ANIDITA- 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙚

|39|•ɪɴ ʙᴇᴀᴄʜ•

ANIRUDH

As I led Bondita towards the kitchen, an uneasy feeling gnawed at me. She wasn't herself today. Sitting on my lap in front of everyone-she'd never done that before. Sure, I liked it, but it was so unlike her. Was she upset about something? Had something happened?

I tried to shake off the feeling as we started cooking, but it lingered. Bondita seemed distant, her mind clearly elsewhere.

She was making kheer while I chopped potatoes. The milk began to boil, and I noticed her hand dangerously close to the flame. I quickly turned off the gas, grabbing her hand just in time. She gasped, startled, and looked up at me.

"Kya hua?" I asked, my voice a mix of concern and irritation. "Tumhe kya hua hai? Kaha dhyan hai tumhara?"

She pulled her hand away, looking down, her eyes avoiding mine. After a pause, she stammered, "Mishti d-..." then corrected herself, "Woh... Kuch nahi, bas... I don't know!"

Her confusion mirrored my own. What was going on? I took a step closer, gently holding her shoulders to make her face me. Cupping her face, I asked softly, "Butterfly, kya hua hai? Please batao mujhe... aur Mishti ka kya matlab?"

Her mention of Mishti sent a jolt through me. Was she upset about something related to Mishti? I had explained everything to her. I knew Bondita and Mishti had been in the kitchen together this morning. Had something happened between them?

Bondita took a moment, her eyes clouded with indecision. When she finally met my gaze, she said, "Ek sawaal pochou?"

I nodded and smiled gently, "Ask as much as you want."

Taking a deep breath, she hesitated, then said, "Pati babu... Socho ki aapse koi bohot pyaar karta hai par aapko usse pyaar ke baare mein pata hi nahi... phir aapki zindagi mein koi aur ladki aa jaati hai aur aap usse pyaar karne lagte ho. Aur aap aur woh ladki bohot achhi life spend karte ho... because you both love each other... par us ladki ka kya jo aapse pehle se pyaar karti..."

She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing, "Kya aap use ladki se pyaar karoge jo aapse pehle se pyaar karti, ya us ladki se jo aap pyaar karte ho?"

I was perplexed, so confused by her question. Why was she thinking about this? What had happened to make her ponder such things? But she had asked, and I owed her an answer.

My hands still cupping her cheeks, I gently rubbed her skin with my thumbs and replied softly, "Bondita, pyaar ek aisi cheez hai jo dil se hota hai, zabardasti nahi. Agar hum dono ek doosre se pyaar karte hain, to teesre ki koi jagah nahi hoti. Jo aap pyaar karte ho, uske saath hi aapki zindagi banti hai. Us ladki ka kya jo aapse pehle se pyaar karti thi? Yeh zaroori nahi ki woh pyaar waapas mile, kyunki pyaar ek taraf se kabhi poora nahi hota. Pyaar dono taraf se hona chahiye, tabhi woh sahi hota hai."

I paused, letting my words sink in before continuing, "Socho, agar ek aadmi ke saath teen auratien pyaar karte hain, par uska dil sirf ek ke liye dhadakta hai, toh kya woh teesri auratein khush ho sakti hain? Unhe samajhna padega ki pyaar sirf tabhi sacha hota hai jab dono taraf se ho. Us insaan ka pyaar jise woh karta hai, woh hi uski zindagi ka hissa ban saktha hai. Aur agar usse teesri insaan ke liye jagah nahi hai, chahe woh kitni bhi pyaar karti ho, usse yeh baat samajhni padegi, chahe woh uske liye kitna bhi dukh bhara kyun na ho."

I watched her closely, hoping my words made sense, that they comforted her in some way. "Jab do log ek doosre se pyaar karte hain, unke beech kisi teesre ke liye gunjaish nahi hoti. Humari zindagi usi ke saath judti hai jisse hum pyaar karte hain, aur hum dono... humara pyaar sachha hai, aur isme koi teesra nahi aa sakta."