Once into the hush green nature full of elegance, breathed in the fresh air her lungful, with eyes closed and hands wide as if trying to clasp the serenity engulfing her.

Seeing the women toiling hard on her own field, instantly put her hands around the woman's neck and squeaked "Devyani Masi, mein aagayi hoon." Though tired and weariness  quietly evident wiping her hands off beamed in happiness and hugged her with same tenderness.

The Sun bright and blazing providing the much needed heat to the fertile rich ground, she stood tugging her saree from front to her back precisely in mid of her lower back making it look alike a loose pant also pulled her free end of saree to tuck it on her stomach afterwhich grabbing the fresh bundle of greens dipped her feet slowly onto the moistured soil.

It took just seconds for her to adapt to the prevailing convention, as she pluck the green one by one from the bundle on her left hand, laying it down the line with her right. She immersed herself fully, admiring her hands working on nature and continued to do so with a cherishing smile.

She felt so calm and overwhelming at the feeling of working in farm, it felt so gratifying and comfortable though it was the contrast of her past maverick kind and undeniably she loved both equally.

It was after two and half tiring hours when her work was about to end heard her didi yelling, "maa, batha hai. Barrister babu wapas aarahe hai" it was Neelima and the info was to her mother working on field alongside Bondita. Spotting her, Neelima's steps halted and with a naughty grin, she continued to yell but much slower this time conscious enough to tease her "suna... suna tumne, Barrister babu yaani ki humare Anirudh babu... Anirudh babu wapas aarahe" while the woman was annoyed at her daughter's sudden change behaviour.

Well aware of the tease being ignorant, she walked out to the big water pots to wash her soiled saree legs and hands. Cleaning her all, looked back to gaze her creativity while Neelima's tease remained to continue.

Having much, retorted back "Devyani masi, suniye toh mein kya Kehrahi hoon ki som" eyed Neelima who by now looked petrified and sorry for her tease then continued again "iss somvar vidhyalay nahi hai, toh kal bhi aoungi."  Smiled while Neelima breathed relief for her shielding the secret for years.

Biding bye as she started to return heard her Neelima didi yelling again "sach mein farak nahi padtha kya?" without answering and looking back continued her walk.

Onto the roads, spoke to herself little louder trying to affirm and convince herself "haan, sachme muje koi farak nahi padtha. Muje kya koi bhi aaye jaye."

"Acha, sach bol rahi ho" the lad spoke from behind his words full of mischief.

Jumped, hearing the voice that erupted suddenly and when faced the lad, she irked and without paying heed continued to walk.

"Sach kaho na boudi, kam se kam apne devar se yah pyare dosth se" said Batuk walking beside her irking her more.

Regardless she walked and his talk continued "arey, dada ki patra bhi nahi lethi isiliye tho chupke se tere kamre me rakh detha hoon. Par abb toh sach kaho itne salon mein kya tumne ek baar bhi dada ka patra nahi pada, arey arey jantha hoon apne boudi ko chupke se padthi hi hogi. Hai na? Bolo bolo."

As his tease continued, her resistance broke and thats when eying the wooden stick barged at him with it and started beating, terrified to which Batuk shouted "Arey boudi, mana kardho par isse yeh lakde ki chadi se kyun mar rahe ho. Toda toh taras khaou."

Moving few meters away from her, Batuk rubbing his arms squeaked back at her "sach kehte hai sab, sirf dada hi sambhal sakthe tuje, aur koi bas ki bath nahi" saying which he got into his car and rode back annoyingly.

In a pensive mode, she hurried to her mansion, avoiding her mother's tense on way climbed the stairs to her room and closing the doors, leaned onto it with brim eyes for she felt tired of her feigned as the truth was her needing him increased with the days.

With haste, opened her study drawer to find the bunch of letters being piled up, smiled radiantly at it and collecting all sat uptight on the wooden swing swaying all way, held it close to her heart sniffing them. She felt him, his fragrance.

Feeling immersed in ocean of emotions, held out his first parchment to read it aloud and once finished open the seventy third letter, the last one he sent to her a month before, though read already opened it to read again.

Mere priya Titli,

                              Tumhare sakha babu yehaan kolkatta mein teek aur swasth hai tumhare kayalon ke sath, tum kese ho? Teek hi hogi mere titli ko kya hoga? Waise ache se pad rahi ho na yeh aakiri saal hai tumhari vidhyalay mein toh ache se aank se pass hona chahiye tumhe, Samji. Yeh patra humari aakiri hogi muh math phula janthi ho kyun? Kyunki agle mahine mein apni titli se milne aaraha hoo, aur yeh bath sab se pehle tuje hi bath raha hoon. Jantha hoon jantha hoon bahut gussa hogi na apne sakha babu se par tayar rehna akar turant tuje manakar hasayega tumhare sakha babu.

        Aur... abb toh bahut badi hogayi hogi na, kaise dikthi hogi tum? Kya abb bhi yese hi muh phula kar rutthi ho? Tumare bare mein koi muje nahi bathathe yeh Batuk bhi, koi bath nahi abb khood aakar hi jaanunga apni titli ko. Abb sabse zaroori bath, bahut miss kar raha hoon tuje, jantha hoon mere dil mein hi ho firbhi tuje dekhne ka bahut mann kar rahe hai. Teek hai, abb apna kayal rakh.

Bondita ka sakha babu.

Crushed the letter and held it very close to her bosoms just above the saree, closed her eyes to feel his presence as only his letters were her relief all these years. She feared as her pretence of hatred broke at the mere news of his arrival and was now perplexed how to deal when he comes to her in reality.

With many changes all over the years, his and her feeling for him was the only constant atleast thats what she felt, he was her courage .Yet dreaded at the thought of meeting him face to face after many years, though she knew he would be the same unchanged but that didn't alter her decision for them, her heart yearning and resisting him at the same time. Though pained at the thought of nothing would be same as before, with all the letters soothing her present inner tumult slid into a nap on the swaying swing.

Being full moon night, the drop in the temperature forced him to feel the warmth from the lighted candles placed almost all over the room, as he sat himself on the cushion in await.

Meanwhile was watching all the photos hung there artistically making the drawing room look more pleasing. As the morning clerk now turned helper entered with hot tea in his hands, Anirudh asked "kya yehaan Guru se milne koi nahi athey?" And handing over the cup, the helper answered back "koi nahi, Sirf aap hi athey unke Jamaai ki tarah."

His face fell at the helper's statement and thats when heard his Guru with a subtle smile, said "Jamaai babu hoga, agar mere kismath mere sath diya hotha tho aur mere beti bhi mere sath rahe tho. Tab zaroor jamaai banauga per pehle apni beti ki icha fir tumhari poochkar. Sach me yese ho tho kitna acha hoga na, firbhi mann ka ho toh acha aur na ho tho aur bhi acha. Kyun Onnirudho?" he just smiled back.

Soon as the helper left, seeing him bothered and knowing well of the reason. His guru asked "kya aaj bhi wahi sapna dekha?"

Suppressing, he answered in low "haan"

Distress in his voice very clear, placing hand on his left shoulder his Guru spoke back "par abb tum janthe ho na, woh teek hai swasth bhi, toh?"

Instantly he replied worriedly, "patha nahi Guru, Jaanne ke badh bhi kabhi kabhi dil nahi manthe. Lagtha hai mere titli ko mujse jyadha koi nahi jaan saktha, sach bhi hai. Aur" rolling eyes and fists "aur, bahut gussa atha hai uss insaan pe itna hai ek jatke mein usey maar dhoon, mere titli ke sath yesa bhartav..."

Cutting him off to divert, his Guru spoke "aur waise bhi abb jaa bhi rahe ho toh ussey apne anko mein barke apne dil mein chupalo? Kyun?" teased him in process.

It changed, his smile widened at words,  masking it said "toh abb chaltha hoon, Guru, apna kayal rakhiyega" bent for blessings and when got turned to leave, only to be stopped by his Guru again.

Though stern yet with a smile said to him "Onnirudho, pyaar ek hi insaan se hone mein, faydha bhi hai haani ke sath. Haan kyunki dil usi ke liye daktha lagtha hai aur agar usi ne na kaha toh wahi dadkaan ruk bhi jatha hai. Ek bath yadh rako sab ko apne apne pyar jatane ka tarika alag hai isiliye samajne ki koshish karo kuch bhi sochne se pehle."

Again spoke, though unconvinced yet let out his words "Onnirudho, yeh avashya nahi ki hum jissey pyar karthe woh bhi humse yesehi pyaar kare, toh kabhi kabhi ek tarafa pyaar mein bhi utni hi sukoon miltha hai agar dekha jaye toh. Issiliye kabhi nirash math ho."

He replied, his words full of confidence "Muje apne pyaar par bharosa hai, par apne titli pe ussey bhi jyadha... Guruji."

Elatedly, his Guru said "bakhi, muje bhi uss sakhi ki sakha babu par bahut bharosa hai."

He was happy, it could be seen as he nodded in understanding, before him heard his Guru again "aur yeh lo, yeh mein bahut khass insaan ko dena chahtha par dey nahi paya, par abb tum dedho usey meri taraf se" handed the mirror studded aesthetic pen.

Receiving it, nodded and embraced his Guru affectionately, left not before asking him take care of himself strictly.

Into the royal mansion, changed himself and hurried to his bed, pulling out the last letter she sent to him four long years ago, with beams opened it.

Pyare sakha babu,

                               Sab kushal hai yehaan Tulsipur mein, haan haan mein bhi.  Umeed Kartha hoon ki aap bhi ache aur swasth hai, aur yeh kya aapki aakiri chitti bejne mein itni der kardhi. Patha hai meine kitna intezaar kiya, kuch nahi patha aapko firbhi meine muh phula liye gusse mein, aap dekh nahi sakthe na isiliye likh rahi hoon. Teek hai teek hai, abb bahut der aapse rut bhi toh nahi sakthi na yeh aapki Bondita. Aapko patha hai, iss saal pure kaksha mein aval ayee aapki Bondita par kush nahi hai janthe hai kyun? Arey kaise kush ho sakthi aap nahi ho na Bondita ke pass. Woh janedigiye. Abb hasiye humare hasi jaise aur humesha yese hi has hasthe rahiye, yeh hi chahthi hai apki Bondita. Aur haan, mein nahi hoon toh coffee jyadha math piye, kabardar. Apna kayal rakhiyega.

Sakha babu ki Bondita.

Later that night, when unknown feeling erupted their bodies who were totally unaware of the ensuing occurrences their life held, both rushed to their kitchens correspondingly.

As she sat herself on the rims of the window while he leaned on wall, both glancing the full moon, full of quietude as she smelled the coffee while he saw the rosogulla pot, trying to feel each other through their invincible first love.

"Mein araha hoon wapas, tere pass." He said.

"Raah dekrahi hoon, mein aapki." She whispered.

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