Ittefaq Say (MeeraSim FF)

16 - Darwaza

The busy roads soon turned into fields, and then onto a town roads when they pulling in through a gate, unlocking a large, twinkling house. Meerab peaked through the parked area to find in the internal courtyard, a pool and a U- shaped building looking in on it, it was his home.

Meerab gulped as a wash of apprehension tugged at her, realising that a ploy had earned her sympathy from Murtasim, and bribery worked for Noori, but she wasen't sure what would ease the bond between the other family memeber.

Thankfully, his mother and sister were inside for the prepararions of the dawwat, and this gave a brief moment between exiting the vehicle and making their way inside, when he commanded, 'Sirf mei bolounga. Tumhara baba kay barey kuch nahi kehna.' His Noori was clamered back onto him now. (Only I will talk. Dont mention anything about your father.)

Meerab nodded, assuming her position as his accomplice as they strolled in, careful to being her shopper bag with valueables, the rest to be taken care of by his driver and she asked, 'Tumharay jhoot, mere jhoot say zyada achay hai?,' in a lilt of a tease, trying to camouflage her racing heart. They were immediatley greated by the waft of cooking food, toasty spices and the confort of fresly flame grilled roti's. (Are you lies better than mine?)

'Obviously,' he mumbled with a smirk, having successfully unravelled all of hers with ease.

Meerab prayed that her tummy didnt grumble too loud, trying to stay prim as a means to gain their approval, weasel her way into their home. She glanced inward to a pristine home, polished, every surface sparkling in contrast to them two. Just as she lifted her gaze from the expanse of the endless marble hallway, she found a woman approaching with raised eyebrows at the guest- his Maa Saab, her loose periwinkle shalwar kameez swaying at everystep.

'As salaamu alaykum bete,' she ushed him inside, his head bowing so that she could kiss him a welcome and Noori ran off indoors. Promptly her attention refocused to the girl, examining her bare face, once pretty dress that had dulled and thin shopper bag under her arm, bulging and overflowing. (Welcome son.)

'Wa alaykum as salaam.' Murtasim guestured towards her, 'yeh Meerab hai, Maa Saab.' His voice slightly uneven, trying to configure a suitable introduction. (Maa Saab, this is Meerab.)

'Salaamu alakyum,' Meerab chimed in curtley, a shy smile graced her face. (Hi.)

'Wa alaykum as salaam. Phone waali Meerab?' Maa Saab questioned herself before coming to embrace the unkown the girl, nestling herself over Meerab's shoudler, and her hands snaking around in a warm embrance. Suspicions of her beauty confirmed, as Maa Begum found her carrying the aura of the full radiant moon and deep doe eyes, glinting woefully. (The Meerab on the phone?)

'Jee Maa Saab. Mainay bulaya hai, yahan rahey ge,' Murtasim explained, and Maa Saab tried to keep a neutral face, but a streak of being perplxed peaked through at the discovery of their new resident. (Yes. I invited her, she will stay here.)

But Murtasim didn't back down, making room for her stay. 'Feena,' calling for a memeber of their house help. 'Meerab madam ko kamra dikhau,' he ordered in an assertive tone. (Feena, show Meerab madam to her toom.)

Swiftly, Maa Saab went along too, her hands coming to Meerab's mid back to guide her inwards. 'Safr say thakee hou gey?' She asked, trying to make light conversation. (You must be tired from your travels?)

'Jee,' she replied meekly, flustered at her own intrusion, and the distance with Murtasim increase with each stride, feeling as though the word was enlarging. (Yes.)

'Tum fresh ho jau,' she advised, showing her into the guest room, already done up in fresh creams with accents of gold and fresh line-dried bedding. 'Kuch chahiye hou, tou bata dena. Hum sab neechay houngey,' she instructed, outlining the way back down in their maze of a mansion. (You freshen up. If you need anything else, then let us know. We'll just be down stairs.)