This is my third update in the last 24 hours. 

8 updates since our weekend spree!

I've updated extremely fast, so probably for the next part, I will wait for all the parts from Chapter 272 until this chapter to hit 450+ stars. I want everyone to catch up. So vote if you have not voted on all these parts yet! 

-- 

As Bondita's sobs were heard on the phone, Anirudh's heart grew restless. 

Bondita was crying so much because she missed him? 

His strong Bondita, the one who always saw the positive side in situations, was sobbing this much because she missed him? 

She would be the one not counting the days apart, but counting the days they were together. She saw things with brightness and positivity. 

It didn't make sense. 

"Bondita... I'll come right now," Anirudh said, his voice thick with emotions. "I'll come home now and then you won't miss me anymore." 

Bondita choked on her tears when he said this, and she whispered, "No Pati Babu... don't do that." 

"I can't see you crying like this," Anirudh said firmly, "I'll leave everything and come to you today." 

"I... I'm sorry," she said, forcing herself to take a deep breath and compose herself, "I wasn't c - crying because I missed you." 

Anirudh's eyebrows furrowed as he asked, "Then?"

"I - I mean I was... I do, miss you... but y - you were y - yelling at me, so I th - thought even while you're t - there, you w - were upset with me, so I got s - sad," Bondita clarified, not even sure if her lies were making sense anymore. 

Anirudh didn't understand. There was something wrong. However, the moment she mentioned he yelled at her, he grew furious again. 

However, for the sake of her tears, he took a deep breath and instead, sternly asked, "Why did you take the car Bondita? Why did you and Batuk drive yourselves all the way to Krishnanagar?"

Bondita felt a heavy weight on her chest as she said, "T - to meet Thakumaa. I - I wanted to see her. A - and you told me I can see her." 

"I never told you that you can drive yourself!" he said firmly, "And I said you can visit her during the holidays. But school has started Bondita. Why were you going there when there's school tomorrow?"

"S - she wanted to see me." 

There was a silence for a moment.

"Bondita, is there something you're hiding from me?" he asked her. 

She inhaled sharply, her heart beating faster out of fear. 

"N - no," she lied. 

She wanted him to finish his conference properly and then come back to the haveli. She didn't want him to worry about her. 

And on top of that, she was already convinced that she would try and fix this before he arrived. Then he would never have to find out, and they would be saved. 

She would be the only one bearing the guilt, but that was fine. She would silently bear it for her whole life if she had to, but she wouldn't let a single mark of pain appear on her Pati Babu. 

She was his Rakshak Babu too. 

"Something doesn't feel right," he said. 

Bondita squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, inhaling deeply. Then she opened her eyes and said, "Ohho Pati Babu! You are overthinking again! Your Bondita is fine!" 

Anirudh furrowed his brows as he heard her chirpy voice once more. 

"Shotti Bondita?" he asked. 

"Shotti Pati Babu!" 

Anirudh breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Bondita, you weren't allowed to take the car like that," Anirudh said again. "I'm very upset with you." 

Bondita forced a smile and said in her chirpy voice, "Oh Pati Babu! You were the one who taught me how to drive. Don't you have faith in your student?" 

"Of course, but I was also the one who warned you to not drive long distances!" 

"But I'm fine right?" she asked, trying very hard to stay in character. The version of herself that he knew and recognized. "I know I didn't listen to you and I'm wrong Pati Babu, but can you let it go this one time? Please. I won't do it again." 

Anirudh sighed again and he said, "Alright... only because I'm away from you Bondita, otherwise..." 

"Otherwise?" she asked, sounding like she was pouting. 

Anirudh smiled and he said, "Nevermind. You have school tomorrow right? Did you study today?"

"Pati Babu, I'll always be on top of my studies. You... have that trust in me, right?" she asked, feeling that heavy feeling return to her chest. 

"Of course, I trust you more than anything Bondita. And I know you're very responsible with your school work," he told her with a smile. "Anyways, leave all this. Tell me, is anyone around?" 

Bondita looked around and said, "No." 

"Okay then listen," he said to her, "I miss you so much. Everyday, I'm getting restless, thinking about when we'll get to meet again." 

Again, it felt like a knife had stabbed her heart. 

"When I'll get to hold you in my arms again," Anirudh continued, "When I'll get to love you again." 

Her heart started to ache harder than ever. 

"Pati Babu.... me too." 

"I love you Bondita. I love you so much," Anirudh said into the phone. 

"I love you too," she said softly. 

"I have to go now, and you also prepare for school tomorrow. I'll be back in two days, and then I'll hold you in my arms for the whole night and won't let you go," he said softly into the phone.

Her heart was supposed to flutter. It was supposed to tremble with excitement. 

Instead, it was trembling with pain and fear. 

How would she face him when he returned? 

After they hung up, Bondita ran up to their bedroom, and locked the door. 

She pressed her back against the wall and started to sob again. 

She had been putting on an act through the phone call. 

She wasn't really arguing with him when he scolded her for driving either. 

After what she found out today, she wished she had always just quietly listened to him. She wished she never argued with him or talked back to him. 

She wished she just suppressed all of her desires and never asked for physical intimacy. 

Then it would have all been alright. 

Now she knew to keep her mouth shut, to keep her voice unheard in front of her Pati Babu. 

He may say he loved her voice, her tarks... but he didn't even seem to know the consequences of her voice and arguments. 

It was her tarks that lead to this.

And every one of her senses were just screaming at her right now, that she should have kept her mouth shut. None of them were supporting her. 

She felt alone. So very alone. Alienated from her own senses, mind, and body. 

"I will never argue with you again... never..." Bondita whispered to herself, "I will always do as you say Pati Babu. After this... you won't ever hear my arguments. Not against your words. You were right. You were always right. I should have listened. I always should have." 

Tark se hai farq padta
Tune mujhe ye sikhaya,
Par yaha toh sabne mere
Labo pe tala lagaya,
Saath jabse tera choota
Koi na saath me aaya,
Tune raksha kii hamesha
Ab akeli hui mai,
Jag andhera tu sitaara mera...
Rishta tera mera (×4)

--

Somehow, she managed to get to school the next day. She was sitting in class, but the words of the teacher weren't even registering in her head. 

Focus, Bondita, focus, please... she kept begging herself, but she couldn't muster up that willpower anymore. 

She felt defeated. Absolutely powerless. 

Surabhi was sitting next to Bondita and she asked, "Are you okay Bondita? Did everything go well last night when you went to Krishnanagar?"

Bondita just forced a smile and nodded. 

That day at lunch, Bondita formulated a plan while everyone was sitting in the canteen together. 

She would need one person's support. Thakumaa wouldn't support her, nor would anyone else at the Das Haveli. Batuk wouldn't understand. Vikram also wouldn't get the complexity of this issue. 

Out of everyone, it seemed like Manika Didi had a chance of understanding her the most. She would be the one who may be able to figure it out with her. 

So, she decided to tell Manika Didi when she got home later today.

"What are you doing Batuk?" Mallika asked, as Batuk pressed his face on the canteen table, with his eyes closed. 

"I'm sleepy Mallika," Batuk said, irritated. 

"Why? Didn't you sleep last night?" Mallika huffed. 

"He had to go somewhere," Surabhi answered, "On a long drive. He must be exhausted." 

Mallika glanced at Surabhi, and said, "You know a lot about Batuk ji." 

Surabhi blushed. Bondita and Vikram knew, but they had never told Mallika about their relationship, out of fear that she would gossip and it could reach their families. 

"Why is he so sleepy all the time?" Mallika then asked, and prodded at Batuk's head with her index finger. 

Frustrated, Batuk groaned, "It's not all the time!" 

"It is ji!" Mallika said, "Even in class I've seen your eyes closing!" 

Vikram tried hard to stifle his laughter, and he just said, "Mallika, Batuk is unique. Compliment him, he'll like it." 

"Oh really?" Mallika asked. "Then Batuk, why are you so unique ji?" 

Batuk just groaned loudly and moved his head up, glaring at Vikram. "You're enjoying this aren't you?" 

"Very much," Vikram said lightly. 

Surabhi was sitting next to Batuk, and he just let his face fall on her shoulder instead, making her cheeks go red. 

"Don't mind haan, but you will get in trouble if the teachers see that Batuk," Mallika said, rolling her eyes. "Don't be so weir -- I mean unique." 

She was clearly taking Vikram's advice seriously about complimenting him in strange ways! 

-- 

That evening, Bondita went to Manika Didi in her room. 

"I'm pregnant," she confessed, tears in her eyes. 

Manika was sitting on her bed, and she looked at Bondita with shock at first, and then a smile formed on her lips. 

"Congratulations Bondita! That's great news!" Manika said. 

Bondita shook her head, "It's not." 

Then she sat on the bed next to her and told her through heavy sobs all about her dilemma -- about how they weren't ready for children. About her Pati Babu's stance. Her own stance. About how she couldn't bear to see Anirudh live in depression. 

Then all of a sudden, she asked for her help.

"Manika Didi," Bondita sobbed, "I need your help. Please help me without telling Pati Babu. Please!"

Manika placed her hands on Bondita's shoulders and said, "Bondita, don't be ridiculous, you have to tell Anirudh!"

"No!" Bondita sobbed, her heart heavy, her face red and eyes puffy. "You don't understand! Pati Babu won't be able to handle it! He'll go into depression! He'll be a living corpse!"

Manika did kind of see where Bondita was coming from. She had witnessed these shades of Anirudh herself many times before. 

"Then what will you do Bondita? You can't hide this for long!" Manika told her, cupping her face with her hands, tears in her own eyes, unable to see Bondita in this state.

"There's... one thing... that we can do..." Bondita cried.

"And what is that?" Manika asked her, wiping Bondita's tears. 

Bondita threw her arms around Manika Didi, hugging her tightly, and whispering, "It's c - called a - abortion. Where the pregnancy can be stopped." 

"Bondita, what are you saying?" Manika asked, with an aching heart. "Why are you thinking to go to such an extreme level?" 

"The other side is extreme too Manika Didi," Bondita confessed, her heart paining, "I have to make a choice between the two extremes, and I have chosen my Pati Babu." 

"But how can I help Bondita?" Manika asked. "I don't know about these techniques." 

"Just come to the hospital with me. If they see two of us, they might be willing to help us," Bondita just said, her heart hurting. 

Manika felt a very heavy feeling in her chest. 

"If Anirudh finds out Bondita... he might not be able to forgive this. One thing I have learned is that while he loves you beyond every limit, he also can't see you in pain... and..." Manika started. 

"I can't see him in pain either!" Bondita cried, breaking the hug and looking at her. 

"Why don't you take a few days to think about it?" Manika suggested. "Don't take such quick steps." 

"Manika Didi, if I wait any longer, I'm worried that this fetus inside me will grow even more. Time is ticking, and with every extra day, the idea of it growing even more is haunting me. Before it gets too big, I want to f - finish it." 

Then she broke down once again, in heavy sobs.  

"It's your baby Bondita..." Manika whispered. 

"Not yet," Bondita said, shaking her head, her heart breaking to say this, "I... can't let myself get attached. I don't even feel like I'm in my own body anymore. I feel so disconnected Manika Didi. I feel so detached from my self." 

"I'll support you in your decisions, but I'm just urging you to take the correct decision," Manika told her. 

"I've already made up my mind. Let's go Manika Didi. Pati Babu will be back tomorrow. Before he returns, I have to solve this problem." 

Manika looked at Bondita with pain, but nevertheless she followed her to the hospital, adhering to her promise that she would stand by her no matter what. 

-- 

At the hospital, Bondita went to the reception, where a male nurse was. He looked to be in about his thirties. 

"I'm here for..." she gulped nervously. 

"Yes?" the nurse asked. 

"Abortion," Bondita managed to say, her heart twisting, because it was suddenly getting more real. 

The nurse looked at Bondita, raising his eyebrow and he asked, "Where's your husband?"

"N... not here," Bondita just said. 

"We can't admit you for any procedures like this without your husband's signature," the nurse informed. "Bring your husband first. Besides, it is illegal to have an abortion unless it is proved that there is a risk to the mother."

Bondita looked at him and said confidently, lying about the first part, "There is a risk. And, it's my body, right? Why can't I sign it?" 

The nurse looked at her and said with a look like she was an idiot, "Hospital rules states that only the husband can sign for his wife." 

Bondita looked at him with shock. 

"Then what if there's a case where a wife doesn't want an abortion, and the husband pressures her?" Bondita asked. 

"What the wife wants, does not matter," the nurse informed. "Go back and bring your husband." 

Now Bondita was getting upset hearing this. Manika felt Bondita shake beside her. 

It seemed like Anirudh Roy Choudhary had possessed her! Manika wondered if she should close her ears, because the way that Bondita shook was similar to how Anirudh did before he started one of his infamous 'DJ sessions'. 

Bondita was already not in the right state of mind due to her emotions, and now she was hearing nonsense like this! 

"So a woman has no rights to her own body, but a man has all the rights to it? Wow! The mother has to bear the child for nine months in her womb! The mother has to go through the physiological, mental and emotional changes more than the father. The mother is the one who society puts expectations on! But the mother doesn't get to sign for her own body! Only the husband has the right to it! Wah!" Bondita yelled sarcastically to the nurse. 

All of a sudden, there were people who heard her loud voice, and had gathered around. 

"You don't want to help me, that's fine! It's your call, but these rules that you have in your hospital, they are rubbish!" 

She grabbed Manika's hand and dragged her away from the hospital, fuming in anger, as it hit her, that this was what her Pati Babu was fighting against. These kinds of backwards rules, where a male had more rights to a woman's own body than her own self! 

Today she had witnessed it first hand. 

As she was walking out of the hospital with Manika Didi, there was one bystander doctor who whispered to another one, "Wasn't that Barrister Babu's wife? Bondita Roy Choudhary?" 

The other doctor asked, "I think so... did she come here for an abortion?" 

The first doctor looked at the other one and wondered, "Her family is okay with this?" 

The other doctor responded, "What do you think? Trilochan Roy Choudhary would be okay with it?" 

"Somnath Roy Choudhary also recently completed his studies, and he has talked to the hospital to get hired here as a doctor once he attains his certificate," the first doctor said, "I think there's something wrong. Maybe Bondita Roy Choudhary is doing this behind their backs. Perhaps we should deliver the news to the family." 

"Yes, let's deliver it to Trilochan sir himself," the other doctor agreed. 

-- 

Outside the hospital, Bondita broke down in tears again, as she sobbed, "Now what do I do? My own Thakumaa turned me away, the medical system has turned me away... now where do I go? What do I do?" 

As if on cue, a man approached them. He was another bystander in the hospital... another nurse. This one looked to be in his fourties. 

"You have one option ma'am," he said to her. 

"What?" Bondita asked him, looking at him tearfully. 

"You can get it done in the black market," he said. "It costs a good fee, but they'll take care of it for you." 

Manika's eyes widened and she hissed at Bondita immediately, "I don't think it's a good idea." 

Bondita shook her head and firmly said, "I'll do anything for my Pati Babu. Tell me where can I go." 

She had already made up her mind. Her fears and terrors had taken over her system and compelled her into a state of being she would have never thought was possible. 

A state where she felt utterly alone and helpless, because neither the law sided with her, nor her family. Neither the medical system supported her, nor her own Thakumaa who was a Vaid herself. 

What else would a young, helpless, scared mother do, than venture into the underworld? 

After getting the details from the man, Bondita went with Manika Didi to the place where they claimed that illegal abortions could be done. 

-- 

Precap: 

They are in a shady warehouse, and Bondita finds out the procedure for the abortions. She hears women screaming in pain, and overhears the men in there speaking about a woman who died due to an infection from the abortion. 

While she is there, she feels a hand on her shoulder, and a familiar voice says, "Bondita, I will not let you go through with this." 

Who is this person? 

-- 

Young (sometimes even older), scared mothers who are not given support by their own families or the medical system have been going to the black market to get abortions for centuries. 

This leads to various illnesses, medical issues, and of course, traumas due to the procedures. 

The taboos, the fears, the fact that people don't have open conversations about these things, sends the mothers to get these procedures done in illegal ways... and many times, they have to pay for it with their bodies, or even lives. 

This was one very important social issue I wanted to highlight throughout this track -- just to bring awareness. Just like talking about sex is considered a taboo, talking about safe options is also a taboo. This leads to women who go through extreme circumstances, and end up harming themselves. 

And back then (and in places even today) -- as you know, a man has rights over a woman's body, more than the woman to her own body. 

Please try and understand Bondita and her mental state -- it has affected her to a point where she decided she won't even talk back to her Pati Babu anymore. How much fear she must have in her to even consider such options. Just like her, there are many girls like this. Let's not judge anyone, but rather be understanding to their struggles. This way, maybe we can create a judgment-free, safe environment for everyone to be understood and cared for. 

And through this track, maybe Bondita also gets an awareness for a social revolution in yet another field for the future. 😉 

Have patience, and as always keep trusting me. I promise, I will do my best to not disappoint you. ❤️

Do leave your thoughts about the chapter! 

Any parts that stuck out to you/you liked the most? 

What did you think about Anidita's phone call? 

The Rishta Tera Mera in the beginning?

Most likely for the next part, I will wait for all the parts from Chapter 272 until this chapter to hit 450+ stars. I want everyone to catch up. So vote!

Love you all so much!