A bond between two wonderful souls is divine!✨️

Later that evening, Anirudh woke up while Rudhi was still fast asleep in his arms. He picked up the clinical thermometer which Som had left on his bed-side table.

Keeping it below Rudhi's tongue, he waited for a while before checking her temperature, which was still high but now lower than before.

"Get well soon, Princess!" He murmured as he bent down to place a gentle kiss on her head.
"I'll go and call Maa." He said to a sleeping Rudhi and stood up, tucking her comfortably in the warm blanket.

Walking down he asked Koyeli to go and sit beside Rudhi's bed in case she needed something. He didn't want to leave his princess alone afterall.

.......

It was after a couple of hours that Bondita's conference had finally ended. She had gone to talk to the senior Barrister from Banaras and praised his ideas before they talked for a while.

As she walked back to the hotel, smiling at the receptionist, the lady stopped her.

"Madame, there had been a call from your husband. He has asked you to call him back immediately." The receptionist informed.

"Oh okay? How long has it been since he called?" Bondita asked.

"It's been ten minutes I guess. You should call, he seemed worried." The lady informed.

That was it, Bondita couldn't even process the whole sentence and her feet had already started walking to the telephone. She just hoped evrything was fine at home. Infact, she had even planned how she'll be able to reach by tomorrow morning if she left for the railway station now!

"Hello? Pati Babu?" Bondita had dialled the number quickly.

"Bondita!" He whispered, sounding like he had breathed in relief after a long while.

"How's Rudhi?" She just asked, without even realising why she did so.

Why did she ask about Rudhi first? And why not about Anirudh himself instead?

That was because her soul, her heart already knew that it was Rudhi who needed her in the moment. Somewhere in her heart, the mother residing there, knew that Rudhi was in danger or maybe she was just missing her Maa a bit too much.

Mothers, infact parents get to know when their children are in pain or when they need them the most. They might even not, sometimes. But their conscience always does!
That's how God made parents!

"B- Bondita! Mishti... I... I'm sorry Bondita!" He spoke, a lone tear falling from his eye and Bondita could sense his sadness just in his voice.

"Wh... What happened Pati Babu? Mishti is fine, right? Please say something, you're scaring me!" She gulped, trying hard to stay calm.

"She... She got a high fever in school today," He started.
"And when I brought her back home, Som check her up and she... it's Varicella!" He informed.

"V- Varicella?" Bondita gasped.
"Pati Babu is she fine? She must be in discomfort right?" Bondita asked worriedly.

"She has rashes on her body and Maa applied Chandan to calm the irritation. The doctor has prescribed Quinine if her fever didn't go down soon." He told, feeling guilty now.

"Should I come back?" She just asked.

"I... I don't know! I... I feel so miserable right now!" Anirudh couldn't control his tears now.

He had called her with the mind that he'll have to console Bondita but it was him who needed to be consoled in the moment.

"Pati Babu, please don't cry! You... You're absolutely not at fault!" She said, well aware of his self- blaming nature.

Anirudh was just like this. He would always blame himself for anything that happened to his loved ones. He had the nature of finding his own fault in every situation, even when there was none!

"I- It is my fault Bondita!" He cried.
"I couldn't take proper care of your daughter even for 2 days after you left!" He spoke, feeling so bad.

"Our daughter, Pati Babu!" Bondita just said.
"She is our daughter. Are we any different from each other? Aren't we both always responsible for everything that happens to her! Even if I'm not there, I'm still equally responsible! And I could've been at your place too, then would you have scolded me? Let alone blame me for this!" She told him in a stern voice.

"B.. But Bondita, you could've sensed her pain already. You always do!" He spoke, fresh tears forming in his eyes.
"But here, even after she told me this morning that she had a headache, I didn't listen to her! That's.... That's what my fault is!" He cried.

"It's okay, Pati Babu! That's not a fault. Even if you would've listened to her, she would've still fell ill, right? Not being able to sense your child's discomfort isn't a big deal. It isn't a fault! Parents shouldn't try to be perfect all the time, we cannot! We're just mere humans and can only work upon our sixth sense in such situations! It's absolutely fine!" Bondita consoled him.
"Please, that's enough for now, Pati Babu! Don't blame yourself for anything now!" She said with a frown.

"If you blame yourself, remember this that you're blaming me too! If you're putting yourself at fault, you're putting your Bondita at fault too!" She added.
"We aren't any different from each other right? It's the same thing!"

"Hm... Hmm okay Bondita!" He whispered and wiped his tears.
"I won't blame myself if that means blaming you!" He spoke.

"Good! Now tell me, should I come back? Is Rudhi fine? What is she doing?" Bondita asked.

"She's fine now, her fever is still not so low but she's sleeping peacefully. We all are here to take care of her, you don't have to worry." Anirudh said, he didn't know whether to call her back home or not.
"How are things going there? Do you think it's something new you are learning?" He asked.

"I'm learning a lot, Pati Babu! Even I had a great conversation with a very senior Barrister today, it was amazing. But still, it's not more important than Rudhi's health. I can still leave all of this and come back right away!" She said, without feeling the need to think twice about this.

That was it, Anirudh didn't want her to leave something that would give her a new experience and learning. He didn't want her to come back leaving all of it. He'd call her if he ever needed to in future, but for now he won't.

"Bondita, I think I can handle the situation right now. You don't need to rush back here. But I'll still make you talk to Mishti once she's awake, you and your daughter can decide upon this then." Anirudh said suggestively and Bondita agreed.

"Now you should go and rest and please don't worry, Shona! Your Puchki is absolutely fine!" He smiled.

"Okay Pati Babu, if you say so. But please give me calls every now and then and keep me updated about her health. Even if I'm not near the phone, give your message to the receptionist. And please tell Puchki, Maa loves her so much and I'll be back very soon!" Bondita said, feeling emotional now.

"Okay! Now you go and rest and please don't stress yourself a lot! I love you!" He spoke ever so beautifully and she couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too, Pati Babu!" She murmured before hanging up the call.

.......

When Anirudh came out of his study after his phone call with Bondita, he saw a young boy of ten or eleven, sitting in the drawing room along with his parents and Trilochan Babu.

As he walked closer and saw the face of the father, his eyes instantly lit up.

"Bijoy Dada?!" He exclaimed.
"When did you come back from Kashi?" He asked as the man, who looked a bit older than Anirudh with a few grey hair, stood up and walked near to him with a smile.

"Anirudho! My brother! How are you?" He came and hugged Anirudh with a brotherly smile.
"We've returned just a week earlier and we'll live here at our ancestral house now!"

"That's amazing news! And we're also great, Dada! How are you and Boudi? How have you all beem doing there?" He smiled ever so happily, seeing his childhood friend back.

"Anirudh, will you not introduce them to us?" Trilochan Babu asked.
"I'm still not able to recognise." He said with a smile.

"Arey Kaka! He's Bijoy Da! You forgot, I used to play with him all day long when I was just the age of Rudhi! He used to take me out to the river, and take care of me like an elder brother." Anirudh smiled, remembering his own childhood days.

"Oh okay!" Trilochan Babu just smiled happily, still not able to recognise.

He had afterall been so busy in his work at that time, that he never got time to bond with Anirudh's friends!

"Rudhi? Arey how's she? We'd last seen her on her first birthday!" Bijoy Babu asked happily as his wife walked to them as well.

"Yes Anirudh Babu? Where is our princess?" The lady asked.

"Boudi, she's in her room, quite ill. Actually she has Varicella." Anirudh informed, getting sad again.

"Ohh! Can we meet her? Raghav you also come with us!" Rhe lady asked, turning to her son.

"Ofcourse you can see her Boudi, she's your daughter too, afterall. But Raghav.... He might also get infected." Anirudh said thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, he won't. He had already been infected by this a few years back. So he's immune to this virus now." She said with a smile as they all walked up to Rudhi's room.

Rudhi was still fast asleep, hugging her doll while she slept. She looked just like a princess, so beautiful and calm.

"She's so cute, Maa!" Raghav whispered to his mother as Anirudh just chuckled.

"Ofcourse, she's a princess!" Bijoy Babu murmured with a smile, touching Rudhi's forehead with love.
"Anirudho! I still don't beleive, you made this one!" He teased.

"Dada! Come on!" Anirudh almost blushed looking away.

"She seems so soft too! Can I touch her?" Raghav asked innocently and for the first time in his life, Anirudh couldn't deny someone from touching his daughter.

He just nodded and Raghav quickly sat beside her, poking her chubby cheek with his index finger ever so gently, as if she was a porcelain doll which would break if he touched her with power.

To his surprise, Anirudh didn't feel jealous or protective for his daughter at this moment. Raghav didn't seem to harm his princess in any way! Not like he felt this ever for Rudra!

With Rudra, he always felt a sort of discomfort, a sense of protectiveness whenever that boy came near his Mishti! But here, Raghav was touching her cheek with so much love and affection and it didn't affect Anirudh!

He did not mind this! HOW? He wondered as well.

"Enough Raghav! Don't disturb her, she'll wake up!" His mother scolded him in a whisper as she saw a frown forming on Rudhi's little forehead.

"Don't worry Maa! I'll put her back to sleep if she wakes up." Raghav smiled, not even looking away from Rudhi for a while.

Even he didn't know what was pulling him so much to this little girl. He had never been a child loving boy afterall. He never played with kids! And here he was, playing with Rudhi as if she was a precious doll of his.

Raghav moved his hand up to her forehead, caressing it gently.

"Your Baba says you're ill! Get well soon, princess!" He whispered to her with a smile, making everyone in the room look at him with awe and love.

"You're such a sweet boy, Raghav!" Anirudh walked to him, touching his shoulder.
"When Rudhi wakes up, I hope she befriends you quickly!" He smiled at the boy lovingly.

Raghav just smiled at him innocently. Turning back to Rudhi and touching her hand this time.

"She's so soft! Is she a fairy, Rudhi's Baba?" The boy asked and everyone couldn't help but laugh now.

"You've been playing around so much now, Raghav! Come now, let her sleep!" His Maa scolded him, shaking her head with a smile.

"It's okay Raghav, you go down, I'll bring her there in sometime. She needs to wake up anyways for her meal." Anirudh smiled, looking at his wristwatch.

"I don't want to go down, can I stay with you here?' Raghav pouted, not wanting to leave.

"No you cannot! Come with us!" Bijoy Babu spoke in a stern voice and the boy couldn't argue anymore.

He stood up sadly and walked out of the room with his parents. Turning around every now and then and looking at Rudhi, who seemed to be unaffected by him going away.

"Mishtu, wake up princess!" Anirudh picked her up in his arms, trying to wake her up.

"Mmm... Baba! Let me sleep!" Rudhi wiggled in his arms, trying to free herself from his hold.

"No Mishti, you need to have something first and then I'll give you your medicines. Also, there's someone downstairs who wants to meet you, come on!" He smiled, kissing her head and holding her tightly to himself.

"Okay, five more minutes!" She murmured and hugged him, closing her eyes again for a few minutes.

Anirudh also smiled and caressed her hair lovingly as he placed a kiss on her head and sat with her for sometime.

.................

That's all for this part! Hope you all like this!❤️

What do you think of Bondita's conferences and her new found knowledge?

How was the conversation of these lovely parents?🥺

What do you think about Anirudh's self blaming nature?

What do you about Rudhi and Raghav's bond? Like they'll bond more in the upcoming chapters!👀❤️

Do you think Raghav is gonna be an important character in this story?

How do you think will Rudhi bond with him? Will she also like him the way he likes her so much?

Something that stood out to you? 😂❤️

Hoping to read your through the comments!❤️

Love,
Author!❤️

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