It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

107

Bondita was anxious the whole night. She didn't want any trouble for her Pati Babu. And who...who started it ? There were not many people who knew.

Aniruddh had woken up early and sat in his study all bathed and dressed. He could not think of anything else. He didn't want to judge someone without evidence but...Aarti. He did feel guilty of pointing his suspensions at her after knowing she loved him but he had seen the exact same thing in the past. He wanted to believe not all women were veil but...
The examples infront of him. Bondita's Mami, Thakuma, Saudamini, Sampoorna at a time, wife of his last Munshi, and not to mention the women he dealt with in his work. Yes, he considered them equal to men in every way and that came down to even wickedness. The softness he expected in a woman's nature had often been challenged.

Neither his respect had lowered for women kind nor were his efforts going to drop but it did make him sad to come across women pulling down women. If this was Aarti's doing, he would be severely judged and asked for justice again but it would hurt someone else too. Bondita...and he could not let that happen.

" You are up ?" Bondita stood at the study doors. " I will get you coffee."

She didn't wait for his reply. Her voice not happy at all. Who ever did this would pay. And if it is Aarti...he had told her how important his marriage was to him.

Bondita came back with his coffee and kept it on his table. Standing, observing, waiting. He looked tired.

" Bondita, you didn't sleep ?"

" I did." She replied quietly. The silence followed as he sipped his coffee. " I make the best coffee Pati Babu."

Aniruddh looked up, cup halfway to his lips. " You do."

" I know how much...sugar you like. How long to boil it to your liking. How deep the colour should be. I know everything perfectly."

" You...do..."

" No one else can make it like that for you." Her voice just cracked a little at the end as she stood straight and firm in the nearly dark study in front of him.

" I am sure of it more than you can ever be." He looked straight at her wanting her to know the depth of his truth.

" Hmmm..." She didn't trust herself to speak right now and Aniruddh could see easily she was holding back her tears. She turned to move away but he gently held her left hand in his right. She turned to him a little confused, a little content.

Aniruddh slowly pulled her as he rotated his chair towards her making her stand between his knees. His eyes were soft but Bondita could not bear it and her lashes fluttered down. His left hand slowly found its way up and cupped her cheek and he could as if see the shiver run through her. Shivering, he was too. With fear. Dread. Of loosing her.
He knew for sure if this went wrong, she would leave him for sure. And no amount of crying, explanations, begging would make her stay. Even today she had an option of studying at a hostel school. He didn't know if she would end this marriage with him as this time it really was not his fault, but she sure won't stay in this haveli.

" Pati Babu..." Bondita asked. " What happened...?" She cupped his cheeks. " Are you ok...?" He wanted to hug her, throw his arms around her and let her handle him but even that felt wrong for the moment. He was linked with another woman yet again and it felt he had lost his rights on his own wife.

" I...am ok." Till she was with him. If the moment could freeze here. His hand on her cheek, her's on his shoulders. The closeness. The air. The morning...

" Tell me what you want to eat. I will make it for you." She asked finally smiling, a genuine one.
And that was enough for him to go through anything.