It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

8

He didn't want to go to Krishnanagar was an understatement.

Nothing made Aniruddh feel like Bondita's husband more than the feeling of pure uneasiness on going to his in-law's house. Going to Sumati maa's home felt, well...homely but going to Das haveli was a different issue altogether.
" This is what other husbands must feel while being surrounded by their pestering in-laws" he thought with unease. He was yet to meet a man who favoured their in-laws. But Aniruddh knew his reason to want to avoid going with Bondita was different. For others, it was matter of pride that they were the ladke wale but for him the reason was Bondita.

He knew he would be taken care of there quite well simply because he was their jamai babu. Where people from girl's side didn't even accept water when they visited her sasural, the jamai babu was treated like bhagwan in his sasural. It always made him feel uneasy. Seeing Sumati maa going to lengths while having minimum resources just to give him comforts similar to his haveli in a humble hut always made his heart clench. He wished the daughters got such treatment in their sasural too. Alas they were treated as unpaid maids.

And though this all made him uncomfortable, Sumati's love reflected in her efforts more than her will to please her jamai babu. She really loved him for who he was and so he was comfortable there. And the main reason to be comfortable there was because no one used to pester Bondita there, in Devipur.
But in Krishnanagar it was not going to be the case. They were all going to be after his Bondita, specially thakuma.

" Should I keep this one or this one ? " His room this evening was filled with sounds of Bondita's anklets running from one corner to other. He had given up. She didn't like one thing he picked out for himself to be packed so she took it upon herself to pack his stuff.

Why did he even bother in the first place ?

He could not manage one thing without her. And packing stuff for him was like her personal right or something, had been doing it for him since the first time they had to go out together after their marriage. She took it as a personal insult if she was not consulted on this matter. She had once came from Devipur just because she was worried people would not do a good job of packing his bag.

And he took offence in anything personal to him in which she didn't show interest. He was now habitual to Bondita fussing over his every day routine to the point where it might seem irritating to others. But not to him. He liked it.
He wanted it.

Bondita had two books in her hands. It was a difficult choice.
" Just keep both." He replied and went back to the book he was currently reading.
"No...! What are you planning to do ? Read your days away ?"
" If it helps avoiding those people...Yes...!" He mumbled under his breath.

" Did you say something...?" He looked up, startled to find her right next to him. How did she move so fast ?
" Hum...?" She had her hands on her waist. " You don't want to spend time with me there ?"

He took her left hand and made her sit in front of him, his book forgotten, smile on his face. He wanted to spend every waking moment with her.
Recently he had been way too busy with his work. After the whole Manorama fiasco he had been very worried.
Worried about his own financial standing. He knew he was a zamindar but was he giving any input by helping his kaka ? No. Was he earning well as a Barrister ? No.

He was not just a son or a zamindar anymore. He was a husband, a guardian and was trying to be a social reformer. This all needed money. And Sampoorna had harshly showed him the reality of him actually owning nothing. He had to risk his life for just one month of school fees for Bondita.

This would not do.

People from rich backgrounds attained education not to pursue an occupation. Those degrees were mere accomplishments, decoration. Could you imagine a doctor from zamindar or other rich high caste family going door to door, giving services to rich and poor alike ? Or a barrister of an affluent family going to court, sitting under a tree, waiting for cases and receiving money from lower people for the favours ? No...!
This was just not how it worked. Working was left for the working class, people who needed money, not the ones born with it.