Meerab had been noticing for a long time that Murtasim was staring at her. She went to him and shakes him a little and said,

Meerab : Sir, what are you looking at standing here without working?

Murtasim got his sense in Meerab's words. Before he could say anything to Meerab, Ayesha's father came and said,

Ayesha's father : What is this son? You are not ready yet. The groom's party will come soon. Go and get ready soon. There are clothes in the room.

Murtasim : OK uncle, I'm going. There is a little work left. I am going to do that now.

Ayesha's father : We will do the rest. You go.

Murtasim left without saying anything.

Ayesha's father : Meerab Beta, is Ayesha ready?

Meerab : Yes uncle. Uncle, tell me if there is any work.

Ayesha's father : No work here, beta. The groom's party will come soon. You go and see whether everything is ready or not.

Meerab : OK uncle.

Murtasim got ready and started looking for Meerab. The groom's party has arrived. Everyone welcomed them with great care. All girls were standing in front of the gate to take the money from groom.

It's a ritual in Bangladesh. The bride's sisters take money from the groom on the day of the wedding and then give the permission to enter.

Meerab also went in front of the gate with all the girls to get money. There she got busy. Some of the boys on the groom's side looked at Meerab. Meerab looked so beautiful that anyone would fall in love with her.

Meerab : You can't enter without money.

A friend of the groom looked at Meerab and said,

Friend of the groom : What a beautiful girl she is! I will marry this girl only.

Hearing this, one boy said,

Boy : There is no benefit.   

Friend of the groom : What benefit?

Boy : She is married. (He pointed at Murtasim) Are you looking at that boy? She is his wife. Lives in the city. Came here yesterday in a danger.

Meerab was not leaving the gate without taking money from the groom. Then the groom's friend said,

Friend of the groom : This beautiful girl is saying, give the money to her bro. (Said to the groom)

Meerab and the girls screamed after the groom paid. Everyone was allowed to come. Seeing Murtasim, some girls were talking.

The groom's sister : The boy is so handsome. 😍Let's talk to him.

The two girls went in front of Murtasim and said,

The groom's sister : Hi! I'm Nia.

Murtasim : Hello! I'm Murtasim.

Nia : Who are you of the bride?

Murtasim : Brother.

Nia : Oh! I am the younger sister of the groom. Can you give me your number?

Murtasim : Why?

Nia : Why means? To talk with you.

Meerab was listening to everything from behind. Her body was burning with anger.

Meerab : Devil girl..!! bhootni..!! Flirting with my idiot boss? Wait! 😠

She went in front of the girls and said,

Meerab : Hlw!

Nia : Who are you?

Meerab : I am his wife.

She said holding one hand of Murtasim. Murtasim was in shock. What was Meerab doing? He was just smiling and said,

Murtasim : Meerab leave my hand. Everyone is watching. (He whispered in Meerab's ear.)

Meerab : Jaan you know, how long have I been looking for you?

Murtasim : (Jaan? 😱Is there any problem with this girl's head? Why is she behaving like this?)

When Meerab called Murtasim Jaan, the girls angrily left.

Meerab smiled when she saw the trunks of the girls. Murtasim looked at her smile with fascinated eyes. He was caught in Meerab's magic net. He remembered which his mother said to him.

Maa Begum: One day you will also fell in love with her. And that day is not far away.

Murtasim : Maa! Me and that Badtamiz girl? Impossible!

Maa Begum : Yes you  with this girl. And that too very soon.

Murtasim had been looking at Meerab for a long time. So Meerab shakes him and said,

Meerab : What are you thinking, sir?

Murtasim : Hmm

Meerab : What hmm?

Murtasim : N....nothi.....nothing! I'm going.

Murtasim left. Meerab said to herself,

Meerab : What happened to this Idiot boss?

Everyone was very happy. Meerab went and brought Ayesha. She puts Ayesha next to the groom. Murtasim noticed that Ayesha's father had been talking to the groom's father ever since. That too with folded hands. He was surprised. While he was going to Ayesha's father, Ayesha's mother called him and said,

Ayesha's mother : Murtasim beta, plz come here.

Murtasim : Yes aunty.

Ayesha's mother : Will you see if everyone has finished eating?

Murtasim left. Ayesha's father begged in front of groom's father and said,

Ayesha's father : Brother, give me some more time. I will pay all the money.

The groom's father : If you can't pay the full amount now, then marriage won't happen. Bring money first and then marriage will happen.

Ayesha's father : Don't do that.  I tried a lot to raise the whole money but couldn't.

The groom's father started to take the groom without hearing anything else. Everyone was surprised. What was going on? Meerab stood in front of the groom's father and said,

Meerab : The marriage has not happen yet. Where are you going with the groom?

The groom's father : This marriage will not happen.

Meerab : Will not happen...means?

The groom's father : They couldn't pay the full amount. So this marriage will not happen.

Meerab got angry hearing groom's fathers word's. She said,

Meerab : So you didn't come to marry your son, you brought him to sell. Then your son is a product to sold.(Clapped her hands)

The groom's father : You have so much courage to talk to me this way.(said to Ayesha's Father) You have called us here to insult? (Angrily)

Meerab : Do you understand the meaning of insult? Have you ever wondered how insulting it would be for the bride when you'll pick up your son from the wedding party? How can you see? You have become blind to the greed of money.

The groom's father : What did you say? Now this marriage won't happen if you don't pay the full amount.

Meerab got very angry seeing that the groom wasn't saying any word. She stood in front of the groom and said,

Meerab : You could have written that you are a product on your back and the price of yours so that everyone can pay your price. You didn't come to get married. You came to sell yourself. Isn't that so?

The groom was silent.

Murtasim noticed that there was a lot of crowd and a lot of noise coming from the side where the groom was sitting. He went there and saw Ayesha and her parents were crying. And Meerab was very angry and talking to the groom and the groom's father.

Murtasim : What happened?

Meerab told him everything. He got very angry after hearing everything.

Murtasim : How much does it cost? You are breaking up your marriage for a little money? What is your conscience?

The groom's father : Who are you?

Murtasim : I'm Ayesha's elder brother.

Everyone was very surprised by Murtasim's words. Murtasim told them to wait and went to the room and brought a check book. He signed there and gave it to groom's father and said,

Murtasim : I didn't put the amount. I signed it, you put the amount and withdraw the money.

Everyone was surprised. Meerab came to Murtasim and said,

Meerab : Why are you giving them money? They are breaking up the marriage for money today. Who knows what they will do with Ayesha if they need money again tomorrow?

Murtasim came to the groom's father and said,

Murtasim : Ayesha is my younger sister. If anyone harms her, I will kill them. My name is Murtasim Khan. I do what I say. If my sister get a piece of flower on her body, you will see how bad Murtasim Khan is.

Murtasim's words frightened the groom's father a lot. He told the groom to sit in the wedding hall and marry Ayesha.
Ayesha's father came and hugged Murtasim and cried. Murtasim calmed them down.

The marriage went well. Ayesha started to say goodbye to everyone, then she came to Murtasim and hugged him and said,

Ayesha : How will I thank you bhaia.

Murtasim : You are calling me your brother and again saying thank you? Does anyone say thank you to their own brother?

There were many smiles on everyone's face. Ayesha bids bye to everyone with a smile. Ayesha's parents came to Murtasim and said,

Ayesha's father : I will never be able to repay this loan of yours, son.

Murtasim : Uncle, what I have done for my younger sister. Please don't embarrass me by saying these things. If Ayesha was my sister today, wouldn't I do these things?

Ayesha's mother puts her hand on Meerab's head and said,

Ayesha's mother : You also have done a lot today. I pray that you will be happy together like this for the rest of your life and have a happy family.

Meerab and Murtasim were shocked by Ayesha's mother's words and looked at each other.

Murtasim : Uncle, we have to go now or it will be night later.

Ayesha's mother : What's this son? You'll leave today only? Stay a few more days.

Murtasim : No aunty! We'll come again. But today, we've to go.

Meerab and Murtasim said goodbye to everyone. All the way they didn't talk to each other. It was night when they reach home. They both went to their rooms and laid down. Maa Begum didn't call them anymore because she realized that they both were tired of traveling so far.

Murtasim got freshened up and started thinking about Meerab lying in bed. There was an unknown feeling was working for Meerab in him and he understood that very well. The moments he spent with Meerab was floating in his eyes. He smiled and remembered them. He fell asleep thinking about Meerab.

Meerab took a bath and stood on the balcony and remembered the moments she spent with Murtasim. Unknowingly, a smile appeared on her face and she fell asleep thinking about Murtasim for a long time.

To be continued.