Anidita: A Happy Family : Rejuvenation Of Dreams

Chapter 7: Anirudh, the guardian

(Here for convenience of my writing I'm assumed that there are 4 orphan kids under Anirudh's guardianship, Anil, Suraj, Rita and Ela. Ela and Suraj are the youngest of the team and study in the youngest class. Rita and Anil are a bit elder and studies a year ahead of them. Swaswati is the leader of the kids' gang and of course the eldest one.)

In the school ground during the break.

"You saw na how Barrister Babu punished Batuk dada," Ela said with fright.
"Yes, now if he comes to know then?" Asked Suraj.
"Will he beat us like that too??" Asked Rita with concern.
"No we are girls na, Dada will not beat us, he'll beat these boys" declared Swaswati
Suraj and Anil look at her squeezing their eyebrows.
"But didi I'm afraid," said Rita
"Don't be afraid. Let's go to Bondita masi, I saw Anirudh dada hears to her."
"I think there is no need to tell Barrister babu only" suggested Anil, "let's request Bondita didi to come to meet the Principal"
"But if she tells him?" Asks Ela
"I'll manage her" declared Swaswati like a pro.
"But they return together... where will we get her alone??" Asks Suraj
"Don't you know? Dada went to Calcutta today. He'll return late"

A mischievous smile appeared on the kid's face.

************

Bondita comes out of the washroom wiping her face. She sees Swaswati standing in front of her.
"What happened Swaswati?"
Suraj closes the door.
"What happened?? Why are you closing the door??"
"Bondita masi, we have a request to you"
"Request?!"
"Yes"
Swaswati slowly handed over a letter to Bondita.
Bondita reads it and looked at the kids who are standing with a frightened faces.
"And your request is not to tell this incident to your Dada ... hmm" Bondita replies in a scolding tone
"Please Didi" requests Ela
"Where did you go bunking classes??"
The Kids looked at each other
"To the riverbank" Swaswati replies in a hesitant tone
Bondita moves one of her eyebrows up.
"Riverbank?"
Bondita is not quite convinced by the answer.
"Please didi" Ela requests again
"You want me to go as your guardian and meet Principal sir, right?"
Kids nodded their heads in agreement.
Bondita sighs and looks at the letter.
"Accha... now go and study... finish your homework"
"THANK YOU BONDITA DIDI" the kids jumped with joy and left the room happily.

****************

Bondita helps Anirudh to unbutton his blazer. He sits on the chair and sighs.
"First change your clothes then sit" suggested rather instructed Bondita
Anirudh looked at her and got up.
Bondita pushes him into the washroom with the towel and bathrobe.
"Go inside now and get fresh. I'm bringing your dinner here"
"Why here I'm going to..."
"All have already had their dinner and have gone to bed... you go and get fresh... goo"

Anirudh comes out of the washroom wiping his head. He saw Bondita serving the food.
"You had your dinner?"
Bondita looked up at him
"No.. you have..."
"Where's your plate?"
"I'll have paribabu... you came after a long tiring day.."
Anirudh approached near her. Bondita moved back.
"Look at me Bondita" Anirudh instructed in a deep tone
Bondita slowly looked up at him
"You know very well I don't like all these.. and I know very well that you can't stand hunger"
"I'm not hungry..." Bondita replied in a low childish tone.
"Now grow up Bondita, you are not a kid, go bring your plate, why are you doing this"
"Just like that, dil kiya to, how can I eat when you are still outside.. hungry.."
"Goo..." Anirudh instructed her in the same way Bondita did while pushing him into the washroom. Bondita squeezed her eyebrows towards him as a sign that she understood he was taking revenge.

"Is Batuk ok?" Asked Anirudh while having his food.
"I don't think so.."
"Why?"
"He didn't have his food... and also didn't let anyone enter his room. Kaka went with chun haldi but he didn't let him in. His room is locked from inside. I heard him groaning inside."
Anirudh puts down his roti and sighs.
"Have it Patibabu.."
Anirudh looks up.
"How can you expect me to eat Bondita when my own brother is..."
"It's your last piece.. eat it... "
Anirudh sighed and put the piece of roti in his mouth.
"Bondita... bring some food and chun haldi.."
"But he's not letting anyone enter.."
"What's the time?"
"It's 12...." Bondita looked at the clock "12 15"
"He's waiting for my room light to go off"
"What?!"
"You were his partner in mischiefs na... can't you sense it? It's not the first time he got beaten up by me... when I went to meet him in Italy I told him many times to stop these... he got caught by me there also and every time he said I'll not do this again Dada... I also couldn't bring him here... he never focused on studies and went on doing this nonsense..."
Bondita stared at him.
"Then? What will you do?"
Anirudh looked at Bondita

***************************

Batuk opened the door and peeped out. He looked towards Anirudh's room. It's dark. He slowly steps out and moved forward pressing his feet. No sooner did he tried to gain pace he stopped. He can see a silver housecoat standing infront of him in the dark. He sqeezed his eyes to ensure if its an illusion or not. The silver housecoat got closer and got him by his collar. Now he could see the golden spectacles. He gulped.
"Dada... dada... I didn't..." whispered Batuk in fright
Anirudh silently dragged him to his room and made him sit on the bed. Batuk kept his head low.
"Open..."
"What?" Batuk looked up
"Your shirt"
Batuk was shocked. Will now his Dada turn into a devil and punish him like white masters do to their black slaves.
Batuk kept looking at his Dada.
"Open it..." Anirudh turned back and took the first aid box.
Batuk took a breath of relief.
"What happened... I told you to open your shirt na.."
"Dada...."
"I'm your Dada... if you have no shame outside then you should not be shy to me too.. I even changed your diapers ...now come on.."
He slowly opened his shirt.
"Now lie down..."
Batuk slowly lay down.
"Dada the door.." Batuk whispered.
Anirudh moved his hands over his wounds.
"Aahhh it hurts.."
"Shut up"
Anirudh started cleaning it with cotton and antiseptic
"Why didn't you let anyone enter your room?"
Batuk pushed his face inside the pillow and kept quiet.

"Patibabu the chun haldi.." Bondita stormed into the room. And Batuk in the blink of an eye got up, took the blanket to cover himself and the blow threw the antiseptic bottle from Anirudh's hand onto the bed making a odd red patch on the white bedsheet.

Bondita was startled for a moment. Then started giggling realising the whole matter.

"I'm not that shameless" announced Batuk.

Anirudh couldnot hold back his smile. He managed somehow.
"Bondita give the plate and the haldi to me... and you go to sleep... and close the door... our Batuk is very shy.." Anirudh taunted. Batuk pushed his head into the blanket.
"Patibabu... I had an important talk with you..."
"Important talk" Batuk didn't left this chance to taunt her but he forgot the Godfather of this taunt is sitting beside him. Anirudh looked at him angrily. Batuk again pushed his head in. Really Desi Indians can't take these taunts sportingly.
"You go... I'm comming..."

Bondita left. Anirudh apllied the medicine on his wounds. With the message of the loving hands Batuk feel asleep soon.
"Batuk... your food..." Anirudh tried to wake him up but he was sleeping like a baby.
Anirudh caressed his messy hair. Kissed on his sleepy forhead and left the room. He kept the food there on the side table so that he don't have to steal food from the kitchen at dawn.

********

Anirudh got in his room and closed the door. He saw Bondita sitting on the bed.
"You didn't sleep still??"
Bondita silently forwarded the letter to him.
Anirudh read it and got shocked. He sat beside her.
"These kids have gone so naughty nowadays... they need to learn a lesson... now what do they want?? Do they want you to go and meet Sir as their gurdian?"
"Yes... it's quite understandable.."
"Ok you go and meet Sir, I'll have to go to Calcutta early tomorrow... you also didn't meet him after your return from London, he'll be very happy. And tell him I have seen his complaint and I'll ensure that the kids don't go into any mischiefs further..."
"I think they got afraid after they saw you beating up Batuk like that..."
"But if you do wrong you will get punished... right na?"
Bondita nodded her head.