My Destination, My Bondita

7 - Suhagraat Part Two

Bondita was broken out of her dreamy state when she felt Anirudh caressing her feet gently. He murmured, "Your feet are so small, just like you."

He admired her small feet. They were so soft. 

"I'm not small," Bondita said defensively. "Everyone says I'm grown up now. Only you think I'm small!"

"You're very small," he answered, and suddenly his voice got very emotional, "And I can't let anything hurt you, not even me."

"Why will you hurt me Pati Babu?" Bondita asked. "I know you won't ever hurt me!"

Anirudh looked into Bondita's eyes, his hands still not leaving her feet.

"Bondita you don't know what's happening," Anirudh told her seriously, his heart aching. He was still under the influence of the bhaang, and he was feeling every emotion within him ten times more.

"What's happening Pati Babu?" she asked.

"The truth is... it is..." he mumbled.

She looked up at him expectantly. 

"Everyone is trying to take away your innocence, but I'm trying so hard to preserve it," he told her softly.

Bondita scooted closer to him on the bed so that she was right in front of him. Their knees were touching now.

She placed her hand on his thigh and said, "Pati Babu, are you okay?"

He touched her hand that was on his thigh gently and shook his head. "No Bondita, I'm not," he whispered, and a lone tear dripped down his cheek. "I'm not okay."

She had noticed that since yesterday he seemed to be a bit different. He seemed to be stressed out and upset. She didn't know why he had become like that, and she wanted to do everything to take away his pain.

Just like he couldn't see her in pain, the twelve year old Bondita couldn't see him in pain too.

In the last year of their marriage, Bondita had grown to love her Pati Babu in many ways. He had been her best friend and her Guru. He had even been like her mother when she needed her the most, and he had filled the void of losing her father. Her Pati Babu had fulfilled the role of every relationship in her life.

He had been everything for her. How could she not love him? How could she ever see him in pain?

Anirudh touched her cheek and whispered, "I wish I can explain this to you Bondita, but I can't."

Bondita looked up at him, wondering what was bothering him so much. Could she fix it? She wanted to know what happened to him.

"Pati Babu, please explain it to me," she told him, "Maybe I can help you!"

He shook his head and another tear dropped down his cheek. Bondita reached up to wipe his tears away.

"Bondita go to sleep. It's p - past your bedtime," he mumbled, as she gently brushed his cheeks with her fingers.

She thought for a moment and then took his hands again, pulling on them slightly. If she couldn't get him to tell her what was bothering him, then at least she could distract him from his pain!

"What are you doing?" he asked her. 

"We have to jump again!" Bondita said. 

"Bondita stop it, you will hurt yourself," Anirudh answered. 

"Please Pati Babu," Bondita said with wide eyes. 

Just one look into her eyes made him stand up. She started to jump up and down, holding his hands.