After a long chasing session, finally Anirudh outdid Batuk and grabbed his letter to read it in seclusion , away from the prying eyes of Batuk.

Dear Rudh,

How are you? I'm good here. I hope you've becomes less grumpy now. It's been a long time we haven't seen eachother. A little bird told me you got married. I'm happy for you. How's your new wife? Don't feel that I'm trying to pick out on anything or holding grudges. We could have been a better couple though. I know your taste, your interests and your lifestyle. I remember how dreamy your eyes would turn whenever Baba used to mention London. Do you still want to go there? Had your kaka not cancelled our alliance, we would have happily lived here , in London. Anyways, this letter is to inform you that I'll be coming India for a few days to pay a visit to my pishima in Calcutta. She is in her last stage of cancer , and we fear she won't survive this season. She sent a telegram to see me for the last time. It feels unfair to come India and not meet you. So, I am inviting myself at your home for a few days. I've convinced baba though he was quite reluctant to send me. Hope kaka won't mind me staying there. I miss Shubhra kaki's food .Give my warm regards to everyone.

Only yours,
Mini.

Anirudh led out a deep sigh , and folded the letter and put it in the drawer of his desk.

"Pati Babu! Maa is calling you for dinner." Bondita poked her head in his room.

"Coming bondita"

At the dinner table , everyone was eating silently while , Bondita and Batuk were whispering something , their food left untouched. Anirudh looked at them amused.

This is new. Foodies of the house have got something else that piqued their interest more than food.

Bondita was looking at Anirudh again and again in between ,and then said something in Batuk's ear. This made Anirudh more curious.

"Da, Bhaumik babu sent a letter today. "Said Binoy calculatively grasping everyone's attention.

"Now what does he want? "Trilochan made a sullen face.

"Da, how long will you keep the grudges?"

"Grudges? This is rivalry. "Trilochan scoffed.

"Bhaumik babu is our old business partner da. Blemishing business relationships for personal grudges won't lead us anywhere." Binoy clears his throat. "He...uh...he said that Saudamini wants to visit us to see us." Bondita noticed that an unfamiliar emotion passed over Anirudh's face at the name, but he sobered up real quick.

"Now for what she is coming here?"

"Her pishima is ill , probably on death bed. To meet her for the last time , i suppose."

"Hmm. But what has it to do with us? As far as i know her pishima lives in Calcutta."

"That's right. Actually....uh... She will visit us for a few days after that".

Trilochan shot an angry glance towards Binoy.
"No, that girl won't step in this house."

"Da, even i don't want her to come here, but it will look very rude to deny when he himself asked. Bhaumik da has got good relations with British . We might need their help for the permission for our new factory in upcoming years. What wrong can she do now? Anirudh is married now. Its not like anything could be done now. And regarding bigamy, Anirudh is quite young."

Trilochan gave an incredulous look at Binoy.

"I ...it.. it's not like I'm thinking about it. It's just a fleeting thought. Nothing firm." Binoy said quickly and looked away.

"Thoughts become mindset. Mindset becomes behaviour. Behaviour becomes nature. Nature becomes character." Said Trilochan in a preaching tone. "Since years, we have followed Lord Shri Ram's footsteps to vow to only one life partner till death . The eldest son of my house won't break the 'Dharma'. We have got maa Lokkhi in our house, our bouma. We won't let anyone step on her self respect at least till I'm alive."
Bondita was finding it difficult to keep pace with the mysterious talk.

"Yes da, i ..uh... Understood. But uh.. what about Saudamini?" Binoy eyed Shubhra to talk to Trilochan. Shubhra gave a soft nod to him.

"Da, we have learned from you only that Atithi devo bhava. We don't even send away a hungry man from our house. She is from our old relations Da. We should not ground our children in elder's animosity. She has shared her childhood with Anirudh and Batuk."

"Okay fine. But I don't want any trouble in the peace of my house. She better remains a guest." Trilochan said after a short silence.

"Ji, da."

†********†******†*****†

"Really?" Bondita led out a shocked gasp.

"Really , boudi. Saudamini didi used to bully me to call her boudi."

"But why would she?"

"Why else? She wanted to marry Dada."

"Did your dada want to marry her?"

"I'm not very sure but
when we used to play ghar ghar , she used to become the wife ,dada husband and I bihari kaka". Said Batuk with a bitter expression.

"Such evil. No doubt rakkhos babu and her were friends. Two peas in a pod. What do they say' Birds of same feather flock together.' And the worst thing is Pati Babu didn't tell me anything about her." Said Bondita pushing her bangles at the back as if ready for a fist fight.

"Dada is not like her. You will know when she comes." Batuk said defensively.

"That we'll see." Said bondita looking anything but pleased about this new revelation.

For the next few days , Bondita gave a cold shoulder to Anirudh, making him wonder what has happened. Whenever he would try to talk to her, she would make a twisted face and behave as if he isn't visible.
Tired of her childish tantrums, Anirudh stopped prying her, much to her annoyance.

"Bondita, why did you come from school alone?"

"Because batuk went to his friend's home". Bondita gave a indifferent look.

"That I know. But you should have waited for me. I was just about to come after talking to my friend."

Bondita just looked away not liking this interrogation. She herself was wondering why she was so upset nowadays. Anirudh hadn't said anything to her. And he was right , she shouldn't have come home alone.

"Because i was hungry."

"So you couldn't wait a few more minutes?" Anirudh sounded quite annoyed.
Bondita looked down unable to form a retort.
"Answer me! What is wrong with you? I'm noticing you are behaving too stubborn and arrogant. Yesterday , when i asked you to come to my room for the geography homework, why didn't you come? Did i do something? Are you mad at me?"
Bondita nodded her head in negation.
"Your exams are approaching and all you do is dawdling here and there? Have you got no regards for your exams?"

Bondita's erratic behaviour was already pushing Anirudh's buttons and when today he didn't found Bondita after the school he got pushed more on the edge. Had her classmate not told him that he saw Bondita going on cycle , he would have been searching for her in the school for don't know how long.

Bondita's eyes pricked with tears when she heard his loud voice , but she kept her head low. She was about to apologise and mend her ways and tell him that she will focus on her studies from now on.
"Pati Babu! I ..i am--"

"Rudh" A sweet soft voice came from the door and Bondita and Anirudh turned towards the voice, only to find the beautiful owner of the voice.

A girl , probably in her early teens, tall and slender standing at the doorstep. Her long wine burgundy tresses reaching below her waist were tied in a high pony. She had put cherry colored sun hat on her head which hid her forehead. Her white colored sundress reached a few inches below her knees , heeled sandals making her look taller.

Bondita looked at her face, big eyes adorned with thick streak of surma , eyelashes curled, cheeks pink, her full lips were painted with a pinkish shiny color, making her pearly white smile more beautiful.
Bondita's eyes immediately followed Anirudh , who looked at the new guest with a wide smile on his face.

"Mini" Said Anirudh breaking Bondita's daze and travelled the distance between him and his old friend in a few fastened steps.

"Wow! She looks like a pari." Said Batuk with admiration. Bondita shot him a Dont-you-mess-with-me look and Batuk made a sign with his hand as if locking his lips and throwing the key.

This is going to be dramatic week!!
Lights! Camera! Action!

Feeling jealousy and sense of insecurity is a common symptom of puberty. Teenagers tend to get validation from their loved ones. It's this phase when actual personality development starts.

Saudamini has arrived. What conundrum will happen when two swords will try to fit in a sheath?

Dont forget to vote and comment.