Kabhi main, kabhi tum, kabhi yeh, kabhi voh

Part 20: Moving Day

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains as Sharjeena blinked awake, feeling a mix of drowsiness and excitement for the day ahead. It was moving day—the day they would finally step into their new house, but as she tried to stretch, a dull ache in her back made her pause. She shifted slightly, trying to ease the discomfort, when Mustafa's sleepy voice broke the silence.

"Tum theek ho?" he asked groggily, his concern evident even through his half-closed eyes.

"Haan, theek hoon," she replied quickly, not wanting to worry him. "Tum sou lo thodi der aur. It's going to be a long day."

Mustafa turned to her, now more awake. "It's fine," he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "Aaj raat ko so lenge acche se. Humaare naye ghar ke naye bed par."

Despite her words, he could sense she wasn't being entirely honest. "Tumhari back hurt kar rahi hai?" he asked, his brows knitting together with concern.

"Nahi theek hai," she said, brushing it off. "Thodi soreness hai, but it's fine."

Mustafa's gaze didn't waver. He gently reached out, touching her arm. "Mujhse mat chhupaao, Sharjeena. Agar dard kar raha hai toh aaram karo naa."

She sighed, realizing there was no fooling him. Before she could protest further, he sat up and said firmly, "Tum abhi yahi ruk rahi ho. Main jaa raha hoon ghar, safaai wagerah sab karva dunga. Aur phir aakar tumko pick kar lunga."

"Par Mustafa," she began, trying to reason with him, "I can help—"

He shook his head, cutting her off gently but decisively. "Nahi, bilkul nahi. Agar tum gayi toh mere manaa karne ke baad bhi cleaning aur organizing mein lag jaaogi aur voh main hone nahi dunga. Main aa jaaunga jaldi, tum tab tak araam karo."

She opened her mouth to argue but saw the determination in his eyes. A small smile tugged at her lips. "You're getting better at this." she teased lightly.

"Better at what?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"Mujhse arguments jeetne mein," she said with a smirk.

He grinned, helping her sit up. "Ab seekha bhi tumhi se hai. Chalo, baahar sab chaai pe wait kar rahe honge."

Mustafa guided her gently to her feet, his hands firm but caring as he helped her stand. Together, they walked to the dining room, where the warm, familiar clatter of dishes and quiet morning conversation filled the air. Her mother was already setting out tea and biscuits, and her father glanced up from his newspaper, smiling as they entered.

"Good morning, bacchon," her mother said teasingly, pouring tea into cups. "Aaj toh bohot khaas din hai?"

"Good morning, Ammi," Mustafa replied, pulling out a chair for Sharjeena before sitting down beside her. "Haan khaas din toh hai, par pehle, chaai."

As they sipped their tea with the family, the atmosphere felt comforting and warm—a perfect send-off before the next chapter of their lives began.

While Mustafa was gone, Sharjeena decided to use the time productively, feeling much better after morning tea. She folded her clothes neatly and packed her toiletries, humming a soft tune to herself. Just as she was about to head to the bathroom for a quick shower, her mother's voice called out sharply from the living room.

"Sharjeena! Abhi baal nahi dhona. Idhar aao pehle tumhaare sar me tel laga doon!"

Sharjeena sighed with a small laugh, knowing there was no arguing with her mother when it came to hair care. She shuffled into the living room, where her mother was already sitting with a bottle of warm oil in hand.