𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐙𝐀

7. 𝗜𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗵𝗶, 𝗮𝗹𝗳𝗮𝘇.

‘Jo choo lia hai tune ab mujh ko,
Apna qaidi bana lia hai dilbar, tune meri rooh ko.
Rihayi ki koi chah nahi hai meri,
Tere bahon ke siwa koi panah nahi hai meri.’
~ Mehek Syed.

Third Person's POV:

"Pachpan rupay se badh ke ek rupay nahi dungi main ab."

"Dekho beta.."

"Kya dekhu, chacha? Dusri bandi pe saath rupay kilo beetroot de raha hai aur aap sattar mein de rahe ho kyu ke yeh size mein bade hai."

"Arey waha sabzi mandi se hum logo ku bhi mehenga hi milta hai isiliye toh wahi bhau lagake aapku bechhre!"

"Pachpan rupay main dena hai toh do, varna aapke chukandar, aapko Mubarak!"

Mahoor turned around to leave, "Arey bacchi le lo."

Mahoor smiled in triumph and swiveled around, "Teen kilo dena."

The vendor nodded and Mahoor started to put beetroots in the basket to have it measure as much as she wanted.

Altan stood beside her with a huge carry bag in his both hands with a neutral face.

A week ago, if someone would've told him that he'd be in India holding carry bags which were given to him by a lady, he was getting attached to or he actually got attached to, he would have buried that person alive in the soil even for putting those images in his mind.

But life doesn't go as you plan.

Mahoor was supposed to go with Zorawar to buy groceries, to pick her and Seyran's customized dress, also her khala's saree, matching jootis and some other stuff to take to the Philippines as she was leaving the next day after the valima.

In short, two days were left for her to leave the country and her dreams to come true.

But Zorawar canceled it at the last moment as his father hooked him up with several tasks and Seyran was on her duty, so she couldn't leave.

Zorawar advises her to go with Arya or Altan but she hesitated and said she'd either ask Rehan or Zubair to accompany her as she had no ideas about the directions but those two men weren't available as well and she was left with no option.

Near eleven in the morning, Zorawar rang up Arya but the guy was out for Altan's work so, he requested Altan to take out his time for an entire day and take Mahoor for her errands.

Altan didn't beat around the bush and said yes in a heartbeat.

The offer of spending time alone with her was tempting to him as he'd get to know more about her without any interruption from the third party.

They moved to the other vendor and Mahoor began to negotiate the price and Altan rolled his eyes.

"Tumhe kya bargaining karni hai? Le lo na, yeh bazar se ek toh aisi badbu aa rahi hai. Ghinn aa rahi hu mujhe yeh jagah se. Log aise pasine mein nahaye hue bazu se mere guzar rahe hai, meri non-existent OCD bhi trigger ho rahi hai."

Mahoor turned around and narrowed her eyes at Altan, "Ohho, Bade Nawab log!"

She crossed her hands across her chest and her sassy remark rolled off her tongue, “Koi baat nahi agar Afghanistan mein kabhi mauka nahi mila toh. Yaha iss mauke ka anand uthaiye aap. Agar aapko pata nahi hai toh main hi bata deti hu. Aisa hi hota hai bazar, thoda bardasht karein aur apni nonexistent OCD se kahe ki sabr kar lein, itni si baat pe narcissistic men ki tarah trigger nahi hote.”