Anirudh- The Story Of A Misread Barrister

Chapter-74: Letter Gone To The Wrong Address

I sat at the study table in my room once again, disappointed at my failure to confess love. Initially, I thought of waiting until Bondita finished her cooking and retired into the room. But the pages of the letterhead that lay on the table fluttered all of a sudden due to wind, giving me an excellent idea. Instead of passing every minute in waiting with utmost difficulty, I thought of writing a love letter. I recollected that, after all, our story started with a letter that rightly came to a wrong address. This time however, I thought, it will go to the right person and started pouring my feelings out on the paper. Within no time I filled the page and made way towards the kitchen again.

The house was filled with commotion. Due to the loving nature of Mrs. Kali, her tenants preferred her company most of the time and hence hanged around with her. Along with those women came their children who amplified the noise multiple times. The house always gave the impression of a venue hosting a wedding or some kind of festivity. In the pleasantly clamorous room, a bunch of children came across my way and one of them hid behind me while the others tried to catch. A few of them stopped playing and preferred to peek at me shyly. They were those kids that are intimidated by elders' presence. I played with them for a while before remembering the task I had ahead of me.

I convinced the children to play on their own and tried going to the kitchen but in vain. The children liked me so much, I suppose, that they were adamant on not letting me go anywhere, not even to the kitchen. In spite of my several attempts to divert their minds, they didn't let me move. There was a girl among them who seemed to be calmer and more intelligent than her friends. I thought she would be the best one to serve as a postmaster and gave her the letter saying,

"My dear, you see, there is that new lady in the kitchen named Rani, who looks cute like you, having big eyes and long hair. Please give this paper to her and tell that her sakha babu gave. If you do this, I will feed you with tasty sondesh. Will you?"

She agreed and ran towards the kitchen only to return after a few minutes with an air of accomplishment, anticipating her reward. I somehow kept her on hold and waited eagerly for Bondita. She was, in my imagination, expected to burst into happy tears and come running to reciprocate my feelings after reading the letter. However, nothing of that sort happened. Time was ticking but Bondita didn't come. The little girl when confronted, assured that she had delivered the letter. My mind was too occupied to ask to whom she delivered, which landed me up in a big trouble.

There came lady, who stood shyly before me fidgeting, holding a paper. I remained still in my position, intently trying to figure out if the paper was a message sent by Bondita or what. Stealing glances at me, she coyly asked, "Did you write this letter?"

"Huh? Let me see.", I said, demanding the paper. Much to my shock it was the letter I had written for Bondita.

"How did you get this?", I shrieked in stupefaction.

"Come on, don't trouble me like this. Didn't you write this letter for me? And now you are acting innocent.", she replied, pushing me further into predicament.

"Look, Miss..., you are mistaken, I didn't write this for you."

"But that little girl told you've asked her to give this letter to me."

"She was mistaken, a child after all. I apologise for the inconvenience caused to you, madam. Please give my letter back."

"So, you mean, you didn't write this letter for me?"

"Yes; I mean it. I clearly addressed it to 'sakhi', the name which I gave my wife." "Besides, why would I write a love letter to you, when I don't even know who you are", I said, gradually losing my patience.