"Som dada, Batuk too should have been here. I miss them." Bondita pouted, closing the lid of the milk bottle with the little one sputtering in her arms.

Kalindi tried again,"Bondita, are you even listening to me?" as they all sat in the dining room for breakfast.

Her kakasasurji spoke from his place, "I too, but they are busy with their own lives unlike their grumpy dada."

Both were avoiding kalindi wantedly, and it was irking her.

"I understand, kakasasurji. But, my Sakha babu is uniquely best though he is grumpy at times." She retorted to her kakasasurji's tease, and both laughed.

Anirudh was happily walking towards her smiles, enchanted by her defence for him.

"It's good that Anirudh Babu is here. Now you itself convince my stubborn granddaughter. I do everything for her own good but she denies it." Kalindi said, seeing Anirudh walking towards them.

"I think you should listen to your thakurma, Bondita." He said, watching her wiping his little one's mouth with her pallu as he sat in the opposite chair.

Looking up, annoyedly, "But, sakha babu..."

Eating his poori, he cut her, "Everyone is changing for better, so you can trust her for once. Your thakurma deserves it."

The Zamindar asked with a wide grin, "So Kalindi ji, when are they coming?"

"Who is coming?" Anirudh asked puzzled, with his eyes still focused on the beautiful two before him.

Shooking his head, the Zamindar chortled, "Without knowing the matter, you decide them. Atleast, change yourself at this Anirudh. Please."

Ignoring his kaka's deride, "Can I know who is going to come to our house?"

"The bridegroom's family, who else?" The Zamindar scoffed.

Choking on his food, asked in disbelief, "Bridegroom?"

Kalindi beamed, saying, "Yes, Anirudh babu. And I have chosen him from the best profiles for my Bondita."

He was baffled yet covered himself, his face fell, and he wanted to deny it right at the moment but also didn't want to.

He was perplexed with himself.

He didn't know why he wanted to say NO, first he has not yet seen the groom, second Bondita was in correct age for all this after successfully completing her studies but something was bothering him.

His insides screaming to take an instant action, before letting everything slip from his hands. The last three days were the best for him, with her by his side and revolving around him with his child day-night. It was no less than a beautiful dream and he didn't wish to end all that this soon.

He felt a pang in his heart, realizing someone will get all these care and love from her and that someone is neither him nor his son. It hurt him, though it shouldn't.

He cursed himself for taking her thakurma's side now.

His kaka, and her thakurma got up to wash their hands, letting them alone with the little one.

Bondita irritatedly whispered, "This is why I was refusing but you..."

"Bondita is always stubborn but I am also well aware of the fact that she never denies you. Glad, that it worked. Thanks Anirudh babu." Her thakurma said, walking back to them.

And continued, cheerfully, "They should be here by now Zamindar sahab."

Bondita stopped eating and playfully began to scold, "Adhi, not again. You are becoming so naughty now. You are giggling after peeing on me. Not fare, Adhi." still clutching the tittering little one and forcing a kiss on his right cheek.

Anirudh got up from his plate in hasten, squicking, "Oh! Sorry. You give him to me and clean yourself."

Seeing him anxious, she said laughing, "That's okay sakha babu. Anyways, Adhi too needs to change and I'll do that. You have your breakfast, peacefully."

He felt delighted hearing her speak with so much fondness, unknowingly longed the same for him too.

Standing by the telephone in the hallway, looked up to the sweet giggles.

'Is it Bondita? Why have I not noticed before? She has become a gorgeous young woman and I had no clue. This saree is looking too good, and her skin is glowing below. Her features, curves, above all... her laughters. Bewitching.' He thought with his mouth wide open, gaping her his eyeful.

Pulling his son to him, and handing him to koyeli, said, "take him inside." She frowned, with her eyes still on the pouting little one.

'Drama,' Anirudh thought noticing the two making cute whine faces.

His kaka asked, "Anirudh, where are you.."

Walking to the telephone, he said, "I have an important telephone call to make,"

Hearing the welcome laughters, glanced up from his papers to see an old woman and a man walking inside with his kaka and thakurma greeting them.

Scrutinising the tall, clean shaven man, 'Is he the one?'

He saw the man grinning sheepishly at her, 'What is that look on his face?'

Seeing the man scanning her weirdly, his brows furrowed, 'Why is he gawking her like that?'

He was fuming red, looking at the man seeing his Bondita so freely without any hindrance. He didn't like that, how could he? He has always been by her side, protecting and shielding her from such filthy gazes but now.

The man's mother seemed ridiculous and norrow minded, when he heared her.

He sensed her discomfort very clearly, but he didn't know why she was not reacting or responding to the man's mother.

"Good that you know to cook and all other household chores. Our's is a really big house and you should take care of it well."

"Your thakurma told that you can sing bajans and dance well too. As a girl, you should definitely know these,"

"Though I am not happy with you being educated, i like that you decide to not work like those outlandish outspoken woman."

"You are letting your thakurma make decisions for you, and..."

"And wife's first duty should always be to look over her husband and children then her family."

Seeing his nephew boiling at the woman's hideous words, his kaka said, "Kalindi ji, why don't you show our haveli to Beena ji while Bondita shows Chandrachur Babu the mandir."

He saw the man and his mother having a small talk alone as thakurma offered them the refreshments.

Taking it a chance, stomping his feet to her, angrily whispered, "I told you to listen to your thakurma, not to let her make decisions for you. So, stop being silent and speak out."

The man looked back to see them whispering, and asked, "Who is he?"

He swallowed not knowing how to tell 'who is he to her' everytime he tried it didn't end well, but she answered, "My everything,"

He looked at her and smiled, euphoria engulfing his senses.

The man didn't hear anything, then asked her, "So shall we?"

She looked from her sakha babu to the man, and nodded slightly clearly not interested to even see the man's face.

He put his hands down, and sighed in defeat. And soon got back to his papers.

After some time, as they all sat up in the hall again togeather, heared, "Heh heh heh," "heh heh heh,"

Bondita panicked, and jumping up began to run like a mad horse here and there trying to find the owner of that sound.

Finally picking him up from the crib, coaxed holding him to her, "What happened? What happened to my Adhi?" as she walked out to the hall.

Her thakurma stood embarrassed before the guests while his kaka was showing all his tooth, being on the seventh heaven.

She smiled seeing the little one giggling in silence at her, "So, this was my Adhi's plan to get together, right?" and the little one was giggling more holding her pleats.

The little one always had a thing with her pleats, maybe because of the softness of the material. She didn't know what was reason but found him cute when he crumbled her saree fold there, just above her breast.

The crabby woman scowled, "Whose brat is that? And why are you holding that?"

She screamed flaring in anger, "Mind your words Beena ji. Another time you call him that, you will be thrown out of the house."

She wasn't able to control when someone used such a tone on her little one. How could she? that too when she was loving him so much, more than anything.

The man grumbled, "How dare you speak like that to my mother with so much anger and attitude?"

Lulling the little one in her one arm, and rising her forefinger to the man, yelled scaring them, "You get angry when someone raise their voice against your mother and expect me to be silent when someone call 'my son' a brat?"

The little one began crying looking at her angry face for the first time. She instantly softened noticing him and cooed him, making him giggle again.

The man's eyes popped out just like his mother's, and asked, "your son? Is he your son?"

The other two old were taken aback in scepticism, shocked at her words.

"Yes. He is my son, any problem with that?" She replied modifying her tone, looking at their stun faces.

"You.. you Shoddy woman," the man tried to scream but ended in whisper.

"Leave. Now." She said, straightaway making them curse her as they walked out.

Seeing them leaving, he asked, "What happened? Why are they leaving?"

He noticed her thakurma glaring at her while his kaka had a grin from ear to ear.

She answered, unbothered, "They didn't like me,"

It didn't seem like that, and rising his voice asked, "That's not true. What happened?"

The baby began to cry in her arms, scared at his baba's sudden scream.

"Sh.. nothing. Nothing.." she quietened the baby.

He screamed, "Bondita, what did you do?" the baby began to cry again.

She whispered, "Nothing," and silenced the baby.

It was like the little one, his son didn't like him shouting at her.

He yelled again, "Then, why are you not looking at me?" making the baby cry again.

His son cried whenever he raised his voiced at her, stopping him indirectly. And it was extremely heartwarming to him but

Rolling her eyes at him, began to rock the little one, "lelelh.. lulllhe lelele," and walked away, "It's time to feed Adhi."

He shooked his head as she carried his baby to the room heedless to the situation.

He didn't know why was she not seeing him, her thakurma said, "She is just guilty, Anirudh babu. Leave her now."

In utter confuse, asked, "For what?"

His kaka said, "You want to know why she is not looking at you? Because ...." saying everything, "She claimed your son has hers. She said 'my son'."

He stood paused in bewilderment.

Sanitizing the milk bottle in hot water, seeing her sakha babu receiving an envelope, asked curiously, "What is it kakasasurji? Looks like a court notice."

His kaka huffed in disgrace, "Yes, it is. The official papers related to Anirudh's divorce." and walked from there not wanting to answer anymore of her questions in this matter.

She was thunderbolt, looking back saw him walking up the stairs. She couldn't see his face, and was disgruntled at this hided truth.

Walking up the stairs to the terrace, finally saw him standing in distrait with the envelope crushed in his palm. It pained her to see him going through so much in his life yet kept her away from it.

Walking to him, called from behind, "sakha babu.."

Seeing him wiping his face harshly in a hurry, her heart wrecked feeling his agony.

Holding onto her tears, as he turned faking a smile, asked, "Am I not worth to even share your pain, sakha babu?"

He knew, that she had known everything. Looking at her, he was sure of what she meant. She was indirectly persuading him to share all his worries.

He turned around not wanting to break down before her though he wanted to and cry in her arms, still held on.

Walking to him, she called, "Sakha babu,"

He stood despondently, trying to sniffle his tears. He couldn't let his pain cause her pain too, it would be wrong.

But had no other way than to tell her, moreover she had the right to know everything about him when he was keen in knowing everything about her.

"After you left, baba and kaka forced me to get married and inspite of me refusing them, they arranged the wedding heedless to my concern."

"And the bride was Saudamini who once had many hopes and feelings for me, so it then happened but within few day I got to know that even she was forced into marrying me. She didn't want to... because she wanted a completely different life for herself that I couldn't provide and in her life there was no US or even my dreams for my country."

She crunched, "But, Adhi..."

"It was because of our intoxication at my friend's party when we unknowingly ...." he pursed his lips.

"You know Bondita she calls him a mistake, how could she?" He gripped the rails, "she didn't want me or my son, she didn't love us,"

Wiping her tears, placed her hand on his shoulder.

Instantly turning back, wrapped his arms around her placing his chin on her right shoulder. Clutching her tightly, his fingernails piercing her cloth.

She shuddered in his clasp, her hands upped brushing his hair, "Let go off all your stocked tears, sakha babu. Just let it go,"

Sliding her hands on his chin, pulled him up and wiping his tears away from his red eyes, shooked her head.

He looked sore, very tired, and he just gaped her, deep into her eyes.

Looking into his eyes said, "You are a great father, Sakha babu. And my Adhi is going to love you for sure." He smiled admist his tears.

"But, sometimes I fear that I might fail..."

Stroking his back, she sweetly hushed, "shh... when you can do this much to me, a random girl, you can and will do a lot to your son. And he is going to be proud of you, sakha babu."

Cupping her cheeks firmly, he intensely said, "you are not some random girl Bondita. Don't say that ever. I'm warning you orelse.."

She chuckled playfully, "Orelse?"

Glaring at her, leaned forward. She tried to keep her eyes on him feeling the rush of current in her veins. He was angry but she wasn't frightened.

Rubbing her bottom lip with his thumb, downed his head to her. Her fingers lost in his ruffled hair while her right hand was on his chest.

They were so lost in the moment that, feeling his hot gaze closed her eyes as her lips slightly parted and inching on her, their was only a small space between the beautiful conjuction.

They were vulnerable wanting to give into the situation even if they shouldn't.

Her irregular breathes on his skin was giving him sparks inside his body.

Feeling his breathes on her lips, she opened her eyes to see him very close to her.

The sudden thunder shook them, saving them from commiting a blunder. But they stood staring eachother not willing to back.

She stepped back baffled, they parted instantly and without a glance saw her running away in hesitation.

It was night and he was still in office. He doesn't usually but with Bondita he knew there was someone taking care of his son so he could now focus more on his work, but couldn't, with everything happened clouding his mind.

He was in a battle between his brain and heart. Brain asked, 'How could you do this to her?' while his heart complained, 'why not close the gap and have each other?'

It felt complicated and he was ashamed for that, and that's why he had turned down all her calls from last one hour.

He was fearing to loose himself in her care. Clutching his head, "what is happening to us, Bondita?"

Tears pouring down from his eyes for ignoring her. 'It hurt me but it was way better than to hurt you.' He thought.

It was late in night and spoting all his family members standing worriedly in the hall, he tensed and rushed inside to see the vaid checking up his son while Bondita was miserably crying to his side.

Seeing him, she ran to him, and holding his arms "Why did you not pick up the calls? You know how scared I was." Rubbing her tearing face on his waist coat, "Our Adhi was not feeling well, he was crying a lot and diarrhoea... I couldn't do anything. I couldn't."

He didn't know what to do? Who should he tend to? The baby in the crib or the one in his arms.

He stroked her back, trying to calm her because his son was all smiles looking at them with his wide eyes.

"Bondita, calm down. He is fine, see." He tried to show her, how his son was sticking his tounge out and giggling at them.

His kaka had tears watching everything.

"Yes. You can calm down. He's just growing teeth so this happens." The vaid said turning back from the baby.

"See. Stop crying now." He tried to cheer her while she yanked him and walked to the little one and kissed all over his face.

Seeing her still tearing cuddling the little one, the vaid said, "Nothing happened to your son. He is completely fine." She nodded before taking him inside the room.

All others stood shocked at the vaid's misunderstanding.

He didn't want to correct the vaid, but still tried, "she isn't,"

The vaid chuckled, "It's okay. I can understand a mother's worry for her child." And his kaka walked him out.

He was over the moon with the vaid calling her, the mother of his baby. She really seemed to be his mother, even to him.

Pushing open the doors, seeing them, his eyes widened in astonishment and moistened.

Bondita sitting on the bed with his son on her lap who was turned to her, sucking and licking her saree pleats exactly above her breast.

She was terrified at his abrupt barging.

He turned his head to the side, mumbling, "Sorry, I... I..."

Standing up with his son still licking her over there above her saree, she stuttered, "I... I... am sorry for this, but he he... always did this... and"

He turned to her shocked, "he did?"

She nodded slightly, "and when koyeli didi saw this, she told me that Adhi might be missing his mother, so..."

The awkwardness between them was just growing, making them impussiant unlike the old days. They both had felt that there was something between them changing but both were oblivious of what it was.

"And Adhi always smiles and silences when he... he... does.. so I let him." His heart fluttered, knowing this.

Then the little one saw his baba and widened his tiny hands calling him.

Walking to them, he wanted to ask her, 'why did she proclaim his son has hers? Why is she trying to do everything that his son's mother should have done? Why is she caring them this much?' But decided not to, he didn't want to put her in spot.

Giving Adhi to him, she said softly, "I am moving out with thakurma to the neighbouring house, soon." and when she tried to move away, the little one pouted pulling her by her pleats, unwittingly making her lips crash on his father's lips.

And the little one giggled at them, sticking his tounge out.

The collision of their lips was fortuitous with their eyes raining emotions.

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