Going to the Bank

(I have changed a few things regarding the Manorama track. So, don't bash me if they appear different than the original).

Bondita saw Anirudh hanging up the phone after confirming their appointment at the bank with the senior manager.

Her moral side was having a hard time accepting Anirudh's plan of reaching out to judge Stevens. A part of her that was still idealistic to the core wanted to win this on her own. But a darker part of her heart agreed with Anirudh's careful approach to the situation.

"Patibabu, apnar mone hoy judge er sathe kotha na bolai valo. Apni court r ukil. Jodi kichu somossa hoy apnar kaj e? Amar jonno apnar koshto hole kaj e (Patibabu, I think it's better that you don't speak with the judge. You are a lawyer of the court. What if it causes a problem in your work? What if you face any problems at work due to me)?"-Anirudh looked at her for a few seconds before looking down and reading the paper in his hands.

He wanted to make her understand the importance, she held in his life by talking with her. He wanted to stop listening to her words about how much she was troubling him.

It hurt him deeply everytime, she uttered such things. Because for Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, his Bondita was his epitome of happiness.

"Patibabu, why are you ignoring me? I don't want you to get in trouble..."-Bondita spoke in a whiny tone at his ignorance.

She wanted to have his full attention on her only. Not on some papers that didn't have any soul in them.

"Bondita, come here."-She looked at him and walked towards him. Resisting the urge to sit in his lap.

Anirudh saw her looking at his face a few times and looking away frowning. He couldn't understand her reason of doing so but felt a disappointment within himself at her actions.

"Patibabu, what time will we leave for the bank?"-He blinked his eyes in confusion at her sudden change of topic.

"I know what you are trying to do.."-She squirmed a little and tried to look away but Anirudh held her hands. She didn't even realise, when he had reached her side.

She felt a delicious shiver in her body at his touch. Her heartbeats rose and her mouth felt dry as his hands held her own tighter. Anirudh had stood in front of Bondita, covering her frame completely with his own.

Anirudh's lips twitched in sheer delight at Bondita's reaction to his touch. It made him more inclined to try it once again. He wanted to increase their closeness and hold her waist to see her reaction to his touch. He wanted to lightly graze her cheeks with his own to see her blush.

Maybe, he just wanted to touch her neck torturously and see her blush furiously. He wanted to see a real reaction on her face and not a reaction that she always presented to others.

"Patibabu, move away."-Anirudh came more closer to her at her words. His actions igniting her heart to just caress his forehead lovingly.

Maybe, balancing herself on his feet to gaze at him more closely. To see his every feature more closely.

"The books of English love stories that you read with Batuk have scenes like this, Right? Don't you ever want to put those words and scenes into practical use with me?"-His voice had turned a little deeper with unsaid emotions as he said those words.

Anirudh had hated those type of books that Batuk and Bondita read. He had half a mind to chastise both of them throughly. But had stopped at the last moment. At their age, he wasn't doing any better. In London, he had enjoyed his fair share of romantic novels. And some of them were more explicit than theirs.

He wanted Bondita to experience everything in life that she was deprived of due to her marital status. But not something like this.

But he didn't had the courage to confront her. For, he didn't want her to start ignoring him more fully.

So, he had stored that little secret of hers. Wanting her to think that she is hiding her books from her barrister babu.

"I don't know what you are talking about...."-he chuckled again at her words and Bondita felt embarrassed. Because one of the books that Batuk had secretly brought from his British friend George had a cover that would make Trilochon drown him in Ganga Jal.

"Shona, you are really foolish to hide that in the almirah between important files such as your school documents. My little Bondita reading about the passionate romance of a country maiden and a duke in the garden away from a masquerade....my...my...Shona, you've got knowledge of l..."-She quickly used her right hand to cover his mouth to stop him from uttering that word.

Anirudh quickly pecked her palm that was covering his mouth and she shut her eyes at his shameless action.

The next moment, Bondita's eyes became opened in mortification and shame at her own reaction to it.

Her entire body coming alive in that moment.

She tried to take her hands away but Anirudh used his other hand to tightly hold her hands. Unwilling to let her run away.

He kissed her palm again and again and Bondita bit her lips in nervousness. Looking away from him at his bold actions.

Anirudh would have never touched her palms with his mouth, if he hadn't seen that unspoken willingness in her eyes. He had seen her eyes close in satisfaction over his actions. She had blushed throughly but her eyes never showed a bit of rejection over his closeness.

His every action had her acceptance, or dare he say it, her willingness.

Bondita finally spoke up after trying to control her accelerating heartbeats. She was very sure that her cheeks must have gone red at this point.

Her heart was craving for his touch more. But her mind was trying to warn her away from this dangerous man.

"Apni ekta beshorom lok (You are a shameless man)."-Anirudh smiled at her words as she breathlessly whispered the words.

"Tomar jodi mone hoy tumi ei case sesh hobar pore oi bari te jeye ekla thakba, tahole akhoni bole dicchi tomake, Ami beche thakte emon kichu hobe na..nijer matha theke ei sob chole jawar kotha ber kore dao r shudhu pora lekhar proti kheyal koro (If you think that, you'll go and live in that house after this case finishes at the court, then I am telling this to you now, nothing as such will happen. Shake off all this thoughts of going away from your pretty little head and focus on your studies)."-She looked at him stunned as he had figured out the truth.

It's true that she was planning on doing this act. The haveli felt to her like the escape that she was craving for since, she had read those letters and that wretched diary. She wanted to use that haveli as a shelter away from him.

"I didn't think of anything like that. You've got it all wrong."-They were still standing closely. Anirudh still had her hand in his grip. Her palms were inches away from his lips. Their whispered words changing the atmosphere into something else.

"Don't lie Bondita. But let me tell you, your plan will not come true. You are just trying to run away from your growing feelings. You hate that your resolve is weakening every day. You hate that your body, soul and mind is affected by my closeness. You hate that you are becoming..."-Bondita didn't let him finish his words.

She wanted to run away at that moment itself. He had spoken her true state so tantalisingly. In such a tone that she was left with no option other than looking away from him.

"Charun amake. Ami kichu onubhob korlei ba ki ase jay? Apni to amake niye omon kichu vaben na. Amar moddhe apnar jonno akankha thakleo, apnar moddhe ache ki? Ami to shudhu matro apnar ekta dayitto. Jake apni manusher moto manush kore mukti paben, tai na? (Leave me. What does it matter, if I feel anything for you? You don't feel anything for me like that. Even if I have some sort of a desire or expectation from you, do you have the same for me? I am just your responsibility. Whom, you'll get your freedom from after making her successfully stand on her own feet, isn't that right)?"-Anirudh left her hands after her words.

Her words reminding him about his own words of one time. It was true that making her successful was his only dream for her. It was true that he only considered her as his responsibility once.

But it was also true that Bondita had made a unshakeable place in his heart. It was a place no one could take away from him. Her presence had strengthened his resolution for change brighter.

He had found his solace in Bondita. But he hated her words at this moment.

"Are you hurt with my words, patibabu? I am speaking the truth na...You may claim to hate my actions but I am offering you a leeway. I'll go away after the case from this haveli. You'll be free to marry someone, who'll be same in age as you. Who'll help you satisfy your expectations..the happiness you couldn't have with Manorama...You couldn't start your life with her due to me being here in front of your eyes. If I had gone to Dalhousie, then you'd have given her the rights na....Both of you were already sharing the same room, feeding each other Roshogolla, going outside together...."-She didn't know what she was speaking anymore. Her heart couldn't take the pain anymore, she only felt guilty after each moment shared with him.

Her guilt had always increased thinking that he was doing all this for her as a part of some scheme to keep her happy by sacrifing his morales and desires.

"Stop bringing her in between us..."-Anirudh shouted this time, unable to take the words of Bondita.

"She is always present between us. You broke any semblance of trust, I had on you the day stood there and allowed her to slap me. You gave her the right to physically abuse me in front of everyone. She stole my cake to impress others and you allowed her to do so. You stood behind a lady, whose claim of being a freedom fighter makes me laugh. "-Anirudh looked at her this time.

He wanted to run away from her but at the same time, he wanted her to lash out against him. Against Manorama. Just so, she could unburden her soul.

"Bondita..."-Anirudh tried to answer her but his words never reached his mouth.

"If she was such a brave and intelligent person then, how could she be so stupid to leave her weapons so carelessly?. If Batuk or anyone else had discovered them, would she dare to slap them as well? Or was it just reserved for me? To make me come out of my stupor or to show me my place. Did you enjoy seeing her slapping me? Did you praise her for it later? Did you kiss her palms just like you..."-Anirudh walked towards her and held her hands in a grip and jerked her closer to him.

He was beyond angry at this point.

"It makes me so mad Bondita. It makes me furious. To see you thinking so low of me. How can you think that I can praise her for slapping you?"-His voice had gone higher than before.

He was truly shouting at this point.

"Why can't I think of such things? What were you planning on doing after that day? Live with her and me under one roof? Did you expect me to stay under one roof with your beloved? Did you expect me to be the witness of your love show?"-He closed his eyes this time in agony. His breathing had gone shallow. He truly hated himself for giving her a lifetime of trauma.

He wanted to kill himself for letting her never know that day's truth. How that marriage wasn't completed according to the customs. How after she had fainted seeing him going to fill her partition, he had quickly thrown away the red vermilion. And Manorama had filled her partition on her own. The people at that moment were completely focused on Bondita and hadn't noticed their actions.

To be honest, Anirudh could never bring himself to actually fill her 'Mang' (Partition). It felt like a sin to his already sinful heart.

His every heartbeat was protesting at that moment to go and hold his Bondita but only his adamancy had held him back from doing so.

"Bondita, our marriage was not completed fully according to the scriptures. I hadn't filled her hairline..She had done it on her own after you had fainted..."-he couldn't finish his words.

"You are still defending your second wife, aren't you? Are you making her seem 'Khas' (Special) at this moment? Then let me tell you something my dear husband, I hate her. I hate her actions. I hate the way, she trampled on my soul to achieve her goal. I loath her to the core for using your problems to turn you into a man, who commited polygamy."-Bondita sighed in relief as she felt his grip getting loose at her words.

He completely let go of her arms. But still they were standing very close to each other.

Their furious words were completely contradicted by the action of their bodies.

"You should have told me about your scars..."-Anirudh's voice had became a little hoarse. His eyes were filled with 0unshed tears.

"Just so you could bring another wife to get me back on track."-He let his tears fall this time. As he got to know her biggest fear. Him bringing another wife to their doorstep and her having to see him indulge himself with that wife.

"Tell me just one truth honestly. And I'll never utter that name again..."-Anirudh vigourously wiped his tears and made complete eye contact with her.

Her eyes held honestly.

He just nodded his head to convey his agreement to her words.

"What was your plan after her 'Muhim' (Mission)? Was she ever going to leave?"-Anirudh took a deep breath and this time his voice was completely steady as he answered her.

"I was just a means to an end for her mission. She was the same for me. She already had plans to leave right after finishing her mission. She was never going to be a permanent part of my life. It may sound harsh to you shona, but I never envisioned a life with her. She never featured in my dreams of my future like you did. We may have shared a room, but we never crossed any boundaries. I had held her, fed her sweets, made her seem like my favourite person but not once, had I ever violated our vows of marriage."-Bondita sighed as one of her biggest doubts got cleared. But she immediately asked him something.

"You were not going to send me to Dalhousie and moved on in your life with her? Isn't that why you were doing it?"-Anirudh wanted to chuckle at this serious moment.

Her question didn't seem like an adult's question but the question of his little Bondita. Who had resurfaced after a long while.

"No Bondita, I wanted to send you to Dalhousie in order to stop their brainwashing of you and I also wanted to give myself time to process our marriage...if you had left for Dalhousie Bondita, then Manorama would have left that same day. I would make sure of it."-Anirudh felt his heart feel heavy after uttering it.

His righteous side chastising him for being so callous towards Manorama but his selfish side somehow suppressed that voice completely.

"Sotti bolchen to (Are you really telling the truth)?"-Anirudh looked at her gravely and just said,

"Ami tomake mittha boli na, bou (I don't lie to you, wife)."-Bondita let a tear escape her eyes at his words and Anirudh coldly looked at her.

"If you are satisfied then go and get ready. We have to go to the bank at Deenpur."-Bondita looked at his face. He was truly angry today.

She wanted to apologize to him but she couldn't speak the words.

She silently walked out of the study and Anirudh let his tears fall. He let out a heavy sigh escape him as he finally succeeded in letting one of Bondita's biggest insecurity come out of her heart.

Something his friend had told him to do.

"Anirudh, boudi had never talked about those times with you. It wasn't easy for her to get over that phrase. And by hearing your words, I feel that she blames herself for what she considers is your ruined life. She is in a self blaming phrase. Her brain is not letting her get over those times by constantly making her remember the past with your newfound closeness. She hates you somehow for not handing that time in a better way."-Anirudh had only spoken a few words to him next.

"What can I do, Uttom da?".

"Make her blurt out those feelings. Do something that will make her furious. And then she will bring out those emotions that still scares her. It is dangerous to keep your feelings to yourself. And in boudi's case, it has been years. And the way, you had handled her was really immature Anirudh."-Anirudh had hung up the phone after getting his advice regarding Bondita.

Dr. Uttomchondro Ghosh, Anirudh's senior at oak leaf school in Tulsipur and later one of his friends in London. He was Anirudh's senior by three years and had decided to pursue clinical phycology against the opinion of everyone.

Anirudh had reconnected with him in Kolkata during his visit to Salim.

Anirudh guided Bondita inside of the bank. Their journey had been completely silent.

Bondita not even meeting his eyes after coming out of the haveli.

Anirudh had tried to keep a cold and strict look intact in his face but that look was fading quickly after seeing her dejected face.

He was absolutely right. Bondita couldn't survive a second without talking to him.

And this girl wanted to go away from him.

"Bondita..."-Anirudh spoke to her as they sat in front of the manager's office. Waiting to be called inside.

"Ji (Yes) patibabu..."-her heart jumped in exhilaration as he said her name. She wanted to just embrace him at that moment but with difficulty, she controlled her emotions.

"We don't know the manager at all. A lot can change over the years. And this bank even though is trustworthy is still not very favourable for Indians. I've heard cases of discrimination in their other branches. If he tries to make you sign anything, then don't do it until you have read it completely. And if you don't understand any terms then come out and ask me..."-She looked at him quizzically. His words weren't making sense to her.

She thought that he'll be there for her.

"Won't you be there with me? Why are saying all this?"-Anirudh shook his head at her query.

"I am not sure Bondita about them letting me in. Their rules can be different. You are the nominee of your father and I am your husband. But they can have rules that can prevent me from entering the meeting. He wasn't too enthusiastic about me accompanying you during the phone call."-She looked at him with a stubborn look in her eyes. It was a sign of her adamancy.

"If they refuse to allow you inside, then I'll not go in as well. Besides, I trust you more than them."-Anirudh looked into her eyes, getting a little closer to her and said,

"Amar moto rakkhos (Rakshas) ke ato bisshas korcho tumi? Ektu age to amar sathe thakteo chacchila na tumi, sundori (You are trusting a monster like me? You couldn't even tolerate me a few moments back, beautiful)."-She looked at him in disbelief at his sudden flirting.

Anirudh didn't know, why he was behaving in such a manner with Bondita. He had been unable to control his actions in the study and even now, he had been swayed by her inquisitive eyes.

His desperation to see her smile more due to him had started from that 'Chorui bhati' (Picnic).

"Patibabu...Apni pagol hoye gechen. Amader na jhogra hoyeche? Apni to Amar sathe kotha o bolechilam na. Ar akhon apni amaake sathe emon kotha bolchen (Patibabu...You have gone completely mad. Didn't we have a fight? You weren't even speaking to me. And now you are talking with me like this)?"-Anirudh gazed at her bewildered eyes.

And whispered slowly to her.

"Ami jhogra o korbo amar bou r sathe, abar ami tar sathe flirt o korbo. Tomar tate ki (I'll fight with my wife and I'll even flirt with her. What does it have to do with you)?"-Bondita let a smile overtake her face.

"Flirt babu.."-The words escaped her before she could stop them and Anirudh smirked at her.

"Flirt babu? Be grateful that we are at the bank bou. Otherwise, I would have flirted with you so much that your face would have been permanently pink from blushing."-Bondita wanted to chastise him but their flirting session got interrupted by an elderly voice.

"Chi..chi..chi...such shameless behaviour today's generation is showcasing!"-They quickly stood up mortified at their loss of control in public.

The old man went away glaring at them continuously and the young man beside him looked at Bondita a few times and Anirudh stood in front of her body, covering her completely from that man's gaze.

That look felt too dirty to Anirudh and he wanted to shield Bondita from it.

"Mr and Mrs Anirudh Roy Chowdhury? You can come with me now..."-Bondita and Anirudh looked at each other as their earlier assumption got wrong.

Anirudh guided Bondita inside of the spacious cabin and looked at the man standing up to greet them.

He was a man in his fifties. He looked like Anglo Indian to Bondita. There was a smile in his face that made her guards drop instantly a little.

That guard dropped further as he spoke.

"You were only two years old, when Arvind had brought you to the bank with him. You had clung to your father and cried so hard the moment he put you down in the chair. I had never seen such a devoted father."-Bondita let out a smile at the unknown man's words. And Anirudh chuckled as the image of his little Bondita throwing a tantrum came to his mind.

"And you young man, must be her husband..."-Anirudh firmly shook his hand with a smile in his face.

"Hello sir, I am Bondita's husband, Anirudh Roy Chowdhury."-The man smiled at his way of introducing himself. He had never met any man, who had uttered their wives name before him like this young zamindar (Landlord).

"Hello, Bondita and Anirudh. I am Fredrick Scott. You both can call me Fred. Please have a seat."-he gestured them to have a seat and they complied.

"Would you guys like to have some tea?"-both of them shook their heads in negative. Anirudh unwilling to consume anything before knowing this man more.

He had learned to keep his guards up after the horrible acts that he had witnessed in his life.

"Mr. Scott,"-The man immediately objected at Bondita's way of address.

"Call me uncle, Bondita dear. Please."-Anirudh smiled at Bondita's way of making the man instantly becoming fond of her.

"Uncle, currently I got to know about the account that Baba had opened for me here. I need to know more about it.."-The man nodded and opened his drawer to take out a heavy key. He handed it to her and Bondita tightly enclosed it in her palms.

"Your father had the other key with him. I don't know, where it is now. But this is the key to the locker 513289. You'll find things in there that are necessary for you currently."-Anirudh asked in a little sharp voice at his words.

"What do you mean by currently?"-Fredrick smiled at Anirudh's vigilance and simply stopped troubling the man.

"The two men, who exited before you are associated with the Das family. They were trying to get the locker keys from me. Even they don't have the other key with them. Your father had cunningly hid it. I always admired his cunning attitude, Bondita ma."-Anirudh and Bondita both stiffened at the mention of the Das family.

"They know about the locker?"-The man nodded his head.

"Your father was always discreet about his money. But your grandmother knew that he frequented this bank many times during his lifetime."-Bondita slightly grimaced at that lady's name but masked her expression quickly. But underneath the table, she was clutching Anirudh's hand tightly. Seeking his assurance.

"Why did you stay loyal to him? Why didn't give away the locker key to them?"-The man's laughter echoed in the room as he laughed at her sharp questions.

"I am glad that you are sharp just like Arvind. Bondita, I was one of your father's friend and he had done a favour on me so great that I can never repay it fully. He had trusted my bank to safeguard his possessions. I can never betray him by giving it to people, who always tried to degrade him in public."-He handed over a blue file to Anirudh and he looked over it and gave it to Bondita to see.

The file contained receipts of transcription between various businesses and her baba's account here. There was a receipt of a great shipping company of Kolkata and Bondita took deep breaths to calm herself after seeing the amount written.

"What kind of business did my Baba conducted with these people?"-Fredrick smiled at her words as his eyes became dazed remembering the past.

"Your father was obsessed with money in his youth. He liked to invest in clothing businesses and reap the benefit from them. But the biggest chunk of his money came from shipping business."-Bondita's brows furrowed quizzically at his words. She had never heard her baba being involved in such things.

"Shipping? But Baba..."-Her incredulity was visible in her words.

"Your father liked to play with uncertainties. And nothing gave him more joy than seeing his predictions come true in the case of money."-Bondita smiled painfully as her father's hobbies came in front of her like this.

The conversation continued for an hour before it concluded.

"Call me to testify.."-He spoke up just as they had got up from their seats.

"My testimony will be important due to being his bank manager"-They stiffened at his words. As the court proceedings were still not known to many.

"How do you know about the case?"-Bondita asked this time. Unable to take anymore mysteries for the day.

"The court is abuzzed with the news already. And my nephew is actually practicing at deenpur court."-They both assured the man to call on him if the need arises.

Anirudh and Bondita left with the file after looking at the locker of the bank. There was nothing there except for a few document regarding business and a substantial amount of money.

They walked down feeling tired like never before after completing their tasks for the day.

Anirudh was worried about kalindi's next move as she always seemed to be one step ahead of them. His fear reasonated more from the fear of losing his Bondita than anything else.

"Patibabu,..."-Anirudh broke out of his thoughts at her voice. Forgetting his plan of remaining angry with her.

"Thank you."-He looked at her in a questioning manner at her words.

"You know...for everything. You even missed court to take me here. And you are even spending....."-She looked away from him unable to string together her words.

"To amar bou amake dhonnobad dite chay? To ekta upay ache (So, my wife wants to thank me. There is a way)"-She got irritated at the flirty undertone of his voice. Regretting her bout of kindness.

"Ki Korte hobe (What do I have to do)?"-Anirudh smirked at her words. Many different images coming to his mind and he stupidly blurted out one of them in front of her.

"Peck my cheeks.."-her eyes got red in anger at his shameless words.

It was something her heart would be glad to perform but her mind was restraining her heart. It would make Bondita's emotions too unstable regarding him.

"Apnar ekdom lojja nai. Amra baire achi...(You don't have an ounce of shame in you. We are outside)"-Anirudh was shaking as he laughed at his Bondita calling his shameless.

He quickly got closer to her and whispered in her ears in a teasing tone.

"Ghor e chaile dite (Would you have given it to me if we were in our room)?"-Bondita pushed him away as her face turned red in shame at his words. And quickly got into the car.

And laughed at her reaction but followed her to the car. Intending to tease her further.

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How was the chapter?

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Sorry for updating so late...and sorry if the chapter is a little rushed...

Vote and comment plenty of times in this chapter...

Did you guys like the sudden progression I showed.