SCARS

Chapter 4 - Raw (Part 2)

Kaka looked at Bondita who looked like the ground has been snatched from beneath her feet. Her face had turned pale. Kaka knew how much it must have pained her. She did go through a similar pain like this before also. He felt a pang in his heart for the daughter in law who was his daughter. As he looked at the expectant face of his friend, his own face contorted in anger. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could voice anything out another voice bellowed from atop the staircase.

"Sen Kaka!!! Yeh kya keh rahe hai aap??"
The whole Sen family along with Bihari & Koyeli shivered at the loud tone of Aniruddh's voice. Only Bondita remained unmoving, gazing tearfully down at the marble tiled floor where she was standing.

As Aniruddh started to descend down the stairs, all of the seated people in the living room got up from their places but Aniruddh never took notice of them. His gaze was fixed at the ashen face of his usually brightly smiling wife. The unshed tears in her eyes pulling up daggers into his heart. He mentally implored her to look at him once. Just once. But she didn't. Her gaze remained fixed at the ground beneath her.

He turned his gaze back towards Sen Babu. His jaw hardened. Sen Babu visibly flinched at the redness in Aniruddh's eyes. But he still began to speak, "Arree... Aniruddh beta... galat kya kaha hai humne?? Beta humari Dyuti sundar hai. Sanskaari hai. Padhna likhna bhi jaanti hai. Tumhare kaka ko bhi bohot pasand hai."
Aniruddh could feel the white hot fury enveloping him when Kaka interjected. "Pasand hai. Bohot pasand hai. Par Som ke liye. Aniruddh shaadishuda hai. Uski patni hai. Hamari pyaari Bondita Bahu"
Sen Babu gauged the stuffy atmosphere that seemed to surround them all of a sudden. He couldn't understand what the big deal was actually. It was not as if having a second wife was a crime & if he was honest to himself he'd rather make his Dyuti Aniruddh Babu's, the heir of the Roy Chowdhury's second wife than his brother who had no charisma or recognition apart from being known as his brother.

Sen Babu cleared his throat before speaking to Kaka in a soft but confident voice. "Trilochan... Humne kab manaa kiya ki Bondita bahurani nahi hai Aniruddh ki patni. Hum bas yeh keh rahe hai ki hum chahte hai ki Dyuti bhi Aniruddh ki patni bane. Humari Dyuti aur Bondita bahurani behno ki tarah rahe aur apne adhikaar baantle."

Aniruddh's eyes widened in disbelief as he heard those words. How can any father think of those words.
Kaka saw Aniruddh's knuckles turning white tightened into a fist & gulped.
He doesn't in any way want Dyuti to be Aniruddh's second wife & hurt his beloved Bondita bahu irreparably but he also wanted to resolve the matter in peace.

"SEN KAKA!!! Agar aapne ek aur shabd apne muh se bahaar nikala toh mai yeh bhool jaunga ki aap mere Kaka he itne achche dost hai. Meri patni ek thi, ek hai aur jab tak mai zinda hu, woh ek hi rahegi. BONDITA. Barrister Shrimati Bondita Aniruddh Roy Chowdhury. Meri patni ki garima par ya uske adhikaaro par nazar daalne ka anjaam bohot bura hoga Sen Kaka. Itna ki aap kabhi soch bhi nahi paayenge. Aur yeh Tulsipur ke Barrister Babu ka waada hai aapse."

Neither was Aniruddh's voice in his control nor his words. Kaka thanked the mother Goddess that his hands were in control.

Sen Babu looked at Kaka & spoke indignantly. "Trilochan. Yeh sab kya hai. Itni sahaj baat kahi humne aur tumhara yeh bhatija hume dhamki de raha. Woh bhi ek aurat ke liye??"

"WOH AURAT PATNI HAI MERI!!! ARDHANGINI HAI. MERA JEEVAN HAI!! Aapko phir se chetavni de raha hu mai Sen Kaka. Meri patni ke samman ko thes mat pohochaiyye."

Sen Babu was very offended. He offered a very simple proposal. There was nothing bad about it & this boy threatened him for it. For a woman. Sen Babu scoffed in his mind. Whatever he heard then was true. The famous Barrister was indeed wrapped around his educated wife's little finger. He isn't man enough.

"Trilochan. Sach kahu toh aaj Aniruddh ko dekh ke hame badi nirasha hui hai. Jo mard apni patni ki itni ji huzoori kare... Woh mard mard nahi hota. Woh napunsak kehlata hai."

Kaka was visibly very angry at Sen Babu. Aniruddh too was disgusted at his thoughts. Both uncle nephew were
about to say something when a soft feminine voice interrupted them.

" Jo mard zaroorat ke waqt apni patni ka saath na de, jo apni patni ki khushiyo ka gala dabaye roz, jo aurton ka samman na kare, apni beti ko apni ichcha se kisi aur ki dusri patni banana chahe asli napunsak woh kehlate hai Sen Kaka. Mere Patibabu nahi. "

All of them turned towards the source of the voice. Barrister Babu Bondita has finally entered the conversation.