The Eclipsed Heart

Chapter 11

Even the daily routines that once defined Meerab's presence in their household had been discarded. She no longer joined them for meals, her absence felt like an empty chair at the dinner table. The vivacious spirit that usually fueled her interactions with the family had dwindled, leaving behind a void that maa begum and her father couldn't ignore. They had tried to talk to her but she had dismissed them numerous times.

Her indifference extended to the daily activities, a stark contrast to the assertiveness she had displayed before. It came to him as a surprise when he asked her to tidy up the bed, cluttered with her clothes, and she didn't throw a tantrum as she typically would. Moreover, she didn't bother asking him to fix the bed, a notable departure from her previous emphasis on such matters. The plants and flowers that were attended with regularity by Meerab, now stood parched. The laughter and playfulness she once shared with the maids' children had also vanished. It wasn't like Murtasim was overly concerned about Meerab but the growing unease made him wonder if he was the cause of her behavior.

The lingering effects of a massive hangover served as a haunting backdrop to the unfolding mystery. Murtasim couldn't shake the feeling that during that intoxicated haze, he might have inadvertently hurt Meerab's feelings. The fear of having said or done something inappropriate weighed heavily on his conscience, but the uncertainty paralyzed him, preventing him from broaching the subject with her.

Surprisingly, the anticipated relief that should have accompanied Meerab's silence eluded Murtasim. Instead, an unsettling unease settled within him, prompting him to question cause of her strange behavior. His mother and uncle's worry had not gone unnoticed by him either. Which is exactly why, after dinner, as the quietude of the house enveloped them, Murtasim found himself contemplating a conversation with Meerab.

The air hung heavy with tension as Murtasim cautiously approached Meerab, who seemed enveloped in the glow of her laptop screen. "Are you okay?" he ventured, his words lingering in the charged atmosphere. Meerab, however, remained unresponsive, her focus undeterred by the inquiry.

Clearing his throat, Murtasim tried again, "I'm talking to you, Meerab." This time, her response came with a sharp exclamation, "I'm busy," she declared, fingers tapping fervently on the keyboard.

"I just wanted to say that Maa and Chacha Sahab have been worried about you. You should at least reassure them that you're okay," Murtasim persisted, choosing to ignore Meerab's stern tone. In response, she snapped her laptop shut with visible frustration, an abrupt interruption to the digital world that had consumed her as she spoke, "Well then, they can keep their worries to themselves but I don't give a damn about it,"

Meerab's rudeness caught him off guard. "Meerab, I get that you're not feeling well, but you cannot talk like this," Murtasim cautioned, the weight of displeasure and shock evident in his voice. Meerab, however, seemed unyielding in her resolve.

"I assume that I should be given a speaking guideline as well now, right? What more do you guys want? First my clothes, then my way of living, and now my way of talking. When will this never-ending list of demands end?" Meerab's anger surged, an emotional tempest that threatened to consume them both. The emotions that had been bottling up inside of her had now managed to overflow.

"Have you lost your mind?" Murtasim questioned, disbelief etched on his face. She was turning a simple conversation he had hoped to have with her into an exaggerated ordeal. Meerab's response was a defiant admission, "Yes, I have! I have lost my mind because I have been trapped into this stupid, meaningless relationship because of some goddamn idiotic wish of a person I didn't even know about!"

"Watch your mouth, Meerab. I won't tolerate another word about my father now," Murtasim cautioned, his eyes narrowing with a flicker of anger, and a sharp edge in his tone cut through the air as he warned Meerab.