Letters from Dalhousie to Tulsipur

Part 7- Anirudh & Bondita

They reached the Haveli and Somnath before Anirudh could take the luggage quickly took them and walked inside, for he could no longer tolerate the childishness of Batuk and Malika.

Anirudh was feeling a sense of rejuvenation as he had his Bondita by his side. Even though, he was angry at her words but still he was content at her presence beside him.

Such was the love, he held for her.

Batuk and Malika stood next to Bondita shoving each other until, Bondita signalled both of them to behave.

"Bahu, you're here"-Trilochon was waiting for them at the threshold of the Haveli and as soon as he saw them, he rushed to them forgetting all of his rules and anger at Bondita.

"How can you leave like this bahu? Aren't I your father? How can you not visit a single time in these last one and a half years?"-Bondita had grown quite emotional at the sight of the staunch orthodox man.

He was the perpetrator of everything. If he hadn't started everything then probably Anirudh and Bondita would be okay today.

But at the same time, she held an immense amount of respect for him that she couldn't get rid of no matter what.

One of the major reasons then was her fear of TRC accepting Manorama easily due to his love for his nephew. After all, Bondita couldn't measure up to his son, could she?

She hated the idea of Manorama snatching even her last relations in the house and that was why, she left even before she could witness those events happening.

Bondita smiled at Trilochon and touched his feet to show her respect. She met with everyone and tried to behave as normally as she could.

She understood that, showing your concern over letters were probably far easier than showing it on the face.

Anirudh could understand her dilemma. And her hesitance in mingling with everyone as before. He had the same issues as her. He had taken a long time before forgiving Trilochon a little. His role in everything couldn't be whitewashed and it made him equally responsible.

Anirudh would write to Bondita about everything beautifully but inside of his heart, all he wanted was to create a separate world with his Bondita.

Maybe, that was why he was looking forward to shifting in Dalhousie and later probably to Kolkata with her.

If that made him a little selfish, then he was a selfish man perhaps.

"Bondita, how are you? You've grown so thin! Don't they give you good food at all at Dalhousie?"-Sampoorna's words made her smile as Bondita finally could see the glimpse of the old Sampoorna in her.

Maybe, barrister babu was right and she had changed but she for the life of her couldn't afford to trust her again so soon.

She had too many scars from Sampoorna to do that.

"Bondita, go and take a shower and Malika you too, do the same. It was quite a long journey. We'll talk then. Batuk, take Malika to the guest room"-Malika made a face but went with him after a assuring nod from Bondita.

Bondita went back to her room almost expecting it to change or probably Manorama trying to seize it.

She couldn't put it past that lady at all.

She looked at the room and saw that everything was the same. From the curtains to the books laying on the bookshelf, nothing had changed. Except for a few books related to law sitting there.