The Unventured Passions

'Love'ly Encounters

An unknown bird was chirping at the open window of the Governor's stone craved mansion.

What bird was it?
Did it come from a foreign land as well?

Bondita's eyes were fixated on the small blue passerine, awaiting Batuk's arrival from the indoors patiently, as she suddenly saw the governor coming out from behind the large curtains separating the outside sitting room from the rest of the house.

"Mrs. Roy Chowdhury, the young doctor will have to stay here a bit longer than expected." The governor sounded firm as Bondita stood up immediately in a mild defiance.

"But? We need to go to the court and submit the extension notice as well... So..."

"Oh! here it is." He handed a sealed letter to her. "The extension notice... I'll send one of my guards with you to the court. You seem to be a smart woman, I'm sure you can handle it yourself."

Bondita smiled awkwardly, taking the letter from him.

"But my brother-in-law?"

"The doctor would need a little more time here it seems."

"Can I talk to him once atleast."

The room fell silent as the governor nodded his head slowly in agreement,
"I'll go and call him", he murmured, but before he could make any effort, Bondita saw Batuk, coming out from behind the curtain, with a subtle smile of amusement pressed in his lips, and splatters of blood drops on his freshly pressed yellow shirt. He was wiping his scarlet strained hands, on a piece of white towel, as he inched forward towards Bondita and smiled.

"Boudi... Full crackpot case, I'll have to be here for sometime." He whispered to her ears in an accented Bangla, popular in their Tulsipur, as Bondita smiled in a fake happiness and nodded her head, she saw the governor too, smiling in reciprocation.

"Crackpot as in?"

"The wife... Full mad... I'll tell you once I come home." He looked at the paper held in her hand and let out a deep breath.
"Atleast, it's done what we had come for."

Batuk had turned towards the old man standing behind, with inquisition in his eyes, as addressed him in a grave, yet plain clear English.
"Sir, I'll require a few medicines... I need a paper to write on... And, yes... If you could arrange it as soon as possible."

The governor nodded his head at once as he almost ran inside the house, following the young doctor, leaving Bondita alone in the hall.

Strange world this is!

Her eyes had travelled back to the bird once again, and her thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"Her Highness, Madam, the General has ordered me to drive you to the Alipore Court and then to your house. Please Madam, this way."
Bondita walked forward, an air of superior nonchalance reeking from that walk, as the same guard from earlier walked behind her, following her towards the car. He had held the door open too, as Bondita got inside, eyeing the name tag on his chest.

"Thank you, Robin. Here..."
She pulled out a bunch of currency notes from her purse and kept it on his hand.

How people treat you is their Karma,
And how you react is yours!

Bondita smirked.

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

It was a little before afternoon when Bondita had finally reached the Roy Chowdhury Mansion. She had thrown the bag on the couch, while walking past the hall, and almost ran inside the room where Anirudh had laid.