We Come So Far

Dilemmas & Triumph🫶

Anirudh's POV

Sarpanch Debdutta - Fine ookil babu. The panchayat shall commence it's meeting at 10 AM tomorrow. I too would like to see how you convince our people here and how does it benefit me.

Mishti and myself looked at each other, exchanging a confident smile of mutual trust on each other's potential, turning to Debdutta babu again agreeably.

At home...

Ppphhheeww!! Mishti atleast now can I have the khoya malpua and sweet potato fritters? I am starving now....

Bondita (shocked, with tightened fists at both corners of her waist) - Hhaaww bor babu, you lie so flawlessly!! Who was smacking two bowl of taaler payesh (sweet palm pudding) and one plate of delicious fruits after the gopal aarti!!

"Hold on Mishti" I frowned with a raised tone "that was two hours ago, I had been urging you to finish your gossip with Rashi and others but nah....nah you would have stayed till night and...."

Bondita (turning away her swollen face) - ha...thik bolecho. I was planning to return after Radha krishna aarti by night. But, you had been jumping on your seat restlessly!! Why!! Why do you always behave so restless at every family function? Couldn't you talk to the other guests for a while? I am not talking of this specific occasion here. In Tulsipur also, you behave the same.

"Its just that Mishti" I pulled her by her hands towards me "Mishti...amar dikey takao (look at me) I feel out of place in that crowd of those orthodox men, I feel sleepy listening to their baseless blabberings"

"I know Bor babu you are different from them" Bondita smiled and clutching my palms in her tender fists.
"But, it was just a matter of today!! I am meeting them after two long years, so I have a lot of talk to finish with them"

"Matter of today!!" I frowned smirking "Mishti, I know you quite well, alright! I have seen you speaking to Badal and Bholi for more than 5 hrs over phone at Tulsipur. So, if that's the state of your virtual conversation, then is it too difficult to imagine how this 2 yr pending face to face conversation might extend?"

Bondita pulled away her hands laughing nervously on being caught.

"Mishti!! Enough now" I glared at her with fake anger "you are testing my patience. Now, you can't back away from your promise you made early morning when I asked to have a few of those delicious desserts"

"Achha baba thik ache" Bondita replied with a favourable smirk "You wait here, i'll bring it within 5 mins after heating it."

I smiled approving and picked up a book as she left for the kitchen.

Sumati ma (coming inside holding a piled of clothes from backyard) - O tora eshe gechis!! (So you people returned!) I thought you would come by night only. It's just 1.

"Ha ma" I replied "Actually, I urged Bondita to leave quickly, I was getting bored. She just told me now, she was planning to return at night itself.

Sumati ma (laughing) - Alright! I can understand. Didn't she scold you?

"She left for the kitchen finishing it" I replied to ma, laughing.

Sumati ma- Achha, Jamai babu! When I was at the backyard, I heard two women passing by, talking about you. Was there some problem at Sarpanch babu's home?

"No....nah" I stammered anxiously "nothing happened"

Sumati ma- Are you sure? Try to understand jamai babu. Devipur is also a small village like your Tulsipur and as you know, even a small flame can spread like a fire in the forest. I heard them saying you suddenly shouted upon Bondita and escaped the scene to sit at their entrance!!