Setting It Right! (A Batuk-Anirudh-Bondita-Kaka Story)

Chapter 24: The Mating Dance

A/N:

Hello everyone.

Hope all is well at your end.Thank you for waiting patiently for this update. Batuk and Mallika's story is coming to a conclusive closure. Please let us know your views regarding their arc in the story.

We hope that you like this chapter. Do show your love and appreciation through your votes and comments. They make us very happy.

Love,

Ashley & Ayesha

--------------

29th July 1943, Roy Chaudhary Haveli, 9:30 AM

Batuk sank down onto the sofa in the living room, feeling completely out of sorts. Last night, he hadn't been able to speak to Mallika as had become a nightly routine for both of them, and this break in the routine was making him feel completely disgruntled.

Don't know why mien itna soch raha hu. Usne kaha tha ke woh baat nahi ker paaegi. Busy hogy apne kaam mein, he told himself firmly before trying to focus on what was going on around him.

He was sitting on the right-hand corner of the three-seater sofa that faced the main door, with Kaka sitting in the armchair adjacent to him. On his left, the Das ladies were sitting around discussing SD's proposal, which Tupur had not yet responded to.

Bondita was sitting right next to him, her eyes fixed anxiously on the door as if she was waiting for someone.

He gently bumped her shoulder with his own. And when she looked at him, puzzled, he gently whispered, "Itni chinta mat kerou Boudi, tum jis insan ka itne besabri se intezaar ker rahy hou, woh apne time pe aa hi jaaega. Tab tak hum yahan Tupur pe dhyaan dete hai."

Bondita gave him a tiny smile and both of them turned their attention to the conversation going on to their left.

"Mager Tupur, mujhe samajh mein nahi aa raha ke tum iss rishte ko haan kyun nahi ker rahi!" Sumati was exclaiming with exasperation. "Ladka kaabil hai, achhe ghar ka hai, tumse pyaar kerta hai! Dekho beta, aise zindagi jeene ka doosra mauka sabko nahin milta, tou apna faisla kerne mein ziada der na kerna."

"Arey nahi Sumati, yeh Tupur ke zindagi ka nirnay hai, soch-samajh ke hi lena chahiye." Thakuma interjected. "Waise bhi..." she shot a glance at Kaka, "Jaldbaazi mein galat jeevan saathi ko chun'na is parivar ke betiyon ko buht bhaari pad chuka hai. Tupur, tum aaraam se faisla lena. Waise bhi, iss rishte mein sirf Siddharth Babu nahi aayenge, unka beta bhi hai saath mein. Tumhien yeh bhi sochna hai ke kya tum Vardaan ki Maa banne ko tayyar hou?"

"Uska koi sawaal nahi hai Thakuma." Tupur said emotionally. "Vardaan jaan hai meri, aur uski Maa banna mere liye buht khushi ki baat hai."

"Ohho!" Tapur chirped in, "Vardaan tou abhi se tumhari jaan bann gaya! Aur Vardaan ke Baba?"

Tupur blushed, but then spoke resolutely, "Vardaan ke Baba se mien aaj apne kuch sawaalon ke jawaab maangne waali hunn, aur uske baad hi mien nirnay lungi."

The conversation made Batuk's mind go to the night of the party held a week back. He had decided to not call Mallika that night, thinking that she would have slept. However, she had been waiting up for him, despite the late hour.

Shayad aisa hi hua hoga! He thought, sinking back and closing his eyes. Shayad usey der hou gayi aur usne socha hoga ke mien sou gaya. Ab usey thodi pata hoga ke raat bhar mien uske phone ka intezaar ker raha tha.

His thoughts were interrupted by a squeeze of his left arm. He opened his eyes to look at his Boudi's teasing face. She tugged his arms to make him lean towards her and whispered, "Itna mat socho, jis insan ke na milne pe itna pareshan hou rahe hou, woh bhi apne samay pe tumhe mil hi jaayega..."