It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

73

Bondita was sitting in the mandir waiting for news of her Pati Babu as the men of the house went out looking for him. It was about eleven when Koyeli informed her of their arrival. She ran to the entrance.

" Where is he ?" She asked pleading, looking to the door as everyone had stepped in. " Kaka Sasurji, where is he ?" She twisted her pallu in her hands. Village men were there too. And even a few women.

Trilochan could not look at his Bahu. This house had promised her every happiness but today it had given her the grief of her life. He moved past her, his vision blurry.

" Som Dada !" She clutched his cuff to stop him. " Tell me where is he ?"

" Baudi..." Somnath was himself having the hardest time of his life. When his mother left them, he had been too young to know what he had lost, Batuk didn't even have a single recollection of their mother. For them today was the biggest lose. " I am sorry Baudi."

" Sorry for what ?" Bondita asked panicking. " I don't have time for apologies Dada. Where is he ? Where is my Pati Babu ?" She was about to beg those people for an answer if she didn't get one soon.

" We... found his car hanging from an old broken tree over the cliff. Not even..." His lips shivered as he recalled the scene. " Not even hanging from the very... edge...but...way away...Han... hanging over a cliff. We... couldn't... couldn't reach it."

" Where is he ?" She just wanted one answer. One.

" It was...the motor car...was on fire Baudi..."

Bondita felt all air leave her body as she lost her balance and was about to fall when Somnath held her by her shoulders. She tried taking in a few breaths. Keeping a hand over her heart, it was all alright. It had to be.

" Where.Is.He ?"

" We... didn't find...him Baudi..."

A cry left Sampoorna's lips as Batuk let out a sob turning away as he covered his eyes.

" What does that mean ?" Bondita asked.
Somnath could speak no more. Binoy was out at the gate still with the police and had just entered looking like a dead man walking. The police had told him he had most probably fallen down the cliff. The motor car was on fire too. There was no way we would have survived it. The hood of the motor car was up too making it packed and quite difficult for him to escape instantly and get out before the car caught fire. After the fire destroyed it's structure, it was quite possibly the body fell off. Further confirmation could be done only after they got that motor car down, if possible at all.

Somnath ran to his father and supported him leading him to the sofa where his Kaka sat equally devastated.

" Chhoti Malikin..." A man came out of the crowd. " He is...no more. Our Barrister Babu...is no..."

" SHUT UP !!!" Bondita had never yelled louder than this through her entire existence. " SHUT.UP !!!!"

"Baudi...!" The only one who had it just a little together was Batuk. He had not gone with them. He had not seen what they had. Sampoorna was a crying mess. Only he was there to help his Boudi but he knew today it was not going to be enough. " Baudi... listen..."

" WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO !?! LOOK AT WHAT HE IS SAYING !!!!" She yelled again making the people look at her with pity. The women had even started crying.  She walked up to them angrily. " Why are you crying, huh ? Why are you crying ??!!!" She pushed a woman a little and saw her stumble back. Even Somnath saw that and came to her.

" Baudi... Stop..." Som requested. " Koyeli take her up stairs."

Bondita didn't budge, starring at the man who had just given the news as if she would kill him just by that look.