It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

95

The baby was finally home.

Trilochan had not cared to wipe his tears as Bondita did the arti of the daughter of the house in her mother's arm at the entry of haveli and not while he held her. He didn't want to put her down or give her to someone else. It was when Bondita sweetly made him understand that the baby needed feeding did he give back the child to her mother.

Bondita was actively working, running from kitchen to the drawing room back and forth. There had been some guests visiting every now and then to congratulate the couple. It was busy in the haveli after quite a while and it was making her happy. Making her want to dance. In all this she didn't forget to steal glances at her Pati Babu. He too was happy. Very much so. He would look at his baby sister adoring her. Was it because she was his sister or because she was a baby that was making him smile ?"

' I don't want to be a mother...' She had said something like that to him. It was not as if he would give her a baby had she wanted to become a mother, that was set in stone, but saying something like this made her feel guilty. Specially after having a look at the baby face of the newest member.

No...no she won't do it again. She won't compare one happiness with other. He was happy right now and was that not enough. She heard him laugh out heartily at something Batuk said.

Yes... that was enough for her.

" Oh Chhoti Bahu ji..." One of the women who had come called her out of her day dream. Apparently she was smiling like a mad. " When will you give the good news ?"

" Pardon me..." Bondita smiled at her.

" She asked when can we expect a good news from you." There was another woman. And one more.

" What good news ?"

" Oh ho Chhoti Bahu Raniji, you are trying to play dumb." She giggled to which Bondita tried to not scrunch her face. " Baby Bahu Raniji. Baby."

" Oh don't tease her." The third woman smiled biting her pallu between her teeth. " You know that won't happen soon. Or ever..."

Ok. Bondita knew she would be having such things thrown at her. And she was  ok with it. But who said she could not give them a befitting answer while still sounding mature. Well she wanted to do the less mature thing and push them out of her house but her values said 'Guest is Bhagwan.'. Well that was the only thing saving that woman. And Bondita was doing her a favour by deciding not to create a scene because if her Pati Babu got to know this, well....

" Yes !" Bondita smiled wide. " Yes. Absolutely." The taunting smiles of those women got crushed under the one dominating bright smile of Bondita. " What ? I am agreeing with you." Bondita acted as if proud of them. " You finally see that it is a possibility that a girl my age is not going to get pregnant and that is good. And I promise..." She kept her hand on the arm of the nearest woman excitedly " one day it would feel criminal to even think about getting a young girl pregnant."

She enjoyed how the looks on their face were of shock. " Bahu Raniji..."

" You see my Pati Babu right there..." She glanced at him lovingly enough to flaunt to them. " He has worked day and night to bring this change. Girls less than fourteen are not allowed to stay with their husbands and from now only girls above sixteen can get married. This was done keeping in mind the ill effects of pregnancy." She turned back to them, her right hand holding her pallu in place. She knew what next they could throw at her. His non existent attraction towards her. " You see...he cares for me so much...so much to bring about a whole new revolution. He can't see me in pain he says. " She kept a hand on her heart for dramatic effect. " You see my health would get affected if I get pregnant this early and...he can't bear it." She finished with a smile. " Husbands too do care about their wives. Atleast mine does."