It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

118

Bondita encountered a worried Sampoorna near aangan as she was going up after her conversation with her Pati Babu.

" Are you alright Didi ?"

" I am fine." Sampoorna replied. " Let us go up. It is late." They started to walk together.

" You can tell me Didi."

" Ah...there is nothing to tell. It is your Sasurji. He is angry with me since I tried to ask him to calm down." Sampoorna smiled. It wasn't a sad one Bondita noticed.

" I don't understand. You are worried or not ?" Bondita was answered by a light laughter as they walked up the stairs.

" Like I said. It is alright. It happens." Bondita thought of how her Pati Babu was upset earlier. Should she not worry too ? How could she not ?! " Husband and wife cannot agree on everything, everytime. He is in a mood now. He will be ok."

" And if is not ?"

" For how long is he going to be angry ?"

" Didi what if he is really angry and not talk to you again ?" Bondita really was worried for her Didi and secretly herself.

" We will see about that." Sampoorna smiled. " Now go to sleep. You have school tomorrow."

Bondita went to bed with the thoughts of her Pati Babu and woke up with them. He didn't come to the pooja. It was still early. She went to the kitchen to find her Didi there. Smiling. Humming in the sweet voice she had grown up listening to.

" Bondita ?" Sampoorna spoke. " You here ? You already did everything in the night. Go get ready for your school. I will take care of this."

" Where is Shashwati ?"

" With her Baba." Sampoorna smiled as her hands kept her busy.

" Did he talk to you ?"

" Yes..." The smile, the blush.

" He did ?!" So soon ? He was very angry. Her Pati Babu had not talked to her. He just opened her door last night, peeked in and left without a word.

" Ofcourse ! "

" But...how..."

" I... turned his mood around." Sampoorna moved her face away as she poured the milk.

" Turned... How ?"

Sampoorna turned to look at her with wide eyes at the question but saw her innocent face. She didn't get the reference. She should have known things like this by now. " Aaa...by...you know doing what a wife... I mean..."

" You apologised ?"

" There was nothing to apologise for. Just difference of opinion. I just...got past that and...helped him cheer up..." Sampoorna by now was hiding her face with her pallu.

Bondita took an eager step forward. Sampoorna wanted her to have such knowledge. But how could she tell her things like this ? Her husband was not just Bondita's Jamai Babu they could gossip about. He was her Sasurji. Ufff !!! " Tell me Didi. How... what did you do...?"

" Ummm...you...you remember in our old house. When pishi got angry with you." Bondita nodded. " How did you make her smile ?"

" By... talking to her till she got tired. I didn't leave her alone." Bondita fondly remembered. " I would hug her so tight. Kiss her as many times as..." Bondita stopped. A nervous lump in her throat as she understood herself what her Didi was trying to say.

Sampoorna smiled from behind her pallu. " Something like that."

Bondita walked out, her feet had no idea where they took her. Sampoorna Didi knew nothing about how close they had gotten. Her Pati Babu...and...the things. Could she do that too ? Would he then talk to her ? The whole idea suddenly scared her for some reason. Yes she had kissed him before but it had been so... natural. Like an instinct. Like she would wither away if she didn't kiss him. But she was not feeling that impulsive today. Or even that... romantic. How could she ? The whole household was in turmoil. Both her families distressed. Any ideas of love or affection quite far away. It felt wrong.