Two days passed , Aniruddh tried to contact some of the best known psychiatrists and psychologists from India as well as abroad. Some would take about more than a month  to reach India. Some denied to treat a female patient. And some were not eager to take this complicated case in their hands for the fear of their reputation being tarnished if failed.

There was no success with Shetukala either. Her words were jumbled. Every statement contradicting the other. No amount of explaining , coaxing , tricking could budge her.

"Barrister Babu! Do you really think she is saying the truth and not lying? The one who speaks the truth doesnt fumble and isn't this confused. If you know the truth, you don't have to remember anything. Liars have to remember their lies." Bondita asked keeping the telephone diary back in the drawer.

" Believe me Bondita. I've seen enough such cases to detect truth and lies. Shetukala's words may fumble but the pain in her eyes is very still, like  calm water after the flood has resolved. There are just some dots which are not connecting. The key to this mystery is her mind which itself is locked. We just need to have the correct code to open it."
Bondita nodded grimly.

Finally he sat all exhausted trying to come up with a new plan to extract shetukala's unresolved thoughts from her mind.

The telephone bell rang . He let out a deep sigh and picked up the receiver.

"Hello! .... Yes, I'm speaking....as soon as possible. .....yes connect.....Hello!" All his worried fled and a ray of hope shone in his heart as soon he listened to other person's voice , etching a gleeful smile on his face. " Yes, yes definitely.... When? ....no, no that's not at all a problem.... Thankyou."
Aniruddh turned to Bondita and hugged her. Bondita was curious to know the reason for this sudden change of emotions. " "Bondita! Bondita! We've got a psychologist for shetukala.You will not believe who."

"Who?" 

"You remember that Batuk's friend, who lived in front of our haweli and used to come at ours to play." Aniruddh gave her a meaningful smile.

"Oooohhhhh, that one." Bondita giggled.

***
Two days passed. The amount of anxiety and restlessness Shetukala was suffering from after each interrogation session with Anirudhh didn't miss his eyes. Then an idea struck him which could at least calm her nerves down.  He called Shetukala in the lawn.

Shetukala came into the lawn wearing an orange bordered white saree.
Ditching her large nose ring, she just wore a small gold stud on her nose and a pair of jhumka. The morning sunshine reflected from her face giving her skin a golden hue. She looked seraphic. But her fingers were fidgeting making her bangles giggle.

" You called for me dactar babu." She said softly.

"Yes, come sit." He pointed towards the long rectangular pink  yoga mat.

"Here?" She looked here and there as if worried about being caught in his company.

"Yes."

Shakuntala sat stiffly on the yoga mat. Her hands were clenched and back ramrod straight.

"Why are you sitting so tensed? Relax a bit."

"Yes." Shetukala tried a bit to relax herself but his presence was making it more difficult. The familiar tension between them was like a thick mist hampering their senses. 

" Do you know how to do yoga?"

"Yoga? You mean that exercise in which people hold their nose and  stretch their body as if they have just woken up from a deep slumber."

Batakrishna laughed." Yes , that only. Do you know that?"

"I've seen some people doing it back in the hospital but never did it myself."

"Hospital? Why were you in hospital?"

" Uhh.... Uhmmm....that.. that..." She became more and more anxious. Her fidgeting increased and her right leg started trembling. Batakrishna panicked.

"Okay. Okay. Relax." Batakrishna held her shoulders and stroked his thumbs on her skin  to ease out the tension. Shetukala relaxed a bit under his touch. "I will teach you. Okay. It will help improve your focus and concentration , calm the mind and alleviate insomnia."

Shetukala very attentively tried to listen to his instructions. His serious expressions gave a different aura.
" ....and this you have to repeat with alternate nostril. This completes one round. Continue for 2 minutes."

Shetukala followed him. In between she opened her one eye and looked at him. The cool wind was fluttering his hair on his forehead creating a spiky shadow on his forehead and nose. His wheatish skin peaking from his unbuttoned white kurta was trying its best to split her attention.  She closed her eyes quickly and carried out  the process as told. They changed to other  asanas.

Batakrishna has started the yoga with very innocent intentions. But the way amateur  shetukala was stretching her body at various angles, his mind drifted to not so innocent ideas. He involuntary  swallowed a hard lump down his throat. Her saree rose from her waist revealing her pale skin contrasting with the cherry coloured blouse. Her hair were falling again and again on her face and she shook her head to remove them , her jhumka oscillated with every movement of her head. Her chest was heaving up and down and she let out small puffs of air from her pursed lips.

"Dactar Babu!" She called making  Batakrishna meet her eyes , as she shifted her pose into the next aasan." Are you okay?"

He cleared his throat and answered, "y-yes , what will happen to me?"

" You said that yoga relaxes the body. But you look more uneasy than before. You are sweating too much." She said innocently.

"Th-the sun! The sun is too hot today. What else!" He let out a nervous laugh.

"Should I bring you water?" She asked lifting her head from  the same inverted V pose batuk has taught her for  adho mukha svanasana.

"Yes , please, I need water. Lots of it. " He said in a daze.

Shetukala lowered her body on the mat and stood up. " Thankyou dactar babu. It really feels good. I feel more energetic and relaxed. We'll do it everyday." She grinned.

Batakrishna gulped and just nodded forcing a smile on his face. Everyday!!! This girl will be death of me someday.

***
Batakrishna has scrutinized Shetukala in the last few days closely to come to some important conclusions.
First, Shetukala always remained on guard when alone, as if expecting someone. Second, her fidgeting and stammering increased on certain topics, like the mention of her place, hospital or family. 
Third, he had seen Shetukala sitting by the riverside at nights but far away from the bank.
And last but not the least , he had some hint that she was also attracted towards him but was too stubborn to accept.

***  

"Boudi! Who is coming tomorrow?"

" Ohho shetukala, I dont have time to tell anything right now. Go bring those curtains I kept in the store room."

Shetukala was very curious to know who was coming that the family was so eager to welcome .
Bondita was very worked up ,and wanted everything to be perfect. Even Anirudh looked quite eager for the arrival of this new guest. And Batakrishna , though she didn't have enough guts to ask him anything , but the happiness on his face was a signal of someone important arriving.

It was  a late Sunday morning, when Shetukala was sitting in the verandah making garland , someone knocked the door. At the same time Batakrishna came in, freshly bathed.  She looked away so as not to get caught again staring at him like she had been a few times before, and went to the door. As soon as she opened, she saw that a girl in her late teens was standing on the door with luggage  beside her.   "Who--"

"BATUKKKKKK!!!"

Before she could complete her sentence , the girl dashed in the house screaming 'batuk'  like a  gust of wind , ignoring her and  landed on Batakrishna's chest. Her hands entwined around his neck and feet now in air. Instinctively, batakrishna wrapped his arms around her to prevent falling from her sudden jump. Shetukala's eyes widened and mouth gaped open.

"Oh Batukkkkk! I missed you so , so , so muchhhhhhh."  The girl sounded extremely elated to see Batakrishna it seemed. Shetukala felt a pang in her heart to see this superfluous love showering in front of her. 

Batakrishna laughed at her words.
Before Shetukala could ask anything, Anirudhh entered the house. He had left early that day , where she doesn't know. She noticed that Anirudh had a wide grin on his face to see this new guest. Now the  dread that this new lady was indeed someone very important , grew enormously , twisting her heart.

She eyed the girl from head to toe. She was wearing a designer white saree and a blue blouse, but her way of draping it was different. She looked elegant. Her face emanated  sheer confidence and pride. Her face was innocent but eyes were cheerful like a small child. Her voice had a tinkle of glee which she also used to have once. She wore just a pair of  kanakti earrings which were pinned in her hair. Her hair were curled, shiny black locks. Shetukala looked at her own straight hair and pouted. The girl looked simple yet beautiful in her own way. Shetukala has never felt such a strong
burning resentment in her life. 

Bondita walked into the verandah hearing the commotion and her face beamed looking at the new guest.
Boudi also!! Now this is too much. Who is she?

"Bondita, how are you? It's been so long I saw you. You have turned into a beautiful lady."

"You too look very pretty. It's been almost 7 years. But I'm very angry at you. No letter, no phone call. You didn't miss us at all." Bondita puffed her cheeks and looked away folding her arms near her chest in mock anger.

The girl side hugged her and said, " Sorry, Bondita. I was so stuck in all the academic and professional stuff, that I didn't get time. But believe me , I never forgot you people."

Bondita smiled at her words and hugged her again.

"Will you keep on asking questions or let her sit too? Batuk , take her luggage inside."

Batakrishna took her luggage and went inside without sparing a glance at Shetukala.
Shetukala felt that she would just start crying any moment.

"Shetukala ,meet her. She is your new psychologist , Dr Subhalaxmi Ganguly, gold medalist in PhD psychology from London."  Anirudh looked at Subhalaxmi and said," Subha! Now you have to stay here only , at least till Shetukala's case. I won't hear any arguments on this."

Subhalaxmi nodded happily.
Shetukala's hands fisted  tightly , her nails digging in her palm , drawing out blood from crescent breaches on skin.

Don't forget to tell me how did you like the entry of our new psychologist aka mishrasubha.  😉😘

Waiting for your inline comments eagerly. Thankyou ❤️😘