If this isn't love!?

Time Indeed Flies.

5 years flew by and Bondita was of 18 years old now whereas Anirudh turned 28
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The Haveli was the same yet something was amiss since Bondita left to London for her studies.

Kaka Sasur ji always missed her Bondita Bahu and her tark-kutark but still "Roy Choudhary kabhi rote hain kya?!" remained his constant.

Bihari Babu too missed his choti Malkin and the name "Bhari babu" which he hadn't heard for years.

Koyli's feelings were the same too, she missed her Bahurani ji immensely!

Sampoorna and Binoy didn't really bother much about Bondita's existence. In all these years Sampoorna tried her best to have a child of her own but Kaka was always against this wish of hers.

Batuk missed his Boudi but the person he missed more was his best friend in her. He could share everything with Bondita without any hesitation because he knew, his Boudi will laugh at him, will give him a good scolding but at the end of the day, she'll help him to solve the mess he had created.

By the time Saudamini got exposed, Somnath didn't really know what should he do. He didn't know if he should accept Bondita as his Boudi or not, thats why he kept himself indulged in the factory's work more.
He used to stay Kolkata more for factory's work.

How would it feel living far away from your Solace!?

For Anirudh, his solace was Bondita, he didn't use to show his loneliness to others but everyday, after having dinner, he used to stare their picture frame for hours. Tears always used to escape his eyes remembering Bondita's non-stop chatters and laughters.

"Main tumhe bahut yaad krta hoon Bondita" was the only thing he used to say looking at their picture frame.

However Kaka was the only one who knew how much his Anirudh misses his bahu. He always use to shed tears of happiness seeing such a bond of Anirudh and Bondita.

In every mid of the month, Anirudh used to write a letter to Bondita questioning about her health and studies.
Bondita too waited for her Pati babu's letter eagerly. Sometimes she used to write back to him and sometimes she didn't because of her busy schedule
But she never missed reading a single letter, instead she always used to keep those letters safely and re-read them whenever her heart wanted.

Bondita wasn't a child anymore.
In all these years she had unknowingly developed a soft corner for Anirudh, She often used to write her feelings in her diary as she had nobody to discuss about her inner feelings.

She always tried to write her feelings to Anirudh but the fear of getting her heartbroken always stopped her.
She knew that the feelings she has aren't the same from Anirudh's side.

Whereas Anirudh was still unable to acknowledge his feelings towards Bondita. Maybe if had made himself accept the fact that the relation between them can never be like a normal husband and Wife.

"A re 10 bajne ko hain! Kisi ko samay ka koi lihaj hai bhi yaa nhi iss ghar mei!?
Bihari!
Bihaaari!" Kaka Sasur ji shouted

"Aaya bade Malik" Bihari as usual came running from the Kitchen handling his dhoti

"A re Nalayak, Bahu aane wali hai!
Pata nhi hai kya?" Kaka Sasuj said sitting on the nearby sofa.

"JI JI MALIK" Bhari babu said in a steady voice

"Toh jaldi jaldi haanth chala, hamara muh kya dekh rha hai"

"Abhi, abhi gya Maalik" Bihari babu somehow managed to run with his dhoti.

"Aaj Bahu na jaane kitne varsho ke baad aa rhi hai apne Sasural, apne ghar. Fhir se aate hi tark-kutark krna shuru kr degi lekir fhir yaad bhi toh hamein issi ki aai na"

A lone tear rolled over Kaka Sasur ji's cheeks.

"Ye aankhon mei aanson kaise malik?" Bihari asked slowly.

"A re Roy Choudhary kabhi rote hain kya? Haan?
Aur tu abhi tk yahi hai?"

"Haan malik vo bas abb jaa hi rha tha" Bihari babu ran with full speed towards the kitchen.

Anirudh was assembling his favorite books to show Bondita.
"Tum ye kitaabein padhogi na toh khush ho jaogi Bondita. Waise tum fhir mujhe taufa na dene wale Pati babu na kaho isliye maine ek gift laa ker rakha hai tumhare liye. Aasha krta hoon tumhe pasand aayega."

And saying this Anirudh softly placed Bondita's picture in his wallet.

The picture in which she was wearing the Barrister's coat as well as the mangalsutra and sindoor.

"Yehi hai pyaar tera jo
Yehi hain riste saare..."

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Hope you all enjoyed reading this part.
Trust me, am not a professional Writer just trying to discover new things through writing. Criticsm is all welcomed.

Thank you 🌺