Rishta Tera Mera

Barrister Babu

"Kyu Barrister babu?"  Her tongue burns when she whispers that term of address for him.

He became her pati babu when he filled her hairline in front of all villagers to protect her. He became her Rakshak babu when he saved her from those widows from dragging her into a colourless mundane life. He became her Rakshas babu, she chuckled at the name, when he yelled at her but that too for her own good. He became her Birristra babu when he filled her empty canvas with the bright blue of ink and gave her stars of wisdom in the night sky of illiteracy. He became her aaina babu when she saw herself in his eyes, as if he had his eyes only for her (only that he didn't ), when his field of vision had nothing but the determination to earn for her studies.

He became her sansaar ,her world, her heaven when he brought her back from the hell like Heeramandi. What a person is supposed to do when they lose their world, their sansaar?

But he became Barrister Babu to her in real sense , not when she had started pronouncing it correctly and he was amazed at her tiny achievement but when, he showed her what a real Barrister is.

Someone who knows how to make someone kneel down in front of him. Who knows how to defeat someone. Who knows how to win. How to win the battle of words and arguments.  How to.... how to break someone's heart.... her heart and shatter it in pieces and not blink an eyelid.

That's when he became her Barrister Babu.

"Kyu Barrister babu? Kyu aaye aap yaha? Kya chahiye ab apko?" She lamented as she put wet cotton strips on his burning forehead.

" Bon-Bondita!... Please...." He murmured in his semi-consciousness and her heart clenched.

" Hosh aa gya kya apko? Barrister babu? Barrister babu? " She patted his cheeks and ran outside to inform Madam Pomfrey to check his condition.

"Don't worry my child. It's just exhaustion of journey and change of weather.  Just the correct medicines and plenty of rest and hydration and he'd be as healthy as a horse within a few days."  Madam Pomfrey tried to cheer her up.

" Thank you madam Pomfrey. " Bondita, true to her heartfelt nature hugged her.

When Anirudhh opened his eyes groggily, he was welcomed with a pounding headache as if a lumberjack is hitting in his skill , and his body as heavy as a log of wood. His eyes looked for the only person his heart yearned to see, but were met with empty infirmary.

" Yaha ni thi kya wo? Mai Mila tha na usse? Dekha tha na maine?" He mumbled as if confused.

Two days down the lane and not a sign of her. He had recovered pretty well. He had to, when he had no other option to escape this infernal infirmary where he was held hostage, health be damned. Madam Pomfrey was a sweet matron , she reminded him of Mother Teresa but no amount of puppy eyes could move her. When he, very unlike his nature and to his own shame , tried to bribe her to let him go, all hell break lose and Sister Virgin had to calm her down, along with a stern warning to Anirudhh to not allow him in the premises after that if he continued his insolent behaviour. It was for his benefit only, they said.

He felt as if he had been admitted in his boarding again. So many restrictions.

When he asked Sister Virgin about Bondita's whereabouts, she was tight lipped. It was his last night in the infirmary, he'd be discharged tomorrow. 

It was midnight , he was staring at the ceiling fan and cursing at the change of events. What perfect plan he had to talk to her and he sabotaged it. What in the actual hell!

There's no way he could cajole her to meet him now. He had lost his chance. He heard footsteps at a distance and closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. He didn't want another lecture from his bedside nurse. He was done being a schoolboy.