Meerasim Ki Dunya

Chapter 1. Meerab

Meerab paced in the living room, trying to form her words to talk to Baba. He wasn't back from court yet and her nerves weren't helping to stay calm. She knew how much important the people in Hyderabad were to her Baba. If she refused to go there this year, Baba might get offended or hurt. Yet she couldn't dismiss her friends' requests either. Maybe Baba would help her come to a compromise. Baba always had a solution to every problem.

Her thoughts then shifted to Murtasim. She hadn't seen him since Taya Jan passed away a little more than two years ago. Even though she hated it when he teased her, she found herself missing their banters. She wondered if he still got time to pursue his passion for photography or he stayed too busy with feudal affairs. She remembered how he had started taking her pictures on her birthdays at Hyderabad as soon as he had learnt to use the camera. Murtasim seemed to be the only sane person at the Khan Mansion to Meerab. The rest of them seemed to be tied up by their family values and traditions, something that Meerab absolutely hated.

Meerab was well aware that Murtasim had no interest in the feudal system. She couldn't help but think if he was still the same Murtasim or if the weight of his responsibilities had turned him into Taya Jan. She shook her head in disbelief. Murtasim could never become a serious man who seldom smiled and just spouted orders to everyone. She didn't dislike her Taya Jan but she didn't like him either. Just the mere thought of Murtasim becoming like his father made her feel uncomfortable.

Just then the door bell rang and Meerab rushed to open the door to find her Baba. He looked tired, that must mean he'd had a tough day at court. She needed to let him rest for the time being before asking him about her birthday party.

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"Baba I'm no longer a teenager, I'm almost 20, I have a right to celebrate my birthday with my friends." Meerab stated firmly.

"I know baba ki jan lekin waha Bhabhi Begum aur Anwar special arrangements karte hain sirf tumhare liye."
(I know love but Anwar and Bhabhi (sister-in-law) make special arrangements for your birthday every year.)

"Wo log mere tou koi nahi lagte phir itna sab karne ki kya zaroorat hai?" Meerab argued back.
(They're not related to me in any sense then why do they put in so much effort for me?)

"Beta Bhabhi Begum aur Anwar tumhe apni beti samjhte hain, bilkul Marium aur Haya ki tarah." Waqas tried to reason.
(Bhabhi and Anwar treat you like their own daughter just like Marium and Haya.)

"Marium tou tayi jan ki apni beti hai aur Haya un ki behn ki beti, humara tou koi rishta nahi jurrta un se. Mei Hyderabad jane se mana nahi kar rahi Baba. It's just that I want to celebrate one birthday with my college friends."
(Marium is their own daughter while Haya is their neice. We don't have any relationship with them. I'm not saying that we shouldn't go to Hyderabad. It's just that I want to celebrate one birthday with my college friends.)

"Acha theek hai beta, how about we make a small compromise?"
(Okay dear. How about we make a shall compromise?)

"Kesa compromise?"
(What kind of compromise?)

"Ap apni friends ke sath birthday lunch kar len phir hum sham me Hyderabad chalengy. Theek hai beta?"
(You can celebrate your birthday with friends over lunch and we can head to Hyderabad after that. Is that good?)

"That's great Baba. You're the best Baba in the whole world." Meerab rushed to hug him. She knew her Baba would find the middle ground somewhere and he did.

After having a birthday lunch with her friends, Meerab headed home then they left for Hyderabad.

Tayi Jan (Salma Begum), Baray Abu (Anwar), Haya, Marium everyone was there. Her eyes searched for Murtasim but he was nowhere to be seen. Saba and Inaya must be right. He no longer cared.