Just you and me, Bondita

Purposeful Conversations

"What do you mean by that, Batuk?... What has been bothering you recently?..."

Bondita continued to watch the grim Batuk curiously as she awaited for his response. She then placed the photograph back where it belonged and held his arm in query.

"Hello... I'm asking you something here, Batuk?..." she continued to question as he stood there blankly.

Batuk then feebly gazed at her and gave his sister-in-law a sheepish smile.

"Boudi..." he mumblingly started off before childishly whining, "How do you even speak to a woman?"

"Ehh???" she reacted unexpectedly with a confused, crunched face.

"Honestly, how are you supposed to even open up to a woman?"

Bondita paused for a split second before hysterically chuckling away.

"Batuk, are you being serious?" she laughed contently, "I thought you were the 'expert' in handling ladies!"

"That's what I thought too... but I guess I'm wrong..." he clumsily murmured as he scratched his head in embarrassment, "That's why I'm asking you for help..."

"Wait.. who..." she attempted to ask but had to halt to catch her breath from all the laughter, "Who are you even struggling to open up to?"

Batuk let out a deep sigh and faintly pouted, "Who else? Vashma..."

Bondita then raised one of her eyebrows suspiciously and crossed her arms across her chest as she continued to inquisitively smirk at him.

"Batuk... have you forgotten that she's your wife?... So why are you struggling to speak with her out of all people??"

"Shall I be completely honest with you, Boudi..." he started off quietly, "I've met and spoken to many women in life and I've always felt confident and assured during every conversation. However, when it comes to Vashma, I'm genuinely struggling to talk..."

Bondita squinted her eyes curiously as she smirked even harder from hearing his struggling experience and carried on listening intently.

"... I mean whenever we're bickering with each other, I don't feel this way but every time we sit down to have a normal conversation, my God, I'm always suffering internally... No matter if it's a positive or a serious situation, I'm still struggling to converse.... You see, nowadays I can't even look into her eyes and speak without stuttering like a mad man and sometimes my hands are trembling as if I'm some old person! And let's not talk about how my face just burns in embarrassment as well..."

Batuk took a pause from his rant and closed his eyes in dismay.

"Ughh... even right now I need to talk to her about something important, but I... I just can't seem to put my words across..." he mumbled feebly.

That was when he glanced up and was stunned to find Bondita grinning ecstatically at him before cracking up.

"What? Why are you laughing???" he whined in confusion.

"Because I never knew you were this fickle-minded!" she giggled before playfully pulling his cheeks, "What everyone says about you is true! You honestly are a child!"