The Unventured Passions

A Fallacy, Or Love?

A suspicious mind believes more than it doubts. It believes in a formidable and eradicable evil lurking in every person. Beenapani had liked Bondita from the first day, but what she couldn't fathom was her alleged infidelity. Beena had seen broken homes and had experienced the sorrow of broken hearts, and under no circumstances she was prepared to let Bondita ruin her own home. Her constant efforts of reminding Bondita about her household, her child, everything seemed to fall in deaf ears. She would notice Anirudh stealing a glance at Bondita, painting her cheeks in crimson, and in the next moment, Beena would ask her about her daughter, a faint attempt to remind her of her marital status.

"Do you even love your husband?" Beena had asked her after the class as they walked together towards the bustling college canteen.

"What? Ofcourse I do." Bondita had unmindfuly blushed at her question, as her eyes followed Anirudh's gaze sitting in one of the table nearby with two other elderly professors.

"Would you be able to forgive him if he... if he ever falls for someone else?" Beena asked again, a little firmly to draw her friend's attention to the conversation.

Bondita furrowed her eyebrows at her question.
"Why do you ask such questions Beena?" She turned her eyes away from Anirudh.
"My husband would never do such things... He loves me." Bondita murmured, her lips curled into a constant smile.

Beena let out a sigh of defeat and discomfiture.
What kind of a woman was this!
She claimed her husband's love and at the same time took pride in flirting with another.
Her brother probably says the right thing, 'Liberation corrupts women!'

Beena lowered her eyes to look at her tea cup, contemplating how to convince her dear friend to not stray from the path of faithfulness, but as she moved her gaze up, she saw Bondita smiling bashfully, her eyes fixated on Anirudh, who in turn was licking the edge of his own tea cup meaningfully.

"What's going on!!" Beena had finally decided to confront, breaking Bondita's love trance.

"What?"

"What's what? You tell me Bondita!! You are a married woman!" Beena stood up from her chair.

A sudden smoke of confusion cluttered Bondita's thoughts at this strange outburst of her friend, but before she could seek any further clarity, a voice called out her name from behind.

"Bondita.."

Bondita had turned around, her face brightened up instantly at the sight. It was the same black complexioned young man with a pair of extraordinary blue-green eyes.

"What are you do..."
Bondita stood up, smiling, as she stretched her hands to acknowledge Satya's extended greetings.

"Who would this be now?" Beena had stood up too, her eyebrows still furrowed into suspension, as Bondita turned towards her and smiled brightly.

"He is family."

Satyakirth's face, too, had brightened up at Bondita's response as he smiled happily before excusing themselves from Beena.

"Do you have it?"
He had lowered his face to reach Bondita's ears on their way out of the canteen.
Bondita nodded, smiling, but what she missed was Anirudh's narrowed gaze on them as his eyes fixated on Satya's arm around her, guiding her out. His hand hadn't touched her, but the closeness was hard to miss, and although in his heart Anirudh knew his Bondita would always be his, but still he couldn't stop his heart from twitching at the sight.

"Excuse me, Professors." Anirudh smiled politely at the men he was sitting with before he stood up, prepared to leave.

......................................................