The Unventured Passions

Meticulous Planning

The new day, the new sky, the water and the land - ever the same and ever evolving - the embodiment of the moment and the eternal entwined.

Batakrishna hadn't slept the night before, first his wild thoughts, the phone call, and then anticipatory wait for the dawn to arrive, tossing in the study room with the puzzle book in hand.
He had bathed early, dressed up too, and around 6, when his uncle guided his guest to sip his first morning tea, Batuk rushed down the staircase and stood infront of him.

"Kaka, I'm going to Calcutta, Dada called last night."
He blurted out.

Trilochan's face had a excited frown at once, as he lowered the cup of tea and almost screamed in excitement.

"Anirudh? Anirudh called? How is he? And Bahu?"
His voice reeked of emotions, and sitting beside him, Abinash Lahiri smiled brightly too.

"Both are good, healthy. But they'd come here only after Dada wins the trial."
He announced, as Koeli quietly kept a cloth filled trunk infront of him.
"I'll be back by night. I'll go to Bethune School too."

"Bethune School?"
Trilochan frowned.

"Yes Kaka, for Bhargavi, I'm thinking of getting her enrolled there, it's the best, isn't it?"
He smiled fondly at his own thoughts and Trilochan nodded.

"That's fine. But what about your engagement Batuk? I mean, without Anirudh and Bondita, it'd be difficult for us to..."

Trilochan murmured thoughtfully, and was promptly interjected by Batuk.

"I don't think Dada can make it now, and we need to go to Dhaka immediately, as you already know, so I've thought of informing Dada and be done with it."

Be done with it?

Trilochan's jaws fell at his hurried urgency, as his logical senses couldn't fathom a reason as to why his nephew, who even a day ago was so reluctant about the match, was suddenly showing such restlessness about this premature engagement.

"Umm... But without Bahu... I mean she is the one who is to do the rituals, and..."

"That we'll manage Kaka, with alternatives." Batuk tried to smile, but then his eyes fell on the silhouette of the feminine figure coming out of the Puja room, completely sheathed in a plain white drape, freshly bathed hair, uncombed, a white chandan tika on her forehead, and she had held a rudraksh rosary in her hand.
The white saree stirred up a fuming fire inside him, and then his eyes narrowed at the rosary.

"Anything special today Kaka?" Batuk suddenly asked, his eyes still following the path that Mira had taken, and looking at that direction Trilochan let out a soft chuckle.

"Oh... It's Ekadashi today Batuk."

Batuk quickly eyed the tea table.
Ekadashi indeed! Even his uncle wasn't drinking tea.

"She can do it Kaka..." He suddenly murmured, and then looking up at Trilochan, Batuk flashed a smile on his lips.
"Mira can do the rituals that's due for Bondita, can't she?"

"No... She can't!" Came a prompt reply.
"She's a widow Batuk... For god's sake... Dugga Dugga!"
Trilochan closed his eyes at once, muttering a soft prayer at this outrageous request of his nephew.

Batuk, however, wasn't listening anymore, as smirking at his uncle, he quickly turned around and jumped double stairs to reach the top.

Perfect... Let's see how you do this Mira! Let's see how you can stop loving me.
He huffed.

It had taken Batuk hardly a minute to reach the desired guest room. Bhargavi wasn't there as expected, practicing on a skipping rope on the open terrace as per her daily morning ritual, and Batuk's eyes furrowed as he didn't find Mira in there either.