I know it's been a lot of time since I uploaded the last chapter. But believe me I just couldn't even though I wanted to! I even burnt my hand and couldn't type for a few days!😅

I hope you'll bear with this delay of mine and not forget me and this book!!❤️

And this one is a long chapter!❤️ You'll enjoy! Don't forget to leave your votes and comments!✨️

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A week had passed and Rudhi was getting better day be day. Anirudh was delighted that he didn't have to give her Quinine. He had been so afraid that he might have to give that deadly bitter medicine to his little princess!

"Mishti, baby would you sleep for sometime while Baba is working downstairs in the study?" Anirudh asked after he had finished feeding her lunch.

"No Baba, I'm not sleepy." Rudhi pouted, getting onto his lap, wrapping her arms around him as he also held her with a  smile.
"Can I sit there with you? I promise, I won't disturb you. Shottii!!" She pinched her throat with wide innocent eyes.

Anirudh chuckled and said with a loving smile, "You never disturb me, Shonamoni! You can always sit there with your Baba! And also disturb him when you feel like!" He winked at her and kissed her little nose lovingly.

"Yayy! Let's go, then!" She giggled and Anirudh stood up. Rudhi climbed on his shoulder and sat there while Anirudh held her arms tightly so she didn't fall.

"You're so adventurous, Mishti! Just don't fall down, sweetheart!" He just shook his head with a smile and carefully walked down with her to the study.

.........

Later that evening, Anirudh was talking to Bondita on the phone while Rudhi was still in his study, reading a huge picture book.

"You're leaving for Tulsipur tonight?" Anirudh asked on the phone with a pleasant expression.
"That means you'll reach here by tomorrow evening. That's great, Jaan, I'm waiting!!" He said.

"Baba, give me the phone please!" Rudhi pulled onto his pant gently, wanting to talk to her Maa.

"Oh yes, here you go Maa!" Anirudh chuckled to Rudhi and handed her the phone.

"Hello? Maa!" Rudhi almost screamed on the phone. It was always so exciting to talk to Maa on the phone.

"How's my princess?" Bondita asked from the other end.

"I'm so happy you're coming tomorrow! I miss you so much." Rudhi said with a pout but then giggled happily.

"I miss you too darling!" Bondita blew a kiss into the phone.

They just talked for a while and then Bondita gave Anirudh her train details and timing to come and pick her up at the railway station.

"Okay, Good Night Bondita!" Anirudh said before hanging up the phone and turning around to Rudhi.

"Are you hungry? Come, let's have dinner." He held her hand walked her out to the dining table.

.......

"Dada, when will kaaju join back her school? Her teacher had called to ask today." Somnath asked.

Batuk and Mallika had already left for Italy a couple days ago.

"Oh yes, I guess once Bondita comes back home tomorrow, then it'll be on her decide this." Anirudh informed and, drinking a glass of water in middle of his meal.

"Baba, can I meet Rudra now?" Rudhi asked, while eating her own meal.

"Yes you may meet him now. But why do you wanna meet him?" Anirudh raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

Shubra Maa pressed her lips together, only the women in the house were smart enough to see how protective Anirudh was being of his daughter.

"Because he's my best friend Baba!" Rudhi rolled her eyes, speaking as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wasn't Monishika your best friend?" Anirudh frowned.

"She is! But Rudra is special!" Rudhi said with an innocent frown on her face.

"S... Special? Why is he so special now?" Anirudh felt a sudden heat inside his body after he heard this statement of his daughter.

"Enough! Eat quietly now!" Trilochan Babu glared at him and then smiled at Rudhi, he was always partial this way though.

.......

Next evening, Anirudh had gone to pick up Bondita from the Railway station. Rudhi had wanted to accompany him but he didn't want her to go on such long drives just after she was ill.

Anirudh was waiting in his car when he heard he announcement of the train coming for Calcutta to be arriving in five minutes.

He quickly got of the car with a smile and opened the backseat door to take out something he had brought for Bondita. Was it ever possible that he didn't get her gifts to make his wife happy?

It was a beautiful bouquet of lilies. He had always bought red roses for her, but these soft pink had really caught his eyes today at the florist's. Walking near the railway track as soon as the train arrived, he stood patiently waiting for it to halt.

As soon as the train halted and the passengers started to get off, his eyes searched for his Bondita. There were a lot of people pushing past him, but he didn't budge and walked near to the train until he heard a  familiar voice from behind.

"Pati Babu here!" He heard Bondita calling from behind him and an instant smile adorned his lips.

Turning around he saw her standing on one of the train doors, wearing a beautiful red-banarasi saree. Her hair was left open and he knew why.  Bondita loved sitting by the train window with her hair open. She loves when the wind makes it flow back her face.

He quickly walked to her and helped her get down the train, calling a coolie to  help reach the luggage his car.

As soon as she got down, Bondita had hugged him tightly, her face pressed against his chest and her arms tightly holding onto his waist.

"I missed you, Barrister Babu!" Her voice muffled against his shirt as he too hugged her back tightly, one of his hands still holding the bouquet of pink lilies.

"I missed you too, Barrister Babu!" He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, pulling away from the hug gently.

He glanced down at her face with a smile and handed her the bouquet of flowers with raised eyebrows.

"For me?" She squeaked.

"For you!" He winked and smiled at her with so much love.

"Why are you acting like a newly-wed?" She teased, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the lilies.

"Because I love you the same, Bondita! I love the mother of my daughter just as much I loved my newly wedded wife!" He said holding her hand and bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss.

"Let's get out of here first!" Bondita pulled back her hand and wrapping her arm around his, started walking out to the car.

"Where have you parked it, Pati Babu?" She asked glancing around the area outside of the platform.

"There it is," He pointed a bit far away from the main station area,
"Come with me." He added with a smile.

"How have you been Bondita? You seem better now and not even that sick I suppose?" He asked on the way.

Anirudh couldn't help but notice that she'd put on some weight but he didn't dare to tell her right now. She'd get worried about it and that's the last thing he wanted.

"I'm all good. How's Puchki? Is she all well already?" Bondita asked instead.

"Absolutely! But I didn't send her to school until you would want to. You check upon your daughter yourself!" He spoke as they reached their car.

Bondita turned to open the passenger's seat door but he quickly pulled her back to him, caging her in his arms.

"What's the hurry, my love?" He asked almost in a whisper, his voice markably husky.

"Pati Babu?" Bondita frowned.
"We're in public! And you don't want people to stare at us, right?" She smiled with a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"Oh that's the last thing I want. Strangers staring at my wife!" He shook his head a little, he smirk not leaving his lips for a moment.
"But you know what's the first thing I want?' He asked.

"A kiss?" She asked innocently and it was his turn to feel the warmth in his ears.

"That too, but I want to keep looking at you right now. I just can't take my eyes of you, Jaan!" He informed, gently stroking the soft skin of her cheek with his knuckle.
"And if I do that while driving, I'm sure the car won't reach home in one piece!" He chuckled.

"Oh! So you want me to drive?" She asked with excitement.

"You would love that, won't you?" He asked, seeing Bondita already walking to the driver's seat happily.

"I already am loving this, Pati Babu!" She giggled, sitting inside the car while he too sat on the passenger's seat with a smile.

On the way back, while Bondita was driving quite skillfully, Anirudh got the apt chance to stare at his beautiful wife after a long time.

He had missed her a bit too much this time. Not that he ever missed her less, but this time was difficult for many reasons. She'd gone for two long weeks and Rudhi had also been so ill.

"You know,, Pati Babu?" She asked, bringing him out of his trance as he just looked at her, waiting to speak ahead.
"I was so worried when you said that you blame yourself for Rudhi's illness. I just wanted to rush to back to you and hold you in my arms tightly."

"I know. I could sense it in your voice. Somewhere or the other, that was one reason I stopped blaming myself. It reminded me how much it was gonna hurt my Bondita." He replied with a smile, keeping hid hand onto hers over the steering wheel.

"Just know that I love you Pati Babu." She said with a smile.

And it wasn't a confession that teenagers made a million times a day. It was the assurance of her love, that Anirudh could feel in his heart when she spoke. It was as if it was a truth that being said a million times would still be less to prove it! Such was the depth of their love.

.......

Reaching home, Rudhi ran to her mother and cried for a good five minutes before Bondita could actually free herself from that tight bear hug and look at her daughter to her heart's desire.

"I missed you so much, Maa!" Rudhi sniffled a tear back as Bondita held her hands and kissed them lovingly.

"Maa missed you so much more, Puchki!" She said between her kisses.
"I will never leave you alone like this, okay?" She looked at Rudhi with love and a sad expression.

"No Maa! If you'll have work, you need to go right?" Rudhi spoke innocently but still being smart enough to understand things.

"Oh yes? My big girl!" Bondita giggled hugging her tightly.

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Precap :- A Shock for Bondita.

Would it be a happy one or a sad one? Let me know your views!❤️❤️
That's all for this part!❤️ Hope you'll like this!❤️

Do leave your comments and votes!!❤️❤️

Love, Author!❤️

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