The Unventured Passions

The Power of Love

Bondita had just caressed her baby girl to sleep, as she placed her in the curved wooden cot and stepped out of the bedroom. The main road was visible from the first floor Verandah, and on such lazy cloudy afternoons, Bondita loved to stand by the iron grills and admire the cityscape.
The verandah, too, was a sight!
Small bonsai trees and Persian roses had adorned the outline as Dalias and Jinias bloomed in the middle. It was a plethora of colours, and Bondita would always love to stand with her husband on such afternoons, holding his hand, as they both would admire this little beauty of nature, their hearts filled with gratitude and love.
The entire morning was spent glued infront of the radio, as the IBC Calcutta broadcast gave updates about the biggest news of the day, the Swadeshi Custodial Death Case. The newsreader was showering praises on the Barristry skills of the famous law personnel, Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, and sitting at home, Bondita and Batuk couldn't help but feel utterly proud of the man they both loved so dearly.

"So far so good." Batuk stretched his back and sat up on the couch as the radio announced a three hour break before broadcasting the news regarding the second half of the case. Anirudh had done considerably well, impressing both the British juries and the Indian politicians alike. But, what surprised the audience was his acquisition on RayBahadur Neelmoni Mukherjee's history of smuggling British arms to the French dealers and his aid in the death of the Krantikari inside the prison. He also claimed that the man who died was a witness to Neelmoni's illegal dealings and hence was removed from the face of the earth. It was not only a treachery to the country but also a treason to the British Government.

"Neelmoni Mukherjee!!" Batuk breathed.
"I just can't believe he is such a..."

"Neither can I... Behind his sugarcoated words..." Bondita paused and sighed.
"I just feel bad for Raimoti... Poor girl."

"Serves her right." Batuk murmured.

"What?" Bondita rolled her eyes at him.
"Don't you have college today Batuk?" She asked him instead.

"I do... But, there isn't a radio in the classroom, only dead bodies." He winked at his sister-in-law and got up from the couch with a jump.
"I'll go and quickly take a bath Boudi... We still have three hours, I'd probably reach college by then so that I can listen the rest from the hostel."

Bondita nodded her head in agreement.

"Are you sure you'd be alright? Call the hostel number if you need anything."
He picked up the towel he lay with and placed it around his shoulders.

"The telephone Batuk... It still isn't working." She let out a sigh and walked to the iron grill once again, overlooking the part of the road that had narrowed down towards the left making way to the entrance of their house.

"Hmm... I'll go tomorrow again." He breathed, walking down the staircase towards his room, his mind filled with all sorts of theories and explanations about the case his elder brother was fighting.
His Dada was his hero, and Batuk knew in his heart that his would never lose, he just wouldn't!

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

The afternoon sunlight was pleasant, the sweet aroma of the flowers were pleasant too, and at that moment, standing at the Verandah, Bondita thought lazily about all the things that they would do post her husband's win.
The road wasn't crowded, her eyes loitered around aimlessly, as suddenly she saw an old man sitting on his hunches infront of the dug up telephone line at the narrowed corner of their house, at a blind spot from where the two guards stood.

"Manikaki... Manikaki..." She called out immediately.

Manimala came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands in her saree, and Bondita beckoned her to stand beside in the Verandah.