Anidita : With you always

CHAPTER 5

Bondita tried to wake up before anirudh, tried being the keyword. By the time she woke up, anirudh had already done his morning chores. Opening her eyes lazily she saw anirudh going towards kitchen. She immediately got up and ran towards him. "Patibabu apne mujhe ythya kyu nhi? Mei apki madad kar deti. Aap rukiye mei bas yu gyu aur yu aai, fir  hum saath mei khana bana lenge." she said in one go.

"Arey bondita aarm se, phele saans lelo. Aur rhi baat tumhe na uthane ki toh bondita bhi kuch zyada samay nhi hua hau, voh aaj mujhe jaldi kaam pe jana tha isliye maine socha ki jaldi uth ke saare kaam kar lu. Tum aaram se naha aao tab tak mei kahan bana deta hu."

"Par patibabu..."

"Koi par var nhi bondita. Yeh hum dono ka ghar hai toh kaam bhi dono hi karenge na. Ab tumne kal raat ka khana banya toh subha meri baari. Chalo ab jao."

Bondita looked at him with a dejected face. She took her clothes and went to have a bath. While bathing she was thinking about more ways through which she can become a good wife. Getting up early and doing chores was something she won't be able to and if she tries to argue then her patibabu will not even let her help him. She thought to visit the village ladies again today and get more information about how to become an ideal and good wife.

She entered the house after getting dressed up only to find that her patibabu has already made few dishes. She went ahead to help him but was asked to stay out of kitchen and wait for food. She looked at her patibabu, a bad feeling consuming her as she thought she failed at being a good wife. She promised to work upon herself and to prove that she can be an ideal wife. Soon anirudh came with food and they settled down to have it. 

Today again bondita asked anirudh to not lock the door and he agreed to it, though he didn't like the idea of bondita mingling with village ladies as god know what all they might tell her and ruin her innocent mind. He didn't have the time to argue with her so he agreed and left in a hurry. Upon reaching court he settled his things and started working on purshotam kaka's case. He gathered the important documents and was going through them to find evidence against purshotam's brother. 

Soon it was noon and anirudh decided to take a short break. Today also no one visited him regarding their case. Anirudh was disappointed. He was a barrister and wanted to fight for people's right. His main motive for coming back to india was to get justice for women of his country. He wanted to work for their well being. Making toilets for them was his first step as he knows how difficult it is for women to go out in open. But he was not able to accomplish that because of some reasons. He thought if he was not getting any client, he'll start working on something he knows that can help people. The barrister in him was quite excited to work on this idea. He also thought of taking bondita's help as she might provide some useful ideas.

Glancing at his watch, he realized that short break went quite long. He picked up his things and marched out of court. Reaching the location that azadi express has mentioned, he looked around for her but didn't found her. Suddenly a paper ball hit his head. Message inside instructed his to come behind the old haveli. Upon reaching there he saw aazadi express standing with some different weapons. There were some swords, knifes and other things whose functioning he needed to learn for the mission.

"Toh shuru kare aaj ka abhayas Barrister Babu?"

Nodding his head anirudh made his way to her. Aazadi express threw a sword towards him which he managed to catch just in time. She started teaching him how to use it. After learning a few tricks, anirudh got a little over confidant and  started swaying his sword here and there. As a result he cut himself on his arm. Aazadi Express immediately rushed towards him and tied her dupatta around his cut while e winced in pain.

"Dhyan se barrister babu. Talwar hai koi khilona nhi."

Anirudh apologized to her and kept the sword down, now suddenly afraid of it.

Their practice continued for a few more hours after which they decide to continue the rest tomorrow.

"Kal issi jagha par paunch jaeyega barrister babu. Humare pass sirf ik hafte ka samay hai. uUsle baad hume apne krantikari saathi ko unn angrezo ki kaid se aazad karvana hai."

"Tum fikar mat karo. Hum apne maksad mei zaroor kamayab honge."

Aazadi express joined her hands and muttred a prayer. Then she bid bye to anirudh and left from there. As she was gone, anirudh looked at his injured arm and thought about bonsdita. What will he tell her, she will ask numerous questions how he'll answer all those. He needed to think of a lie as he didn't want to worry her by telling that he was involved with krantikaris that too for her school fees. He made his way back home thinking about what story is he going to narrate to bondita.

Here bondita followed her yesterday routine. She finished her chores and made her way towards the group of women sitting beneath peepal tree. Listening to them with her full attention she made some points on how to make her place in her patibabu's heart. What she didn't realize is that she didn't need to do any of these things to make her place in her patibabu's heart. Her tarks, different approach and thought process in any situation, her fierce nature all this had already had her patibabu's heart. The proud look on her face when ever she puts her points in front of others without hesitating shows how much he admires her. Her cute anger, that puffed cheeks and hands folded across her chest brings a cute smile on his face showing how much he adores her. 

But when ten people tell you same thing we often tend to ignore the things infornt of us. And bondita was just a teenageer, the age where it is very easy to manipulate her thoughts. This only happened with her, she was manipulated by these thoughts of these village women who think that woman is nothing without her husband, all she has to do her entire life is to obey them even when they are treated wrong. Bondita failed to acknowleged the fact that her patibabu was not like those ordinary men who treated women like dirt of their feet. Her patibabu was someone who taught her to fight for her rights, stand up for herself and others. But all this just disappeared from her mind and she was just concentrating on talks of village women.

On her way back home, bondita was thinking to quickly go and make dinner again as she got to know one way of getting to a man's heart was via his stomach. She paced up and started to make dinner. After some time she was done and was waiting for anirudh. 

Anirudh entered the house and was greeted by a similing bondita whose smile suddenly change to frown and then a tensed face. 

"Patibabu aapko yeh kya hua. Yeh chot kaise aur kab lagi apko. Aur aapne dawa kyu nhi lagai abhi tak. Aap bilkul dhyan nhi rakhte apna. Yaha baith jaiye mei haldi ka lep lekar aati hu." Bonita said with tears making there way in her eyes. She rushed towards kitchen to prepare lep and quickly came with it. 

removing the dupatta she saw the wound, her eyes teared up and a tear rolled down her cheek. Anirudh rubbed her tears and told her that he is absolutely fine. He told her that he got injured while solving a fight that happened in court and bondita didn't question him as her mind was more involved in treating his wound. Anirudh asked her not to cry to which she repiled "Aapko chot lagegi toh aansu nhi aaenge kya mere."

Anirudh smiled at her and got up after getting his wound treated. He was going to prepare dinner but bondita told him that she already prepared it.

"Bondita tumne aaj fir se khana banya. Tumhe kal mana kiya tha na. Kyu kiya tumne. Mei bana leta na vapis aakar."

"Patibabu aaj subha aapne hi kaha tha na ki ghar dono ka hai toh kaam bhi dono hi karenge. Aur vaise bhi apko chot lagi hai, aapko lagta hai iss halat mei main aako khana bana ne dungi? Aap bas chup chap baith jaiye aur khana kha lijiye."

Anirudh sat down without arguing and started having his dinner. Bondita got him haldi milk after he finished his dinner to which he started making faces. But one glare of bondita and he gulped the entire content of the glass. Bondita offered him to sleep inside the house to which he refused. He made his way out, towards his bed after wishing her good night. He laid down and sleep made way to his eyes immediately.

Bondita laid awake in her bed. She was worried that anirudh might hurt his arm out there. She thought to try once again and call him inside but saw him sleeping. Not disturbing his sleep she covered him with sheet and made way towards her bed. Glancing towards anorudh for one last time, she closed her eyes and slept.

-x-