Kashti - Patwar

//Chapter 2//

*DO NOT MISS THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AND AUTHOR IS WAITING FOR YOU PRECIOUS COMMENTS*

Aniruddha couldn't bring himself in terms with Bondita's indifference. He wanted her to look at him once, and smile just like old times. Come to him running with her never ending questions and ask for ek badam wale roshogulle, with all adhikaar. Par maine hi to uske saare adhikaar usse cheen liye. He cried silently, sitting at his terrace. He was ready to bear everything to make her focused towards her goal, but in the process he lost both, her and himself. 

It's been 8 years to that incident. He has seen a small girl, develop into a young woman. The first school girl to become the first female barrister. Umm, not see but definitely hear. He continuously heard, and even read about her via Som's telephone or letters. He was kicked out of the house with Manorama after a week of that sham. His baba, more like her baba couldn't tolerate Manorama and him under the same roof. It was unacceptable for him as he said, "meri beti ko jo dard dega vo is ghar me nhi rahega." While leaving, he observed Bondita. She was definitely sad but not for once she shed a tear, not for once she panicked, and not for once she tried to convince anyone. She just stood with a hardcore mask, for them to leave. That was the last day he saw her. After that he had only heard her stories, just like kids hear about some heroes or warriors. 

Manorama came home drunk like every time she paid a visit. She was happy when they moved out from Roy Haveli. She was happy to get some alone time with Aniruddha. She can start a new life. She can handle her mission as well as her love. Yeah, she did have a fleeting though for Bondita, but she swept that under the rug, thinking vo to bacchi hai. Pyaar aur rishte kya hi samjhegi, forgetting, it was the same bacchi only, who helped her accustom with everyone and made her feel at home. Made her feel apnapan. 

The starting days of their relation weren't that great but at the end when they did not have anyone else but each other to talk, they started developing a bond. A bond of friendship, or maybe something more. But every time she tried taking a step, he would just dismiss everything in blink of an eye. After 2 years, he confessed his love, more like infatuation and admiration confound as love. He told how skeptical he was to say that out loud because Bondita was his zimmedari. But then she wasn't a part of his life anymore, so moving on wasn't wrong. After a little coaxing, they decided to get married, in real. But Aniruddha never turned up that day. And that night, the night of their supposed suhaag raat, Manorama was greeted with a drunk Aniruddha, who just plopped on the bed, and went into deep slumber. Whole night she could hear him murmur about Bondita, zimmedari, pyaar, bharosa, gussa, and what not. That was it. After that she never tried to mend her relation. 

She directed herself completely towards an Azaad Bharat. Seems like her dharti needs her more than her fake husband. In the mean time, daaru became her relief and she became an addict. Every night she would drink to forget all her miseries, but it was always the opposite. Daaru pee ke to aur bura lagta hai. Aur rona aata hai. Bondita ka pati cheen liya maine, isliye bhagwaan ne bhi mujhe ek aurat, ek patni ka sukh nhi diya. She mumbled incoherently, and made way towards the room, stumbling at furniture in between. 

 * * * *

"Bondita ki barristery puri ho chuki hai. Uske liye ek ladka dekha hai. Usko bhi pasand hai. Shaadi 2 hafte baad tayy hui hai. Vo tumhe bulana chahti thi isliye ye sandesh de rahe hai. Ho sake to aa jana. Nahi bhi aoge to koi dikkat nhi hai." Binoy informed in a very formal tone. 

"Baba?" Aniruddha couldn't keep up his happiness when his baba called. It's been freaking 8 years he heard his voice. However this happiness was crushed under a big frown. Marriage? Bondita?