Meher •completed•

6.

rāh-e-dūr-e-ishq meñ rotā hai kyā
aage aage dekhiye hotā hai kyā
~MEER TAQI MEER

•••

After breakfast Hooriya insisted to give Meher a house tour. They had started from the top floor seen the huge library and Arham's study, the first floor held a laundry room, four guest bedroom and Arham's parents bedroom as well.
The ground floor had the living room the one she had seen yesterday, the baithak and the kitchen and dinning room and an indoor swimming pool.

Hooriya was showing around Meher her garden, the one she personally tend to.

"This one right here is a black rose. It's never flowered yet but I'm not the one to give up." She said pointing at a rose plant.

"These are pin.."

"Pink carnations." Meher completed her sentence. "I use to love them." She said, Meher had seen pink carnations the last time on her sixteenth birthday, this flower had somehow become a reminder of her loss.

"Use to ? You don't anymore ?"

"No, I -."

"Hooriya." Even though Meher hadn't had heard him speak more than monosyllables since yesterday she knew who the voice belonged to.

"Good morning Arham Sahab, ho gayi aapki subha." Hooriya greeted him with a smile. (Good morning, finally your day has begun.)

Arham wanted to go to his wife and wrap his arms around her petite frame and take in her scent, filling his lungs with her. But all the love and warmth he felt dissipated as the other girl came into his vision.

He felt a strong, pressing dislike for her, almost classifiable as hatred. This woman was responsible for driving a wedged between him and his Hoor, she was nothing but a characterless woman who for some amount of money was ready to sell herself to a married man.

This was the woman her mother and wife had chosen for him to make his kids with.

Arham's eyes narrowed at Meher then shifting to meet Hooriya.

"I'm going to have lunch with a client, no need to send food for me." He said in a dry tone and turned to leave without a goodbye.

"Arham." Hooriya called making his stop. "Meher and I are going shopping today, so send back the driver and the car." She said. Arham left without giving a reply.

"Shopping ?" Meher asked as soon as her weird emotionless husband left.

"Don't you want to buy your books ? And we need to get you new clothes, jewellery, shoes, makeup, bags everything. It's sort of a tradition whenever a new bride comes home, she does not wear anything she has already worn. She leave all he baggage in the past and starts afresh."

Meher nodded her head, aware about the dual meaning of Hooriya's words. Hooriya was like a breath of fresh air in Meher's life, although she had barely known her for even a complete day, Hooriya gave Meher hope.

•••

Meher and Hooriya had left for shopping shortly. They picked up all the books Meher needed and some stationery as well and then left to buy a new wardrobe for Meher.

They entered a two story boutique at a prime location in Lahore, a place Meher wouldn't even think of entering into, even while seeking out for a job. The place looked high end.

"Let's shop till we drop." Hooriya winked at her making her smile. Hooriya tugged Meher along and both of them started going through aisles and aisles of beautiful clothes.