What if... An Anidita Scrap Tales

SS: A Forever Goodbye? (P-3)

She was sitting there alone near the stove preparing the dinner. She had been worried the entire day since she missed the school because of being late and would have to face his wrath but then she thought that it was because of him only that she got late.

"Bondita." Here he was. Before he could speak anything she said "Aaj deri hone ke kaaran main kaksha mein nahi pohoch paayi, toh issey pehle ki aap daante, main keh rahi hu ki main aapke wajah se deri se pohochi."

He took a moment to acknowledge her words and letting out a sigh he asked creasing his eyebrows "Bondita, tumhe kis baat ki afsos ya pareshaani thi? Aaj ki class miss karne ki, ya mere daant ki?" "Aapke daant ki." She replied casually as if this was an obvious answer.

"Toh tumhe kaksha chhoot jaane ka koi afsos nahi hai?" He asked with a look of incredulity. "Nahi" She again replied nonchalantly.

She poured the oil into the pan for preparing the luchis and continued with a smile "Aap kya sochte hai, ussey badhkar hai kya kuch mere liye? Aur waise bhi Jab aap, mere shikshak babu mere saath hai, toh inn sab ka koi darr nahi. Haina? Aap sikhaayenge na mujhe?"

He looked away for a moment shutting his eyelids and replied "Kyu nahi Bondita. Tumhare Pati Babu tumhe sab sikhaayenge. She felt somthing odd in his tone but was much naive to recogenize that.

She started making the luchi and he was sitting beside her. "Bhari Babu" she yelled "Zara akhbaar jaldi laao."

"Bondita, Bihari toh chhat pe hai. Kyu..." He looked at the luchis getting fried and said with a small chuckle "Acha luchiyaan tal rahi ho. Tel sokne ke liye kaagaz chahiye hoga na? Main abhi aaya."

Saying this he leaned on his left side to the take notebook that was kept on the flour container near the stove as she was planning to revise after this. He looked it for a moment and then looked at her who was looking back at him with a subtle smile and eyebrows creased in confusion. What he did next was totally unexpected.

"Toh ye rahe kaagaz Bondita." Saying this he started tearing the pages of her copy "saare tel sok lenge" and threw it over the luchis which were already made.

"PATI BABU!" As a reflex, she got worried and quickly started picking up those pages. She herself couldn't understand if she got worried because of her notes getting spoiled or this kind of behaviour from her Pati Babu, who has taught her to respect books and knowledge.

She collected all the pages and held it close to her chest. "Bondita ye kya kar rahi ho tum?" He asked faking a surprised smile. "Isme mere vidyalay se mile hue paath likhi hai maine. Kaafi mehnat se likha hai."

Anirudh raised his eyebrows and said "Kaisi baat kar rahi ho Bondita? Mehnat se toh tum luchiyaan tal rahi ho na? Dekho kitni gol gol luchiyaan ban rahi hai. Aur dekho..." He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and continued "paseena. Tap tap paseena beh raha hai Bondita ka."

He held her tiny alta cladded left palm and caressed the cut wounds and few burnt marks which is formed on them due to her daily kitchen chores. Looking at them he uttered "Lekin phir bhi, Bondita jo banna chaah rahi thi wo ban rahi hai. AADARSH PATNI, KUSHAL GREHNI" he smiled at her "kyu Bondita?" But she kept on weeping continuously which made his smile vanish. He wiped off her tears with his thumb and uttered softly "Ro mat Bondita, tumhare liye ab yahi sab zaroori hai."

She looked up at him with her teareful eyes and said "Par main padhai bhi karungi Pati babu, humara sapna bhi poora karungi." She saw his fingers folding into fists "Thik hai, karo koshish." And with this stood up to leave from there. "Pati babu" His back was facing her. He stopped his tracks as she asked "Aaj thodi padhai karawa denge mera?" She thought that this may reduce his anger. Why not? Afterall he likes to teach her and solve her doubts.