Anirudh entered the kitchen and saw Shubhra brewing something in a pot.

"Maa!" He said looking at her, but she didn't look at him and keep brewing.
"Bihari babu! Bring those vegetables."

"Maa!? "

"Bihari babu! Where are you? So much work is remaining and I don't know where has he gone."

"Maa, listen to me." Anirudh said clutching the corner of her saree in his hand.

" BIHARI BABU!! Nobody listens in this house. I have to do all the work." She takes the onions from the pile of vegetables and starts chopping the onions fast as if venting her frustration.

"Maa, what are you doing? You'll get hurt." Anirudh panicked and tried to take away the knife from her hand, but she pushed him away slightly not willing to give him the knife.

" Who cares anyway? It's not like if I'm a human. I'm a machine, right. It's okay. It's fine. I'm habitual." She sniffled as tears started forming in her eyes.

"Maa, leave it . Please. What are you doing? Do you want to get cut or what?" He said trying to stop her again.

" Who cares what a woman wants? We are born to serve men as their unpaid slaves. These costly jewellery have bought us for the rest of our lives. Bought our dignity and our self respect....... And our...bodies....they.. Aaahhh! " She left the knife as the sharp edge of knife finally breached her skin and drew blood from her index finger.

" Maaa, what did you do? I was telling you not to hurt yourself." Anirudh rushed to get turmeric from the spice box and then put some on her finger. He saw silent tears dripping from her eyes." Maa, what happened? You can tell me . I will listen to you."

Shubhra shook her head not understanding what to say. How can she confide herself in him? He is her son. It's not acceptable to talk about these things in front of him. He had already suffered a lot in last few hours.

"Nothing shona! Nothing happened. I'm fine." She sniffled.

"Then, why are you crying maa?"

"Onions. What else!" She said averting her gaze.

" Don't hide from me maa. I know you." He said as he wiped her tears from her face. " You can tell me."

"I can't Awni! You are my son."

" I'm a husband also maa. If I don't understand what makes my mother unhappy, then I will never learn how to keep my wife happy. If she also ends up crying like you all alone , one day in this kitchen, then I would fail as a son and as a husband both. Tell me maa. Please."

Shubhra looked into his eyes which hold so much truthfulness in them. So compassionate. How come has he grown up so soon. And so mature. She hugged him tighter to her chest and cried bitterly. "Awni! I am so sorry. You had to see me like this. What do I do? I got so afraid seeing Bondita , everything , every old bitter memory surfaced which I had buried deep inside for so many years."

" What happened maa? What memories? "

" Ani, I... I... Promise me you would never touch Bondita or any other woman without her consent. I know you are my understanding and responsible son. A true gentleman. But still it's my duty to teach you. Never look at any woman the way you don't want anyone else to look at your mother or sister like this. " she said as she broke the hug and wiped her tears.

" What are you saying, maa? Why would I touch her or any woman like that?"

" I... I know shona. Just promise me ok. You would never let your mother down. You should keep your relations with Bondita platonic until you both understand the consequences and dynamics of a married life." She said holding his shoulders.

" What does it mean , maa?"

"It means that Bondita is so young right now, we will have to teach her what is good what is bad. Isn't it?"

"Yes , maa. Don't worry. I'll never let anything bad happen to her."

" Maaa! What happened? Why---" Bondita came in the kitchen but before she could say anything, Anirudh interrupted.

"Why did you come downstairs? I told you , you have to rest. I'll bring the food and medicines for you." He almost yelled.

" You were taking too much time. I was hungry , so I came myself. But why--" Anirudh pounced towards her as soon as her body swayed and she held her head as the kitchen rotated in front of her eyes.

"Are you mad? You can't even stand properly and you came all the way on stairs. What would have happened had you fallen? Huh???" He bellowed and made her sit on a stool. " Come, sir here. Drink this." He passed a glass of water to her.

Bondita got stable after some rest and drinking water and looked at Shubhra with wet eyes and making an impending crying face . "Maa, look at him. I'm sick and he is scolding me. You also scold him!" She crossed her arms near her chest and puffed her cheeks.

"Bondita!" Anirudhh glared at her.

"See, see maa. He is scaring me by making big big eyes . Badmash pati babu! I'm not scared of you. Even I've got big big eyes . See." She tried to widen her eyes by stretching her lids and cheek skin vertically by her thumb and index finger.

Shubhra chuckled looking at them and shook her head. "Wait, I'll teach him a good lesson." She pretended to twist Anirudhh's ear signalling him from her eyes to play along as he also falsely screamed almost rolling his eyes at this drama while Bondita grinned in triumph. Then she came to Bondita and said gently "Bondita, why did you come downstairs? If you would have got hurt then?"

" I am hungry na. My stomach has got thezw huge mouse." She showed the size of mouse by spreading her hands as if indicating the size of a rabbit.

"Okay, I'll bring your food. Awni, take her to her room. And no fighting okay." She warned them.

They both nodded their head. As Anirudh lowered himself to pick her up, she moved away. " No, no, no . I can walk. Don't carry me." She said bashfully.

Anirudh nodded and wrapped a hand around her shoulder and took her to her room.

"Bondita, I'll change and come. You stay here only and don't go anywhere okay. Maa will bring food soon." Bondita nodded.

***
" Pati babu! This is very bitter. I won't eat." Bondita whined flinching her face from the medicine.

" Bondita! You have to take it. C'mon."

" No , please Pati babu. It makes my mouth bitter."

" Acha, you eat roshogullas one by one with so enthusiasm. Then what is wrong with this medicine?"

" Roshogullas are sweet like me , but this medicine is bitter like you. Karela babu! "

" What did you say? Karela?(bitter gourd) Me? " He widened his eyes.

" Yes, who else. I won't eat it."

" Ok then, I'll tell the doctor that Bondita is not eating medicine. He must give you a big injection. Remember how long needle he had put in your hand." Anirudh made a dramatic face.

" No, no, no no. No injection. It's so scary. Give it. I'll have it. " She said grumpily and took the medicine. "Blehhh!!!" She clenched her eyes poking her tongue out. " I was wrong . It's more bitter than you." Anirudh chuckled at her funny tactics.

***
The next few days rolled happily as Anirudhh took good care of Bondita and also taught her whatever she had missed in the school during her sick leaves.

Bondita was enjoying his attention a lot as she usually didn't get this much time with him. Simultaneously her health was also improving. But she didn't miss the pleasant feeling she perceived by his presence.

"Bondita, sit straight or your braid will not become perfect."

"I'm sitting straight since one hour pati babu. But you are taking too much time. Are you braiding my hair or counting them?"

" Counting them! It will help me solve my maths problems na. " He replied sarcastically.

She snickered and asked " Acha , pati babu. Can I ask you a question? "

" Hmm." He said absentmindedly while quelling her braids.

"Few days before on our wedding night, some ladies said that I would feel like a wife. What does that mean? I was about to ask you but I forget initially and then got sick."

Anirudh's hands stopped with her hair in his hand as he realised the gravity of her question. He remembered that fateful night and unknowingly gripped her shoulder with his palm as he tried to control his anger listening to the nonsense they shoved in her mind.

Bondita's breath hitched as she felt his rough palm squeezing the bare skin of her shoulder. His other hand laid flat on her back as he mindlessly stroked the skin thinking about the answer he should give to her.

His touch felt good . As much as she wanted him to remove his hand, she wanted to feel more too. A tug of war played between the two opposite feelings in her heart. Nowadays , he was making her feel wierd things too much.
She wanted to ask him but was hesitant to. Should we talk about these things? I ask everything from him. Then why not this?

"Pa-pati babu!" She squeaked. "What are you doing?" She stammered breaking his reverie as he left his grip on her realising his mistake and walked through the door briskly red faced.

"Don't listen to them Bondita. Just focus on your studies."

" What happened to him?" She murmured.

Anirudh was trapped in a dilemma between the growing feelings between them and the new principles he had set for her welfare. He believed that Bondita would not understand these things yet, as she was quite young. And this society is hell bent on ruining her innocence. He was so full of confusion about this matter that he needed some fresh air away from her for sometime. He will have to find a way to drift Bondita's attention from these things.

When he came back from the market, his eyes widened in shock as he saw Bondita covered in sindoor all over. Her face was all over coated with red. He remembered, in market some ladies were talking about the miraculous vermilion which helps a wife gain love from her husband.

He fumed as he saw her rubbing it on her face and lips while Batuk was laughing and teasing her calling her red -faced monkey. Trilochan was holding his head fed up of all this drama and Shubhra was treating it like any other mischief of theirs.

"BONDITA! WHAT IS THIS??? " He dashed towards her in fast steps and yanked her from there and pulled her all the way to his room.

"Pati babu! Pati babu! What happened? Leave me." She asked trying to remove his painful grip from her arm.

He pushed her in the bathroom and started the tap to fill a bucket.

"Pati babu! Don't! This is for your good. " She shrieked as she realised what he was going to do.

"Shut up! Bondita ! Who told you to put it all over? " He said rubbing the vermillion from her lips and face.

Bondita started crying as even with numerous protests he wasn't ready to listen. "Please Pati babu. Don't do it. It's inauscpicious. Kakasasurji says so."

"Don't you understand this is red lead? If ingested, it can be toxic. You have become such a headache and I feel as if I've become your baby sitter. Why do you have to land in problems again in again? Won't you ever let me live in peace or not?" He rubbed her face all over quite harshly to remove as much sindoor as he could , making her cry more. He poured jugs of water one by one on her head removing all the sindoor from her head, face and hairline too.

When Bondita saw herself in the mirror in front and her bare hairline, she pushed him backwards taking him off guard, and ran to her room ,wailing and sobbing, leaving red footprints on the white marble.

"Bondita, bondita wait. Where are you going?" He ran behind her but missed by a few seconds as she closed the door and bolted it. "Bondita! I said open the door. Open the door I said."

"I don't want to talk to you. You go from here. You are a bad , bad husband. No husband does such things to his wife." she cried as her words came out uninhibited piercing his heart and his hands stopped the knocking suddenly. His face fell and he retreated back to his room.

Shubhra coaxed Anirudh a lot to have dinner but he denied to even come out of the srudy. Bondita was too stubborn to ask him , but was restless when she came to know that he hasn't had food since morning incident.

She went to the study and knocked at the open door as his head was buried in a book on the table. "Pati babu! Pati babu ! Your....your dinner. " She said hesitantly.

" I'm not hungry. Take it back." He said curtly not looking at her.

"Please pati babu. Listen to me once." She said as she neared him , but he showed her his palm to stop her from speaking further. Bondita's face showed hurt but he ignored and went to his book again. He looked at her retreating figure yearning to stop her but kept mum.

A few minutes after , she came back again evident by the sound of her jingling anklets but he kept his eyes locked to his book. She cleared her throat but he didn't respond. Then he saw a half shell of coconut being thrown on his book. He looked at her , another half shell in her hand attached to a thread connecting both.

He ignored thinking it to be another childish game of hers and went back to his book. Bondita cleared her throat but was met with silence.

"Tring, tring, tring, tring tring tring tring...." She kept on saying loudly until he snapped.

" Kya hai Bondita? Can't you see I'm busy? Go and play with Batuk. Don't disturb me."

"Tring, tring, tring tring..." She started again. When he glared at him she moved her hand in a motion to pick it up. He held it his ear and said with gritted teeth, " What? I'm your bad husband na! Then why have you come to me?"

Bondita frowned at him as he was supposed to apologise to her for his behaviour rather was taunting her. Rakshas babu indeed!

"Go away at a distance. Ohho go na!" She said moving her hand. Anirudh closed his eyes in frustration and put the shell to his ear standing further away from his table.

" Yes, Bondita. Tell me what can I do for you?" He said in a sickly sweet tone.

Bondita rolled her eyes and said, " I'm not Bondita but Bondita's Baba speaking." Anirudh's face softened as he knew what a weak spot her baba was for her.

"I've got your complaint jamai babu that you scolded my little Bondita. Is it correct? Won't she feel bad when you dragged her from outside in front of everyone scolding her? And you washed away her vermilion too and kept shouting at her without listening to her? What kind of Barrister will you become? Not my words! But hers!" She said.

" Baba! What would I have done? She rubbed the vermilion all over her face. If she would have ingested it by mistake, it could have been poisonous. Then what would happen? What is the need for doing it in the first place? "

"Jamai babu.... "

" Don't say it was to gain husband's love and all, Baba. I already told her that is all senseless talks whatever village women say. I told her not to listen to those women. But she is too adamant to listen to me."

" I didn't put it all over because someone said to me. I... I mean she did it as per her wish."

"May I ask why so?" He asked eyeing her.

" Because today Kakasasurji was telling a story of Ramayana. In that Hanuman ji asked maata Sita that why did she put such long hairline of sindoor. So she said, so that her husband shree ram has a long and healthy life. So, inspired by that , Hanuman ji wore sindoor all over his body for the sake of Ram ji extreme longlife. And that's why he put a chola of sindoor on his body. I already put sindoor in my hairline , so I thought I should do something like Hanuman ji for your goodwill. You took so much care of me when I was ill , so I wanted to pray to Hanuman ji to keep you healthy and well just like he wanted for his prabhu Ram. "

She said in one breath as she started sniffling in last. " But you, you washed it all away. What if Hanuman ji gets angry and something happens to you? You men don't have any symbols to show that you are married but we women have this notion in our mind that this sindoor and this Sankha Pola is the sign of your well-being." She touched her sindoor filled hairline and showed her sankha Pola. "They might not matter much to you , but it matters a lot to us. I know you don't beleive in these superstitions but how do I explain my mind when all I listen from others is opposite to what you say. You said I'm a ..... a headache for you. And you are my babysitter. I'm not a baby. You ....you...don't have to take care of me now onwards. Now, I will....I will take care of myself." She sobbed.

Anirudh was dumbfounded listening to her inocent and pious reasoning and felt guilty instantly.
"Bondita, listen ... I'm...." He trailed away as she left the coconut shell on the table and ran away crying.

Do tell me how the chapter was.

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I welcome my new readers with all sweet greetings.

I'm sorry for slow updates but what do I do my schedule is going on very hectic and I've to complete another book of mine 'Drenched in Love' as it has just a few chapters left. After that I'll write only this ff. Hope you understand and not throw mental tomatoes on me. 🤭🤭

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