My Destination, My Bondita

67 - Changing Equations, Arising Insecurities

Time stopped, and they both were lost in the moment. His hand was resting on her upper back. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to pull her close to him and hug her tightly. Even though his heart had craved to praise her and say 'shabaash Bondita' again, the distance between them was still a bridge that was waiting to be crossed. 

"Why do I feel like I'm non-existent?" Vikram asked Batuk with a frown, as he stood beside Anirudh and Bondita. 

"You'll get used to it," Batuk responded, rolling his eyes. "Ever since my Dada married my Boudi, this has been my life." 

"That's so sad," Vikram said, shaking his head, as Anirudh and Bondita continued to look at each other, lost in each other's eyes. "But Bondita's Pati Babu must really love Bondita a lot." 

"I guess so," Batuk said, sounding envious. "He always favours her." 

"But husbands are supposed to favour their wives I guess," Vikram responded. 

"Over their own brother?" Batuk asked, sounding offended. "I used to be Dada's favourite." 

"If it makes you feel better, you're my favourite Batuk," Vikram answered. 

Batuk grinned and asked, "Even over Bondita?" 

Vikram looked from the lost Bondita to Batuk. 

"That's a hard one," Vikram admitted, causing Batuk to frown again. 

That was when Trilochan Roy Choudhary came home with Binoy. The two of them were chatting away gleefully as they entered the living room, surprised to see all the boys there with Anirudh and Bondita. 

The best sight was in front of Trilochan's eyes though. 

Anirudh had his hand on Bondita's back, and the two of them were looking at each other as if the world didn't exist around them. 

"Wow!" Trilochan whispered to Binoy. "It's finally happening." 

"Do you think Anirudh is ready to accept her as his wife?" Binoy asked, sounding doubtful.

"He better be," Trilochan huffed. "It's been too long now. I need them to move into one room soon. And I have a plan too."

"What plan?" Binoy asked. 

"Kaka!" Batuk yelled before Trilochan could explain, causing both Anirudh and Bondita to look up with a start. 

Anirudh removed his hand from Bondita's back quickly, and she looked down with a blush. He looked away from her and saw his Kaka and Baba standing there. 

"Batuk, what's going on?" Kaka asked, glancing at the boys. "Your friends are here. Ah, Bikram, you are here too."  

"Kaka, it's Vikram," Anirudh corrected. "V, not B." 

"Yes, yes, Bikram," Kaka said, "I know!" 

Vikram frowned, and Anirudh was about to correct Kaka again, when Kaka just went on. 

"Anyways Bikram," Kaka said, "I hope you discuss good things at school now." 

He still couldn't forget how Bondita was discussing with Batuk about where babies came from, just under two years ago. When he found out that the cause was Vikram, Kaka had protested to get Bondita removed from school. 

Vikram looked confused and Anirudh just sighed. He placed a hand on Vikram's shoulder and said, "Kaka, Vikram is a good boy." 

"Yes Kakasasurji!" Bondita said, and stepped beside Vikram. "He's my best friend!"