Barrister Babu

Chapter 58: Baadmash Bondita?

- FLASHBACK -

"Keth Dada," Bondita knocked on Keth's room. "May I come in?"

"Come in, Bondita," came Keth's reply.

Sucking in a deep breath, Bondita stepped inside the room, only to find Keth engrossed in some document.

Keth expected Bondita to talk as she entered, but much to his surprise, she was silent. So he lifted his gaze to look at his younger sister, only to find her playing nervously with the file in her hand.

"Did you want to say something, Bondita?" Keth inquired, arching an eyebrow.

Bondita nodded cutely and said, "Keth Dada, today is the day I will submit my petition to make polygamy illegal. This is the file." She showed him the file. "This is the original copy. It has all my hard work."

"Best of luck, I guess?" he let out, not being able to comprehend the point of this conversation.

She kept the file on Keth's table. "Dada, this beloved sister of yours has a request."

"Which is...?" he urged her to continue.

"I am going to go against the society by submitting the petition. Do you think they would let me submit it so easily?" she questioned Keth, who twitched his lips, knowing she was speaking the truth. "Some will target me, some will try to harm me — to make sure I never reach the place to submit this file."

"Then drop this," he responded finally.

"How can I?" she mumbled, sadness appearing on her face. "This is my dream. I want to fight for women rights. Is that so wrong? If women are meant to be degraded all the time, then why do people worship Dugga Maa?"

Color drained from Keth's face at her tark. It was logical as usual, but he had a counter back too this time. He regained his composure and said, "How is polygamy degrading a woman? Even in our shastra—"

Bondita interrupted him instantly, "Sorry to interrupt, Keth Dada. But times have changed. How would you feel if Patibabu brought a second wife?"

Even at the mention of that, Keth clenched his fist in anger. He could never bear the thought of his sister getting betrayed like that. He would actually kill Anirudh.

Noticing Keth's reaction, she smiled. "Mere saath aisa hota hai toh yeh galat hai, lekin aapne jo kiya, woh sahi?" she pointed out. "Okay, let's leave that since it's done. But what you felt right now is what the family members of other women feel. Do you want them to feel that?"

She knew she couldn't change his mindset at once. But she was aware that her words were being absorbed by his thick skull.

Finally, Keth sighed and glanced at the file on his table again. "Bondita, look. This is dangerous and when you chose to be a barrister, you knew the consequences of being one, especially as a female. So I know you are not here to tell me you are scared. What do you want?"

She sucked in a deep breath and let out, "Dada, I want you to stay there with this file."

"What?"

She nodded. "Yes, Dada. Please. Until I reach there today, please stay there with this file. I will get out of the house with another copy of this petition. But as I said, I might be targeted by people, so they will try hard and soul to stop me. They might even end up being successful in stopping me."

"So what exactly is my role, Bondita?" he inquired again.

"If I don't reach there today on time, which is by 12PM, I want you to submit the original petition. It has my signatures and all. If they ask you any question, just say you are my brother, and they will accept the file. That's all I want from you."

"So you want me to stay there and wait for you till 12PM, and if you don't come by then, I will submit this file, right?" he clarified, pointing his index finger at the file.

She nodded once again.

Before Keth could open his mouth to reject her, she put on her puppy-eyes look and said, "Please, do this for me, Keth Dada. This is the first step toward my goal. You will help your sister with her goal, won't you? If I don't submit this on time, I will be really sad. I will be heartbroken. Maybe I will not come out of my room for days. Or months. I will be living a lifeless life and—"

"Similar to the one your patibabu was living when you were away?" Keth teased, a small smile playing on his lips. Of course, he was aware of her melodrama. For God's sake, he literally raised her. "Now, stop all this drama." He picked up the file from the table. "Since breakfast is done already, I will head out now. Hope to see you there before twelve, okay? Be safe."

- END OF FLASHBACK -

Anirudh was still gaping in disbelief. "How... all this time you had a backup plan and... that too... Keth Dada? You could've just told me to do that, but you chose him to make him realize his fault, didn't you?"

Bondita giggled mischievously. "Maybe... or maybe not?"

"Acha? Baadmash Bondita!" he smacked the back of her head slightly, before the duo burst into laughter.

After their laughter, there was a peaceful silence. Anirudh made her sit on his lap, her head resting gently on his chest.

"Shabash, Bondita. I am so proud of you. Really. No matter how many times I say this, it will never be enough," he mumbled softly.

Her mouth curved into a smile. "I will also never get tired of hearing this, Patibabu."

All of a sudden, their moment was interrupted by a holler across the haveli.

"BIHARI!!!"

Both Anirudh and Bondita were startled at the sudden voice. They glanced at each other and muttered, "Batuk." 

A/N: Next update when the chapter reaches at least 30 comments. Also, how's the surprise? I am pretty sure nobody expected Keth to be the one submitting the petition! Our barrister Bondita Roy Chawdhary is indeed very sharp! XD.