The chapter is dedicated to Love_devil_angeL.(read author's note at last.)

"Pati babu! Look there is a faint light coming from there. Bondita pointed towards a dimly lit hut." Said Bondita after they had walked for about ten minutes.

"Let's check out there. But be careful, stay behind me , if I say run just keep on running , don't look back okay."

"I would never do that. I'll stay with you, like glue whether you like it or not". Bondita argued.

"Bondita, please."

"Please, Pati Babu! You know I won't run leaving you."

"Ok but just be ready to run if something arises. Okay."

"Okay."

Both moved to the hut and Aniruddh knocked lightly on the door. No response. He knocked again, a louder this time.

The door opened with a creaking noise . An old lady peaked out just a little, making only half of her face visible.

"Who?" The lady asked.

Anirudh cleared his throat. "Nomoshkar kaakimaa. I and my wife have lost the route to our home. We need to ask whether you can tell. We live in Roy Chowdhury Haweli."

"Roy Chowdhury?" The old woman gasped and fell on her knees, with her hands joined, "Maalik!"

Anirudh was taken aback, he stepped a bit back and said, " Kakimaa, please get up. I'm younger than you."

The old woman shakily pulled herself on her feet. "Maalik! I'm sorry. But I don't know the way to the Roy Chowdhury Haweli. My husband must be knowing it but he had gone to Calcutta for some work. Forgive me malik."

Aniruddh got a bit disappointed but refrained from showing it on his face." Oh. Okay. Let's go Bondita. We'll find it ourselves, then."

They moved back to leave. But the lady interrupted them, her hands still joined " Maalik, I ....I am in no position to make you comfortable , knowing how well off you are. But the weather is not very favourable. Malkin is also with you. It would be dangerous to roam in this area. I...I request you to take shelter in my humble abode for the night and leave when the sun rises. My husband will come in the morning itself, as per he said."

"No, no kakima . We don't want to bother you."

"It's no bothering , maalik. It's our honor to serve you. I cannot promise best facilities, but the outside is too unpredictable that too at this hour." The lady looked at him hopefully.

Anirudh left a deep sigh and asked Bondita with his eyes. Bondita nodded.

"Dhonyobad kakimaa!" Bondita squealed.

The old lady welcomed them into her home. She placed a torn but usable sack rag on the floor for them to sit." Malik , what would you like to ...uhm...eat? You might be hungry?"

"Yes"
"No"
Bondita and Anirudhh said simultaneously. Anirudh glared at Bondita. Bondita looked at the lady and shook her head in negation.

The old lady smiled and caressed Bondita's face from forehead to cheek to chin and placed a kiss on her own fingers. Bondita smiled at the gesture. The lady left the place.

"Bondita, didn't you have dinner before leaving? " Aniruddh frowned.

"All this running and crying had made me hungry. I need my energy back." Bondita whined.

Anirudh was about to scold her but he saw the old lady had returned with a plate in her hand. " Malkin, don't be shy. I don't have much to eat. Just some rice and dal. I hope it works for the time being." Her voice was timid and hesitant but filled with motherly tenderness.

"Thaankoo kakimaa." Bondita beamed . She took the plate in her hand and make a morsel with her tiny fingers and forwarded it to Anirudh. Anirudh denied but Bondita insisted." Eat it Pati babu . You also must have lost a lot of energy in shouting and beating." Anirudh grimaced but nevertheless opened his mouth as Bondita fed him. He then fed Bondita.

The old lady looked at the young couple lovingly as they didn't shy way while showing their affection to each other as usually some others would have done. She was also surprised to see that a man, that too a zamindar treating his wife like a child.

A girl smaller than Bondita came into the room, her head low and eyed casted downwards.
"Aashalata, come take blessings from malik and Malkin."
Aashalata moved forward to touch Anirudh's legs but he moved away immediately, his hands held foreward to stop her. "Its, it's fine. Bless you." When she reached Bondita, Bondita held her hands and pulled her to embrace in half sitting position.

" Malik, Malkin nomoshkar." Said aashalata.

"Don't call me malkin. You can call me didi."

Aashalata looked at Bondita shockingly and nodded not knowing what else to say.

"This is my granddaughter malik. She is to be wedded next month. Her grandfather has gone to Calcutta to borrow money from his employer for her wedding. Unfortunately , her parents , my son and daughter-in-law died in a train accident." Her voice choked with pain at the last part.

Bondita rubbed tears from her eyes, and said, "Don't worry ,Kaakimaa . My Father and mother have also gone to live among stars. But dugga gave me another maa. Aashalata already has you. She will also get another maa in her shashurbari."

Three of them smiled at her heart warming words.

"Malkin--"

"Kakima, call me your daughter."

"Huh! Maa lokkhi!" Her eyes watered and she nodded. " I've laid your bedding in another room. It's quite small. But you won't feel any other problem. You and malik can rest in it till the morning. "

Anirudh and Bondita moved into the nearby room and laid down on the modest bedding. Bondita was feeling quite nervous about the setting but Aniruddh looked unfazed.
They both lied down maintaining a little distance between them as much as possible so that they don't touch the cold floor. As Bondita removed her pallu from her head, Anirudh held it back on her head covering her ears. "Don't remove it."
Bondita looked at him quizzically as he was hovering over her settling her pallu in a weird way that it covered her ears.

"Why?"

" We are sleeping on the floor. What if some insect enters your ear?"

"Ohh. But I can't sleep with pallu on my head. It is uncomfortable." She was already feeling uneasy in the heavy saree and jewellery and now pallu also.

"Just adjust for one night."

"Okay" . She sighed. The silence lingered like a thick mist between both which was making them both nervous.

Bondita closed her eyes pretending to sleep.

"Bondita!"

No response.

"Bondita". He said a little louder.

No response

"Bondita I know you are not sleeping."

Still no response.

"Ok, then . I'll tell kaka that you beat a boy from your class." He threatened.
Bondita opened her eyes immediately.

" Pati babu! That is because he was teasing me saying that I belong in the kitchen, not in school."

"Fighting is not the correct way to prove your point."

"Talk about pot calling the kettle back."

Aniruddh winced.

Bondita turned towards Anirudh who was watching at the ceiling
"Pati Babu! Are you still mad at me?"

Anirudh turned to his side to look at her, " You scared me Bondita."

"I'm sorry." Bondita casted her eyes down.

"Do you want to tell me why did you come here with Aditya? Why did you take so much risk coming alone?"

"I wasn't alone with him. Batuk and Vanessa were with us."

" You came alone with him all the way, here. No matter who all are waiting here. Anything could have happened on the way. What if he was a bad guy?"

"Pati babu! He is not a bad guy."

" That is a topic for some other day. First tell me why did you come?"

"First you promise that you will not shout."

"Bondita !" He said sternly.

"I'm not telling."

Anirudh sighed and nodded. "Okay."

"For you."

Aniruddh was shocked was an understatement. "Me??"

"Yes"

"What? Why?" Anirudh asked incredulously.

Flashback

"Bondita ,will your Pati babu not come to play music with us? " Vanessa asked Bondita.

"No, he has a test tomorrow. He will be studying whole day in his room."

"Oooohhh!! He really is very studious. But why do you look so worried? It's his test not yours." Vanessa laughed.

"Pati babu has habit of revising again and again . Last month , he slept during revision at night. And then in morning he was so nervous, he made lots of mistakes in the test. He was very upset when he came home."

"So, you are worried he'll sleep again."

"Yes."

"Why don't you sit with him , and keep him awake when he sleeps?"

"He doesn't allow me to stay awake at late nights. And knowing me, he will have to keep me awake first for me to keep him awake."

Vanessa laughed."Ohhh. You both care very much for each other."
Bondita smiled.
"Wait, I have an idea."

"What idea?"

Vanessa whispered in her ear.

"Shotti . This will work?"

"Yes, yes. It should. I will take Batuk with me first to see if everything is clear. Then we'll call you . You come with Aditya. Okay."

"Okay"

Aditya and Bondita reached the place after sneaking out of the haweli.

Bondita gasped at the sight." Wow! This is so beautiful. I didn't know we had this in our village."

"This belongs to Vanessa's father. Only britishers are allowed here. Not Indians."

"Then how will we enter?"

They reached the guard and told him to inform Vanessa about their arrival. The guard came after a few minutes and led them inside.

The interiors were equally beautiful. The ceiling was adorned with lights of various shapes. The wines of money plant giving it a natural look against the mahogany colored walls. Several tables and chairs were kept there , with flower vase on each table.

Batuk and vanessa were sitting on chairs , a small round table between them and two large coffee mugs in front of them.

Bondita came to the table and picked up the coffee mug and inhaled. " Wow ! It smells heavenly. Vanessa , do you really think it will work?"

"Yes, absolutely. Coffee has caffeine in it which keeps you awake and alert. My father always has it in the morning and he can work more attentively after having it."

Batuk looked at Vanessa ina admiration. " You are so awesome Bonesha."

Vanessa blushed, now his mispronunciation didn't seem that bad. Rather it felt more intimate and their own unique endearment.

"Vanessa! " Bondita shook her shoulder to break her trance.

"Uh...yes..uhm...Bondita, you go to the kitchen. Our chef Peter will teach you how to make coffee."

"Okay."

Bondita and Aditya reached the kitchen. The kitchen was painted blue and inspite of usual earthen chulha, there was a large furnace and stove kept there . Shelves were packed with different types of utensils Bondita had never seen. Strong smell of coffee beans and sweet fragrance of pies and cookies was wafting in the air.

Then she spotted a British looking man wearing white coat with black buttons on it. And a long hat on his head brewing something in a container.

" Peter Kaka, will you teach me how to make me coffee?"

"Uh...yes ..Vanessa madam had told me to teach you. But, don't tell this to anyone or my job would be in trouble."

"Don't worry kaka. If I told someone, I would be in bigger trouble." Bondita shuddered thinking about how Anirudh will react after he comes to know about this.

The chef started teaching them how to make coffee without coffee machine. Soon, hot piping coffee was ready.

"Miss, wait I'll bring croissant for all of you. Vanessa Madam told me to serve it." The chef went outside the kitchen.

Bondita looked at the coffee mug and licked her lips, it's smell was too tempting. There was some chocolate sprinkled on it. She had heard about chocolate from Batuk but never bad it uptil now. Bondita lifted the mug to her lips, the mug wasn't much hot, but as soon as she took a large sip from it, she shrieked.

"Oooouchh! Aaah!"

Aditya who was admiring the kitchen appliances came running to her.
"What happened?"

" This, this is too hot. My lips are burning." Bondita removed her hands from her lips, and blew air with pursed lips to soothe them.

Aditya looked at Bondita's lips. They indeed were very red and swollen. ' What do I do now?'

Bondita was gasping in the air ,her palm fanning her parted lips, her eyes moistening.

"Wait, wait. Stay still." Aditya put his both palms on her hoth cheeks to still her, and started blowing air on her lips. "Is it feeling ok?" He asked.

Bondita hummed a voice at the back of throat in acknowledgment. They both were feeling awkward with their proximity. Bondita's heart was thrumming in strange anticipation. She was about to remove his hands from her cheeks.

Suddenly, they heard a loud growl and the next moment Aditya was lying on the ground, clutching his jaw, his mouth bleeding.

Flashback over.

" Oh God! Bondita! You are so....so...what do I say? You are impossible." Anirudh looked frustrated rubbing his hand over his face but could not hide the smile lifting his lip corners at Bondita's effort to help him. He felt special and worthy. It felt nice to be on the receiving side of care , when he was the one always responsible and caring one, being elder than the other two teenagers.

"I am very much possible." Bondita defended.

Anirudh smiled at her.
"Bondita, I'm sorry. I shouted at you." He put his right palm on her left cheek.

"What is new in that? You always scream at me. But I'm feeling bad for Aditya. Why did you beat him so much?"
Anirudh cringed at the thought of Aditya, though the image of him blowing on Bondita's lips bothered him more, than him bleeding after receiving Anirudh's punches.

"I know I reacted impulsively. But what would I have done? I thought you....you...both were ..." Anirudh closed his eyes in embarassment.

"Keeshing?"

"Kissing!"

"Same difference." Bondita rolled her eyes.

Anirudh stroked his thumb on Bondita's scar." Shall I ask you something if you don't cry? "

Bondita had a hunch what he might ask. Nevertheless she nodded.

"Does this scar bother you?" Aniruddh asked still caressing the outline of the faint semicircle with the pad of his thumb.
Bondita shivered under his touch. Anirudh thought it to be her reaction towards her bad memories.

"It does." Bondita whispered, feeling too overwhelmed with the touch of his warm skin on her cheek. "Whenever I look in the mirror, it reminds of that day. I feel ugly and blemished. It feel like insects are crawling on my body. I feel taking bath again and again. Sometimes it doesn't feel clean even after bathing for 3-4 times. Other times I think it is good that the scar is there, maybe now no other men will feel like looking at me or touching me like that." A drop of tear fell on her bridge of nose disappearing in the sheets. Anirudh wiped it with his little finger.

Anirudh's heart twisted at her words , his own eyes moistening.
How much she has hidden in her heart? How she handles it every day, with the constant reminder of her pain right on her face, but behaves as if nothing is wrong.

"Bondita, never think like that. Nobody has the right to look at you or touch you with bad intention. No matter how you look. And never ever think you are ugly. You are the most brave girl I've known. Your smile is your power. Nothing can be more beautiful than a valiant spirit. Your heart is what makes you pretty. And this scar will fade away in a few years. We'll go to experienced doctors to ask its remedy. Don't worry. There is no such thing in this world which can make my Bondita feel low or reduce her shine. This scar is the proof of your bravery and courage, and not the reminder of your trauma."

Bondita covered the distance between them and snuggled in his embrace catching him off guard , sobbing silently. It was supposed to be a hug like everytime, to encourage each other , to seek security, but it felt different to both of them. There was care, affection , safety, but also new proximity and something else too which they could not pin.

Bondita looked at him , from his shoulder. Her eyes glossy, lower lip trembling. "Shotti! This scar doesn't repulse you?" Her voice broke.

Anirudh leaned towards her ,too close now to move away or think of something else. The only thing he wants now is to make his Bondita feel beautiful, feel safe and in her own skin, to take away the demons of insecurity, fear, inferiority and fill her with new hope, new courage and new confidence.

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