They walked hand in hand in the market, and Meerab surprisingly didn’t take her hand away. Murtasim had a déjà vu of a similar outing they had back in the beginning days of their marriage when he walked behind her, and she had turned and smiled her rare radiant smile at her. It was one of the best outings of his life.
They walked through the market looking for the rasmalai-wala. Still, they couldn’t find any trace of him, so they resorted to asking some other street vendors about him and were informed that he had gotten so big that he had a market in the city now, of which they didn’t know the address.
Once again, they had to return empty-handed, and Meerab was grumpy about it.
“At this point, I feel like if I don’t get this rasmalai, then coming to Islamabad was a waste,” she grumbled as they sat back in the boat, the rower starting to row them back to the other side of the shore.
“I’ll make sure we don’t leave this city without you having the rasmalai,” Murtasim soothed her, though he wasn’t sure how he would trace the shop owner.
“Pakka?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Pakka”, he promised and then bent forward to put his hand on hers, resting on her lap.
________
It had been three days since they arrived in Islamabad and it had been quite a fun time away from Hyderabad for Meerab. She felt more at ease here, with just Murtasim around and no one else. She didn’t quite understand what it meant for their relationship but it had definitely been a bonding experience for both of them.
Today they had quite an adventurous day that involved lots of shopping for Meerab and running behind her in equal measures for Murtasim. After all the walking that they’d done, Meerab just needed to go sleep. So she wasted no time in getting ready for bed while Murtasim went out into the balcony with his phone in his hand, talking in hushed tone. Meerab without a care went to sleep.
‘Click’
Twice. She heard that noise twice. And it was enough to wake her up from her slumber. She sat up on the bed and looked around only to not find Murtasim in the room. She turned her gaze towards the wall clock showing 2:30 AM which made her wonder what he had gone out for at this hour. But since she was heavy on sleep, she went back to sleep without thinking much.
Next morning she woke up, and he still wasn’t back which made her quite worried. She thought of calling him but decided against it because it was irresponsible behaviour on his part. She freshened up and started packing since it was going to be their last night in Islamabad. Just then he entered the room, looking all worn out and dishevelled.
She didn’t react to him and continued packing. He let out a long sigh and sat on the couch, clearly tired after an all nighter. He looked at her all fresh and she was a sight for his sore eyes that he kept looking at her for a minute. Observing her stance he understood she had figured out his last night endeavour and was mad about it. Trying to figure out a way to ease the tension in the room he looked at her small hands swiftly folding the clothes and putting them in the trolley and remarked, “itne saare kapde, just for a four days trip?”
“Its almost like someone told me where we were going and for how many days”, she retorted, taking the bait.
“Well I didn’t say there was going to be an event, so why formals?”, he said observing her dresses.
“Did you tell me that?”, she was now getting angry and her hands were working faster and haphazardly.
“Arey why are you getting hyper, I was just kidding”, he said in a placating tone.
“It’s always a joke for you. Leaving me alone in an unfamiliar hotel, in a foreign city the whole night, must be a joke to you too?” she turned and moved towards the couch where he was seated.
“Um-I wasn’t-“, he stammered, feeling caught off-guard.
“No, first tell me, where were you last night, the whole night?”, she bent down and pulled him up by his lapels and looked him square in the eye.
He didn’t expect her to get quite close, there were mere inches between their faces, and he forgot how to breath for a while.
“Kaha gaye the ayyashi karne, bologe?” she said, her voice laced with irritation.
“Ab ghar mein nahi kar sakta na, to socha bahar hi kuch dekh loon”, and the teasing bone in his body quipped.
And she loosened up at that, lost her grip at his lapels and stepped back a bit, finally realising how close she had come which made Murtasim realise what he had said.
“Hey, I didn’t mean anything serious with that”, he softly took her face in his hands, “I would never do anything of that sort, even if you never accept me,” and told her.
“I know”, she said softly as she evaded his eyes and he slowly caressed her cheek.
“Good”, he said as he leaned forward, but before his lips could make contact with her forehead, he was moved off with her hands swatting his’ from her face.
“You still didn’t tell me where you were all night?” she said, folding her hands on her chest.
“I was-uh, I was just, out,” he stammered as he spoke, “ yeah, I was just- wait I was out to get rasmalai, yeah, searching for the shop”.
“You’re lying”, she said, observing his flustered face.
“No, I am not Meerab, why would I lie?” he said though not meeting her eyes.
“Aadhi raat ko when all the shops are closed you went out to buy rasmalai?” she deadpanned at him.
“Arey yaar”, he started as he moved away from in front of her and sat on the couch again, “I was feeling a little suffocated, so I went out for a drive and thought to search for the shop as well, that’s it”.
“Okay then, go”, she moved towards him and pulled him by his hand, making him stand up, “get the rasmalai, then come back.” She pushed him until they were at the door.
“Arey yaar Meerab, I also have to pack”, he lamented as she closed the door on him.
“I will pack for you, you go” she told him and locked the door.
_________
It was almost time for them to leave for the airport and Murtasim still hadn’t come back from his hunt for the rasmalai. He was also not picking up her phone since a few hours and Meerab was worried beyond words. She had lunch alone on his insistence, but they were supposed to have dinner and then leave for the airport, and there was no time left now.
She tried calling him again, when he entered the room, looking as dishevelled as ever, but with excitement to his face and a bag in his hand.
“I got it, finally.” He announced excitedly holding up the bag which said “Shah’s Rasmalai”.
“Murtasim Khan, are you kidding me?”, she looked at him with disbelief.
“What?”, he asked nonchalantly, as he sat on the couch and started unpacking the bag.
“We’re gonna be late for our flight, Murtasim,” she gritted her teeth at him while he fished out bowls and spoons and took out the rasmalai in them.
“Meerab, there’s still half an hour left, come eat this, then we’ll leave”, Murtasim told her and she finally, grudgingly moved towards him and the rasmalai she waited so long to have.
“Pakka we won’t be late?”, she asked as she stood in front of him.
“No baba, now enjoy, I took too much effort in finding this for you for nothing. I want to see your happy face.” He said as if talking to a child.
“I can’t believe you spent the whole day looking for this, just to fulfil my wish”, she commented as she settled beside him.
“I would do anything for you”, he simply replied and she felt her chest go warm at his casual confession.
“Thank you”, she said with unshed tears twinkling in her eyes.
“You’re welcome, now eat. I’ll go freshen up”, he told her and got up when she held his hand.
“Wait, eat with me.” She requested.
“Okay”, he said and sat back down, “but only if you feed me”, he added cheekily.
Meerab looked at him in disbelief at that and then retorted, “Then you are free to go.” As she happily dug in her bowl of sweetness when suddenly he took hold of her hand and swiftly put the spoon into his own mouth.
“Bohot mehnat ki aaj, at the very least I deserve the first bite, if not by your hand”, he said and went away to the bathroom before she could react.
“Murtasim,” she shouted and gave the closed door an angry glare before a huge grin took its place.
_________
Murtasim hadn’t slept the whole night, and so just as they boarded the plane and took their seats, he went to sleep. Meerab put on a movie and just as she was getting into it, she felt him falling on her shoulder for support in his sleep.
She quickly put her hand under his head so that it doesn’t fall and break his sleep and settled it on her shoulder properly. Her movie forgotten, she then looked at his face and found some creases on his forehead. She used her fingers to smoothen them as she thought back to the time they spent in Islamabad. How he had given her the best gift of her life and how he had gone above and beyond to fulfil a silly wish for her.
So much had changed in him, from the man who hated her guts to the man who immensely loved her. It still felt surreal, this feeling of being loved. She somehow couldn’t believe it most days, but he would most times be hell bent on proving it. And its not like he hadn’t faltered, he had, but he had been trying to make up for it and that only made her want to believe in his love further.
And she had been trying hard to not reciprocate, but she was maybe failing now. Because the man next to her didn’t repulse her anymore either, in fact he had become her safe haven, her go-to-person and someone she could rely on. She felt happy with him and felt something missing when he was not around.
She couldn’t quite comprehend when and how that change happened. Maybe when he saved her from those kidnappers and protected her, something had shifted. And when he took stand for her again and again in front of everyone, especially regarding her making the contract, honouring it.
The contract. A barrier between the two of them, which he had once said he was quite sure she would break one day. And she was becoming less resolute on it as well. She blushed at the prospect of it and looked away from his face. She then put her head on his and closed her eyes as well waiting for them to reach their destination.
_______