Anidita: A Happy Family : Rejuvenation Of Dreams

Chapter 12: Batuk trapped in his own mishap

Anirudh is sitting on the couch. One leg over the other, looking straight at Batuk who is stooping his head low.
"Answer me Batuk."
Batuk kept quiet.
"What was going on out there?" Anirudh asked in a deep cold tone.
"I'm sorry Dada" Batuk answered in a low tone.
"Sorry! After doing all these mess intentionally you want to shed it off by a mere sorry?"
"I'll not do this again Dada, please forgive me"
"Forgive?! Tell me Batuk why I sent you to a foreign land? To study management or to learn all these shit?? You didn't care about the esteem of our family also?!"
Batuk kept quite. He dare not look at his brother's eyes.
Anirudh got up from his couch
"Listen Batuk now you will work under my orders... and if I see any disobedience... then you know me well... whenever I think I'll give you the liberty you deserve at this age you end up doing something odd... why Batuk?? You are grown up enough to understand... look at Bondita.. she also lived in a foreign land.. but look at her value sense and yours... you are my own brother Batuk... do you want me to fail as an elder brother? Answer me! You say you love me... and this is what you do....."

Batuk looked at the floor and went on hearing to his brother's lecture series. Nothing new it is... but it hit hard in his heart.

Batuk went to his room and closed the door. He sat on the bed and hold the pillow close to him. He started sobbing. His Dada will not trust him now. He has ordered him to hand over the papers he had. All papers will be checked by Anirudh. He can be mischievous but not a cheat. But what to do.. he himself did wrong. His Dada will not forgive him like that.. he will punish him in one way or the other. He needs to be aware.

The Roy Choudhuries are invited for dinner at the Chatterjees today. Bondita took out a nice red Panjabi for Anirudh. To Bondita in this stage a pajama will look good rather than a dhoti. Anirudh sat on the bed like a doll. Bondita took out all the required dresses. Anirudh got dressed up.
"Aah patibabu don't comb your hair like this" Bondita snatched the comb from him and started combing his hair herself. She then started adjusting his collars.
"Bondita..." Anirudh said in a loving tone "Do I look like your doll you used to play with as a child?"
"Yes... you are MY Doll... my most favourite doll... my cute doll... my..."
"Ok ok... I understand... is your makeover over??"
"Yes..."
"Now get dressed yourself and come"

Batuk isn't in a mood to dress up. He put on his blue shirt with it's first 3 buttons open and and a random trouser.

Supriyo has come to escort them. He sat in the Baithakkana (a sitting room.. like drawing room). Anirudh came in. He's not well acquainted with Sohini's family and vice versa. By Anirudh's dress he doesn't look like a Zamindar rather a normal man who got ready for an invitation. Bondita wanted her husband to look simple.. so...

Supriyo looked up at him and was shocked. It's that man who refused to give money.. and drove Batuk babu's car.
Nayeb came in.
"Anirudh babu Supriyo babu has come to escort you all to his place..."
"Hmm.. ok... where is Batuk?"
"He's comming... "
"Tell him to come fast" Anirudh moved towards Supriyo.. "Namaste Supriyo babu" greeted Anirudh
"Namaste.... you are??" Supriyo mumbled
Batuk entered the room like a breakless car and collided with the sofa. He don't want any odd thing to get disclosed infront of Anirudh. Anirudh looked at him. Batuk gave a stupid smile. Anirudh went near him and got him by his shirt. Batuk looked at Supriyo, his all hard earned esteem will go to hell today... what will his Dada do holding his collar!!

Anirudh buttoned the upper part of Batuk's shirt.
"Why don't you comb your hair?" Anirudh started setting his hair with his hand. Batuk stood like a baby who is being made ready for school by his elder.

Supriyo kept on looking.

Bondita Sampurna and the kids entered.
"We are ready Patibabu..."
"Yes.."
"Please come..." Supriyo welcomed them. By this time he understood he's Bondita's husband.. that means Batuk's elder brother. Now the thing is what is the place of Batuk here? The way Anirudh reacted at the village meeting it's evident he will not take for of his brother.

Anirudh and others entered Chatterjee's place. Batuk introduced Anirudh to Satyapriya and others. Bondita got inside with Sampurna and the kids.
"You are looking very happy today Didi" commented Sohini
"You know very well why" Bondita smiled
"Yes I know... "
"And extra happiness is too there to get Batuk trapped in his own net.."
Sohini's aunts and mother looked at her.
"Trapped means?" Wandered Sohini.
"Uff Bondita... stop behaving like a kid now.." Sampurna scolded
"Why Sampurna Didi... do I look like a kid?"
"Yes you are soo cute" Suraj commented holding Bondita's Saree. "You are in our team.."
"Yes yes she's in your team only... always upto some kiddish mischiefs..." Sampurna exclaimed
"Now come on Didi don't tease... let's get the dinner ready..."

"Now her husband has come... still she's flying!" Whispered one of the Aunts
"R a just you'll look at her behaviour infront of her husband... he is very stout.. didn't you see him in the panchayat?" Whispered
"Where??"
"R a that man whom Bondita took by his hand.. who else can it be other than her husband"
"But why was he in villagers clothes?!"
"God knows"

All sat for dinner. Anirudh and Satyapriya were discussing business matters. Somnath came in. Batuk sat there like a baby boy as he is. Supriyo kept on staring at his baby face. Why on earth is he behaving like this?!

The ladies came with the dinner and got it served. Anirudh looked at them.
"I think we all should have the food together..." suggested Anirudh
Satyapriya looked at the ladies. Bondita is of course the most different ones whose veil always is placed two steps back.
"Well... ladies eat after men only in our house.." commented Satyapriya
"It isn't necessary na??"
"Ahh... no... it isn't but...." Satyapriya wandered.. Anirudh is the elder one of Roy Choudhuries.. he have to keep him satisfied.. "well ok... fine... let all have dinner together..."
All the ladies were shocked. Satyapriya ordered them by his stare. All got sitted.
"Where is you Ma Sohini?" Enquired Bondita
"She's doing her prayers..." Sohini gave tge answer instantly. By now she knows that Bondita will run up and take her mother here to have dinner with all. Sohini didn't want an odd scene to be created here.

"Sohini.." whispered Bondita "I wouldn't have dragged ma here to have with all... I know we are guests and if I now make her sit with all she will have to bear much later... I understand that... go and check if she have had her food.. it's your responsibility..."
Sohini was stuck by Bondita's words. "I'm sorry didi"
"You needn't be... I can be a change maker but I know change doesn't come in a day.. and change can never come in by force.."

Supriyo took Batuk into a room after dinner.
"Will your Dada agree to the deal?"
"I Don't think he will..."
"Then proceed yourself please..."
"He will be very angry if I do anything more..."
"Are you afraid of him??"
"Yes..... no no... no... he's elder... eldest... so as respect..as......"
"If we step back Sanju will make papad of us... can you understand!?"
"Are you afraid of him??"
"If your head gets smashed then your zamindari power can do nothing"
Batuk looked at him. He is right
"Then what to do?? Dada already snatched the papers from me..."
"Steal it..."
"What?!"
"Yes...."
"From Dada's room?! Are you mad?!"
"All are living here tonight na... so go and steal them..."
"Me....."
"Yes you..."
Batuk gulped. What a dreadful dharamsankat he's in. Somewhere in his subconscious a voice spoke up
"Who told you do involve in this shit you fool... you could have just avoided it... but no.. you wanted to behave as a REAL ZAMINDAR.... ab bhukto"