Anirudh's age: 23
Bondita's age: 12
Before we start, I loved how the makers portrayed child/girl abuse by Thakur touching little Bondita inappropriately and how Anirudh and Bondita fought against that was commendable. But the episode ended with Bondita slapping Thakur and the next one started with Anirudh putting her back to sleep, consoling her like a mother. I'm writing a scenario after Bondita slapped Thakur. Basically the middle part between Thakur leaving and Anirudh putting Bondita to sleep which was not shown in the show. I hope you like it.

<><><><><><><><><>

As I saw my little Bondita slapping Thakur hard on his face after what he did to her, my chest swelled with pride. She is only twelve but the way she spoke today had me mesmerized. She was not an ordinary girl, she was my Bondita.

I was so enraged; that wretched man tried to touch Bondita inappropriately and how much I wish I could rip off those filthy hands that touched Bondita who was still a child, a child whose innocence he had tried to snatch. I had beat him brutally , but every time I remembered how Bondita had screamed out of fear, I felt like killing him in the most brutal way. He had already been taken by the police and Baba has accompanied the police as they took him to jail.

I looked at Bondita once. She was still standing in the same position. I wiped away my tears and I could see Kaka feeling guilty of whatever had happened with Bondita. I'll surely confront him in the morning. I looked at Bondita again and I could suddenly feel her shivering. Her eyes which were so fierce a moment ago were welling up. Before I could be there, she fell on her knees and screamed loudly, making everyone shiver. Her eyes shedded continuous tears and I immediately rushed towards her.

She was a mere child and this fear had gripped her heart now. No wonder she had fought bravely today but her little heart would still take time to heal.

I knelt down next to her as my heart wrenched looking at her. I wonder how men like Thakur could even think of doing something so vicious to a little innocent girl? My body ebbed again with anger.

I placed my hand gently on her head and as she looked up, tears welled up in my eyes. Her eyes were swollen and from her face dripped fear. I patted her head gently and tried to wipe away her tears. She just stared at me like a statue and my heart broke to a million pieces again. I took her hand gently in mine and squeezed it while the others stared at us. Her eyes flickered a little and when they met mine, all I could feel was fear that drenched her innocent heart.

Kaka uttered, through tears, with his head down, "Humari bahu ka dhyan rakh, Anirudh! "

How much I wanted to shout on him. Unintentionally, he was responsible for this. My body shuddered at the thought alone.

I just nodded my head, trying hard to control my anger.

I very carefully wrapped one arm around her shoulder and with my other hand, I held Bondita's tiny hand as I pulled her up from the floor. Her eyes were shedding unstoppable tears and her plight made my heart break again. I felt useless. No wonder I had reached on time before that wretched man could do anything to my Bondita but he had already grazed her feet with those devilish hands and I felt like slapping myself for letting that happen.

My eyes were welling up and I took Bondita slowly towards her room. Her tears were pricking my heart. I was constantly wiping her face with my hands. But the more I wiped her tears, the more she shed them.

As I pushed open the door of her room, I took her inside. Why was she not speaking anything?

I called out,"Bondita.. "

All I got in return was silence. This troubled me so much. What that man had done today was not a crime but a sin!

When you touch a girl without her permission and make her feel uncomfortable, then it's a sin!

Only a girl can understand the pain after being touched in an unpleasant way! This mere touch makes her shiver in fear and sometimes she ends up hating every single man out there; she fears standing before a man.

I don't wish this to happen to my Bondita! Never in her life would she fear a man!

Bondita stood still, only shedding tears. Unable to take it anymore, I placed my hand over her head and the very next moment, I pulled her into my embrace. Her head rested on my chest and just like her, I was shedding continuous tears, feeling her pain. I had held her close to myself. I tried soothing the little girl in my arms whose innocence was on the verge of crumbling at the hands of that man.

She did not respond. Her arms hung around my torso and she didn't reciprocate the hug. That hurt me even more. I remembered how she had wrapped her arms around me after I let her come out of her first menstrual pain. She had suffered physically and emotionally back then and my heart ached that I couldn't decipher it then.

I couldn't give up. I patted her head gently as I said,"Bondita, main hun..Tumhare Pati Babu tumhare saath hain Bondita. Ab koi tumhe kuchh nahi kar payega. Main kuchh hone dunga kya meri Bondita ko? Mere rehte tumhe koi dard nahi pahuncha sakta Bondita!"

My voice was cracking as she was not responding.

I continued, brushing her hair,"Bondita sunayi de raha hai na tumhe? Tumhe kisi bhi baat se darne ki koi zarurat nahi hai! Main hun tumhare paas. Bondita..."

I could feel her sniffing against my chest. This was enough to soothe me.

"Meri Bondita itni kamzor hai kya? Tumne toh achha jawab diya na us gire hue aadmi ko. Bondita tum bahadur ho na?"

She was crying hard and it was making me weak.

I patted her head as I continued," Baat karo na mujhse. Baat nahi maanogi apne Pati Babu ki?"

I caressed her hair as I continued talking to her, trying to put her back to being my chirpy Bondita.

In a swift movement, she wrapped her arms around me. And what I felt could not be described in words. Words simply could not express the relief I encountered when I felt her tugging onto my clothes from behind, crying her heart out.

She was going through so much pain. A child's innocence needs to be retained. Once lost, it cannot come back. That wretched touch Bondita felt today had shook her soul which was quite evident from her painful cries.

She finally spoke through her tears," Pati Babu! Mujhe bilkul achha nahi laga unka chhoona! Bahot galat laga mujhe!"

My heart ached once again.

I said," Jaanta hun main, Bondita. Main samajh sakta hun Bondita ki kaisa laga hoga tumhe!"

I patted her head continuously. I could not provide her the love of a mother. A daughter needs it the most in times like this. As I stroked her hair, I tried hard to make her feel as if Sumati Maa was caressing her hair, attempting to mix some motherly affection with some husbandly support.

She looked up at me and I could only feel enraged when I saw her swollen eyes. As the face of that man flashed in front of my eyes, I felt like mutilating those hands of his.

I wiped away Bondita's tears and held her shoulders. She was still sniffing. I gently took her towards her bed and made her sit while I sat on the floor in front of the bed, holding her little palms in mine.

She looked at me and I looked at her as if conveying everything without talking.

She spoke, breaking the silence,"Ab aap mujhe meri Maa ke paas bhej denge na Pati Babu hamesha ke liye?"

Innocence dripped from her voice, but I instantly frowned at this question. What was she saying?

"Yeh kya bol rahi ho Bondita? Main kyun karunga aisa?"I asked, calmly.

As tears brimmed in her eyes, she said innocently," Maine suna hai. Humare gaon mein Nirmala Kaki ko unke pati ne ghar se bahar nikal diya tha kyunki unhe kisi aur aadmi ne chhua tha. Unhe apavitra keh rahe the sab! Main bhi apavitra hun na Pati Babu ab."

I was so shocked. I wonder what more women face in this society. How is it the woman's fault if someone touches her inappropriately? How is it her fault?! Those men should be ashamed of themselves who voice their right over their wives but when their wives actually need their support, they push them into darkness.

And here the society had it filled in my little Bondita's mind too. Her innocence was being snatched everyday. She was calling herself impure! She should know that she is the purest soul I've come across in this life! Apavitra, my foot!

I looked into her eyes as I said,"Meri Bondita kabhi apavitra nahi ho sakti! Koi bhi ladki apavitra nahi hoti! Galat toh woh aadmi hote hain jo aisa kuchh karne ka sochte hain. Tum bahar ladi thi na apne liye toh ab aisi baatein kyun kar rahi ho tum?"

She uttered innocently," To aap nahi nikalenge mujhe ghar se bahar?"

I nodded in affirmation with a smile on my lips. She should know what she means to me. She is my reason to live, the goal of my life.

I stood up and wiped away her tears. I gently made her lie down on the bed and covered her with the duvet. She needed rest. As I was about to leave, I felt a tug on my hand and my little Bondita was looking at me, her eyes were horrified. She still needed time and care to get over this incident. I had consoled her already but she deserved more. She was a kid after all.

I took her hand in mine and sat on the bed next to her. Caressing her hair, I sang a lullaby trying to put her to sleep.

<><><><><><><><>

Hey dear readers! I don't know how it went! I tried my best to put those emotions into words. Let me know your views.