Between the lines...

Into the middle...

"Rakshak Babu..!"
Smiled Bondita with glistening eyes, lost in her thoughts as she lay her head against the train's window.

'Whatever he may have said in these past few months or whatever he might have done... but he would always be that for her, her Rakshak.
The word was synonymous to him.
A second nature to him.'

"My protector, my keeper...my God!"
'and she would always keep him in her heart like that, remember him as that.'

With this she closed her eyes and the tears found their path through the contours of her face, making their way to hide behind the silver heart-shaped locket, tied around her neck with a black thread. She had been holding it tight in her left hand close to her heart since this journey started.
She pressed her eyes tighter to shed the last drop of the tears that wouldn't leave her eyes.

"My Shikshak Babu..!"

'He had fought the World, his and around. Just to give her the sky every woman deserved.
He had fought her too when time came, so that she wouldn't be clutched in the web of the harsh customs and traditions.'

She put the locket inside her blouse hiding it away from the cruel world, as if protecting her little heart and silently promising to keep everything inside it, safe, secure and protected.

'She could never disappoint him... Never.
She would follow the path he had once shown her. She would fly the endless sky, and walk the grounds that he has provided her, for which he was even ready to lose his life.'

'She always was a good student and she would prove if not to others than to herself she could be even better. She would make him proud again and again, and again,... so that he could say "Shabash Bondita! I am proud of you."
Just like he wanted to say not more that 24hours ago. She had not heard him say it out loud, but had seen it in his eyes.'

"His eyes!"
'Ever since she came back she had noticed, they were always tired... not only sad. His father was suffering the worst due the enimity... of course he was Sad. But he was physically tired too. She had noticed all those Accounts files of their trading company in his study while she was trying to find the reason behind the pain of his heart. He must be good at it,...the accounts. Wasn't he the one who taught her The Compound Interest.'

"Chakravridhi Byaj"
a chuckle left her lips.

'Of course he was good at it.
He was working hard keeping both family and people safe and secure, of course his eyes were always tired. He just couldn't sleep and take some rest. Just like those old days he would sit in her room till she finished her homework no matter what, no matter how much he was tired after a long day in the court, but he would always come to her room, ask her if it was a good day at school, if she learnt something new, if she was understanding what her teachers taught, if she wanted help. He never missed a day.
He was never tired then.'
This made her sad.

"Probably why the spectacles."
'They suited him. Added to his Aura.'

"Barrister Babu!"
'Maybe now he would have a little peace.
With the enimity ended, culprit in prison he could atleast rest tonight. Then be back for his duties again tomorrow. But just for atleast one night he should rest. The man who has hurt his father was now behind the prison. If not a son atleast the Barrister in him would be satisfied that the criminal was punished for his offence.'

She knew a son could never be satisfied after what had happened to his father but the Barrister in him would understand.
'He fought the injustice, won the case and got the criminal punished. Now Tulsipur was free of its enemy and Barrister Babu could atleast rest tonight.
...and so should she.'

Holding her pounding head, she decided to lay down for a while as she had not slept properly for weeks and then yesterday after the hectic case, had decided to start on this new venture, away from all, away from him but not without his guiding light.
Sleep took over her as soon as she laid on the cot in the train. Train to... she knew not where but she decided on Calcutta first.

She couldn't stay there anymore. There. Where she used to think she belonged, but in reality never did.
There was no one who was hers there. All official relations with Tulsipur were over 8 years ago and now she found out she never belonged to Krishnanagar.
She belonged to no one and no one belonged to her. She was now what her Shikshak always wanted her to be.

Not Bondita Anirudh Roy Chaudhary.
Not Bondita Das.
But
Barrister Bondita.

And that was everything she could ever ask for, she would ever need to be, or she would even want to be.

And now the true journey of becoming Barrister Bondita begins.