Redemption and Scars (A tale of Anidita)

Chapter Twenty Eight

The letter from Arvind

Even though, he had looked over the will more times than necessary, Anirudh still had some doubts about the legitimacy of the contents.

They had forgot about the envelope, which contained pictures of the haveli in the chaos.

Bondita was in school, trying to concentrate fully on her studies. As her half-yearly examinations were just around the corner.

He surprisingly wasn't jealous anymore of that boy. The dance competition had probably made him burn every day but the aftermath of it and the words that had come out of their mouths in that fight made him realize that her loyalty to their relationship was far more important to her than any other boy.

She wasn't as fickle as him to give her affections to anyone.

Bondita was coming back from the washroom with Amrit. They didn't have a proper conversation in the last few days due to the chaos surrounding Bondita. Uday was surprisingly absent these days.

He tried to be as inconspicuous around her as possible.

The dance competition had satisfied his desire for a dance with Bondita but the memory of it, instead of being beautiful had ended up becoming bittersweet for him. All the moments leading up to the competition only served to remind him about her status as someone's wife.

After a long struggle with his mind, he had decided to distance himself from her. It was better to stop his heart from craving her presence than ruining their fragile friendship.

"Bondita, are you okay?"-Amrit asked her later as she noticed her friend being distracted during school time.

Bondita nodded absently at her friend. Not wanting to tell her about the dirty fight she had with Anirudh. She didn't want her friend to know about the accusations, Anirudh had thrown about Uday and her.

Uday was Amrit's brother. And Bondita didn't want her to think less of her husband.

"Woh, my mother just left yesterday. I am feeling a little sad. We no longer have that bond of the past. Every conversation ends with her giving me instructions regarding the obedience, I should have for my husband. My mother's idea clashes with my own ideas regarding my relationships with my in-laws and husband. Sometimes, I wonder about my mother's love for me. And how conditional that is in the face of my husband's idea for my betterment "-Bondita was disappointed regarding her conversations with Sumati.

Their every conversation had made Bondita feel suffocated but the biggest reason for her suffocation was the blatant ignorance, Sumati showed towards the past.

As if it was nothing more than a imagination of Bondita.

"Bondu, I think you should forgive your mother. Not for the sake of her betterment but for your own."-Bondita shook her head in negative as Amrit said those words.

She didn't have problem with her mother anymore. What she had problem with was the way her mother had let her husband get involved in polygamy for her sake.

Her mother could have conversed with her strictly, like she had done in the past.

Her mother could have made her husband understand the consequences of such actions but instead of doing so, she had without any objection, stood with her husband.

Her tears hadn't shattered her mother as much as it had probably shattered her husband. Her mother didn't saw the vile words that were thrown at her.

Her mother didn't saw the brainwashing process, she had gone through at the hands of the villagers and Trilochon.