If Only- A Tere Bin Story

The Decision

One day later

Meerab and Murtasim were sitting in Waqas Ahmed's drawing room across from each other on Sofas on either side of the center table. They sat in silence as nobody had the courage to call the elephant in the room. After a few minutes, Murtasim finally spoke with a crack in his voice.

"So, this is your final decision?"

Meerab nodded as her eyes brimmed with tears.

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On the previous day

After giving the decision of throwing Haya out of the house Murtasim went to towards his room and saw Anwer coming out of his room panicked.

"Where is Meerab." Anwer inquired

"What do you mean?'' Murtasim asked panicking himself, "She must be around if she's not in the room"

"I have a very bad feeling Murtasim", Anwer was saying " I came here to talk to Meerab and when nobody answered the door after I knocked twice, I went inside." He was telling the story in one go.

"Everything was scattered, the bedsheet and pillows on the floor and I found this on the floor too" Anwer stopped speaking as he gave Murtasim Meerab's ring.

Murtasim started having a full blown anxiety attack after seeing the ring, "Yahi hogi chacha shab, mai dekhta hn." (She must be around Chacha sahab, I'll look for her." Murtasim tried to convince Anwer and himself too. He started frantically running around calling Meerab's name.

For the next 30 minutes they both looked in every corner of the Haveli for Meerab but found no trace of her which made them come to the conclusion that she had in fact left the house.

Anwer suddenly filled with fatherly concern asked Murtasim "What did you say to her....I know you two  had a fight. What did you do to make her leave."

To that Murtasim had no answer or rather didn't want to give one because deep down he knew what he did and said which might have triggered this reaction from Meerab.

"Chacha sahab pehly uska pata chal jae phir sari batain karlengy." (Chacha sahab, let us find her first then we'll talk about all this." Murtasim said with a flat voice trying to hide his guilt.

Anwer shook his head in what looked like disappointment and took his phone out and dialed a number.

"Hello, Waqas....Please don't get panicked but....." 

"I have Meerab, she safe and sound" Waqas cut Anwer off with a stern voice. "But she needs mental peace which apparently isn't available in your house so, do her favour.....Don't come to meet her, not today at least." Waqas concluded as Anwer whispered an "okay" feeling disappointed in himself while Murtasim watched all this playing out in front of him in anticipation.

"What happened?" Murtasim asked anxiously

"Meerab is fine, she's at Waqas's and Waqas has categorically said not to meet her at least today." Anwer informed him.

Murtasim was both surprised and angry at this information, 'how dare he stop me from meeting my own wife'

Murtasim felt his position is being questioned and suddenly the inner Murtasim Khan came out as he proclaimed "I will meet her today no matter what" and immediately took a swing to go but was caught firmly by his own Chacha. Murtasim glared at him, but Anwer was also a Khan, he didn't budge.

"Murtasim calm down, Waqas is right. I don't know what happened between you and Meerab but it was big enough to make her leave and now, if she needs time we owe her that.....You owe her that" Anwer tried to reason with Murtasim and for the first time his words hit the target.