Besabriyan

41|FORTY ONE

Relaxed and in her own little bubble, Maheen stared at the first copy of her book with an unreadable face. It was the book that dealt with so many traumas; beginning from the start of her parents' love story to the demise of it- she had mentioned so much that it put her in a state of constant vulnerability. It was the book that opened the door to the world of words and it was the book that made her dream so many things when she couldn't sleep. The night after her father married for the second time, she wrote, wrote and wrote until there was nothing left of her anguish. That night she saw her traumas coming to life in the form of words.

The background of the book cover was of solid wine- adorned with the title in gold and a feather dangling loosely in the air while a bale of feathers were scattered. Her name, written just below the feathers and on the spine. Though she was given her required credits for the books that were published previously, her opinions regarding anything besides the main storyline were not heeded. The main editors and the other people involved in the process of publishing took care of most things so to see a cover that she had designed and saved with the document baffled her to no end.

Besabriyan- a word that encompassed so many lacking traits such as impatience and restlessness. A word that suits the book just right. The book contained the pieces of younger Manha and the pieces of who she had become. The book was a declared war on her parents' unsuccessful love life. A book with a tinge of romance and so much of ache.

Her undivided attention scattered when she saw the love of her life walk out of the bathroom after a shower, a shawl wrapped around his torso. Zaviyar saw his wife looking up at him with something that he couldn't interpret and smiled at her. She was so full of mysteries and emotions that he would have to run to her. She was so full of life despite all that she was put through by her indecisive parents. She was so full of fears that he shivered at nights.

“Ammi is going to disown me if she ever got her hands on this one.” She waved the book at her husband before faking a face.

Zaviyar chuckled softly as he walked up to his wife, crouched to her level and pressed a kiss on her forehead, “The book is so well written, I doubt she will know.” He ruffled her somewhat braided hair before settling next to her with his laptop, a groan leaving his mouth as the pleasure of sitting after so long hit his entire body.

“A muse is a muse. A muse always understands.” She shook her head before turning to her husband only to find him staring dead into the screen while awaiting his computer to rise to life. The man, unusually dressed in off white kurta pajama.

“Unless you tell her yourself, I really don't think she will know, Mahi.” He nodded to her with acknowledgement. Maheen's mouth wobbled as she opened it to say something but shut it when her attention fell back on the book.

To the love of my life and my beloved wife, I wish you the happiest birthday! She read it once. She read it twice. She read it until her heart swelled with love. When she read the note he wrote on the first page, she couldn't help but tear up. She wasn't expecting anything from him and she didn't think he would know her birthday, considering they never talked about birthdays and other lame things. The things they always talked about on the phone were mostly about their lives and how they grew up.

“How did you figure out my birthday?” Maheen puzzled, watching his hand come to coil around hers and despite the nerve chilling coldness of the air conditioner, she felt her body growing hot.

Zaviyar grazed the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb lazily. Maheen shifted closer to her husband upon feeling his heat and leaned back on the backrest- a sudden wave of exhaustion taking over. The work that she had been doing in the company had to be left as it was after she was rushed into his office. She didn't know what people in his company thought of her after having two such incidents. She did catch a glimpse of Reza smirking at her and the way he did not back down from it sent chills down her spine. He was not a good person, she understood.