My Destination, My Bondita

2 - A Man and a Woman's Love

Anirudh was at a loss for words. She was asking a genuine question, and he didn't believe that Vikram's parents did the right thing by slapping him when he asked. However, Anirudh also didn't know what kind of answer to give her. 

In his eyes, Bondita was a child. She was nowhere near the woman that Kaka claimed she was. Yes, she was very mature for her age, and he appreciated that quality, but she was still not so mature that he could spoil her mind by telling her the absolute truth. 

However, her body was also changing, and she needed to know in what sense these changes were happening. 

"Bondita," Anirudh said, standing straight and reaching for her notebook on the desk. He took an ink pen and opened the notebook to a blank page. "Look at this okay?" 

Bondita nodded and peered at the page. 

Anirudh drew a diagram of a female reproductive system -- he drew the ovaries, fallopian tube, and cervix. 

"See here. This is in every woman's body Bondita," Anirudh said, using the pen to point at the ovaries, "There are eggs here Bondita. Every month, one of these eggs is released and goes through these tubes here, and then comes down to this area. It is called a cervix. There is a wall here where the egg attaches itself." 

He used the pen to draw a little dot in there to indicate an egg. 

"Every month, this lining gets shed, and this is why you get your menstrual period Bondita," Anirudh explained. "Sometimes, this lining does not get shed... and when that happens, pregnancy occurs -- this is what happened with Vikram's mom. This egg grows into a baby." 

Bondita nodded slowly. 

"This is inside of me?" she asked curiously. 

Anirudh looked at her and nodded. 

"Yes Bondita, it is inside of you," he explained. 

"Then Pati Babu, how come this lining does not always shed? What decides which month it does not get shed?" Bondita asked. 

Anirudh paused for a moment, wondering if it was the right time to teach her about the male reproductive organs. He remembered Kaka's words for a moment -- about how it was time for them to start their family life ahead. Feeling a sense of disgust again, he looked at her innocent face, her curious eyes, and decided that now was not the time. 

He couldn't taint her in any way possible. He had to keep all of this far away from her, especially now that Kaka was bent on ruining the purity of their relationship. 

"Bondita," Anirudh said, "When a man and a woman love each other, it can happen." 

"Love?" Bondita asked. "I love so many men Pati Babu!" 

Anirudh looked at her with wide eyes. 

"W - what?" he spluttered. 

"Yes, I love Kakasasurji, I love Sasurji, I love Somnath Dada, and don't tell Batuk but I love him too. I also love you Pati Babu!" Bondita exclaimed. 

She was saying all of this so innocently, that Anirudh couldn't help but smile at her softly. 

"Bondita, not that kind of love," he told her with a chuckle. "It's a different kind of love." 

"What kind of love Pati Babu?" Bondita asked. 

"A man and a woman have a certain kind of love. Usually, it happens between a husband and a wife," Anirudh explained, because in this society love and sex before marriage was considered a big sin -- one which Anirudh himself didn't agree with. "It's not something you will understand now Bondita. But as you grow older, you will understand." 

Bondita nodded, as if she understood it. 

"Okay Pati Babu!" Bondita exclaimed. "I got it!" 

"You did?" Anirudh asked, smiling. 

"Yes Pati Babu!" Bondita said happily. 

"Shabash Bondita. You understand things so quickly!" Anirudh said proudly. 

"Pati Babu, I am going to go and play with Batuk!" Bondita then said, "Okay?" 

"Yes Bondita, of course," Anirudh said, "You did so well on your exams, you can play for a little while. But remember, you have to do your homework." 

She nodded, and then without a word she ran to find Batuk, as Anirudh watched her go with a smile. What was she so excited about? 

"Batuk! Batuk!" she screamed, entering his room. 

He was taking a nap. 

"What Baudi?" Batuk asked irritably when she sat down on his bed and shook him to wake him up. 

"I bet you don't know something," Bondita said smugly. 

"What?" Batuk asked, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. 

"Do you know where babies come from?" Bondita asked him, giggling. 

"Where?" Batuk asked, now curious too. "A fairy right?" 

"A fairy?" Bondita asked, confused, "No!" 

"Babies come from a husband and wife's LOVE! When a husband and wife love each other, babies will come!" Bondita exclaimed. "My Pati Babu told me!" 

At that moment, there was a loud thud in the doorway, and they both turned to see Bondita's Kakasasurji there, staring at them with a shocked expression. He had dropped his cane from the utter shock of what he had just witnessed. 

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter. ❤️ Thanks for the great response in the last chapter. It motivated me to post this early. Don't forget to like and comment. ❤️