Meerasim : Dastaan - E - Ishq

Yeh Sham Mastani

Murtasim Shahnawaz Khan could be the biggest baby to ever baby and Meerab was about to find this out. They had both gone to the gaon in order to oversee the implementation of  a scheme that would bring more financial literacy and income for the women of the households. The scheme was started in the name of Maa Begum and she had been there with them. 

Women had flocked from all around the gaon in order to thank Maa Begum for her wisdom and generosity with regards to this program when she had given the due credit to the Khaani, Meerab and asked the women to pay their due respects to her. 

Murtasim loved how the women had grown close, not like the typical we will watch movies together and have chai, mathri achaar while gossiping, but it was a bond based on mutual respect and admiration for their personal and professional capacities. Not that he didn't want them to have chai, mathri achaar together, but just trying to form a mental image of the same made him laugh out loud. 

Maa Begum had left earlier than the couple and they both had gone to attend a carnival that the gaon had been hosting in their honour. There were colors coming together beautifully everywhere, the scorching sun doing nothing to dampen people's enthusiasm, stalls of food were in abundance and kids had been eating spoonful's of kheer and biryani. After enjoying a hearty meal, they set out to go back when Murtasim stopped the car in between, diverging a little from their original path. 

Guiding her through dense thickets, the couple came across a small, beautiful lake. 

Murtasim told her that unaware to his entire family, he had started coming here as a kid to seek solace. His Baba's death had put the burden of entire responsibilities on his shoulders and Maa Begum hadn't been kind enough to let him pursue his passion for photography. He had started acting out and was severely reprimanded by his mother. He had discovered this place by accident while coming back from his routine visits to the goan accompanying Anwar Chacha. 

The sun was still shining, lending it's warmth to a cool blue evening. Deciding to take a little break, they both dipped their feet in the water, enjoying the cooling sensation of their feet and feeling at peace.

"Jaanti ho, bachpan mein mai aur Zubair dost hua karte the?"

"Zubair Malik, jisse tumhari itni sakht dushmani hai?"

Prompted by this, they started exchanging anecdotes from their childhood. Murtasim went on to tell her that as soon as he and Zubair had been made conscious of the rivalry their families shared, it had ended. He reminisced how things had been so simple when his Baba was alive, Maa Begum was not just a woman with a title ordering him to do things but his Mama.

Meerab held his hand for comfort and remarked after a while that his and Zubair's friendship was very Harry Potter esqe like Draco and Harry and he had given her a blank look. 

"Tumne Harry Potter nahi dekhi?"

"Naam suna hai bas."

"Kya gaddi ke janasheen karte rehte ho! Harry Potter toh dekhi nahi? Batao, life ki itni important cheez miss kardi."

"Haan kyunki gaddi sambhalne ka criteria yahi toh tha - Harry Potter dekhi honi chahiye. Jao yaar, kitni faaltu cheez hai."

"Harry Potter ke baare mein kuch mat bolo."

She had then went on to share her craze for the series. Every birthday, she had only asked for Harry Potter merch until she grew out of it and now her parents had carefully kept it all stored, because she refused to have anything thrown out. She also shared pictures of her first dog with him - Simba and told him how her Baba had surprised her with him on her 5th birthday.

Murtasim admired her talking her heart out, feeling that finally everything had fallen in place and he was in the most beautiful place with the most important person. Sukoon had eluded him for as long as he could remember and today, Allah was finally granting him his well deserved moments of sukoon with the love of his life. 

They sat there like that for an hour, talking and bantering before he said that they needed to leave.

"Itni jaldi kya hai?"

"Waqt se ghar pahuchna hai, Maa Begum pareshaan ho jayengi varna" and he started making his way towards the car. 

"Yahan bahut baar aaye ho, par kabhi kisi ladki ko kiss kiya hai yahan pe?" he stopped midway when he heard his wife. 

He made his way towards her and she splashed him with water, taking him by complete surprise. 

"Meerab!" he chased her around and a lot of water was splashed and new memories made. He literally had to drag her because she refused to leave the place, her new happy place.

He threatened to carry her in his arms and she blushed at the thought of poor old Bakhtu witnessing them like this. That was all it took for her to peacefully go back to the car. 

They were both fully drenched, Murtasim more so and were shivering on the way back home. Even though they had dried themselves off as much as they could, they could still feel the cold. They reached home in an hour during which they had dozed off, the events of the fun day having tired them out. Careful to avoid everyone while going back in in order to avoid being teased, they quickly made their way back inside.  

Murtasim had started sneezing as soon as they reached their room and Meerab knew he was going to be sick if not given proper care. Hurrying to change her clothes, she made joshanda for him and carried it to their room. 

She found him nestled in the covers, looking at her with a pouty face and sad puppy eyes. 

Taking a mental picture, she put the tray in front of him and said "Joshanda banaya hai, pi lo, better feel karoge."

"Kiss dedogi toh sab thik ho jayega vaise toh."

"Ya Allah, jaan jaaye par tumhara flirt karna na choote."

"Isse mohabbat kehte hain meerab, aur jab biwi itni pyaari ho, toh shauhar flirt karne ka mauka kyun chode."

Meerab hated how even after so many months, her heart sang and filled with so much joy whenever he flirted. She blushed under his careful gaze. Even though he was sipping the joshands, he kept his eyes on her, drinking in the sight of her blushing crimson at his words. 

"Aisi hi khayaal rakhogi na, mera aur mere dil ka?"

"Irada toh yahi tha, par jis insaan ne Harry Potter nahi dekhi voh kaise kaam ka. "

"MEERAB yaar!" he just knew she was not going to let this matter go and they were going to have a Harry Potter marathon one day. 

They both launched into joyful laughter, grateful for the beautiful day. 

I had so much fun writing this chapter!