Rudhita: Rattan

CHAPTER 3 SOMETHING'S MISSING

Even after Ani and bon talked it out. Ani still thought if bondita was lying so he started keeping his distance thinking that if bondita was lying she would have definitely again do some silly things. But it never happened. Bon never came . She was broken . She had almost left laughing and crying. If only she has to laugh she will smile half heartedly with a fake smile.
It has been 3 years now. Bondita proved Aniruddh wrong with topping in all her exams. Her principal used to praise her a lot . She avoids Aniruddh as much as she can. She has left her calling pati babu she calls her barrister Babu. Ani was happy at first he was even proud of her but he used to feel like something was missing something was slipping away.
Yes, but in these years bon and mano has formed a bond of helpers. Like how she was just helping her now.
Kaka: Manorama bahu itni subah subah kahan gayi thi ?
Manorama went early in the morning for her mission but she can't tell that to kaka. Ani was going to now make kaka mum by his arguments went to stand near manorama but bon took the lead.
Bon: Aagayi aap manorama di mandir se ?
Kaka: Mandir ?
Bon: Haan kaka sasurji woh di mandir gayi thi aur ye kya di aap prasad bahar bhul gayi.
Bon goes near the table kept at the threshold and brings the prasad packet. Bon has herself kept the prasad packet there.
Bon: Lijiye kaka sasurji.
Kaka: Thike Thike chalo ab aarti karte hein.
Kaka went ahead. Bon followed him but turned backwards and blinked both her eyes at manorama to assure her in return mano smiled warmly.
Ani saw them he was happy that they understood each other but he was quite envious of manorama he wished that if bon and he also had the same bond. But he was happy that bon was focusing on her studies.

That day in the afternoon bon's principal has called Aniruddh to praise bondita. He was coming out from principal office when he saw bondita going out of school gate as the school was over. He ran towards her.
Ani: Bondita....
Bon: (shocked) Ba.. Barrister babu aap yahan ?
Ani: Haan woh tumhare principal sir ne bulaya tha kaafi taarif kar rahe the tumhari . I am proud of you bondita.
He said having a wide smile while bon just smiled a bit her as usual fake smile.
Bon: Shukriya.
This was the first time after that incident bon and Ani were alone .
Ani notices kulfi.
Ani: Kulfi khaaogi bondita ?
Bon: Nahin barrister Babu mera mann nahin hein aur kaka sasurji ko pata chala ki humne bahar se kuch khaya toh bahut daantenge.
Ani didn't like it. She was not smiling she was not talking to him just answering his questions in yes or no and moreover she refused to eat kulfi. He was in his thoughts when they were going through the market . Their some women taunted bondita.
Woman 1: Ye dekho ab bhi kaise besharmon ki tarah vidyalaya jaati hein.
Woman 2: Zaroor ismein kuch kami hongi issiliye toh uske pati ko dusra vivaah karna pada.
Woman 3: Arrey ye toh apshaguni hein .
Woman 1: Iski saya toh kabhi nahin sajegi . Pati ko khush rakh hin nahin paayi.
And the men were staring at bon with very bad eyes but just because they all feared trilochan they didn't dare to do anything. Ani was going to scold the women when Bondita just walked past him.
Ani also walked behind her. Ok, so now the market was over and it was a quiet road ahead.
Ani: Bondita tum wahan se aise chali kyun aayi ?
Bon:(with a short fake smile ): Har roz hota hai ye koi nayi baat nahin hein.
Ani felt a pain in his heart.
He who has always been proud of her first time noticed her properly after  3 years.
Ani's POV,
I saw her . I thought maybe she would be crying but she was not . She does not smile often now and whenever she smiles it makes my heart sink more. That's not her signature bubbly smile. Her eyes didn't have that spark of happiness and mischievousness in it but her eyes showed a deep silence a deep calmness an unknown sadness. Her face void of any emotion. It looked like someone has replaced the original bondita. It's not the real her. It's a mask .

Less did Ani know that her outer covering was a fake mask and from inside she was becoming hollow.
They reached home . When sampoo maa was there.

Sam: Tujhe sharam nahin aati na itna hone ke baad bhi bojh bani hui hein. Arrey samajhti kyun nahin tu ki zabardasti shaadi ki thi Aniruddh ne tujhse.
Bon: Jinke ghar kaanch ke hote hein woh dusron pe patthar nahin phekte.
Saying this she leaves to her room. After some time Ani goes to bondita room. He stood infront of her room and prepared himself as he thought bondita might be crying . He entered her room. Bondita was lying on her bed with eyes closed. He thought bondita was sleeping so he put his hands on her head but as soon as his hands touched her head she opened her eyes. Their eyes met for a second then bondita pushed his hand and sat up.
Bon: Kuch kaam tha barrister Babu ?
Ani: Bondita woh....
Just then mano enters .
Mano: Bondita aa gayi tum ?
Bon: Haan di.
Mano: Oh maaf karna tum Aniruddh se baat karo.
Bon: Nahin di barrister Babu jaa hin rahe the.

Ani then leaves from there and goes to his study.
Ani's POV,
Till now I was proud of her. I myself used to feel lonely but today after all what I saw she has really become strong she didn't even cry but I miss her she doesn't come to me doesn't talk to me happily  doesn't play with me she is growing up she will become barrister soon. Will she leave me ?
( Ok here I want to tell you guys that when Ani married mano bon was 15 so now she is 18 and she studies in the college of Tulsipur opened by Aniruddh .)
Mano comes there with ani's coffee . In all these years bon has never brought coffee to Aniruddh .
Mano: Kuch pareshan lag rahe ho Aniruddh ?
Ani: Woh bondita use sach pata hein phir bhi woh ab mujhse pehle jaisa bartaav nahin karti aur gaon ke log use bohut taane maarte hein par usne bhi unse kuch nahin kaha mujhe kuch samajh nahin aa raha hein ?
Mano: Kal holi hein aniruddh kal tum usse aaram se baat kar sakte ho .
Ani: Bilkul thik kaha .

And on the other side.
Sam: Mera kaam toh ho jaayega na.
Person: Bilkul tumhe chinta karne ki zaroorat nahin hein.

What is sampoorna planning ?

Hey everyone I know I updated after a long time but you know my boards are coming.

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