Anidita: A Happy Family : Rejuvenation Of Dreams

Chapter 5: The return of Batuknath

The car stopped by the haveli.
Bondita rushed towards the door. Kaka and Binoy were already standing by the door. Somnath came out by the sound of the car. Sohini came slowly pressing her feet. Aunties have told her that she is her dewar's didi and so she has to behave like an elder sister... Elder sister... Elder sister.. But in limit, because she's not his sister for real. Just behave and talk like sister but never go too friendly because it's not allowed in society's rule book.

Anirudh came in with Batuk. The smile on Kaka's face suddenly vanished. Messy hair disoriented dress, who's this? Their Batuk?!

Bondita came with the arti ki thali to welcome Batuk. Batuk looked at her and glanced at her smile. He at once understood who's she and started biting his lips.

Batuk advanced towards Kaka and Binoy. Anirudh signalled him to touch their feet and he bent down. Kaka nodded his head and sighed.

All brothers were sharing their happiness. Kaka and Binoy were standing there with a wide smiles on their face. Bondita just stood there with that smile on her face. Sohini stood next to her holding her veil in place.

Batuk went to his room. Sohini came in with the food.
"Dewarji, your food... Kakasasurji told me to give it at your room"
Batuk looked up at her
"You are??"
"Sohini... Your boudi"
The word Boudi slapped at his head. No the word didn't slap... A hand slapped.. A hand with bangles. He looked up.. Now more up because Bondita was taller now.
Sohini put her hand on her mouth.
"Didi?!"
"Youu... You recognised me yet didn't even talk to me"
"Who said I recognised you? You are?"
"I'm... I'm" Bondita suddenly got up the bed and started beating Batuk
Sohini moved back. What the hell she's doing?! What people will say. She looked at the door and prayed that no one should come and see this.
Bondita continued beating Batuk like a Tabla. Batuk shouted "Dadaaaaa Dadaaaaaaaaaa...."

Anirudh came running and saw Bondita kneeling on the bed and Batuk in a snell like position covering his head with his hands.
Sohini gulped. Now Didi will get scolded.

Kaka also came running..
"What happened what happened?!"
He also saw both in that position.
Bondita quickly got off the bed and dusted her saree.
"What were you two doing?!" Exclaimed kaka
"Dadaa... Boudi was beating me... She beat me... See my hair.. It got messed up.."
Bondita looked at Batuk.. "Wait! Your hair got messed up?! Was your hair combed in any way? Look look at your Dada look at his hair.."
Anirudh's heart blowed big like a baloon with pride..
"Look at his hair..." Bondita continued." How he combs it... Yes it becomes like a mushroom when wet and when mad but look at how he combs it... He invests an hour behind it"
"Wait!" Anirudh interrupts "are you praising me or pinning me?"
"I'm just putting forward some true facts.. How to interpret is up to the audience.."
Anirudh had no answer to this. His mouth opened but he couldn't answer.
Bondita saw kaka is really staring angrily..
"And look at kakasasurji.. He doesn't take time to do hair and all but see his hair and dress is always in place.. No time investment behind all this sajna sawarna but look his hair is still dense black.. Denser than you brothers.."
Kaka smiled with pride and run his hand over his hair.
"Yes yes... These three are nalayaks.. They just didn't learn anything from me.."
"Kaka she's oiling you" Batuk informed
"Shut up... Bondita is such a nice girl.. She gives me tea with gur.. She gives me kheer... What do you people give.. Somnath gives those vilayti karwi medicines, you give headache and your dada to is all in one... Lecture headache medicines all in one.. "
"Kaka she beat me..." Batuk informed them once again
Kaka thought for a second
"She beat you?!"
"Dadaa... Say something"
"Bahu he came just now... And you are not a child any more..."
"So what kakasasurji... I have every right to beat him.. I beat him earlier too"
"But bahu it's wrong"
"Why?"
"Because"
"Because?"
"Kaka kaka.." Anirudh intervened "why go inside kids fight leave them na.."
"Wait wait Dada you are taking Boudi's favour... This is unfair.."
"Wait whom did you call a kid?!" Bondita attacked Anirudh
"I I mean... I mean" Anirudh got speechless.. Now Bondita has that talent to beat him up like he bet up Batuk. He has an esteem na.
"Do I look like a kid? I'm 22 years old.. I'm a Barrister... I fight cases... I.. I.."
Batuk came behind her slowly and patted her head lightly
"Shanti shanti..."
Bondita shook off his hand. Her eyes became teary. Anirudh had no answer
"I'll not talk to you.." Bondita declared with shaking voice and ran away sobbing..
"Bon.. Bondita.. I didn't mean like that.." Anirudh ran behind her
"Lo jao... ab manao.." Kaka murmured

Sohini stood there confused. Things are not getting clear to her. Her head is spinning.

It's midnight. Somnath came out of the bathroom washing his face. He returned late from hospital today. Sohini was arranging his food on the table in the room.
"Did you have your food" asked Som.
Sohini nodded her head in a "no"
"Take your food too.. else you'll get weak.."
"You eat.. leave some fore on the plate"
Somnath looked at her
"What?! My plate?!"
Sohini was shocked a bit. She replied with fright "yes.. mami told eating from Husband's leftover is holy"
"Holy?! You'll fall ill if you eat my leftover... and is there any dearth of food here.. go and bring your plate" Somnath made his voice deep and ordered "Go and bring your plate"
Sohini slowly went to the kitchen following his orders. Yes her Mami also told that obeying Husband's orders are holy too. Why this criteria for holiness so contradictory?! She wondered.

Sohini brought her plate. Som signed her to sit beside him. She sat. He started eating, she stared at him. Som noticed it and signed her to eat. She started eating slowly. Somnath noticed she's a bit sad.. he looked at her plate, it had no sweet.
"Where is your sandesh?"
Sohini looked up.. "my..."
Somnath understood it. He washed his hand in the glass water and put half of his sweet on her plate. This gesture filled her heart and thus filled her eyes. His brothers also never gave her their share of sweet. Sohini started sobbing. Somnath looked at her with shock.
"What happened?!"
Sohini started sobbing hard ad nodded her head.
Somnath put his hand on her head. She broke down and put her head near his heart. Somnath had a strange feeling. He started caressing her head. What an amazing thing he felt when she just put her head near his heart. The trust she has on him... she thinks him to be her own... she thinks him to be her apna... is this the simple feeling that binded Bondita and his dada for years?!... this simple thing... just a simple thing... is this such a simple thing.. was the relation of Bondita and his dada such a simple bond which became special with time.. which took different dimension with time as Bondita grew up.. is this things so easy?! Then why people explain and differentiate feelings and emotions in such a complex way. Somnath patted Sohini's head. Sohini sobbed and realisation made Somnath numb.