The Unventured Passions

Ceasefire in Loveland

The best part about mornings are that you get to start afresh, a better perspective, a clean slate and a renewed reflection. But, again, often humans fail to choose it wisely.

It was early Saturday morning when Bondita opened her eyes, lazily at first and then at once, suddenly aware of how she was sleeping, her body intertwined with that of her husband's.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be, this wasn't what she had intended it to be, but perhaps habitual actions in the unconsciousness of sleep pays no heed to what one has to say in full awareness.

She tried to move her head a little, careful enough not to wake him up, as she saw her baby sleeping peacefully beside her.
This wasn't how it was last night! The baby was sleeping in the middle, then how did...

Bondita sighed softly, and Anirudh moved a little, retracting his arm from below Bondita's head, reflexively, in sleep.
She had made his arm her pillow all night, unknowingly.

Bondita tried to shift her side, but, Anirudh's other hand had snaked her firmly, his palm on her breasts, cupping her softness in his sleep.
Bondita gulped.
The acute feeling of his hardened erection pressing on her waist was hard to ignore, and his right leg was on top of hers, crushing her gently with his weight.

"Barrister Babu..."
Finding no way out of his firm embrace, she finally decided to call him, softly.
"Barrister Babu, let me get up." She whispered.

Anirudh opened his eyes at once.
"How is she? Rudhi?" He strained his eyes at his wife's beautiful morning face, his gaze on the smudged vermillion dot on her forehead.

"She is sleeping." She murmured, and tried to shake his hand off her body.

Anirudh groaned and nuzzled on her neck, his grip tightening further on her breasts, but then, suddenly, like a lightning struck soul, he loosened his hold on her body, letting her break free.

"Sor... Sorry." He murmured.

Bondita didn't reply. She pulled the loose end of her saree from under his body and covered her bosoms with it. Her eyes were lowered.

"It's alright. You don't have to apologise."
She prepared to leave the bed as Anirudh got up and held her hand quickly, drawing her close to him, a little.

"No Bondita, it's not alright." He spoke slowly. "I need to apologise, for that night... I didn't mean to..."

"You didn't mean to what? Push me away?" Bondita spoke firmly.

"Yes." Anirudh was looking down now, his face drawn in an apology. "And, also for imposing my ideas on you."

"So you realised?"
Bondita sighed, and looked away.

"Bondita, I never meant to impose my thoughts and ideas on you. I always wished you good, I've wished you success. I've experienced the potential that you have, Bondita, it's rare, and it hurts me when I see that you aren't utilising it to its maximum."
Anirudh's voice was suddenly a bit restless, as if desperately trying to prove his point, and Bondita frowned at the abrupt change of his apology into an accusation.

"Who told you I'm not using my potential to the maximum?"
She asked coldly.

"Because, I can see it... You aren't studying... You aren't doing..." His voice was climbing up gradually.
"Bondita, in Dehradun you were involved in so many social service activities, you really made a difference, even in Tulsipur... the school you started was an immense success, it changed so many lives, but..." He paused to take a breath, "but, after coming to Calcutta, it seems that you have lost your purpose, you're just interested in playing my wife!"