Present

Marriage. 

It wasn't something that Bondita was ready for, yet she was being pushed into it. 

Her Mama and Mami just wanted her out of this house. They wanted to stop spending money on her. She was a burden on them. 

For them, marriage was the solution to get rid of her. 

Bondita was putting on the Bengali saree that was laid on her bed. As she was draping it, her Mami came in the room to make sure she did it properly. 

As her Mami fixed the saree on her, Bondita asked, "Mami, why don't you let me look for a job and move out? Why marriage?"

"You think it's so easy to find a job? Look at Prabodh. He's been struggling for years," Mami answered. "And you're a girl. It'll be more difficult for you. Besides, what if something doesn't work out? What if you lose your job? Then you'll come back to our doorstep and we will have to take you in. If you get married, you are someone else's responsibility. We won't have to think about you anymore for our whole lives. The burden will be lifted from us indefinitely." 

Bondita felt a lump in her throat. 

Was she an object that someone had to be responsible for? Could she not be responsible for herself? 

She had gotten used to Mami's harsh words over time, and she had been conditioned to just listen and accept since she was a small girl. The fact that she was a burden to them was no secret. They always made her feel like they did her a big favour by letting her stay with them. 

"A responsibility?" Bondita whispered, her heart aching. "Mami, I don't want anyone to take my responsibility." 

"Being someone's zimmedari is not a bad thing," Mami just said as she fixed her bottom pleats. 

Bondita had tears in her eyes now. 

"A zimmedari... means I will only burden someone..." 

Suddenly her head started to hurt again, and she had another vision. 

There was a party. She was small. Maybe eleven or twelve years of age. There was a man in front of her whose face wasn't clear and he was yelling. 

"Our marriage was an evil custom only to stop another evil custom... nothing else!" he said sternly. 

"You are only my zimmedari! You were my zimmedari, you are my zimmedari, and you will always be my zimmedari! Other than this, our marriage has no meaning for me!" the man said to her, making that young girl's heart ache. 

Tears flooded Bondita's eyes as she snapped into the present, and she suddenly started to shiver. 

"I don't want to be anyone's zimmedari Mami! I don't!" Bondita cried, tears sliding down her cheeks, shaken from that memory. 

Mami looked up at Bondita from the floor where she was adjusting her pleats, alarmed that she was crying all of a sudden. 

"No Mami, please don't make me anyone's zimmedari! It'll only make his life hell!" Bondita sobbed. 

More than the pain that she felt hearing those words in the vague memory, she was worried about the man who yelled at her. She was worried about his mental state. His pain. 

It sounded like he had been trying to convince himself that she was only a zimmedari. It sounded like he was going through such a big struggle inside. 

"More than binding me into responsibility, it will bind him!" Bondita sobbed. "I don't want him to bound... not again." 

Mami looked at Bondita, absolutely shocked. 

Not again? What did this mean? 

"Bondita, why are you overreacting?" Mami snapped, finishing with her saree. 

"I just saw something," Bondita said, gasping for air. "A man's life was ruined because of a zimmedari. Don't let it happen again." 

Mami just sighed heavily, brushing away her words, and said, "You will just do as I say. Come down when I call you. And wear the jewelries on your table." 

"Wait Mami --" Bondita then said, causing her Mami to stop in her tracks and look at her. "What if... what if I... like somebody else?"

Mami's eyes widened so much, that her eyes looked like they could pop out of their sockets!

"What?" she gasped, "Who?"

Bondita gulped, afraid of taking Anirudh's name. What if they treated him badly? And Anirudh didn't even believe in love... how could she pressure him like this?

"Someone..." Bondita murmured, looking down. 

"Does this someone not have a name?" Mami snapped. "Oh, right I heard you have some friend at college that you wander around with. Timsy told me. Sajan or something." 

"Sanjay," Bondita corrected. 

Mami rolled her eyes and said, "I have no problem with you marrying that Sanjay. Timsy says he is of your league anyways. But the marriage should happen fast!" 

Bondita shook her head and said, "No Mami, not Sanjay. It's not him." 

"Not Sanjay? How many men do you hang around with?" Mami asked, sounding alarmed. 

Bondita looked nervous as she confesse, "This man... who I like, he's... well off. He's got a lot of money. And he has his own place. He is very sweet. He takes care of me." 

Mami looked at Bondita with suspicion as she listed all these points.

"Rich man huh? Sweet? Takes care of you?" Mami questioned, and then she stormed right up to Bondita and lightly smacked her temple. "You fool! Rich men don't like middle class women!" 

Bondita looked at Mami, her heart hurting, when she heard this. 

"He was sweet talking you for other reasons! How naïve can you be? Ohhh Dugga Maa! Save me from this girl!" Mami said dramatically. 

"I don't think... his intentions... were that..." Bondita stammered. 

"Then tell me how long have you known him!" Mami demanded. 

Bondita gulped. 

How could she say she knew him from only one day ago? It sounded ridiculous to even her! 

"Not long it seems," Mami said, gauging Bondita's expressions, "And you don't have the skills to trap a rich man. Don't be foolish and come straight down when I call you." 

Bondita's eyes filled with tears again as Mami walked out of the room. 

The memories of last night had been so beautiful... that she would cherish them for her whole life. But it was also true that Anirudh didn't believe in love... and Bondita had promised that she wouldn't have any expectations. 

It would sound strange to anyone that a rich man like Anirudh fell in love with Bondita overnight. She really wasn't of his calibre. 

"Maybe I should just embrace the memories you've given me, and move on with my life..." Bondita murmured. "Maybe I shouldn't hold on to you as an escape." 

Then she recalled the words that had played in her mind earlier in the form of a memory. Zimmedari. 

Bondita fell onto her bed, breathing heavily, as she recalled those words, a memory that she had, but she couldn't figure out from when. 

Little did her limited mind realize that she hadn't ruined that man's life, but instead filled it with so much love and happiness. 

The zimmedari of her that Anirudh Roy Choudhary had taken last lifetime, was only a shackle in the beginning, but eventually it was what lead to his liberation. 

The zimmedari that turned into love, was the beauty of their relationship. The zimmedari was the root -- the muddy water that grew the ever-beautiful lotus flower. 

Without the murky and muddy waters where the lotus grew, it could never grow into such a beautiful sight. 

Slowly the fragments of memories, the pieces of the puzzle would all come together, and give Bondita a clear picture of the depth behind their love. 

-- 

When Bondita was brought downstairs by her Mami, in her red and white Bengali saree, she noticed that a small family was there. 

An older man, woman, and another man who was younger. Probably the man she was going to marry. 

"This is Bondita," Mami said. 

Bondita forced a smile, and placed her hands together in front of them, saying,"Namoshkaar." 

The three of them all repeated the gesture. Bondita found out the groom's name was Paritosh, and Bondita was asked to bring tea to serve to the guests. 

After serving the tea, the mother said, "So Bondita, what did you study?" 

"Psychology," Bondita answered, "I just graduated." 

"Do you want to work?" the mother questioned. 

"Whatever you wish!" Mami intervened right away. 

Timsy was sitting on the dining table behind them, on her phone, while Prabodh was sitting next to her, watching carefully. 

Mama and Mami were the only ones sitting on the sofa with her. 

"Whatever we wish?" the groom's father asked, "Doesn't she have any wishes? Bondita, you tell us... what do you want?"

Bondita looked up and said, "To be honest, I don't know what I want."

She didn't even want to get married! So why was she having this conversation with them? 

Mami forced a smile and said, "She is very accommodating! Your wishes are her wishes!" 

The groom's father chuckled, and glanced at his wife. The groom was just eyeing Bondita carefully, making her slightly scared. 

"I think we should let Paritosh and Bondita meet alone," the mother said. 

"Of course!" Mami said, "Bondita, show him your room." 

"R - room?" Bondita stammered, eyes getting wide. 

Was there nowhere else they could meet?

"This house is small," Mami whispered in Bondita's ear, "Just take him to your room." 

Bondita nodded and stood up. 

Paritosh, who was extremely tall, followed Bondita upstairs to her room. 

"This is my room," she informed, entering the bedroom. 

The bedroom door was left open as Paritosh followed her inside. 

He glanced around and said, "Nice." 

Bondita took a deep breath and said bluntly, "I don't want to get married right now. I just wanted to be honest with you." 

Paritosh looked at Bondita with surprise and asked, "Why?" 

"I'm just not ready," she informed. 

"Nobody is ready for marriage," Paritosh told her. 

"I want some time," Bondita said, "I just graduated... and now I'm being asked to get married." 

"Then why don't you tell your Mami?" Paritosh asked. 

"She knows," Bondita said, sounding sad. 

"Then maybe she took the right decision for you. Elders always know what's right," Paritosh said with a nod, "I would never go against what my Maa says." 

Bondita furrowed her brows and looked at him. 

"Give it a chance... Bondita," Paritosh said, "Our relationship." 

"I don't even know you." 

"Then get to know me," he told her and stepped towards her, making her heart beat faster with fear. 

She took a step back and said, "I... had a bad experience with a man." 

Paritosh raised his brow and said, "Not all men are bad."

No, definitely not, Bondita thought. There was one man who is the epitome of amazing for me. 

"We'll go on dates before our marriage. This way you can get to know me," Paritosh offered. "I'll keep you happy." 

"But you don't even know me. Why are you agreeing so quickly?" Bondita questioned. 

"My Maa saw your picture and instantly loved you for me," Paritosh informed. "And like I said, I never say no to her." 

Bondita took a deep breath, trying to process this situation.

What were her options now?

Mami would be more than happy to get her married to the first person she saw. This man didn't seem like he would refuse her either.

Her only ray of hope would be if she could leave her home and run away. But where would she go? What would she do? She didn't even have a job yet. 

-- 

The wedding was fixed for two months from the day, and slowly time passed. 

Bondita knew that Rimi had Anirudh's number, but she never asked for it. She didn't want to be his burden again. Even though she ached to speak to him, she was afraid that her feelings for him would cause expectations to build... and she did not want to pressure him in any way. 

And somewhere, Mami's words kept on playing in her mind. 

Rich men don't like middle class women. You don't have the skills to trap a man like that.

Even if Anirudh was interested in her now, how long would that interest last? 

She decided to be practical, even though it made her heart hurt. 

On the other hand, Anirudh had gone crazy after not hearing from Bondita. 

That particular day, nearly a month later, he was at his grandfathers house. His father was once again, urging him to get married.

"Settle down beta, it's time," Anirudh's father urged. "I've looked into some women, and I am sure you can give them a chance. Go on a date. Try it out at least."

Anirudh was distracted -- in thoughts of Bondita. It had been almost a month, and he hadn't gotten to see her again. He didn't have her number either!

Rimi had his number, but he didn't have hers. And Neil just claimed that he never got Rimi's number.

How was he supposed to meet Bondita again? Ever since that night, she stayed in his thoughts, and he just couldn't ignore her. 

On top of that, Bondita herself wasn't calling him, and he couldn't figure out why!

"Here, look at this photo," Anirudh's father said, holding a photo in front of him.

The deep, raspy voice of his grandfather said, "Anirudh, you should give love a chance."

Anirudh pushed the photo and his father's hand away, blurting out, "I already like someone!"

He still didn't believe in love. But the companionship he felt from Bondita, the energy that she gave, the warmth that she filled him with was undeniable. 

It wasn't love, he believed, but he liked her! For sure! As a friend!

"Who?" Batuk and Aarav Roy Choudhary gasped.

"Bondita..." Anirudh said, a dreamy look appearing in his eyes.

"B - B - Boudi?" the old Batuk asked, his eyes widening. 

"Huh?" Anirudh just asked, glancing at his grandfather. 

"Bondita... my Boudi!" Batuk responded, looking at Anirudh with shock from his wheelchair. 

"It's not your Boudi Thakurda," Anirudh said, with a heavy sigh, "This Bondita is young."

His Thakurda raised his brow with skepticism, and demanded, "Why is her name Bondita?" 

Anirudh looked at his grandpa with a raised brow. 

"Uh... maybe because her parents named her that?" he asked. 

"Too much of a coincidence!" Batuk huffed. "I want to meet her!" 

"Meet?" Anirudh questioned. "We haven't gotten to the stage where I introduce her to my family Thakurda." 

He was struggling to meet her himself anyways. 

"What does Bondita do? Who are her parents?" Aarav questioned.

Anirudh pressed a hand to his head and said, "I dunno, but just leave me alone about marriage." 

Batuk watched Anirudh with wide eyes, for some reason, finding this miracle too much of a coincidence. 

His Anirudh had got his Bondita too? 

-- 

Rimi and Bondita were at the mall. They were walking around and window shopping. 

"So this Paritosh guy, what's his deal?" Rimi questioned, "He called you four times since we got here." 

"He always wants to know where I am," Bondita said with an irritated sigh. 

"Sanjay part two," Rimi just said, rolling her eyes. 

"At least Sanjay didn't call me every ten minutes," Bondita said, frowning. 

"Next time don't answer."

"And let it reach my Mami? My Mami will make my life a living hell in that house if he complains." 

"Your Mami is also another irritation!" Rimi told her, with a heavy sigh. "Oh hey -- let's try on these dresses!" 

Rimi dragged Bondita inside a fancy store -- where the clothes were way too expensive, but beautiful. 

Rimi picked out a tight black dress with glitter around the chest area. One which would reveal quite a lot of cleavage, and she handed it to Bondita. 

((Note: here is the dress!))

"Wear this," Rimi told her with excitement. 

"What?" Bondita gasped. "Why?" 

"To send hot pictures to Paritosh," Rimi teased. 

"RIMI!" Bondita snapped, irritated. 

"I was joking," Rimi said with a giggle, "Shall we send them to Anirudh instead? I've had his number for a month, but you haven't called him! Why not greet him with sexy pics? I'm sure he'll be blown away." 

Bondita's heart began to race when Rimi said this, and her cheeks immediately turned red. 

The idea of sending hot pictures to Anirudh was making her feel jittery everywhere. 

"N - no, don't send him anything," she whispered with a blush. 

"Then babes, you go and wear it for me," Rimi said, "I want to admire your hotness!" 

"How about you? Let me select a dress for you first," Bondita suggested, "And then we can take pictures together in the dressing room." 

She looked around for a dress, and Rimi sighed, "I'll pick one. I'm used to these styles anyways. You go and get changed first. I'll meet you inside." 

"But --" Bondita started. 

"Just go Bondita! If we both hang around together and then enter the changing room, the employees here will be suspicious." 

"Fine," Bondita said with a sigh. "Come quick. I'll go to the third room. It looks empty." 

Then she made her way to the back of the big store and into the changing room. 

What she didn't realize, was that Anirudh Roy Choudhary was in the same store, in the men's section with Neil. 

And as Rimi was picking out her dress, she noticed them. 

"Anirudh! Neil!" Rimi called out and ran over to them. 

Neil looked at Rimi with a smile and said, "Where have you been? You disappeared. And I didn't even get your number that night." 

Anirudh just stared straight at Rimi, a ray of hope lighting his system. 

"Where's Bondita?" he asked immediately, "Is she here?" 

Rimi looked at Anirudh with a grin and said, "She's in the changing room." 

She ought to feel offended that Anirudh didn't even greet her, but for some reason she wasn't. She quite liked the fact that Bondita was on his mind. 

"Changing room?" Anirudh asked, his heart beating fast. 

She was here! Finally, after waiting for a month, maybe he would get to see her!

"You should go to the room," Rimi said, knowing that Bondita could possibly kill her for this, but Anirudh was any day better than that clingy Paritosh. 

If Anirudh and Bondita had a scandal, or they fell in love, then it would only benefit her best friend. She was only looking out for her, after all!

"Go to the changing room?" Anirudh asked, raising his brow. 

"She's waiting for you there," Rimi said, lowering her tone, "Don't let the staff see. Changing room 3. Knock and she will open it for you." 

"You sure...?" Anirudh asked, "She knows I'm here?" 

"Of course!" Rimi just huffed. "Who do you think she's dressing up for?"

Anirudh felt heat rise to his cheeks, and he wondered what dress she was wearing. 

"But if she knew I was here, why didn't she come and say hi first?" Anirudh demanded, his heart hurting because he had been waiting to see her for a month, and it seemed like she didn't even care to speak to him, despite knowing that he was here. 

"Go and ask her yourself Anirudh," Rimi said with a sigh, and then she grabbed Neil's hand, making him look at her with surprise. "And you, Neil, help me pick out a dress!" 

"Alright," Neil said with a bemused smile, and then he glanced at Anirudh, saying, "If Bondita is waiting, you should go. After all, you've also been waiting all this time. Do you want to miss the moment again?"

Anirudh smiled, his heart beating faster, and then all of a sudden he started to rush towards the changing room. 

Rimi nearly smacked her forehead. 

"If he goes that fast, he'll stand out! Then the staff will be suspicious!" Rimi groaned. 

Neil glanced at Rimi and said, "Let it be. He's excited to see her again. It's been a month." 

Rimi looked at Neil and said, "And I'm excited to meet you again too!" 

"Oh really?" Neil questioned, raising his brow, and Rimi laughed, tugging his arm. 

"Come on, let's pick out clothes. Maybe instead of Bondita and I, the two of us can have a photoshoot."

And on the other hand, Rimi smirked, because they didn't even need to send sexy pictures to Anirudh! It seemed like Anirudh would get a live show today. 

When Anirudh reached the changing rooms, he glanced around nervously. Thankfully, the staff were all busy and weren't focusing their attention here. 

He went to the third room, just as Rimi said and knocked three times. 

For some reason, three knocks just felt right. 

Inside, Bondita's zipper at the back was undone, and she was having a hard time pulling it up. When she heard the knock, she breathed a sigh of relief, believing it was Rimi. 

"Finally, you took so long!" Bondita said, sounding upset, and she unlocked the door. "Come inside quickly!" 

Then she turned her back to the door, as Anirudh opened it, his heart beating faster as Bondita scolded him. 

"You made me wait forever! My zipper has been open! Who else will zip it up for me if not you?" she ordered, and Anirudh's heart fluttered at her bossy tone. 

Anirudh locked the door behind him, glancing at her bare back. Her zipper was undone all the way to the base of her spine. The sight was sending shivers through his spine. 

"I took long? I made you wait forever?" he finally asked, and suddenly there was pain in his voice as he demanded like a little kid. "Bondita, was I the one who took long? Was I the one who made you wait forever Bondita? You didn't make me wait?"

Bondita's heart jumped with a mixture of many emotions, as she realized that the person who was in the room wasn't Rimi, but Anirudh Roy Choudhary. 

--

Did you enjoy this part? 

The plot thickens!

What will happen in this changing room? 🙈

Things are about to get super interesting in the next few chapters. 

By the way, have you and your friends, or sisters ever done this, where you try on outfits in stores and take pictures in the changing room? In my school days, we used to do this all the time. I thought it would be relatable. 🤭

Are you excited for the next part?

If you give a good response, then I'll definitely post the next part sooner. So hit star and share your comments, and your love will be matched with my updates! 

Love you all! ❤️