Redemption and Scars (A tale of Anidita)

Chapter Twenty Seven

The Discussion

Bondita was still hugging him but Anirudh's voice brought her back to earth. She felt embarrassed to hug him like that.

As an older person, she now understood the difference between a man and a woman. He himself had taught her the difference between good and bad touch long back.

And how you can't force your feelings on somebody else.

Love was not about force but about being happy for your beloved. Even if their destiny want with you.

She had taken his teachings to heart.

Never imposing herself on him ever again.

"Bondita"-Anirudh quietly said her name as if she was a little baby, who would get startled if he talked a little louder.

He wanted to let her find comfort in him for longer but for now, they had more important things to discuss. Involving her future.

He wanted her to have complete reign over her inheritance. He didn't want her to be dependent on him for her father's inheritance.

He wanted her to be the sole decision-maker in this case.

A privilege, she never had.

Even during their marriage many years back.

"Hmmm.... patibabu"-she replied in a quiet voice, trying to hide her embarrassment over her behavior that was immoral, according to her.

"Do you want some water?"-he asked her tentatively as he wanted to make sure that she didn't strain herself more by crying too much.

Releasing your emotions is one thing but getting sick over wasn't something, he would allow for her.

"Hmmmm......"-she answered him tentatively while detaching herself from him.

She sat down in their bed and Anirudh went to the bedside table, where a copper jug full of water was kept. He took the copper glass and poured water for her.

As Bondita gladly took small sips of water, he sat down in the chair next to the study table and took a look at the will that was a cause for her tears.

He first tried to verify the authenticity of the will itself. He wanted to be completely sure the will was genuine and each and every content of it was authentic. He checked the signatures and the dates mentioned as thoroughly as he could at that moment.

She looked at him reading the will, all the while squinting his eyes. She could see that he had trouble nowadays reading papers.

His constant squinting wasn't unnoticed by her but it was just one of those things that remained buried underneath the troubled situations of their life.

Anirudh looked up to see Bondita staring at him. He didn't know, what she was trying to find in him at that moment but there was something in her posture that gave him the same vibes of that little Bondita. Who he had slowly taught the alphabets to.

She noticed him today after a long while. Just as she had grown up, he had matured as well.

His temper and vocal cords had also matured but the way he carried himself nowadays was so different than those days. When he used to have a carefree sway in his walks. He nowadays was more sure of his every word. Never doubting himself.

He had aged like a fine wine.

Which only tasted more sweeter and intoxicating after aging.

She had seen him talking to the villagers many times. His voice didn't have that pleading in them anymore for people to hear it. He now implemented his ideas more surely without a care of the people's objection.