Anidita - Beautiful Lies

11

Unedited.

"Barrister babu, let us know your decision...." A man around his mid 50, dejectedly sighed and careened his back on the sea green couch. His face pale, and forehead lined with wrinkles of stress. From past half an hour he along with his other two offsiders, has been coercing Anirudh for taking up the case and law in his hand. But getting a negative answer from his side since the time they stepped into his remote study following from the court.

"Its the same Devasish babu..." He replied in an undertone voice and clumsily turned the pages of the law book sitting on his ornate turning chair. "I am not taking it on my hand and this would be my answer no matter you ask me this for the nth time"

His answer made their face red in indignation. Here they had been constantly trying to persuade him for the job and he? He is being as stubborn as a mule! But they couldn't afford his cold-shouldering! He was the top-drawer barrister in the whole bengal along being an unsurpassable insurrectionist. If not he, then who has the prowess of making the law pass?

Devasish babu stood up from the couch in exasperation and brusquely replied, evincing his fury " Barrister Anirudh, you cannot do this to us! You cannot destroy those little children's life, just after showing them the light of hope to live! You are a social reformer if you forgot that by chance. Revolutionizing is your work not redemption."

"Destroying? How?" Anirudh asked maintaining calm composure, with a cold piercing gaze. He was responsible for their ruination? How? He just stepped back and nothing else. He was not barricading their work.

He has told them countless time about this. He was not willing to be a part of this reformation just because he had his own causes. But at the same time he didn't hold back anyone from doing that! So how can him being only a defenceless person, be blameworthy?

Devasish babu gave him a deadly glare for which Anirudh banged the book on the table in warth and said furiously "And redemption? For what? I already asked you guys to work on Child marriage annulment law ! I have no problem you guys working with it but I myself cannot be a part of this resolution. I have my own reasons!" Bondita is my reason... He completed in his mind.

"Own reasons Anirudh babu? What own reasons? Your young teenage spouse?" Said Subashish babu acerbically, coming and standing near Devasish babu. "Bondita?" He sneered.

"Subashish babu! Mind your tongue or get ready to rip it off..." Anirudh's fists tightened at his mention of Bondita's name. How dare that man bringing Bondita's name from his mouth! Their problem was with him as he was not ready to muck in with their job. But who gave them the right to bring his wife out there?

"Anirudh babu calm down...." It was a feminine tone this time, walking leisurely and checking out the books of the selves. Her sleek fingers caressing the age old dusted books, in process making her red glass bangles etch a melodic tune.

"Malini ji.. Calm down..? They are bringing my wife...!" He gritted his teeth in vexation glaring towards Devasish and Subashish.

"Maliniji got what you couldn't Anirudh babu...." Devasish mocked while Subasish joined his derision with a playful smirk. "You are right Devasish babu...."

"Enough!" Anirudh roared aloud "Stop this rubbish and leave if you are done with you tea! People consider you to be reformers but instead of doing that you guys are trying to blight my own house!"

"Anirudh babu..." Malini stopped her search in mid and turned to face them. Donned up in a plain white saree embroidered with red plate she walked up to him combing her cascading long tresses with her free fingers. Anirudh glanced at her with peeved eyes anticipating for her next words. "Their way of putting the words so bluntly was wrong...." Anirudh hoped her to understand him but his insides filled with anger at her succeeding words " but they are not completely wrong. Isn't Mrs. Roy Chowdhury the reason you back off this pious work?"