The most amount of comments on any of MDMBs chapter was reached last chapter. Over 1210 comments. I was so moved to tears. I don't know what I have done to deserve this kind of love. 😭

When you read this chapter, and get to Bondita's flower explanation... just know that this is how I feel about all of you. 💕

I love you all so, so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter. ❤

--

Batuk scowled at both Bondita and Vikram. 

First at his Boudi, because she acted like he wasn't beautiful! 

And then at Vikram, because being enamoured by Roopa was a memory he didn't want to remember! How was he supposed to know that Roopa was his Big D all along?!

"Yeah, and who was the one making out with Roopa and talking about threesomes back then?" Batuk asked accusatorily to Bondita, ignoring her comment about her baby looking like Roopa. 

Bondita's face turned red, and she glanced around the room.

It seemed like nobody except those around them understood what a 'threesome' was. Perhaps, Binoy understood, but thankfully he was too busy talking to Trilochan, to really hear them.

"You started the threesome thing back then!" Bondita snapped back at Batuk. "I only continued the conversation that you started!" 

Vikram's face turned quite red! He had been involved in this discussion too back then!

Anirudh, who already had an extremely burnt face was done with this. Thankfully Bihari had brought his shirt, and he quickly put it on. 

"Stop this nonsense," Anirudh hissed at Batuk directly, ignoring Bondita, as he buttoned up his shirt. 

"What? You only scold me!" Batuk huffed, sounding incredibly offended! "Never her! Boudi was always the one most out of hand! Except, you acted like I'm the criminal who spoiled her!"

Bondita glared at Batuk because her Pati Babu was already mad at her, and if Batuk's words influenced him a little bit, then she would have a harder time pacifying him!

Batuk glared back at her. Served her right for acting like he wasn't beautiful!

"Besides Big D, if you paid attention, you would know that something which is already spoiled, cannot get spoiled more! Because it's already past prime expiry!" Batuk added on dramatically. 

Anirudh was getting very annoyed that Batuk called Bondita spoiled. She was not spoiled. For his whole life, he would believe that Bondita was the epitome of innocence, even if his experiences proved him otherwise! 

If it meant that he was delusional, then so be it!

Anirudh inhaled sharply, because despite his irritation right now, he was not interested in this teenage nonsense today. 

He glanced at Manika, who was looking a little lost. What were threesomes? 

"Manika, there's a girl who's coming to the haveli soon. A young girl. I'm going to take Bondita to rest. If she comes, can you make arrangements for her here?" Anirudh asked. 

Manika shook herself out of her thoughts and nodded. 

"Of course," she said, "What's her name?" 

"Manoshi!" Bondita said immediately. "Her husband just died, and she saw it happen. She might not be in a good state. She's probably traumatized..." Suddenly her voice was filled with concern. 

Anirudh noticed it, and he immediately shook his head, as if doing that would make her worries magically go away. She shouldn't be concerned about anything right now. 

"Don't worry Bondita. I'll take care of her. You rest without any worries," Manika said with a smile. 

"Yes Bondita!" Vikram added on, "You rest. I'll be with Mishti. We'll take care of her." 

Anirudh relaxed a little bit and smiled at both Vikram and Manika. 

When Bondita's Pati Babu smiled at him, Vikram's heart started to thump faster in his chest again, and his cheeks turned red like a firetruck! 

Bondita smiled with relief at the two of them too. "Great! If she asks for me, just tell her I'll be with her soon, as soon as I'm allowed out of my room!"

It was half a taunt, but reality anyways. She knew that after what Thakumaa said, it was unlikely that her Pati Babu would let her leave the room without resting properly.  

"By the way, why are you in Big D's shirt?" Batuk asked, rolling his eyes. "Where are your clothes? And why's his shirt ripped. And red in some places? What did you two do?" 

Bondita turned to glare at Batuk, knowing very well what he was insinuating. 

"What?" Batuk asked, noticing her glare. "I'm just asking. Just don't do anything so wild that it'll hurt my nephew!" 

Suddenly a grin appeared on Batuk's lips, and he said in a dreamy voice, "After all, my super nephew will be the only one who understands his Super Chachu!" 

Bondita sighed dramatically. 

"Grow up Batuk!" she said. 

"I'm the same age as you, actually older!" Batuk challenged. 

"Not mentally," she shot back. 

"Yeah, well, remember I beat you in two things in my life!" 

Bondita glared at him with irritation. 

"Yeah yeah, I know! You were Pati Babu's first baby, according to you only, and --" 

"Shh!" Batuk said immediately, his eyes wide because his Big D was right there. If he found out about the other thing, he was afraid that he would get a big scolding. 

"Enough!" Anirudh just said, glaring irritably at the two of them bickering like children. "Bondita, we are going upstairs. Right now!" 

"Koeli Didi still hasn't gotten me my blanket!" Bondita said with a pout. 

"It doesn't matter. Let's go," Anirudh said, and took her hand. 

"Get some rest my Super Nephew!" Batuk said dramatically to Bondita, but clearly not to her. 

Bondita dramatically said back, "Rest your brains too Super Chachu!"

Batuk furrowed his brows at the insult, and Vikram couldn't help but chuckle. 

Anirudh just shook his head at her moodswings. A moment ago, her and Batuk couldn't keep their hands off each other, hugging like they would crush each other. Now, they were taunting each other and fighting! 

Not just Bondita, his younger brother was moody too!  

As Bondita was going to the staircase with Anirudh, Sampoorna rushed over to them after speaking to Trilochan, "Bondita, are you okay?" 

Bondita nodded, "Yes Sampoorna Didi. I'm fine. Pati Babu rescued me!" 

Sampoorna looked up at Anirudh and said, "Thank you Anirudh. For saving my Bondita." 

Before Anirudh could respond, Bondita held his hand more tightly and exclaimed, "Why are you thanking him? I'm his Bondita too!" 

Anirudh felt his heart melt when Bondita said that. 

"It's okay, Sampoorna Maa," Anirudh just said, "Right now my priority is to get Bondita to rest. Thakumaa said that she needs to rest now. And although she slept a little bit in the car, it's not enough." 

Then before Sampoorna could distract them further with conversation, Anirudh once again started to lead Bondita up the stairs, before anyone else could get in their way. 

After he pulled her into the bedroom, he took her directly to the bathroom. 

"Bathe first," he told her, and he started to fill the bathtub with warm water for her. 

"Why? Don't you like it when I'm dirty?" she teased. 

Anirudh ignored her and bent down on his knees, so he could gauge the temperature with his fingers. 

"Pati Babu," Bondita pouted, and prodded his shoulder with her index finger, but he didn't budge.

Bondita knew that he was very upset this time. Making it up to him would not be easy, but she was also not one to give up! 

Anirudh stood up and finally looked at her. 

A small smile appeared on Bondita's face, especially because he was now taking steps towards her. 

"Pati Babu," she said breathlessly. 

He brought his fingers to the buttons of her shirt -- well, his shirt, and he began to unbutton them one by one. 

An excited breath left her lips, as his fingers gently rubbed against her chest, while opening the buttons. 

She looked at him with a gaze full of desire. Her body was exhausted, that was true. However, the craving for him hadn't vanished. It hadn't gone anywhere! She wanted him just as badly now, as she did when she wasn't exhausted. 

Especially after all this time apart... oh, she wanted him now. 

After he slid the shirt off her shoulders, he saw that she was in just that corset. The corset that she had been forced to wear. 

"Pati Babu..." Bondita said, swallowing the lump in her throat now. She nervously asked, "How do I look?" 

There was no response... except a pained expression. 

She reached to his cheeks, gently cupping them with the palms of her hands. 

"Don't worry Pati Babu. I didn't... feel violated. Not one bit," she told him softly. "I wore it proudly. With confidence!"

She continued, "I told them... that... my Pati Babu... he..." Tears filled her eyes. "That he is my clothing. His love is what adorns me. All of this fabric is mere clothing, but as long as my Pati Babu's love is with me, I can never be nude." 

Anirudh looked into her eyes, tears wetting his own eyes. 

Why was it that her faith in him, her love for him, kept on doing this to him? Time and time again, what melted him faster than everything else, was that the one who he worshipped, worshipped him in return. 

How could he not cry, when the one he was ardently this devoted to, was devoted to him so fiercely in return? 

Anirudh shook his head, his heart aching, and he finally said, "Bondita, I know you're strong. But... for any girl, to go through that..." 

"I'm not any girl! I'm your Bondita!" she told him fiercely.

Anirudh nodded, and he gazed into her eyes with his wet ones. 

"You are my Bondita. Of course. But... maybe I'm... like any man. Any man who worries about his girl..." Anirudh said, his voice cracking. 

Bondita smiled and she said, "Even there you're different. You worry about your girl, but not like any man. Any other man worries about their girl because it gives them a sense of satisfaction. It makes them feel good to care about her. But you? You don't do it because if makes you feel good. You do it... even if you have to lose yourself. You..." Tears started to roll down her cheeks, as her vision blurred, "Pati Babu, just like I'm not like any girl. You're also not like any man." 

Anirudh leaned closer to her, and she swallowed the tears that had somehow congested the back of her throat. 

"How did you get so strong?" he cried, as he leaned so close to her that their noses were nearly touching. "How did my Bondita grow this much? Get this... this strong... that she could be away from me, with people who... who are monsters in the vilest of senses, and still... not break? How...?" 

"Because of you," she breathed out through her tears, and his nose lightly rubbed against hers. "The world might see me as strong. But the truth is that I didn't do anything. I'm like a flower, which just happened to bloom."

"Huh?" Anirudh choked out, as he leaned even closer to her, nuzzling her cheek now with his nose.  

She whispered softly, "How does a flower bloom Pati Babu? Does the flower... do anything to bloom? Isn't it because of the sunlight that nourishes it, the rain which showers it, and because of the man or woman who may nurture it, that a flower blooms?" 

Anirudh nodded, tracing her jaw with his nose, his warm breath tickling her cheek. Her hands wrapped around the nape of his neck, her core feeling a surge of electricity. 

"Just like that... I grew... because of the compassion of the environment," she whispered. 

Anirudh smiled through his tears, his lips slightly grazing her cheek now. 

"And who is my environment? My entire Universe?" she asked him. 

He paused now, his heart melting. 

"You, Pati Babu. You," she whispered, and tightened her hold around the nape of his neck. 

She continued, "Even if I got scared, all I had to do was immerse myself in thoughts of you. And I knew, without a doubt, that everything would be okay. That these men can't touch me... even if they did, they would merely touch my body. But didn't we establish many times, that we are not this body?" 

Anirudh closed his eyes and nodded. He remembered how confidently Bondita had given him this lesson last, when he believed that he had been sexually assaulted by Surabhi. Like the powerful Goddess she was, she had nailed it inside him... a lesson that perhaps, he had once taught her first. 

"So what would I have to lose? If I know that this is not me... and I'm untouchable, then there's nothing to lose," she finished. 

Anirudh lifted his head back slightly and gazed into her eyes. Her maturity, her understanding, her strength. It was akin to Durga Maas, without a doubt. 

"Take this off," he just told her, referring to that corset which was tightly wound around her body. 

A smile appeared on her lips, as he found the hooks on the back of that thing and started to unhook it one by one. His arms were around her from the front, reaching behind her and unhooking the corset for her. His face was quite close to hers. 

"Pati Babu, forget about how I got this... tell me, how do I look?" she whispered. 

"Bondita, stop this," he said painfully, as he continued to unhook her corset. 

He didn't like the idea of her wearing this. Not even a little bit. Even if she was so strong, it still hurt him, that she had to be subject to all of this. 

"Your Bondita is strong Pati Babu, but just like... you a - always wipe away bad touches for me... y - your words will wipe away a - any bad gazes from me too," Bondita whispered, her voice shaking. 

Anirudh paused, shaken, not expecting her question to have this level of depth. He leaned back slightly now, her corset half hanging open from the back. 

His gaze travelled down her body, and suddenly a soft smile formed on Bondita's lips. 

That gaze was enough. 

That one loving gaze was enough to wash away any bad gaze that anyone had landed on her... not just in this lifetime, but perhaps in every lifetime. Such was her belief in the power of his loving gaze! 

"Beautiful," he finally said, looking back into her eyes. "Is there anything my Bondita can wear, that she doesn't look beautiful in?" 

Bondita grinned and she wrapped her arms around him now, hugging him tightly, feeling like she had been bathed by the rays of his gaze. 

The eyes had power. A simple look that one gave you had incredible powers to bless.

This was why helping was so deep-rooted in them and their culture. By helping others, one got the best gift in return -- a blessing through that one look of gratitude. 

That mere gaze that someone who needs you looks at you with. When you truly help them when they need it... that gaze is enough to give you the purest forms of blessings. 

Because the hand that gives, is the hand of God. 

And the ones who elevate you to that state of divinity, are the ones who you have helped. Only by helping them, have you ascended to that level. 

Which is why, those who help others, are really being helped in return... to the deepest of levels. 

And that amazing feeling one gets after helping another? That is the biggest virtue -- a blessing in itself. 

So when you help another, you should always be grateful for the opportunity. Always be thankful. 

You should do it without the attitude that you are helping, but rather, with the attitude that you yourself are the one who is being helped. 

Because ultimately, you are getting that positive feeling, you are getting the blessings, and you are being elevated to a state of divinity. The person you help? They may be getting money, maybe food, maybe knowledge, but you are getting so much more in return. 

Always remember this. 

If the eyes could give such boons, then Bondita knew that the eyes of her God could give her the whole Universe! So what was a mere bath through his gaze, in the grand spectrum of things?

A relaxed sigh escaped his lips, as he held her in his arms, hugging her. His arms were on her bare back, caressing her skin, feeling the goosebumps that arose with his touch. 

Bondita pressed her lips against his neck as she hugged him, and Anirudh felt the rush of hormones. 

"B - Bathe," he stammered. 

"Pati Babu," Bondita whispered against his neck, half-moaning. "Please." 

"Bathe and go to sleep," he ordered, his voice getting sterner now. 

"Quickly...?" she pleaded, pressing her body against his harder. 

"Bondita," his voice had a tone of warning now. 

Even though he was empathetic to her situation, he had not so easily forgotten about the silly choice she made! 

She rubbed her body against his seductively, and Anirudh could feel himself sweat. 

"Are you tired? I'll do all the work!" she told him, as if this was a business deal where they were negotiating terms! 

Anirudh nearly lost his mind when he heard this. It had been so long since he had heard her speak like this, that it almost seemed foreign to him now! 

He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her off quickly. 

A dark look appeared on his face, as he glared at her. He then reached behind her to finish unclasping the rest of the corset, causing it to fall to the floor. 

He looked away from her naked body. 

Upset, he was... oh very upset with her.

"Inside," Anirudh growled at her darkly, finally pointing to the bathtub that he had filled with warm water. "Now!"

A pout appeared on her lips, and she nodded, knowing that there was no convincing him right now. She carefully stepped inside the bathtub. 

Once she sat inside and felt the soothing warmth of the water, she looked up at him from within the tub. 

He was fully clothed, and she didn't like it!

"Won't you... join me?" she asked him, an alluring gaze on her face.

Anirudh looked away from her, paused for a moment, as if he was in deep thought, and then he started to remove his clothes one by one. 

An excited grin appeared on her lips. 

Was he really going to join her in the tub? 

-- 

Everyone had gone to get some rest, relieved that Bondita was alright. 

Batuk was with Vikram and Manika, eyeing the two of them and their closeness, an unhappy expression on his face. 

It wasn't that they were doing much, but he had realized that whatever issues they had, had been resolved. 

Surabhi had gone home, and it was just him now with the two lovebirds. They were waiting for Manoshi to return. 

"Vikram, don't you need to rest?" Batuk questioned pointedly. 

Vikram glanced at Batuk for a mere moment, and then looked at Manika, ignoring him. 

Now that Bondita was back and everything was fine, he didn't have any friend duties to do right now. Speaking to Batuk would only encourage such overprotective tendencies... tendencies, that although had noble intentions, was strong enough to ruin someone's life! 

Vikram believed it was noble idiocy at its finest!

"Great, he's ignoring me now too," Batuk muttered under his breath, enviously. "All over a girl! Wasn't he my Sakhi?"

"Vikram, Batuk was talking to you," Manika whispered to Vikram. 

The two of them were sitting on the living room sofa beside each other, Batuk seated on one small couch perpendicular to them. 

"Mishti, you must be tired," Vikram said instead, "You should get some rest. I'll wait for Manoshi." 

Manika smiled and she said, "I am loving this actually, Vikram." 

Vikram looked at her with confusion, not understanding what she was loving about staying awake! 

"It reminds me of my days with Pratul. All those sleepless nights..." Manika said, her voice being filled with emotion. 

Vikram immediately reached for her hand in a comforting manner, and Manika smiled at him, her heart beating faster. 

Batuk noticed this exchange, as he sunk down against his couch, his arms folded stubbornly across his chest. He shook his head slowly. 

Too much PDA! 

Vikram just rubbed Manika's hand gently and said, "I only have experience of sleepless nights when I have to go on adventures... with my friends." 

Like the time he and Batuk kidnapped Bondita from Krishnanagar. Or the night that he and Bondita decided to sneak into the principal's office! And now, Bondita had gotten in trouble, and being here was also quite an adventure, albeit of a different kind! 

Manika tried to turn her fingers slightly, so she could clasp his hand in a more intimate manner by lacing their fingers together, but Vikram obliviously pulled his hand away. 

Her heart dropped, and she gulped slightly. 

Was she... asking for too much to want to hold his hand properly? 

It seemed like he didn't even want it! Vikram wasn't making any moves at all! 

Batuk, who had been eyeing them talking, could barely register their words because he was so damn tired! 

"Bloody hell! Why can't I focus?" Batuk mumbled under his breath, trying to keep his eyes open!

He was sitting here like a stubborn child, refusing to give them any alone time! It was like his brother got a new sibling, and he was being dramatic and upset, not allowing his brother to be alone for a moment! 

Before he knew it, his attempts to keep his eyes open failed, and his head rolled back. He suddenly started to snore loudly. 

Manika looked up with alarm, and when she saw Batuk snoring, a smile appeared on her lips. Vikram glanced at Batuk sleeping, and shook his head. 

"He could have just gone to his room," Vikram said, shaking his head. "Instead, he wanted to be a detective! No, sorry, a spy! He had already been a detective when he was investigating Bondita's low grades." 

Vikram sighed, remembering how Batuk had declared himself the best detective at that time! 

Now, undoubtedly, he would declare himself the best spy, even though he fell asleep on duty!

Manika chuckled and she said, "You're acting like his mom." 

"Well he acts like a baby sometimes, what can I do?" Vikram asked, complaining slightly. 

"You care about him a lot. Why don't you talk to him?" she asked. 

"To encourage his senseless behaviour?" Vikram asked. "I learned from Bondita's Pati Babu to not encourage people when they're being ridiculous! To stand up for what's right!"

"Of course," Manika said lightly. "By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you." 

"Yes, Mishti?" Vikram asked, turning to look at her, and away from Batuk. Looking at his Sakha was concerning him far too much! 

"Earlier... Batuk said this word. All of you seemed to know what it was except me," Manika said. "It's... threesome. Vikram... what is a threesome?"

When Mishti asked that, Vikram's face turned so red, that he wanted to go and hide somewhere! 

"W - what?" he just spluttered instead. 

Don't ask me that, please, please, please, he begged in his mind. 

"What is a threesome?" Manika asked quite confidently, "Is it like a math's term? If so, why was Batuk acting like Bondita was spoiled for talking about it?"

Vikram wished that a hole would open in the ground and he would disappear! 

How was he going to answer Manika now?

-- 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 

Do leave your thoughts! 

Anything that stood out to you?

Anything that you enjoyed? 

Will Anirudh join Bondita in the bathtub? 

How will Vikram answer Manika?

I included some lessons in here. 

One was about giving... a lot of people feel very entitled after they performed charity work, and they get an 'ego' about it. I wanted you to realize, that the ones who give are doing a great deed, no doubt... but you are also getting a lot in return. That amazing feeling you get when you help another, is a gift. Be grateful for it. 

The lesson about the flower... is how I feel about my connection with you all. 

When Bondita spoke about the environment, and how it helped her grow... you all are my environment, my universe. You're the reason this book, and me too have reached these levels of strength. Not just with my writing, but you all have taught me so much... on a personal level. I am only filled with gratitude for each and every one of you. Even if you are a silent reader, and I have never heard from you... trust me, I am grateful to you too. With every pore of my body, I have learned remarkable lessons from this journey. 

I love you all, and I would appreciate your votes on all of the chapters if you are reading and looking forward to more. ❤️