The Unventured Passions

A Picnic By the River (4)

The sound of soft snoring coming from inside the tent was a pleasant contrast to the tranquil atmosphere that the evening in Phooleswar offered. The orchestred music of the Ganga gushing, the cockatiels chirping and the girls giggling added to it's comforting serenity.
Mukundo was sleeping sound inside the tent, and it was the snort that was making Bondita and Sharmila giggle from time and again.
Anirudh had set up a third tent for the girls to play inside, and he himself had occupied Bimala's hammock, swaying gently, with one of her books in hand...
'Venus and Adonis' it read.

Brojo and Bimala were inside their tent too, sleeping or not no one knows, but their intention of not coming out any sooner was evident from the fact that the cloth door was tightly fastened from inside, restricting access from all clamours outside.

The air felt peaceful and happy, ruffling Anirudh's hair with it's caressing touch, but more Anirudh read the book, more his forehead formed lines.

'Was this what his little Bondita was reading?'

The thought nudged his mind over and over, and the more he flipped through the pages depicting explicit portrayal of love, the more he became restless.

"Bondita... Bondita..."
He finally called out.

On normal occasions, she would come running to his beckon at once, but that day he sensed a delay, an unnecessary delay, making him restless, and then she came out... slowly, the sound of her anklets rang like a cascading waterfall.

"You called?" She spoke softly, but her eyes were looking away.

"Were you reading this book? Be honest!"
Anirudh had sat up on the hammock, the book held in his hand.

"Yes, and no." Bondita replied plainly. On normal occasion this tone of her husband had made her heart tremble with fear, but that evening was different... She felt fearless, she felt empowered.

"What do you mean by that?"
Anirudh's eyes had narrowed.

"Bimala Didi read, and I listened."

"But why would she read this to you? And to Sharmi boudidi as well?"
He rolled his eyes and Bondita sighed, nodding her head silently.

"Unbelievable!!"
He blurted out, displeasure was evident in his voice, and suddenly Bondita turned her eyes and looked straight at him.

"Why? It doesn't say anything that Sharmi hasn't experienced already... I'd say she has felt more than what the book says."

Anirudh's jaws had dropped at once.
"How do you know?" He asked, dreading the answer, and Bondita raised an eyebrow at him, as if the answer was evident, filling Anirudh with a sense of instant regret to bring his wife to that picnic.

"What Sharmi boudidi is experiencing, it's... It's wrong Bondita... Please understand... She... She isn't prepared yet.."

"Prepared?" Bondita sighed. "Women don't require preparation to embrace their husband's love... It's a privilege Barrister Babu, a privilege that some doesn't have."

"Privilege?" Anirudh had slammed the book beside him, folding his arms to his chest, visibly frustrated at her reasons.
"Are you out of your mind Bondita? What that poor child is going through is called abuse... And... and you are supporting it?"

"Abuse?" Bondita raised her voice a little.
"It's called Love Barrister Babu, not abuse... But Alas! It's not for all to understand."
She turned to leave, creating a rift in Anirudh's wall of patience, and he promptly leaned forward, holding Bondita's wrist, as he pulled her towards him abruptly.
Bondita almost fell on his chest with a sharp gasp.