Just you and me, Bondita

Interluding Sidetracks

Noor was still crying for a while and during that time, Batuk had dropped off the children to school and came to the same, exact spot in the market.

Noor tearfully watched him hold onto the toy stall owner in a casual manner and lead him to the back street of the market.

She took no account of this and wiped her tears off from under the burqa. As she was about to leave, she noticed Batuk coming back out quite breathless, shaking his wrist so vigorously that his watch was flying around and glanced behind him.

From seeing the state of the stall owner, Noor's eyes widened in astonishment- he was limping and seemed quite bruised.

Batuk then took him back to the stall and grinned maliciously, reaching his hand out to him. The owner fearfully gave the toy car to him and Batuk threw the money on his desk as he snatched the toy off him before jumping on his jeep.

"Oh God! Did he just beat that guy into acceptance?!" Noor gasped to herself but then shrugged, "Well he deserved it for his ignorant speech anyways."

As Batuk left, Noor also then made her way back to the courthouse.

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At the Roy Chowdary haveli, Kaka was walking up and down the hall in stress. After seeing the empty vodka bottle in Anirudh's room, the entire family grew nervous about his condition.

"What is going on with Anirudh?" Kaka stressfully asked himself as he gripped onto his cane.

Sampoorna heard him worry and approached him.

"Jethji... don't mind me but please don't ask Anirudh about anything unless he opens about it to you."

Kaka looked at her in disbelief and narrowed his eyes.

"What are you trying to say? Am I not allowed to enquire about my son's well being anymore? Am I stripped off that right now?"

"No, it's not like that, Jethji! You need to understand that he's not a child anymore- he's a grown man! He has his own problems, own needs... we can't just suddenly interfere into his life without his permission. Even I can see that he's been suffering a lot over the past few days and also the alcohol bottle is quite concerning too, but we have to wait until he is comfortable enough to open up to us. If we don't do this then he'll start to distance himself from us and that would be no good to anyone!"

Kaka worriedly nodded in agreement- what Sampoorna was trying to say was the truth and so he decided to wait until Anirudh gains the confidence to open up about his problems. He then remembered something and looked at her in query.

"Oh yes, I forgot to ask this, what was Batuk talking to you about last night? I heard your voice in his room and was a bit lost."

Sampoorna gulped- she didn't want to get Batuk in trouble too.

"Oh it's nothing too serious, he was just talking about normal things..." she managed nervously.

"He didn't tell you anything about what they all did yesterday?"

"No... he didn't talk about that."

"Hmmm... well someone has to open their mouth at some point!" Kaka scoffed before walking out of the house.

Sampoorna sighed in relief as she saw him leave. That was when she realised that Batuk was suffering along with Anirudh and her heart broke thinking about her disheartened sons.

"Who knows- maybe Somnath is also having a hard time but isn't showcasing it to anyone?" she worried before walking away too.

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