The Unventured Passions

Hide and Seek

"And, here it goes... Done and dusted!"

Raimoti kept a bunch of new clothes on the small tin box inside the tiny room that was alloted to them, before she sat down on the floor, infront of Anirudh.

"What are you dusting exactly?" Anirudh was writing something on a piece of white sheet, as he looked up amusingly, his eye narrowed at the way she was dusting away the imaginary dust from her hands.

"Everything... For tonight, and hopefully for Mymensing forever!"
Raimoti replied promptly and poured herself a small pot of water.

"Hopefully... Tomorrow we'll leave with the BorJatri, and by afternoon I should be at the Mymensing Post office."
Anirudh was calculating in his head, and Raimoti listened quietly.

"And then?"

"And then, I'll have a send news to Batuk, and we'll have to look for Bondita with reinforcement."

"Reinforcement? Police?"
Raimoti gasped and frowned.

"No... But I'll need my people... our guards and sentinels from the Tulsipur Haweli... My wife is missing for goodness sake!"

"But Satya is there too!"
Raimoti looked away, her voice was suddenly faint and fearful.
"What if this search puts him in danger in anyway?"

Anirudh sighed, and kept the paper aside.
"Then what would you have me do Raimoti? Bondita is out there, alone, scared may be... And I can't just do nothing!" He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply, running his fingers through his hair, and Raimoti lowered her gaze and sat quietly.

"I'd say let's go to Rangpur palace, and see if they have reached there."
She remarked gently instead.

"And what if they aren't there?"

"Then you do what deems fit to you." Raimoti looked up at him with an earnest urge in her eyes.
"If your men comes and looks for Bondita, the police too would follow their trail... The news of the famous barrister's missing wife doesn't take long to spread... And, Satya..."

Anirudh sighed.
"I got your point Raimoti, but know this... There is nothing, no one in this world thats more important to me than Bondita... And, if they're not in Rangpur, then I'll churn the earth and sea to find her, and I hope Satyakirth doesn't pay it's price in anyway." His jaws were suddenly clenched, and he shook his head sideways once, as if trying to shake off some unknown fear.
"What if someone happens to her... And... And I'm not there to protect...!"
He couldn't complete, but sat there like a plagued statue, breathing rapidly.

It was quite uncharacteristic of him, Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, to shudder and lament, and yet there he was, doing both for his wife, his heart thudding louder and off beat, and with every passing second, the fear grew darker.

"I'm sorry Raimoti, I'll do what I have to do!" He murmured.

"But, Satya is there to protect her."
Raimoti tried to object, feebly but Anirudh's rebuttal was almost prompt, as if he had planned it, rehearsed it with himself already.

"Satya is a freedom fighter! Satya has renounced his family... No bond, nothing holds dear to him than his responsibilities towards the country... He'll do anything to save the land Raimoti, and my Bondita would be the least of his bothering if a choice comes!"

Raimoti saw Anirudh's expression, his eyes were pressed shut and he was shuddering, his hands gripped in a fist.

What happened suddenly!
Why was he so scared!

She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, but chose not to respond, instead she just nodded slowly and turned around, grabbing the small stack of clothes.

"I got you these."
She handed Anirudh a new white dhoti and a pale sky blue kurta, hoping to distract him from his menacing thoughts, and Anirudh opened his eyes slowly.