ENDEARMENT (ON HOLD)

Fortuitous

The evening was calm and bright when Bondita was returning with high spirits and with constant thinking of her mother's destiny, as the colleen had always seen her mother suffering with the so called norms of the society which she disliked the most. She pictured her mother and her Rajeev Sir in mind and thought what it would feel like?, answering herself may be a happy family. She smiled at her own words.

The lass thought how her mother will not be denied of wearing colourful sarees, eating favourite delicious food and most important relieved from the taunts of the society for being a widow.
Suddenly she felt as if her mother's life was filled with joy and colours and her heart yearned to give her such life without second thought.

With that she entered her house, seeing her mother smiling happily. She asked "Kya Hua maa? Aaj itni kush kyun ho?" Sumathi's smile widened looking at her daughter, gesturing her to come near with her hands and as she did so, her mother replied "kyun nahi hongi, aaj pehli baar teri maa ne apni kamaye hui paison se tumare liye yeh pen jo layee hai" giving her the pen, she continued  "wese muje patha hai, tumhare sakha babu padayee ki saree vasthu tuje diladiyaa per yeh tumari maa ki taraf se, kese hai? Acha hai na? Tuje pasand ayee?". To which she replied "Bahut acha hai maa, abb mein iska bhi istamaal karke, awal aoungi pure vidhyalay mein."

Feeling joyful Sumathi continued "Wese aur ek tofa bhi hai mere pass, yeh dekh tere liye kitni ache seb rang ki sadee lekar ayee, mein janthi hoon yeh rang tujepe bahut acha lagthi hai" soon she was about to wrap on her but she refused, instead got hold of the saree and wrapped it around her mother's head and said "Mujse jyadha yeh tujpe achi lag rahi hai", her act stunned Sumathi.

Before Sumathi replying, she noticed the time in her watch and continued "Arey 5 bajne wala hai aur mein abhi tak yahi hoon, maa aab mein chalthi hoon sakha babu ki kasha ki samay horahi hai aur aake uniform badhal loongi." saying so she grabbed an apple and sped out without her mother replying while Sumathi smiled cheerfully.

Perks of being in village is that any new news or happening, it would spread like forest fire reaching it to everyhouse of the village. When Sumathi came to know about her Anirudh Babu's class for young girls of village, she felt proud.

As soon as Bondita reached the said place which was a concrete hut just four wall made of bricks, outside which a set of 10 small table chairs made of wood were placed in two rows for students, where a board was placed before it, a long table at the extreme corner which held the stack of huge books and pot plants neatly aligned corner to corner, thus was the view of the village friendly classroom.

Almost all seats being occupied, she sat herself on the last seat of the left row, while she was lost in her thoughts on how to gift back her mother because this time she wanted to colour her mother's life with happiness. She heared them, two girls a little older than her age spoke to each other "Dekha kaise dikh rahe hai barster babu, kya dikh rahe hai na? Aur woh dekh kitni sundar til hai unki chathi pe." Her eyes widened at their comments, she felt annoying as if they had commented on her, she felt irritated and thought of giving a strong reply or may be warning to not to comment such. But, when her eyes travelled to her sakha babu that's when she spoted him in his wide colared red shirt with matching grey trousers looking attractive more also observed how the top two buttons were open unusually, revealing a good part of his fair chest thereby giving an oppurtunity for those girls to make such comments. She saw him arranging the books completely unaware of the surrounding and it's happening. Batuk was also seated on the stair near the threshold of the hut.

An idea erupted, soon she began to cough thereby seeking everyone's attention, being worried Anirudh immediately asked her to drink water from the pot placed on the long table as she proceeded all got back to their work. But increasing her pace, she started to cough badly, at once making him rush to her. Before her, he filled the glass with water and bent down to handover. On him bending, she immediately pulled him more down with the help of her hands firmly holding his colar, he was stunned by her while with stern look she buttoned his shirt not once but twice thereby sheathing him completely. This act of hers terrified him as it was unforseen, completing her job she gave a victorious look at the girls who were still busy in their gossip. As soon as he noticed her sight, he got clue of what might have happened though decided to ask her.