Anidita : The Flaming Flambeau

CHAPTER 4 : Part 4

You can cuss me... I allow for group ragging here for just this once. Bash the writer babu all you want. I'm being generous. Love, MS

---------------------------------

Anirudh's p.o.v

Customs dating back to thousand centuries? My foot!

"Kyun Thaku Maa? Agar Sumati Maa mere sath khaane mein mujhe koyi aitraaz nahi toh woh kyun na beithe humare sath? Mujhe samajh mein nahi aaraha hum yeh baat hi kyun kar rahe hai! Apko toh pata hai na Thaku Maa, mujhe in sab mein vishwas nahi hai"

I don't know why they keep talking in that language even when they know how I'm like. Or is it some sort of new strategy to rush me out of the house sooner? Because it seems like working on me. I just want to pull my hairs out, shout and storm past that damned door. I took a deep breath and looked in the direction of Bondita who was now busy pulling her hesitant mother to a seat beside her. No Anirudh, you have to stay! Remember why you're here?

To get rejected? 

An inner voice that sounded doubtfully like the freak in white's whispered inside my head.

Rejection, my foot!

"Jhoot bolun toh jaan lelo meri! Sasu Maa, ap donon ke jhagadne se weise hi ek ghanta beet chuka hai. Ab hum aur samay kyun barbaad kare? Maan jao na Sasu Maa, ek din keliye hi toh hai. Kal toh Jamai babu nikal jayenge uske baad apko jo karna hai jeise karna hai ap kar lijiye. Dekho na, khaana thanda hogaya hai. Mujhe thanda Luchi weise bhi pasand nahi hai – mera matlab hai, apko thanda khaana pasand nahi hai na?" Chachi sweated.

Wait a minute... Who the hell told her that I was leaving tomorrow?!

Thaku Maa cleared her throat and finally settled down half-heartedly, occasionally giving me dirty looks. Hah! She thought she can win against me?

The lunch went unsettlingly silent – except for Sumati Maa handing over every sort of food my way while her daughter royally ignored me even when she was sitting right beside me. It was as though she's ruled out my whole existence. I had half a mind to throw the spoon away and drag her face to mine so that she would at least look at me. Thankfully, Maa's wise interruption with food – I guess she sensed the unusual aura between us – helped me from exploding and doing anything embarrassing in front of Kalindi Das.

Halfway through the lunch, Bondita got up and made an excuse of going outside for some fresh air. I barely managed to zip my mouth instead of asking what the problem with the air around me was. Why does she have to make it so damn difficult for me?

"Tum aaram se saas leke aao Bondita... Jamai babu ka khayal toh hum rakhenge" Chachi encouraged her.

Who said I wanted your khayal anyway?

Ignoring her Chachi's encouragement, Bondita made her way out without even turning back, leaving me reeling behind her retreating figure. I sighed retiringly, thinking what will happen of me in between the Das Mahila Morcha without Bondita.

After an hour of laborious ignoring, pleasing and clowning myself moments, I somehow managed to step out of the Das Koti. I wanted to talk to Bondita. I have no idea where she is but Krishna Nagar isn't that big a place. I might be able to find her within an hour – if she hasn't returned home by that time. Taking an encouraging breath, I took a step when Sumati Maa called me.

"Jamai babu, rukiye!"

I turned around to see her jogging towards me with a pot in her hand. Undoubtedly Roshogullas. How did she know I was going to find Bondita?