Meera's Husband!

Chapter 7

'Hello, yes, this is Meera's husband,' Sagar replied casually into the phone.

' Oh ok.. I am Meera's husband too,' the voice at the other end seemed to have no control over his laughter as soon as he said that.

'What?' Now, Sagar got irritated.

He was at work. It was one of the busiest times of the day. He was first distracted by the so-called urgent phone call. Now, the guy seems to be mocking at him.

'Oops! I didn't mean to make you angry. I saw the news in the newspapers. Saw the photographs too.' The voice continued, 'I thought I would send my condolences for the family.'

'Thanks, but who are you?' Sagar didn't hide his irritation.

'I think told you who I am. I will meet you today evening at Sahara Centre if you are free.' Said the voice on the other end.

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Sagar sat in one of the chairs in front of the  Coffee outlet and ordered a cappuccino, trying to control his curiosity. People joke and mock. That is common. Even he does too. But when times are bad, especially when his wife is struggling between life and death, a stranger calls him and tries to joke with him! He couldn't digest that very well.

He was already in the middle of a lot of troubles. He had arranged a full time house maid at home. They charge a lot. But he was helpless at this point in his life.

The other issues was with his son, Omar. He seems to be in a different world altogether. He never bothers to communicate with him at all. He spends most his time at his friends' and comes home only during bedtime.

'He's his mother's boy!' thought Sagar irritably.

'Hi, I am Mostafa,' a tall, thin man stood in front of him. He had greying hair and a beard.

'You must be Meera's husband?' He asked while shaking hands with Sagar.

'How did you know me?' Sagar asked as a reflex, so was his handshake.

'Told you, I saw your photos and the news in the newspaper a couple of days ago.' He said.

' I was trying to reach you for a while. Finally, when got through your office number, I asked for the husband of the lady who met with the terrible accident,' continued the man as he sank into the nearby chair, "then I was directed to you without any hesitation."

' I am legally married to Meera Bai, your so-called wife,' said he.

Sagar's face turned red with anger. He felt insulted. As a response, he sprang from his chair and started walking away.

'Baijaan, wait..,' he didn't care for the man's call after him. He paced the expanse of the Shopping Centre towards the car park like a Cheetah after its prey.

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' We were married in Lucknow,' Husband number one, Mostafa, sat in Sagar's car now. He had followed him into the car park.

Sagar had come to his senses by then.

'We were very young. She was just 18 something and I was twenty two,' he seemed to be slipping into his past as she narrated his story.

'She came here to Dubai with me. I was working at the  Petroleum Corporation then.' Mostafa turned to look at Sagar, and continued, Is it okay if I could just visit her?'

' For what? Do you think she'll recognise you?' Sagar retorted.

' Besides, I don't even know you. How can I believe your story?'

' Look at this. I knew you wouldn't believe. That is why I brought these with me ,' he showed him some photographs which had Meera and Mostafa together. Some wedding photographs. They both looked like teenagers in them.

'Now look at this!' He showed him another photograph. That was a baby girl aged two or three. A woman was holding her.

' This is her daughter,' Mostafa continued. This time his voice got rougher and huskier!

Sagar noticed that and looked at him with shock and confusion.

Confused at the change of his tone. Shocked because a new daughter is discovered just after a husband!

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