The Unventured Passions Book-2

Newfound Purpose

The storm outside was raging like a monster, whipping the trees and rattling the windows of every house in Tulsipur. It had travelled all the way from the eastern sky to the west of Bengal, and the Roy Choudhary Haweli was no exception. The storm lashed against the windows, and inside, turmoil reigned in everyone's hearts and minds, each struggling with their own challenges.

Bondita sat huddled in a corner of her bed, staring out at the wild night, a half-read book lying forgotten on her lap. She couldn't concentrate on the words, her mind too consumed by worry. She was worrying about her husband, Anirudh, who was out there somewhere, fighting the storm to keep her family safe. And then there was Batuk... God only knew what situation, what condition he might be in!

But, amidst all these turbulent thoughts, there was one nagging discomfort that was eating Bondita's heart from inside... Mira!
Strangely, she felt a slight pang of unjustified anger towards Mira. If Batuk was in love with her, then she must have played a role in luring him. She had tried her ways with Anirudh once, and now she must have tried it with her dear brother-in-law.

"Hey Maa Durga... Show me the right direction."
Bondita sighed.
In her mind, she knew that Mira was innocent, but her heart couldn't help but blame her for everything.
Wherever she goes, destruction follows!

The storm outside seemed to reflect Bondita's inner turmoil, a raging tempest of emotions. The wind howled like a wounded animal, and the rain pounded against the windows like an army of tiny fists.
A wild gush of wind startled her.

The same wind had startled Bhargavi too, as she sat in a corner in Trilochan's bedroom, reading a textbook in the dim light of an oil lamp. Trilochan lay in the grand bed, his frail body barely visible under the silk sheets.

Bhargavi's eyes darted up from the book as she heard a loud gust of wind shake the windows. She knew the storm would be causing chaos outside, but she couldn't help feeling a sense of calm as she sat by Trilochan's side. The sight of rhythmic up down of the old man's chest along with the sound of his soft snoring was giving the girl a strange contentment.

In the flickering light of the lamp, Bhargavi looked down at Trilochan once, her heart aching at the sight of the sick old man. Since his accident, Bhargavi had chosen to not let him be out of her sight even for a second. Leaving the comfortable bed of the guest room, she had chosen a corner of his room to stay, hurled up with few of her books on the floor, tending to Trilochan's every need before anyone else could even get close to him.
Bondita hadn't objected either as she too would often be by his side, most of the day, but Bhargavi's care was tireless, like a mother tending to her child.

And Trilochan? Well, unknowingly, somewhere, Bhargavi's presence had brought a sense of stability and calmness in his otherwise ruffled mind. The lamp in his room would cast a soft, warm glow, and the sound of Bhargavi turning the pages of her textbook was like a soothing lullaby. Trilochan had nothing to complain.

Trilochan Roy Choudhary lay, tossing and turning. The bed was grand and imposing, with intricate carvings and silk sheets, but it was a stark contrast to the sick, frail old man lying upon it.
In the past few days, Trilochan's illness had drained him of his strength, and he lay there, a mere shadow of his former self.

The storm outside continued to rage on, as if it were an angry god trying to tear down the walls of the haweli. The windows rattled and shook, like they were fighting to stay shut against the onslaught of the wind. Bhargavi had rushed to close them, one by one, and then, she went near Trilochan's bed.

"Boro Babu, are you alright?" She hushed near his face, and kept a hand on the old man's forehead.

Trilochan groaned, and murmured some incoherent words. His blank eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring up at Bhargavi's face, her oily braids fell on either side of her shoulders, and she fixed her glasses with her fingertip. For a moment, Trilochan was disoriented, unsure of where he was or what had happened.

But then the dream flooded back into his mind, vivid and clear. He remembered the storm, the fire, the laughter of his dear wife Satya and his newborn daughter, the feeling of helplessness becoming profound as he tried to stretch his arms to reach out for them.

And then, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, he saw Bondita! In place of his daughter, stood Bondita with her large dark eyes and that ever smiling face, two of her front teeth were missing. Trilochan smiled too.
'Why so far Maa... Come near.' He called Bondita in his dream. And then, she was suddenly all grown up. She was laughing, calling out to him, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest.

"Boro Babu? " Bhargavi called him again.

Trilochan blinked, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. He saw Bhargavi's face hovering over him, and he couldn't help but think her to be Bondita... his little girl! But why was she calling him so strangely?

Trilochan strained his eyes.
"Why Boro Babu? Say Kaka Shoshur!" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He reached out a hand, and Bhargavi took it gently, squeezing it in a reassuring grip.
"Come closer... Bouma... Amar Bouma!"

'Bouma?'

Bhargavi's heart had skipped a beat. Was he really referring her as his daughter-in-law? Batakrishna Babu's wife!
Bhargavi couldn't think anymore. She had always felt a soft corner for Batuk, but hearing Trilochan address her as his daughter-in-law was too much for her to handle.

She felt her heart pounding in her chest, a loud thumping sound that seemed to fill the room. She tried to calm herself down, but her mind was in a whirl.

"I'm Bhargavi, not your Bouma Boro Babu." She gulped twice to utter the words. "Shall I call Bondita Bouthan?"

Trilochan heard her soothing voice, and then he narrowed his eyes to take a good look at her.
Her black braids were smiling, her dark eyebrows were arched in inquisition, and she constantly fidgeted with her fingers. Her restlessness reminded him of someone dear... Batuk!

"Batuk... Batuk has returned?" He asked her, and Bhargavi nodded her head in negation.

"Let me know once he's back, Bouma."
Trilochan murmured again, and then he turned to his side and drifted of in slumber once again.

Bhargavi left his bedside slowly.
The thumping of her heart was like the steady beat of a drum now, resonating through the stillness of the room. She could feel her pulse racing, like a wild stallion that had been set free from its reins.

Bhargavi struggled to compose herself, to quell the tempest within her. But it was like trying to tame the wind, impossible and futile.

'Bouma!'
The word was ringing in her ears.
'Batakrishna Babu's wife?'

Bhargavi sank down on the floor.
The thought of being Batuk's wife felt both scary and exciting. She had never imagined herself in such a role, even in her wildest dream, but now that Trilochan had planted the seed in her mind, she couldn't help but think about it.

'Batakrishna Babu's wife? Really? Is it even possible?'

Bhargavi felt dizzy, her head swimming with thoughts and emotions. She didn't know what to do or say, so she simply held the half read book to her chest and tried to steady herself.

The storm outside raged on, its fury unabated. But Bhargavi was like a lighthouse in the midst of the tempest, a beacon of hope and steadiness. She could be Batuk's wife, a part of this Roy Choudhary family, and she would do everything in her power to uphold the honor of his family, like a warrior who had taken up arms in defense of her people.

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