This is based on the teaser and what the writer Siraj ul Haque said about Meerasim having an important conversation. Not as salacious as my last one but my take on this conversation
Compromise
I couldn’t breathe. My hands were trembling and I took a deep calming breath to steady myself.
What a day!! What a week!! I had been kidnapped, thought Murtasim was shot, was in accident, was thrown out of the house and today…
Murtasim
Meerab sighed. Why did this man go these lengths for her? Last night he had broken her heart; he had asked her to leave and seeing his broken state had done nothing to soothe her heart. She wanted to break down and plead with him. She wanted to tell him that every moment that they refused to let her see him was torturous and she cried every night for him. But she couldn’t- her ego didn’t let her.
And she would have been gone today- away from her Murtasim. She swallowed hard. She couldn’t do that- the idea was killing her.
But he dragged her back. He put everyone in their place. Anyone who tried to separate them got a lashing just like bare baba wanted.
He stood up to Ma Begum. Why? After all the anger and hatred why did he put her in a pedestal? Why did stand by her, through her every stupid mistake? Why did he save her?
Khan aapse bohut mohabbat karte hain. Bohot chahte hain aapko
Meerab blushed. She couldn’t help it. Her heart felt like jumping out of the rib cage. She didn’t know why she was feeling overly emotional today. She needed to calm down. No one can know that she had started to get feelings for him.
She walked out of the room. Murtasim was standing at the foot of the bed. He walked slower like he was in pain. Of course he was in pain- he just had an accident. He grabbed the pillow from the bed and slowly eased his way to the couch. Meerab walked around him and grabbed the pillow.
Did he really think she was that hard hearted that she would let an injured man sleep on the couch? She placed the pillow back on bed and met his eyes. He seemed confused.
“ Tum aaj bed pe so sakte ho” she said matter of factly, ignoring the slight blush on her cheeks.
His face relaxed and he almost smiled.
“ are you sure? “ he asked softly
“ Yes. Couch pe tum comfortable nahin ho ge..”
She went to her side of bed. She could feel his eyes on her but she kept her face averted as she fixed the blanket around him. She hated that she was vulnerable around him and that she was feeling flutters of emotions she couldn’t understand. This wasn’t Meerab- she wasn’t one to show emotions. Especially not to Murtasim where her default had always been sarcasm or anger.
She adjusted the pillow and laid down.
“ Tumhe kuch chahiye ho toh bulana lena…”
His eyes were still on her but he settled beside her.
“ hmmm..”
………………,……………………………………………………..
Sleep eluded him and yet he didn’t feel restless. He was at peace. She was lying next to him calming him down. He saw her breathe deeply, smelled the strawberry smell of her shampoo and he felt at peace.
She was here next to him and that’s all that mattered. How did this little woman conquer his entire heart? Why did the idea of Meerab leaving break his being?
She turned in her sleep suddenly facing him and he stopped breathing. She was so close. Her beautiful face was mere inches again- the flawless pink cheeks that he so lovingly caressed was glowing in the dark.
He stared at her mesmerized at his beautiful wife feeling lucky that he was lying next to her. She shifted again her hair covering one side of her face and he frowned.
Feeling brave, he reached out to move the strands gently away from her face. Problem was once he touched her, he couldn’t stop. He saw her fidget and slowly open her eyes.
Murtasim felt a sliver of apprehension. She is going kick him off the bed isn’t she?
It took Meerab a few seconds to adjust to the darkness and then her eyes locked on his. Murtasim felt his breath catch. Why did she have this effect on him?
The magic lasted for almost a minute but she colored and quickly sat up. Murtasim bit his lip. He had messed up, hadn’t he? Back to the couch it is.
“ Tumhe kuch chahiye? “ she said very softly
“ Um nahin..” he said slowly trying to assess her mood.
Her hair was acting as a veil hiding her lovely face. He couldn’t understand what she was thinking.
“ Mama… A-anila chachi kehti thi ke ek biwi sabse zyaada mehfuse apne shohar ke saath rethi hai..” she murmured softly, a tone he had hardly ever heard Meerab use.
“ Lekin main tumhara shohar nahin hoon na?” He asked in slightly teasing tone.
She looked at him coloring pink and then looked away. He had expected her to screech or huff. What he hasn’t expected was this sudden shyness. It made his heart beat faster and fostered hope.
He reached out to hold her wrist gently. She lowered her eyes even further.
“ Meerab main bas tumhe dekh raha tha..Tum ho hi itni haseen ke main bas dekhta reh gaya. Tumhari zulfen tumhari chehre pe aa gayi, bas wohi hatta raha tha…” he took a deep breath “ Aisa kuch nahin hoga jis main tumhari marzi na ho. You can trust me..”
At some point she had looked up, searching his face intently. He looked back in those beautiful brown eyes feeling elated at the intimacy of the moment. He saw her eyes water and immediately decided to crack a joke
“ Waise bhi after the week I had I can’t afford a court case..”
Her eyebrows furrowed
“ for breach of contract.” He clarified with a smile.
Her eyes dropped again and he cursed himself. It wasn’t the best of jokes. He wasn’t sure how to ease her up when she seemed so unlike herself- so unsure, so quiet. He leaned back against the headboard, waiting but she sat frozen.
“ We should sleep, Meerab. Agei se aisa nahin hoga.@
He closed his eyes trying to calm his conflicting feelings.
“ Maine- mai- Maine woh contract jala diya..”
She said so very softly that he thought he had imagined it at first. Then he sat up
Her face was the color of a tomato and she was still speaking to her duvet. So shy so beautiful.
“ Kyun? “ he couldn’t keep the husky note from his voice.
Her eyes darted to him, a flicker of annoyance in them. A flicker of his Meerab… he thought fondly.
“ kyun Ki main… pata nahin…shayad jab milne nahin de reh the tumse sara gussa contract pe utar diya. Usse jala diya.. tumhe Bas ek baar dekhna chahthi thi..
Each word she spoke felt like a dream come true. But she still looked like a deer caught in headlights. He knew she would probably jump off and run at the smallest move.
“ aur ab? Ab kya chahti ho tum Meerab? “
“ Main .. main” she flustered and then took a deep breath “ Main tumhe khona nahin chahti. Main humare is rishtay Ko nibhana chahti hoon Murtasim.”
He couldn’t take it any longer. He closed the space between them and pulled her in his arms, cupping her cheeks. Her face had surpassed pink and became maroon.
“ Phir se kaho”
She fidgeted and hid her face on his chest inhaling his masculine strength. He enclosed her with his one good arm inhaling her sweet smell. They both held on reassuring themselves of each other’s presence. After what happened this week, this felt like a balm to their wounds.
“ Itna gussa, itni nafrat- Phir bhi Tumne mujhe bachaya Murtasim. Kyun?” She whispered.
“ Tumhe mera gussa, mere nafrat dikhta hai. Meri chahat nahin dikhaya deta. Tumhe kuch nahin ho sakta..” he said against her hair
She felt the tears finally drop.
“ lekin tumhe toh Bahut kuch ho sakta tha. Aur sirf Meri wajah se..”
“ Nahin meerab. I was driving the car. Tum kehti rahi dheere chalane ko aur main..”
She shook her head
“ Aur uske pehle jo bhi hua Meri galati thi. Main malik ke zammeen pe chali gayi thi. Maine tumhari bandook se goli nikal li thi. Mere wajah bakhtu Ko goli lagi- naila leke tamasha kiya. Maze Ki baat yeh hai na ke meri niyat tumhe beizzat karna nahin tha. Main toh assi hi hoon.
Ghadi ki janasheen Ki biwi bane ka khwab nahin dekha. Nahin tumhari rules and systems samajh mein aate hai mujhe. Main toh sirf Waqas Ahmed beti thi- jisse lawyer banna tha, she was a girl with opinions. Maybe too many opinions. But Meri harkat se kissi Ki Jaan pe ya Izzat pe baat nahin aayi.
Koi aur ladki hoti toh tumhari baat kabhi na talti, tumpe blind trust kar leti, chup rehti. Main woh ladki nahin hoon. Isiliye itni sari problems ho rahi hain”
She sighed
“ kaise bano main - himmatwali, honsle wali, kissi se na darne wali Meerab aur ghadi ki janasheen Ki biwi - yeh kaise balance Karun samajh mein nahin aata.”
“ Apne law parne ka khwab bhul bhi jayun toh Phir bhi…”
“ Kyun? “ he stopped her” Kyun bhul jayogi apne khwab ko?
She stared at him in confusion
“ Lekin mujhe tumhare saath rehna hain aur is liye apne aap badalna hoga. Compromise karna hoga.”
“ Yeh mera sawaal toh nahin tha na. Kya chahti ho tum meerab?”
She looked into his eyes and after ages felt hope blossom in her heart
“ main tumhare saath rehna chahti hoon. Main law parna chahti hoon, Murtasim”
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