After the End (Tere Bin) (ON HOLD)

Nightmares

Meerab was sitting on the floor of her wardrobe, neatly arranging all the new makeup, when her mother in law walked in with her crying daughter in her arms.

Before she knew it, Meerab was up and reaching out to hold her.

"Jab se uthi hai tab se roye ja rahi hai. Na toh kuch kha rahi hai na hi khel rahi hai. Diaper bhi change kiya hai laken tumhari beti samhal hi nahi rahi mujse" Ma Begum said, her tone laced with worry and frustration. She had raised three perfectly healthy, semi-sane, kids, yet she couldn't seem to figure out Meesam's needs as well as her mother did.
(She just woke up and won't stop crying. I tried feeding her, changing her, playing with herbut she just won't stop)

"Mamaaa!" Meeram cried harder as she clung to her, her face hidden in her mother's comforting chest.

Meerab walked over and sat the two of them down on their large recliner.

"Kya hua meri jaan ko" she mummerd softy as she pressed gentle kisses on her head.
(What happened my lovey)

She spent the next few minutes caressing her hair and gently rocking her to sooth her worries.

Meesam's cries had reduced to soft whimpers eventually but she still clung to her mother's bosom like her life depended on it.

"Ofho bacha.. aisa kya ho gaya hai? Itna kyu ro rahe ho?" Meerab kept rubbing her back in circles. She grabbed her cheek and gently tried to pull her back to get a better look at her face. But it only caused her to cry harder.
(Ofho baby what happened? Why are you crying to much?)

Thats when Murtasim walked into their room after having just finished his workout.

He was casually drying himself up with a towel when he heard his daughter piercing cries

His brows furrowed as he took in the sight.

"Kya hua bhai, meri princess ko kisne rulaya?" he asked as he made his way over to them
(Whats wrong? Who's made my little princess cry)

Meerab looked helpless. She looked at him with desperate eyes, as if she were seeking the answers to his questions herself.

Murtasim grabbed a chair and too a seat next to them. He began patting her back too along with Meerab.

"Isse bahar le chalte hai, thodi taazi hava lage gi toh shyad beathar lagge ga" he suggested
(Lets take her outside, maybe some fresh air will do her good)

Ever so gently, he began prying her away from Meerab, in order to take her outside.

Meesam screamed louder as she felt herself being ripped apart from her mother's embrace.

"MAMA!"

Murtasim panicked slightly and let go of her immediately.

"Koi nahi, mai le chalti hu"
(I'll carry her nevermind)

Meerab stood up and re-adjusted Meesam so her face was burried in her neck.

Meesam clung to her tightly. Her face resting in the crook of her mother's neck.

Murtasim walked behind Meerab, trying to catch his daughter's attention. She had stopped crying, only occasionally hiccuping every now and then. Her cheeks still wet from the tear stains, her eyes red and puffy from having cried for so long.

It nipped at his heart.

They were almost out the door when Meesam finally spared a glance at him.

He gave her a smile.

Her eyes softened for a moment. Then she shied away and hid her face back in her mother's neck.

They made their way over to the swing in their backyard.