The Discussion

Bondita was still hugging him but Anirudh's voice brought her back to earth. She felt embarrassed to hug him like that.

As an older person, she now understood the difference between a man and a woman. He himself had taught her the difference between good and bad touch long back.

And how you can't force your feelings on somebody else.

Love was not about force but about being happy for your beloved. Even if their destiny want with you.

She had taken his teachings to heart.

Never imposing herself on him ever again.

"Bondita"-Anirudh quietly said her name as if she was a little baby, who would get startled if he talked a little louder.

He wanted to let her find comfort in him for longer but for now, they had more important things to discuss. Involving her future.

He wanted her to have complete reign over her inheritance. He didn't want her to be dependent on him for her father's inheritance.

He wanted her to be the sole decision-maker in this case.

A privilege, she never had.

Even during their marriage many years back.

"Hmmm.... patibabu"-she replied in a quiet voice, trying to hide her embarrassment over her behavior that was immoral, according to her.

"Do you want some water?"-he asked her tentatively as he wanted to make sure that she didn't strain herself more by crying too much.

Releasing your emotions is one thing but getting sick over wasn't something, he would allow for her.

"Hmmmm......"-she answered him tentatively while detaching herself from him.

She sat down in their bed and Anirudh went to the bedside table, where a copper jug full of water was kept. He took the copper glass and poured water for her.

As Bondita gladly took small sips of water, he sat down in the chair next to the study table and took a look at the will that was a cause for her tears.

He first tried to verify the authenticity of the will itself. He wanted to be completely sure the will was genuine and each and every content of it was authentic. He checked the signatures and the dates mentioned as thoroughly as he could at that moment.

She looked at him reading the will, all the while squinting his eyes. She could see that he had trouble nowadays reading papers.

His constant squinting wasn't unnoticed by her but it was just one of those things that remained buried underneath the troubled situations of their life.

Anirudh looked up to see Bondita staring at him. He didn't know, what she was trying to find in him at that moment but there was something in her posture that gave him the same vibes of that little Bondita. Who he had slowly taught the alphabets to.

She noticed him today after a long while. Just as she had grown up, he had matured as well.

His temper and vocal cords had also matured but the way he carried himself nowadays was so different than those days. When he used to have a carefree sway in his walks. He nowadays was more sure of his every word. Never doubting himself.

He had aged like a fine wine.

Which only tasted more sweeter and intoxicating after aging.

She had seen him talking to the villagers many times. His voice didn't have that pleading in them anymore for people to hear it. He now implemented his ideas more surely without a care of the people's objection.

His new initiative was about the availability of public toilets in the large Tulsipur region.

He had been trying to make the villagers understand the benefits of it. For the women folk and everyone else but the constant refusal had made him stop his pleadings. He had gone ahead with his plans without wasting anymore time.

The project had officially started a month back.

His face nowadays had a hint of stubble that he never had back then. He no longer wore suspenders. But a simple shirt and pant but he also had developed a love for simple cotton Panjabis as well.

He neither wore coats like Binoy, nor did he wore fancy clothes like Trilochon, but his simple attire was far more impactful for his cause.

She caught Anirudh's eyes, just as she was thinking about the changes in him.

As soon as their eyes met, she averted her gaze. As if she was a sinner. Who had no right to look at him.

He was not hers to admire.

She was just a responsibility.

Anirudh had noticed the way, she had averted her eyes from him. He felt that Bondita behaved like a criminal, who had suddenly came face to face with her captor.

"Bondita, come here."-this time his voice didn't hold the tone of a husband beckoning a wife. It was the call of a teacher.

Bondita felt as if she had gone back to memory lane again. Reminding her of their teaching sessions.

For the next hour, Anirudh showed her the contents of the will. He made her aware of every hidden aspect that the lawyers didn't elaborate on.

In a way, thrusting the responsibility upon him.

"So, you are saying that, we need to inspect the property and the surrounding areas to see, if it needs to be surrounded by walls or if the remaining walls need any improvement first."-she voiced out the most important point that Anirudh wanted her to decide about.

Anirudh felt proud of the way, Bondita had so quickly grasped the ideas. If it was any other person, they would have only thought about using the money to increase their luxury.

But Bondita did neither of those things. She was only caring about the betterment of the property rather than the luxuries it entailed.

"Amar buddhiman Bondita (My intelligent Bondita)"-he praised her and patted her hand that was on the table and she simply bit her lips in joy.

No matter how much she made herself believe that his words didn't made her feel inexplicable joy and a physical happiness. She was proven wrong every time by herself.

"We don't know, what condition the haveli is in. We need to assess the damages inside the haveli. According to the lawyers, the property has been laying unused for years. Even before 'Soshur moshai' (Father-in-law) purchasing it, it's laying unoccupied for many years."-Bondita felt a sweet sensation as he called her father for the term that he deserved.

Her father was a topic, she hardly ever brought up. And Anirudh rarely had a chance to call him his designated title.

"You called him, 'Soshur moshai' (Father-in-law)?"-he paused in his explanation as he detected an usual emotion in Bondita's voice.

He smiled up at her. She was standing at that moment and Anirudh smiled at her from his position.

He told Bondita to sit down and from his voice, she could guess that he was going to be in his shikshak (Teacher) avatar.

She suddenly with a youthful smile, feeling giddy; hopped on the table. Dangling her feet forgetting her emotional upheaval.

Anirudh had a mind to scold her for the way, she had hopped on the table but decided to let it go for the moment. Making a promise to reprimand her later.

"Bondita, we are married. And as life partners, we both come into this relationship with other relationships in our life. Relationships are very important for us as humans to survive. I came with a large family. A family that you accepted wholeheartedly even when you fully didn't understand our marriage. Your parents are also a part of this circle of our life. I know, it had taken me some time and years actually to accept our marriage and our circle of relationships but how could I not give you the same courtesy that you had bestowed upon me? Your mother is another mother for me, Bondita. She has given birth to you. For that alone, she holds my utmost respect. And even though, I never met your father and we didn't talk about him much, but he is your Baba (Father). As your husband, if I don't give him the same courtesy as you have given my father despite his earlier behaviour towards you, then wouldn't I be a hypocrite? We are not only equals as life partners, Bondita. But the paternal and maternal relationships that are circling us like a giant tree deserves equal attention and respect. As a husband, I probably don't deserve a "Purushkar" (Prize/Award) but as a son-in-law, I'll bet on it. After all, I don't want 'Soshur moshai' (Father-in-law) to beat me with a stick, when I meet him upstairs."-Anirudh tried to make the matter humourous but Bondita had the opposite reaction to his humor.

"Patibabu, how dare you to talk about death?"-she screamed at him as she got down from the table, her mood completely ruined beyond belief by his ominous words.

She didn't want to ever imagine him in that situation.

A world without his voice wasn't accepted by Bondita Anirudh Roy Chowdhury.

"Bondita, I was just...."-he tried to complete his words but her earlier swollen eyes had started gathering pearl drops again.

He hated seeing her like this over him.

"You are such a hypocrite. One minute, you talk about enjoying life and the betterment of the society, and the next moment, you start talking about the after life. How can you joke about it? Do you think, your life is your own alone? Don't I have a right on it?"-she didn't know what she was saying but Anirudh had become like a stone as he witnessed Bondita shouting at him.

Earlier her voice held bitterness towards him, but this time, her voice held worry for his well-being.

And dare he say it, her voice held love?

"Fine, forget about me. I am just a responsibility but what about sasur ji and Kaka sasur ji? What about Som dada and Batuk? They look up to you so much. You are so selfish to just joke about such things but never take a second to think about the rest of us. Who depends on you so much? I hate your words. Did you hear me...I hate "-Anirudh had in a blink of her eyes, captured Bondita in his arms.

His mind chastised him for making her upset.

He knew, how much she cared about his well-being. She, since the beginning had taken care of him in his sickness.

Last year, he contracted some flu and had got bedridden. Bondita even in her anger and self-loathing had cared for him, like his self-appointed Florence Nightingale.

"Will you cry, if I really leave you and go away forever?"-his words were uttered with a soft undertone. The words traveled to her ears and made her feel an inexplicable emotion.

An emotion that she never wanted to feel for him again.

She wanted to forever hold onto him, if it meant that he was safe and sound.

He was her savior, her protector but was he her lover?

Will she ever reach that level of intimacy with him?

The moment those words entered her mind, she froze.

The reminder of her going away from him, one day had crept up on her mind again.

It was a brutal reminder that he was not hers to fret about.

Bondita tried to push herself away from Anirudh. But this time, Anirudh didn't want to let her go without receiving an answer.

He simply held onto her. Resisting her attempts of fleeing.

"Tell na Bondita....you'll miss me na...If I go away? Will my Bondita cry or will my Bondita be happy? That I will no longer bother her for eternity."-the moment he had uttered the words, his Bondita had pushed him away. Nearly making him stumble. He had barely managed to keep standing after that push.

Bondita herself was no better. She was breathing heavily. She was angry beyond belief.

"If you think that, I will be happy if you go....if....you leave..."-she was having trouble finishing that dreadful sentence.

"You are a hypocrite Bondita. It's okay, if you talk about going away but the moment, I do, it's wrong! Do you know there's a saying in English for people like you, it's 'Pot calling the kettle black'."-she stilled at his words.

It was true that, she wanted to go away from him but both of those situations were wrong.

Even if they were no longer together someday, she would still wish him to live for a thousand years.

"If you think, I'll ever be happy to survive in a world, where you don't exist then you don't know this Bondita."-she left the room before Anirudh could say anything else.

Bondita ran away to the second floor common washroom to clean her face. She didn't want her mother to witness her state.

She had finally, after those days learned to keep her problems to herself.

"Bondita, it's getting late, you should go back to the haveli. It doesn't look good, if the daughter-in-law is absent during dinner."-Sumati told Bondita as she was talking with her.

There was a servant present in the out house or better known as the 'Otithi griho' (Guest house). Sumati at first had denied the servant. But Bondita wanted to be assured that her mother was not alone in a new place.

Her mother's accident back then had left a huge impact on her. No matter what had happened in the past, Bondita still cared enough.

"I'll have dinner with you maa. No one would mind."-she wanted to avoid Anirudh after their fight. She had lost her composure after his dreadful words.

Otherwise, the perfect Bondita wouldn't have lost her calm.

"No Bondita, I'll have dinner here. You should be present with your husband."-Bondita openly scoffed at this statement.

"Is your daughter a stranger now that she's married? Do I not have the right to spend time with my mother? Maa, along with my identity as a wife and daughter-in-law, I am also a daughter."-she avoided looking at her mother after her statement.

She had so many words that she wanted to tell her. But understood suddenly that the time for a confrontation with her mother had long passed.

No matter how much, she fulfilled her duties as a daughter-in-law and as a wife, her mother would never understand.

For her identity as a married woman, would always overpower her every other identity.

But looking at her mother's tired face, she didn't say anything and just left from there. Understanding that the day had been tiring for her as well.

Remembering her husband and their bitter past must not have been easy.

She was in the kitchen in the later, when Somnath entered.

Wanting to have that talk with her.

Now that he knew the problems in his brother's marital life more thoroughly, he didn't know how to face her.

Both sides were suffering according to him but both sides were very stubborn. Those two weren't ready to set aside their ego to have a new beginning.

He was fed up with these two people, the one that, he idolised for his courage, righteousness, and knowledge.

And the other for her bravery, beautiful heart, and ever-smiling face. She was someone, who would cross any hurdle for her loved ones.

"Som dada, do you need anything?"-Bondita smiled up at them and Somnath simply marveled at her ability to hide her emotions.

He could see her swollen eyes but didn't know, how to approach the topic with her.

"Boudi, I heard about the lawyer's coming over. It must have been a lot for you to take in."-he said observing her facial expressions. Trying to decipher the state of her heart.

"Dada, I am fine."-he cut her off. Wanting her to at least be honest with him.

"Don't lie boudi moni (Sister-in-law). Your dada at least deserves this much honesty from you."-she smiled at him. The one, who had the most problem accepting her back then, had became her friend and a brother in everything but blood.

She cherished those days of summer that allowed her to get a brother like Somnath.

"I suppose it's a little weird dada. I never had much in terms of possession."-he interrupted her.

"Boudi, everything in this haveli is yours. How can you say that?"-he immediately regretted his words as he remembered his own family's behavior in the past.

It was just a saying but truly meaning those words, according to him weren't possible by his father's generation.

It was one of the reasons, he never wanted to be involved with any woman. Unless, he could give her the promise of a true home in every sense.

He wasn't ready to sacrifice her to the whims of his Kaka's desire for grandchildren.

"Don't dwell in the past dada. People change. What I mean is, it's a little weird to suddenly have so much wealth. I don't know, what to do with it. I am grateful to my Baba for blessing me with so much but do I even need that much possession?"-Somnath shook his head at her. For she was the only one, who didn't become greedy at the sight of money.

"If it was Batuk, then he would have already made plans to buy stupid things."-she was about to reprimand him but Batuk raced to the room before that.

"Boudi, you have to take me with you to the haveli. I want to see it. Who knows how many orchards and trees are there?We can have so many fruits to eat and imagine having picnics at that place."-he pouted in front of her like the little Batuk of the past.

Somnath shook his head at his one-trackmind. The property wasn't even ready yet but Batuk had already started his daydreaming of looting it.

Bondita also wanted to have a picnic there.

The two soon decided to have a picnic the day they would go there.

Unknowingly, Batuk's idea and childishness had made her mind and heart distracted. Somnath noted with a small smile.

"Bahu, make this bagad billa look at the...."-Noticing Anirudh's dark mood, he immediately changed his tone.

"Bahu, I mean, make your husband look at the will properly. His 'Vilayeti' (British) 'kagaz'(Degree/Certificate) should come in handy sometimes. Otherwise, your husband is only capable of shouting uselessly on helpless men."-everyone had started cracking up after a long time at the tone of Trilochon.

Bondita had started barely smiling, when Anirudh had started talking.

"If you hated my "Vilayeti kagaz" (British Certificate/Degree) so much, then why did you for pay it? Moreover, I don't shout at you for no reason Kaka. You give me enough reason by your stupid deeds."-Binoy adjusted his 'Chashma' (Spectacles) as another fight started at their home.

Bondita now wanted to intervene but didn't get a chance to.

"Nalayak chele (Boy), boroder sathe evabe Kotha bolis? Lojja shorom sob beche diyechis tui? Ekdom baper moto hoyechis tui. (Useless boy, don't you know, how to talk to elders? Have you sold all your manners? You have turned out to be just like your father). Toder valor jonno bolchilam ami, kintu amake to kichu monei koris na. (I was thinking of your well-being. But you guys don't consider me anything.)-Anirudh immediately took a deep breath to calm himself as his kaka's act of being a victim started.

"Kakasasur ji, forgive patibabu. Uni icche kore bolen ni. Apni to poribarer boro. Apnar kotha manbo na to kar kotha manbo bolun. (Uncle-in-law, forgive my husband. He didn't say it intentionally. You are the elder of this family. If we don't listen to you, then who will we listen to?)"-Trilochon's anger left him a little bit. As he listened to the placating words of Bondita.

"Patibabu, say sorry to him."-Anirudh showed his eyes to Bondita. As he believed his Kaka to be the criminal this time.

According to him, his Kaka blew it out of proportion as always.

"Patibabu"-he looked at her eyes that were throwing daggers at him and gulped.

"Yes bahu, tell him to say sorry. I am his Kaka, I deserve to be respected."-Anirudh with a scowling face apologized to his Kaka and his father mouthed a silent thank you to him for not ruining another dinner for the family.

"Kaka, boudi, and I decided to organize a chorui bhati (Picnic) at the new place."-Batuk opened a new topic as he wanted to change the atmosphere and Bondita smiled at him.

Relieved that he helped her to placate a pouty Trilochon.

"Kaka sometimes acts like, he is the child of dada and boudi."-Somnath immediately tried to vanish that thought away as his overactive brain was trying to come up with weird images involving his Kaka.

"Bahu, is there any mention of how the ground of that place is?"-He suddenly asked Bondita and she shook her head in negative, for it was not mentioned in the will.

"No kakasasur ji, but I heard that there is a huge lake on the property. There are plenty of fish in the waters of the lake."-Trilochon nodded his head and suddenly gave his world-famous advice.

"Bahu, according to the lawyers, the property is left unused for a long time, the grounds must have been covered in grass for years. I'll tell munshi (Manager/Accountant) to contact a farmer with a large herd of animals."-Anirudh looked at his Kaka in suspicion but Bondita nodded at him already understanding his point.

"Why Kaka?"-Anirudh was careful this time to keep this tone gentle. Not wanting to ensure Bondita's wrath due to his Kaka's tantrums.

"The animals would help maintain the landscape of the estate. The farmer would get free food for the animals and bahu in return would get milk, butter, and vegetables from him. It's a win-win situation."-his answer amazed everyone for he had never so calmly answered Anirudh. Taking time to break down each word for him.

Bondita looked at him in gratitude. As the orthodox but caring man thought to lessen her burden. It was during these times, when the past actions of Trilochon became nothing for Bondita.

His caring side often made her want to bask in his fatherly love.

"Kaka, one of my clients has a farm on the outskirts of Deenpur. I'll talk to him. You don't need to worry much. It would be too troublesome to hire someone from Tulsipur."-Anirudh's answer irked him but he nodded at him, seeing this as an opportunity to push them both closer.

"What patibabu means is thank you kakasasur ji. You thought about it so much."-Bondita covered up Anirudh's cold words with her sweet voice and Binoy smiled at his Daughter-in-law's capability to control the two "Embarrassing Children" of the Roy Chowdhury haveli.

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The last few cchapter's response aren't that great.

But still, I would expect you guys to vote and comment thoroughly on this chapter.

If anything is missing or wrong in this chapter or the previous one, then do let me know in the comments. Only then, can I improve it.

The previous chapters at least deserves 100 votes. Along with this one.