" That khaatto maanus! Dida said this .Dida said that. Where is she? I want to talk to her. Bholi was right. Husbands only know how to throw tantrums. Oh dugga , what did i do to get a husband like this?" Bondita was seething in anger in her room , tears of anger dripping down her cheeks , when shubhra entered.

" Bondita, hush ! Dont cry. You know him , he is like this only."said shubhra cupping her cheeks.

"Maa , why did he say i can't go to school? What did i do to him? He is so mean. He--"

" I knew it. I knew it. Backbiting me in front of my mother. You don't have your own mother , so you stole mine. I was so happy before you came. You are a thief. THEIF!" Anirudh stomped out of the room. Shubhra felt anger rising and followed him to his room.

" Anirudh! What was that ? Care to explain? I didn't teach you to behave like this. Did i? Why are you--Awnii??? " Shubhra gasped as she saw anirudh's eyed filled with tears and his lips pressed in thin line as if to control the sob.

"Maa..!" Anirudh hugged his mother tightly.

"Awni!! What happened? Why are you crying? Tell me." All her anger vanished when shubhra saw anirudh crying like a small baby. His eyes had become swollen and face red. And tears were streaming his cheeks in continuous trails.

" Maa ! I.. i...she.. she... My..." Anirudh hiccuped and kept weeping inside his mother's embrace.

"Now now don't cry. Don't cry. Tell me what happened. I promise i won't scold . Why are you so angry? Did she say something to you? "Shubhra cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears with her thumb.

" Maa..since the day she has come in this house. She has stolen you. You talk to her with so much love. Earlier it was just me and batuk. But now she takes all your time. She even sleeps in your room whenever she wants. Kaka also praises her so much always .Bouma this... Bouma that... She befriended batuk also by giving him roshogullas. She is so sweet towards everyone but doesn't even spare a single glance at me. If she comes to school, she will become everyone's favourite and steal my friends also. I don't want that." Anirudh complained like a small child to her mother.

Shubhra can't help but smile at his childish jealously from his own wife.

"Anirudh . How will she be comfortable with you, when all you do is just scold her? Just like you and batuk need me ,Bondita also needs me. She lost her mother when she just came in this world. Her father was her only solace. She lost him too at a tender age of 7. Studies might be the only thing that keeps her connected to her deceased father. Don't deprive her of this happiness. Rather i would say you are a lucky husband to get such a broad minded wife , whose ambitions are to touch the sky. She will understand you more, support you more, if she has the basic knowledge of what you go through. Isnt it ? " Said shubhra.

Anirudh gave a deep thought to her mother's advice and nodded while wiping his tears.
" Maa! Now what? "

" Now you will apologize to her for your behaviour and tell her that she can go to school."

" Apologize? But zamindars--" Shubhra raised her eyebrows at him. "Okay okay i will."

"Listen! I... I ...oh dugga ... I am ...am sorry for what i said earlier." Anirudh said to bondita while looking at his toes tapping his feet in restlessness.

Bondita looked at him and tried to gauge his expressions as it was very unlikely of him to apologise.

" You..uh ..you can go to school. " Said anirudh looking everywhere but at her.

Bondita's eyes shone with happiness but she tried to maintain her demeanor. Aniruddha looked at her to find that she still hasn't smiled yet. He had expected her to jump and laugh in joy. Maybe this much coaxing is not enough. Finally Anirudh said what he would not have imagined saying to her in a million years.

" As a token of apology, I will let you ride my new bicycle once. But remember only once."said Anirudh.

This caught bondita's attention and she could not help but smile widely showing her teeth with a small gap in between indicating the recent farewell of an upper canine.
"Shotti?? You will let me ride your new bicycle."
Anirudh felt light at his heart at this sight as he was overburdened under the bitter words he had said to her, and nodded displaying his genuine smile.

The next ten days passed in a frenzy as the three children of house prepared for their new session. Bondita took admission in batuk's class and was on ninth cloud when she got her new books, copies, schoolbag , lunchbox and water bottle.

" Remember today was the day decided." Said bondita.

"Yes, yes. I know. You are reminding me for the hundredth time." Anirudh deadpanned.

" So that you don't forget your words."

" I dont move back on my words. I'm a--"

" Yes, yes , i know zamindar and all blah blah. Cut it short. I don't have this much time. I want to make use of this ride as much as possible." Said bondita while rubbing her hands feeling excitement bubbling inside her.Anirudh frowned but let it go.

" Come , put one leg on this paddle and other on this and rotate it clockwise."

" This ..this handle is getting twisted again and again. I..i will fall. Don't leave me okay. What if my teeth break before i go to school?"Said bondita while struggling to balance herself on the cycle, finding it harder to ride it than she jad imagined.

" Don't move so much. Just sit straight. Dont worry , I'm holding it from back. You wont fall."

Bondita tried to paddle the cycle with overenthusiasm and felt as if she were flying. Anirudh panted while running behind her holding the backseat. His palms red with pressure. The moment he left the cycle to soothe his burning palms , bondita's balance
deteriorated and she fell with a thud. "Aaahhh. Why did you leave me?"
Tears pricked her eyes as she saw her scratched red palms and knees where her saree tore.

" Hey ! Hey! Don't cry." Said anirudh.
Why do these wives cry so much? Don't they know their distress makes us uncomfortable as we are responsible to take care of them. Its a tough job being a husband. Huff!!
" I just left you for a second and you went downhill. Now come, get up. And listen don't tell this to maa. Otherwise this will be the last time you're riding my bicycle."

Bondita nodded her head and stood up rubbing her palms to soothe them.

" How will you walk now? Your saree also tore. Do one thing .sit at the backseat. I will ride the bicycle now."Said anirudh.

Bondita sat on the backseat with both her legs on one side clutching anirudh's waist tightly.

"Bondita! open your eyes." Shouted anirudh. When bondita opened her eyes she looked at the red sky sheathing the greenery around in a poetic fashion. Cool breeze tickling her face and she laughed out loud.

Bruises and abrasions were long forgotten when two innocent hearts dived in the joy of togetherness for the first time without any grudges.

"Aah it hurts!! Let me do it." Cried bondita when anirudh touched her wounds with a cotton swab dipped in tincture of iodine.

" Just two minutes more. It won't hurt anymore then." Said anirudh while blowing air on her bruised knees.

" My hands hurt with the sabzi." Whispered bondita wringing her hands in an attempt to lower the stinging sensation of spice on her scratched fingers.

"Maa, I and Bondita will eat at the roof today. The breeze is very cool today." Said anirudh and dragged bondita with his right hand while his left hand held the plate with alurdom, shukto and rice enough for two.
Shubhra smiled at the two while batuk wondered what has possessed his dada today.

" Put more sabzi in it. The rice tastes so bland without it." Complained bondita as anirudh put the morsel in her mouth and then in his own alternatively.

"Don't eat this much sabzi, otherwise your mouth will burn."

" What are roshogullas for??" Bondita grinned and her eyes shone in mischief.

Anirudh couldn't help but chuckle at her childish tactics, as he lowered the glass water to her lips.

Precap-- Bondita's first day at school.

Dont forget to vote and comment.