The Unventured Passions

Deepset Resentments

A small ball of paper had hit his head lightly, breaking his rapt concentration as Batuk looked up from the masterpiece that he had been creating on a white sheet, his forehead visibly furrowed with a questioning frown. Infront of him was his dear sister-in-law, sitting with a pout on her face, the foreign made wax crayons lay scattered on the half scribbled sheet where she was meant to draw, and both together looked back at the drawing that he had made.

"Yuck!"
Bondita made a gagging sound, and casting his glance back to it made Batuk flinch his face in distaste. The half coloured human figure on his drawing sheet suddenly looked more grotesque, with its pitch dark long hair, and the extra ordinary pale yellow skin, and the fingers appearing to be way longer than intended.

"You're supposed to draw a human Batuk, not a 'Petni'." Bondita rolled her eyes,
"Else, you'll flunk in drawing this year too."

Batuk pursed his lips at her.
"My petni this is, what about you? Is that your bhoot?"

He left his drawing and leaned forward to sneak a peek at Bondita's sheet, and the half coloured figure made him gasp at once.

"Is that... Is that Dada?"
He widened his eyes in disbelief at the amateurish drawing of a man with a black robe and a bunch of files held to his chest. His facial features weren't prominent, but from the overall appearance it wasn't difficult for him to identify his dear big brother.

Bondita shrugged.
"Who else would it be?"
Her murmured words made Batuk smile naughtily, and Bondita threw a small broken crayon at him.

"Who is that Petni of yours?" She asked, and Batuk grinned at her.

"Guess."
He winked and it made her purse her lips mockingly.
"Who Barnomala?"

"Noo... I'm over her... She's..." Batuk trailed his words to hold on to the suspence and Bondita folded her arms to her chest and looked away.

"Alright... It's Kamala..!"
He remarked, and Bondita gasped out loud.

"It's Kamala Kaki Batuk! Not Kamala."

"Whatever... But this is her."

Batuk sighed dramatically and looked closely at the drawing.
"But this indeed looks like a Petni, Kamala is different, she really can't be this."

"You like her?"
Bondita widened her eyes, and Batuk nodded bashfully.

"She's different Boudi, not like others... She's... She's earthy... Raw... I mean, you can really see the real her, no pretence."
Batuk sighed and it earned him a smack from his sister-in-law.

"Stop... She's married... She has a baby."
She rolled her eyes, and Batuk looked away.

"I know. Her husband is not a good person, and the baby is adorable... You know Bondita, she sings too."

"Rabindrasangeet?"

"Nah!" Batuk flinched, "that's heavy duty words... Kamala Kaki sings folk songs, the simple ones, baul."

Bondita sighed at his words, and so did Batuk.
"I know it's not right, and I don't mean any harm to her... It's just that I'm happy when I'm near her... The way you're happy around Dada."

His words had an instant effect on Bondita's cheeks, and Batuk noticed her visibly turning red.

"Why? Aren't you happy around him?"
He pressed her, and she casted her eyes down bashfully.