It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

96

Aarti had felt too hurt when Aniruddh had not even spared a glance at her and went away when she clearly had something important to discuss with him.

Too hurt...

She could not think of anything else the whole day, the whole evening and even night. She heard around that Sampoorna was rushed to hospital and it made her feel better. Yes... better. Better that he was not avoiding her on purpose but had really an urgent matter to attend to. If he was so dedicated towards his step mother who had a very bad history with him, how devoted would he be to the woman he loved.

Or will love...

Maybe it was so because she had frequented his house a few times, saw the love family had for each other that it was too unbearable for her to not be a part of what was going on in that family. And that drove her to walking long corridors of the hospital at night looking for them.

Looking for him...

Oh he had looked so... serene in that moonlight. No one dressed here like him. At least not anyone else than the British. He was the Vilayti Babu of this area. The only one to have actually witnessed what lay outside in this world. But it pierced like a thorn on a rose stem, the presence of his little wife beside him. Always beside him.

In those dark shadows was where she actually analysed her situation.

What was she doing ? Why was she here ? He was a married man and right now she felt like a mad woman. Mad. What else was she ?

Aarti saw him hug Bondita and it made her take a few more steps back in the darkness. How well the scene represented her stand. She...a lowly woman. A lonely woman supposed to always stay in the dark. No matter what. He was smiling for his wife. A wife he was not even in love with. What would it be like if he really fell in love with her ? He would shower Bondita with every happiness there is in this world and Aarti would look at it from here. Right here. From the dark corners.

Only if she had someone to throw the light on her too. Aarti could feel a few tears drop down. Unlucky. Unnoticed. Women...they were cursed to shed tears at every step of their life but even they were divided. Between two kinds of women. One who had everything like Bondita and one with nothing...like her. If they cried right now...only Bondita's tears would catch the moonlight and shine as she got stand under the moon. No one will even see her's in the dark.

Aarti knew well...no one would notice her tears.

Wipping them she turned and walked away. All youth, all beauty, all brain...all vain. Everything pointless without that one person who knows how to cherish it. And Barrister Babu knew it just well...
She had come across many men. Good as well as bad. But none like him...

She...she too could have been like Bondita. Or... Sampoorna. Hot headed women, strong minded woman. All because they had a few advanced thoughts ? No. All because they had strong backups. While she had to depend on others for two time meals. What good was her being beautiful if she was living a lonely life. What good was this beauty if she could not...get what she wants.

Standing in front of him, having his eyes on her even through the door was enough. Enough to tell her what she wanted.

And then it struck her. She had again fallen into another traps of this world. Something she didn't want to even admit  right now for she knew she would fall by the weight of its guilt and unfairness.

He was a married man...

Aniruddh was surprised, not a pleasant one, at her arrival. It was really not the right time. Mami had opened her mouth for what...like two minutes ? And it had crashed down his mind so hard. Ooo he was all about women empowerment but not that one. That woman needed no such thing. He was not in a mood but he had excused Aarti last time too. He had to do it right. Be polite. He nodded slightly indicating she could come in.