It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

79

Aniruddh went to his office after tucking Bondita back in her bed that morning. Pressure of his appeal at the verge of passing, no flaw could be afforded. But the third man who had tried to attack him was still on the loose. He was now not sure if could catch him with his voice even if he came infront of him. The two men were questioned enough but they didn't give the name claiming they didn't know. And they flat out had refused that there was someone who had sent them. They were going to get the punishment for attempted murder but that was it.

They could just be telling the truth. It was not the first time villagers had taken someone's life in their hands. An image of Bondita the day of her first wedding flashed infront him as her mother tried to shield her from the men who wanted to throw her in fire. Again that had happened with Sampoorna. Even Saudamini had taken advantage of this nature of society of meddling in everyone's life. These men just might actually have decided that they were in right place to kill him for the betterment of the society.

But...something was not right.
He needed more.

And now was not the time. Going after someone who wanted to kill him or focusing on his goal towards betterment of others.
He had to choose.

And he had chosen.

He lifted up the files regarding the Act and started working on it. He had spent the entire day yesterday after returning back with Bondita and then the hospital and a little while in office. Not to mention the confrontation with those two men. Today she had been too upset in the morning for him to think of anything else but now he remembered.

Aarti ji.

He was hoping she would turn up to his office today like she often did when she needed help regarding any issue in her ashram or some poor woman in need. To look at the progress of the making of the law against a system that had ruined her life. Just like the night he spent in her humble home.
It could ruin her again.

He could not let that happen. She had saved his life. He thought of going to ashram but decided against it as it might raise questions. It was not that he didn't visit that place normally. Infact he was loved there by a select few women he had helped out but he was sure that the news of someone staying at Aarti Ji's place was already circulating in the ashram. If he just went there to meet her it might spark up rumours.

Aniruddh spared one last glance through his glass doors hoping she would walk in so he could properly thank her for saving him and letting him reach Bondita in time. Return of gratitude was a must here. With a looming death threat and a weight of a life saving favour he went back to his brain wrenching work of cleansing of the society.

It was time for him to get back home. Bondita looked towards the door again expecting him but no sign yet. Sun was about to go down and she was getting anxious. He had just had an accident. He should be resting. He was wounded.

" He will be back soon Bahu." Trilochan could feel her restlessness. He knew she was scared of loosing him and she didn't even know the truth yet. She would jump out of her skin if she came to know that someone had tried to murder her Pati Babu and he had just gone wandering out again. Trilochan had tried to stop him. Asked him to work from home but he didn't listen stating his whole team was waiting for him. Trilochan sometimes cursed his son's unbendable will which led him to ignore his own well being. But being a parent he could do nothing but support his child with a heavy heart.

The heavy knocker on the main gate was thumped and they both turned to look at the visitor. Not enthusiastically though as Aniruddh would not use it and no one else walking through that door was going to make them happy this moment.

" Namashkar..."

Bondita had only seen her twice that she could remember of but had been too busy to notice her both the times properly. Aarti ji stood there at the door looking nervous and worried at what Bondita could read. Bondita stepped towards the door taking her in. She wore plain cream saree, a widow's atire or of a woman who has had something unfortunate happen to her. How striking it was to be able to tell the story of a woman just by the lack of colours in her life. She held a sling bag of cloth on the left shoulder and clutched it as if trying to hold on to it. Her braid loose, curls surrounded her oval face and big black eyes looked past her nervously greeting Kaka Sasurji. Bondita didn't think much of beauty but the last such beautiful woman she had seen was Saudamini. Aarti ji surely compared to her even with the lack of all the gold and shimmer that Buri Didi adorned herself with.