about the moment, even if it felt a little forced.

"So, aaj ka kya plan hai office mein?" Mustafa asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Bas usual," Sharjeena replied vaguely, offering a slight shrug. "Kuch reports finish karne hain."

Mustafa nodded, though he wished her answer was more detailed. He had hoped this breakfast would lead to something deeper, perhaps a proper conversation, but he knew they were still far from that.

Once they were done, Mustafa cleared the dishes and returned to find Sharjeena getting ready for the day. He thought about how he wanted to drop her off at work today—maybe even drop some hints to her on their way about that maternity shopping plan he had in mind for the evening. But as she filled her water bottle and adjusted her bag, his phone buzzed on the counter. It was Danish from work.

"Ek minute," Mustafa muttered, taking the call. "Hello, haan Danish?"

Danish's voice crackled over the phone, immediately jumping into details about a bug in the game they were developing. Mustafa's brow furrowed as he listened intently, getting absorbed in the technical discussion. Danish explained how a key feature was glitching, and before Mustafa knew it, he was pacing, rattling off solutions and troubleshooting ideas.

In the midst of the conversation, he heard the faint sound of Sharjeena's voice. "Bye, Mustafa."

He turned his head, distracted, but saw only the front door closing. Wait, his mind screamed, I was supposed to take her to work today.

Mustafa hurriedly ended the call, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He stared at the now-closed door, feeling defeated. Once again, his work had come between them, and once again, he had let her leave without being there for her.

As Sharjeena settled at her desk at work, she heard her boss call out from his cabin. She looked up, her heart skipping slightly, and walked toward the office. As she entered, she noticed Rehan was already seated across from their boss.