"Have some more, dear. Don't hesitate." Urmi insisted Dhrubo as he shook his head softly refusing politely for the umpteenth time as he was full enough.
"You've returned us the heartbeat of our life. Our Shilpi. We can never thank you enough. Please let us serve you, even if it's the bare minimum." Rajpal, Shilpi's father urged.
"It's my duty, Kakababu. Her life matters to me as much as it does to you two." Dhrubo replied earnestly. The older couple seemed a bit perplexed by this comment made by a person who'd just known their daughter, and looked at him with a polite yet interrogatory look.
Dhrubo was quick to catch onto the confusion of the two, as he recalled at how their families were yet to know about their age old friendship.
"I'm Dhrubojyoti, me and Shilpi have been friends since we were eight. Our friendship started with a rather queer encounter, so maybe Shilpi didn't get the opportunity to introduce myself to you." Dhrubo clarified.
The reaction Dhrubo got from her parents was rather astonishing as they broke into wide smiles and glanced at Shilpi who was eating her food in silence, since she suggested it was better her mother caters to the guest's needs, which was indeed Dhrubo himself.
"So you're the beautiful friend, my girl told about?" Her mother asked in a lower tone wiggling her eyebrows as her father cleared his throat but could not contain his smile in between.
"Beautiful?" Dhrubo enquired looking completely clueless.
"Yes, Shilpi used to come home everyday and tell us how she had a beautiful friend who used to teach her reading and writing, give her flowers and sometimes treat her to some sweets. Initially we thought it was a girl, but the way she described you, we started second guessing. But still couldn't come to a perfect conclusion." She said, chuckling.
Dhrubo found himself turning red at this revelation as he was stunned to found out the fact that Shilpi probably had similar feelings for him.
"DIDI??" A rough manly voice suddenly intruded the room, as a young lad in his late teens appeared in the room, looking rather panick striken. It wasn't long, when he engulfed Shilpi's petite figure in his warm embrace. A lone tear escaped his eyes as he snuggled into her, while she could only caress his hair and pat his back.
"What happened to you Didi?" He asked breaking the hug, looking at the burns on her face.
"Nothing, Bhai. I'm all fine." She replied timidly.
"You don't look fine Didi, tell me who did this to you and I'll punch the living soul out of them." His nose flared in rage.
"Don't tire your elder sister with these questions, Pritam. She is too exhausted to answer." Urmi explained the adolescent.
"Sati. I was going to be a Sati." Shilpi spoke, in an unfeigned voice answering to her younger brother's questions.
"What?" He screamed in anger as his limbs trembled and breath turned shaky. Clenching his fists, he was about to punch a wall when a hand prevented him. A touch that manages to melt him down everytime, however angry he maybe.
"Don't hurt yourself." Aishani spoke shooting her husband a stern glare. Although she was a year younger, she always had the upper hand in their relationship, due to her calm collected and witty nature. They've been married for over a year now and Aishani has slowly managed to be the anchor of this household, a perfect successor to her mother in law. Although she knew about her elder sister in law, she'd never seen her. She always had a huge respect for this woman since the day she stepped into this house. She knew how big of a sacrifice that woman had done for this family and how no one can equal or replace her place ever. But today seeing her in this condition, made her feel extremely despondent.
Pritam fell on his knees and bowed down near his sister's feet as he started weeping holding them.
"What are you doing Bhai? Don't cry. See your didi is absolutely okay. Thanks to this man sitting right in front of me." Shilpi said trying to calm her brother down.
Meanwhile, Dhrubo felt his heart getting pierced by an arrow as soon as those words rolled out of her tongue. "This man". Have they grown that distant that she avoids taking his name? Are they just mere strangers to each other now? Realisation doomed him as he understood how bad he has broken her.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving my sister. I'll be forever indebted to you." Pritam fell to Dhrubo's feet in gratitude.
"Hey hey. Don't. You shouldn't thank me but the almighty that I reached right on time. I'm just a mere human who's happy to be God's servant." Dhrubo said holding Pritam by his shoulders, trying to calm the young blood's nerves.
***
"You could've stayed the night, my son." Shilpi's father remarked.
"Kakababu I already troubled you guys a lot. It's already lunch time, my family members must be waiting." Dhrubo's words trailed at the end, a tinge of distress evident in his voice as he remembered how he abruptly he left them too and didn't even inform about his whereabouts all these years.
"Thank you once again Dhrubo, without you, we would've never got our daughter back." Shilpi's mother acknowledged again joining her hands while her eyes glistened.
"Please Kakima." Dhrubo pleaded holding the older woman's hands.
"May Radhekrishna always bestow their blessings on you!" Urmi exclaimed slowly patting Dhrubo's head.
"Kakababu, kakima. Can I request you one thing?"
"Yes tell us Dhrubojyoti. We'll be happy to fulfill that."
"Can I talk to Shilpi once?" The older couple could only smile at the request.
"Sure. Go ahead she's in her room, Pritam and Aishani are with her."
"Shilpi." He called. The three heads turned at him simultaneously almost in sync.
"Can we talk?" He asked, his voice soft, his gaze fixed at her. But right now, her eyes weren't as void as they were before, it was soft yet strong. The emotions clear as a crystal. Ire and dismay.
Aishani feeling the tension in the air, signaled her husband to exit the room.
Now, it was just the two of them. Gazing into each other's globes.
"Can we talk?" He asked again, his voice now filled with remorse as he approached her.
Finally, he stood near her still maintaining a respectful distance. But now her gaze was nowhere near him as she looked away. Shilpi could feel her eyes pool up with unshed tears. All those emotions came rushing back. The memories she intended to forget hit her like an arrow piercing through both her heart and mind. It was hard for her to hold in. He was so close yet so far.
"Shilpi." He called out once again. She couldn't look up. How could she. Those orbs will melt her again. It'll take her back to their jovial carefree days where there was no complications. It'll make her do things that the society would never accept, even if her intentions are nothing inappropriate. All she her heart wanted was to embrace her friend just like those olden days. But he betrayed her. He betrayed their friendship. He ran away from her, abandoning her, leaving her completely disoriented . How could she ever forgive him?
"Look at me Shilpi. Please." Dhrubo pleaded, his voice cracking.
Today, Shilpi has nothing to lose. Her life has already torn apart. She'll never get back what she lost. Life has always been cruel. She has to face all these challenges either way. So instead of flowing with the emotions of her heart, she decided to stay put with her rational mind.
++++
Vote and comment
YOU ARE READING
Butterflies
Romance"Go away. There was nothing between us." Tears brimming her eyes as her lips quivered in anguish and fear. Fear of losing someone whom she had been trying to hold onto. Tragedy was slowly creeping in her life yet again. He stood there silently, a...
