Anidita - The Tangled Tale of Love

Bondita Learns The Truth

    "MY MOTHER WAS NOT A SINNER" shouted Rani angrily.
    "WOW! Look at this girl's courage! Arguing with us! Looks like, her mother didn't even teach her how to behave." a woman said.
    Rani said "Not me, But my mother needed to gather Courage! She woukd be alive if only she hadn't feared y'all!"
    The women started to curse her. A woman came near Rani to slap her.  Sumati maa held that woman's hand and shouted loudly to stop the chaos.
    "Enough! Stop.it all of you! Is there even a bit of humanity left in you people? This girl has just lost her mother! And you people, in spite of consoling her, are giving her bitter taunts?!" Sumati maa fought for Rani as she fought for Bondita.
    "Come Rani, Come to my home." said Sumati Maa.
    Aniruddh watched all of this from outside. He thought not to say anything as he thought Rani , Sumati Maa and Bondita could together tackle this, seeing their courage.
    They took Rani home.
    Bondita still didn't understand anything. What happened to Laxmi Kaki? But she decided not to ask Rani. She whispered in her mother's ear "Maa, what were these villagers talking about? What happened to Laxmi Aunty?"
    Sumati maa didn't answer Bondita as she thought it was not good for her to know this. She just whispered back "She was sick since long."
    Bondita hearing this, walked away thinking what Sickness was maa talking about.
    She suddenly bumped into Aniruddh.
    "Sorry. Sorry." said Bondita.
    Aniruddh understood what was going on in Bondita's mind.  He said "You are thinking about your aunt Laxmi, aren't you?".
    Bondita replied with a nod.
    Aniruddh didn't knew the reason too. He couldn't help Bondita this time.
    Meanwhile, Rani fell asleep. Now Bondita again asked the reason to Maa. Maa didn't want to tell her. Maami was watching all of this standing at the door. And obviously, how could she resist herself from doing a thing which is not to be done!
    She told Bondita that Laxmi had some major disease related to womb. Some kind of infection. And as she had a problem which resisted her from motherhood, she was considered a sinner! And also that her husband wanted to take her to an English doctor but the village opposed them and thus her disease became incurable.
This was insane! How backward and small thinking they had! Bondita felt digusted with the fact that in this growing world, there country is still so superstitious😔.
    Aniruddh heard this from outside. They both were in melancholy. As their thinking was same. Bondita didn't utter a word for the rest of the day as she was saddened.
    Meanwhile, Aniruddh told Maa the reason they had come here.
    "Bondita is growing up now, so I want you tonexplain every necessary thing to her as being her mother. She needs it."
    Maa explained Bondita everything. Everything she didn't have to do. Going to temple, going to the kitchen, going out everything was forbidden. She educated her about menses. Now their reason to come their was over and thus they decided to go back as in that situation, they found it unfit to stay there.
    Rani's father returned from cemetry and took her back home. He thanked Sumati maa for mentally supporting her in his absence.

Do tell me how you guys found this part to be.
Love,
Mansi💜