"Good evening, Ladies and gentlemen ! It's my great honour and pleasure to welcome you to this party to celebrate the love and togetherness of this lovely couple here, Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury and his wife Bondita Anirudh Roy Chowdhury. " Batakrishna gestured towards Anirudh and Bondita  as they stepped up on the  dance stage. Bondita's hands were wound around his arm and their faces were smeared with brightness brighter than the lights of the chandeliers.

"Dada! I would like you to say a few words for Boudi and vice versa." Said Batakrishna with a smile and handed over the mike to him.

" In court people always say that I have a way with my words , but when it comes to this amazing woman beside me," He looked at Bondita with an awestruck smile. "I find myself speechless too often. But still, I'll try to shower my love on her this time with a few words I could muster."
Bondita smiled bashfully.

He cleared his throat and said,"
You came in my life at the most unexpected moment and fit in like a lost piece of  puzzle I didn't even know, was missing, and completed it into a beautiful picture. 

I was so indulged in chasing my dreams and goals, that I forgot the way to my home. But when I found you, I had come home.

Now that I've found you, I understand the God's great plan because you are perfectly suited in my arms, in my heart and in my life. "

Bondita forwarded her hand to take the mike. Her misty eyes were shining and her voice broke with emotion ,

" I... I can't even remember my identity before I knew you. Whatever I am today is because of you. I never fear of falling because I know you would never let me. The cage of your arms gives me safety , freedom and confidence to explore this world, and I grew in ways I never thought could be possible and  I....I...."

Too overwhelmed to speak she seeked refuge in Anirudh's arms , and he smilingly accepted her.

Everyone gave a big round of applause for them. A song was played and they started the first dance of the evening.

Batakrishna came towards where Shetukala and Subhalaxmi were standing.

As a few couples had occupied the stage for dance after men asked their partners, Shetukala had a hunch he was coming towards her for the same.
I will say no! I will say no!

He approached them and said , "Will you grant me the honour of your hand for a dance , beautiful?"

She opened her mouth to say no but he looked at Subhalaxmi in an instant and forwarded his hand to her.

Subhalaxmi was taken aback by his request but nonetheless accepted his hand, "Okay" and winked at her.

Shetukala's mouth remained agape at his open ignorance. He touched her chin and pushed it up to close her mouth. " Close your mouth Shetu, we wouldn't want you to choke over a fly." He smirked and left with Subhalaxmi to the stage.

Shetukala's fists tightened in tamed anger as he saw Batakrishna dancing with Subhalaxmi. A few minutes later he came back to her, but she turned her face away in mock anger. Batakrishna was about to say something to her, but a British man and a woman came to them.

" You might be his brother. Barrister Anirudh's." He nodded. "You both look so alike. I'm Lieutenant Malcom , recently posted in Calcutta. Your brother is a good acquaintance of mine. And she is my sister Rebecca. " The British man said gesturing towards the blonde lady. Batakrishna forwarded his hand in a greeting and they shook their hands.

" Indeed , the resemblance is incredible. I must say Roy-ee Chau-dur-hees don't lack even a bit in looks department. Are you a Barrister too?" The white lady spoke in a soft voice, as she kept a hand on his shoulder and grazed it to his chest.

"Umm.....no ma'am . I'm a graduate doctor."

"Okay! Fine with me. You can call me Rebecca. Ma'am sounds too formal." She said  making a pout.

Batakrishna looked at her with a confused expression.

The British man laughed  sheepishly and said, " Don't worry, young man. She is a bit quirky you see. Why don't you give her a company, while I go and greet your brother?"

"Uh...yeah. Of course." Batakrishna said hesitantly.

Shetukala feeling like third wheeling said, " I'll go to Subha didi.", and left before he could stop her.

Shetukala wandered a bit in the ball saving herself from colliding into someone. In the meanwhile, a man in his early forties approached her, and asked, " Hello beautiful, may I have the honour to have next dance with you? " He eyed her from head to toe with great interest making her shift uncomfortably on her feet.

She gulped nervously, and looked at him. He had a thick moustache, and an ugly scar running from the bridge of his nose to below his left eye and his lid drooped much lower than his other one. His devious expression was making her more uneasy.

"I.... I'm afraid, I can't."  She said, looking for Batakrishna and Subhalaxmi through the hall.

She looked here and there when her eyes landed on Batakrishna who was now dancing with the same British woman who was laughing terribly at something he might have said. His hand on her waist made jealousy simmer in her veins, along with the burning anxiousness in her heart at the unwelcomed encounter with this stranger.

"Why ? Is it because the man you had your eyes on is enjoying with some other woman? " He rose his eyebrow, as he followed her line of sight.

" I...I.." She fumbled, sweat beads breaking on her skin." Don't... know how to da-dance."

"That's not a big problem, I can teach you. It's quite easy if you trust me." He touched her shoulder, and his finger stroked her skin , sending a shiver down her spine. She hurriedly stumbled back and shook her head in negation.

"I..... I'm fine."

"Why are you sweating, darling ? Let me ask for  a drink for you. Waiter! Serve the lady here." He gestured the waiter.

"I....I don't ..... can't drink. Sorry. I've to go." Her voice became a whisper. She moved backwards and paced outside and reached the lawn ignoring the calls of the stranger.

Her skin was damp with sweat and her breath ragged as if she had ran a mile as she reached the garden.

"Miss! Miss! I'm sorry, if I scared you." She heard the same voice and turned fearfully to face him.
"Please have it. It's not alcoholic. Just fruit juice. " He forwarded a glass to her.

She showed her waving hand to him to deny as her throat constricted with a strange anxiety. But the man pushed the glass in her hand and forced it towards her mouth.

"Now, now don't anger me. I guess you  wouldn't want to insult your host by denying his most important client two times in a row." He said with a cocky smile.

Shetukala tried to free her grip from his hand but he didn't budge. Unable to get out of this situation , she drank the contents of the glass in one go and handed it over to the man, and  coughed. " There, I drank it. " And coughed again. "It's so bitter."

"Maybe the orange seeds also got crushed along with the pulp. I guess Barrister Anirudh isn't that a good host." He laughed.
"Now, you pretty lady, what's your name?" He clutched her hand and pulled her towards him. She gasped. A familiar pit of uneasiness filled her system and alerted her.
Her mind started becoming foggy.

Shetukala panicked and pushed him towards the bushes making him trip on the wet soil and ran towards the hall as fast as possible, stumbling on her feet.

"Wait! You !" The man shouted from behind, trying to lift himself up.

***
"Subha! Where is Shetu?" Batakrishna asked Subhalaxmi as they both came near on the stage while dancing with different partners.

"Why are you asking me? Last time I saw her with you." She said as her partner twirled her. 

"She said she is going to you. So I thought she is with you." Said Batakrishna as the white lady with him cling onto his neck , making him uncomfortable. " Ma'am please! Move back a  bit." He tried to remove her arms from his neck.

"I'll go and check her." She said something to the man who was dancing with her and left the stage.

As soon as she was about to leave the hall, Shetukala came and collided with her.

"Shetukala! Where were you?"

"Didi! I....I... Where is he?" She said panting.

"Who? Batuk?"

"Yes, yes."

"He's on the stage--"

Shetukala didn't wait for her answer and ran towards the stage . She pushed the white lady beside him and hugged him tightly.

The British lady stumbled on her high heels and fell on the stage. She looked at her with glare.

Batakrishna  was caught off guard. He after a moment of realisation broke the hug and pulled her from the ground and stood her on her feet. " I'm... I'm so sorry ma'am. She didn't do it on purpose."

"Mr ba-taa-keeshna! How dare she push me?  Is this how you treat your guests?" She yelled.

"Ma'am I'm really sorry.  I apologise from her side."

"Why are you saying sorry?" Shetukala said squinting her eyes and swayed on her feet. Batakrishna held her back in a hurry.

"Excuse me!" The white lady eyed her thoroughly and said , " How do you, of all people here , so ordinary and mundane,  have the guts to talk about me like this? Do you even know who I am?"

"Because unlike you,   everyday I tell myself that today I won't be a horrible hag like you. And I don't know who you are. If you have forgotten , I'll give you my medicines. They are guaranteed to treat an amnesia. Aks him." She slurred.  Batakrishna gasped at her remark.

" Don't tell me you think you have a chance?"

"Chance with what?"

"Not what? Whom? That he would pick you of all pretty women here?" She pointed towards him.

"He already has, you wirnkled witch. In more ways than you can think of." Said Shetukala , shooting glares to her. The lady's white skin became more pale like a white sheet.

Batakrishna's eyes widened and he clamped her lips with his palm. "Ma'am I'm extremely sorry. Please excuse her. She doesn't seem to be in her right mind. Excuse us , please." He dragged her from the stage.

"Shetu! What did you do?" 

"What did I do? She was clinging to you like a leech. I wouldn't have been surprised if she started sucking your blood in next two minutes." She yelled. Batakrishna was dumbfounded. This was not his Shetukala. She was ,but obviously wasn't behaving like herself. He would have been very amused at her bold behaviour but her being out of her senses among a crowd of unknown people turned his stomach mercilessly.

"Shetu! What did you drink?" He narrowed his eyes on her and squished her cheeks and smelled her breath.
  "Did you drink alcohol?"  His eyes widened.

"Nooooo! I would never." She said and tried to push him but stumbled again.

"Stand straight. What are you doing?" He scolded and held her wrists in his one hand and held her by waist.

"What am I doing? What are you doing?"

"What happened to her  Batuk?" Subhalaxmi came to them and asked. " Is she.....is she drunk?" She asked incredulously.

"Nooooo! I'm not." Shetukala defended.

"What is happening here?" Anirudh and Bondita came from behind and looked at Batakrishna holding Shetukala by her waist.

As soon as he saw Anirudhh, Batakrishna left her but she tripped and held his collar to stabilise herself. "Aaah! Don't leave." He again held her quickly.

Anirudh came to her. " Shetu! Did you drink?"

"Nooooo! Nooooo! Nooooo! I didn't. How many times will I have to say?" She left Batakrishna and stumbled to Bondita amd hugged her.  "Boudi! Now you don't ask. I haven't even tou-" She hiccuped, " touched alcohol. Otherwise I won't tell you dada's secret."

Bondita held her to make her stand straight, "What secret?"

Shetukala put finger on her lips, and said " Shhhhh! Don't . Don't." And shook her head.

"What is it? Now tell me."

"Boudi, you don't know what Dada is going to do to you today? Beware. I'm telling you." She said in a whisper -yell loud enough for them to hear. Anirudh turned red and looked at  Batakrishna with intense glare who shook his head  in negation and showed his palms in surrender. Subhalaxmi laughed at them.

Shetukala went to her and hugged her. " Didi! My sweet Subha didi!" She giggled. " Don't worry. I won't tell anyone that you had " She tried to think hard. "what  do you say that , Ah! Yes ! That you had crush on dada in childhood. And how much you cried when he married to Boudi." She giggled breathlessly. "I  can understand your feelings. That's why you don't call him dada, right? " She wiped her fake tears, while Subhalaxmi closed her eyes in embarasment and  fake coughed.

"She is too high, it seems."She laughed sheepishly. " I've to meet someone. I'll go. "  and she walked away briskly.

" And you!" She stumbled over to Batakrishna and pointed her index finger on his chest.
"You ki-" He clamped her mouth again by his palm.

He cleared his throat and said, " Dada , I'll take her to her room."

"Yeah that would be better. I'll manage here. " He muttered.

"Batuk!!!! " She called. His eyes widened on hearing his name." Pick me up. Show that white witch that you can pick me. Or I won't move from here. " She said defiantly.

"Shetu!! No! I... "

"Pilieeeeeez..... " She made a cute pout and batted her eyelashes.

"Dammit! Today you are a gone case."

"No, you are a gone case." She laughed.

He picked her up in his  arms walking out of the hall and she snuggled in his neck tying her hands around his neck.
"Mhmmmm, you smell so good."

Batakrishna shook his head and walked to her room.

He laid her on the bed and sat beside her. 
"Will you be able to sleep in this ..... This saree?"

"If I say no, will you remove it like that day?" She looked at him, her eyes drooping and a silly grin on her face.

Batakrishna groaned and picked her comforter to cover her.
"Why did you dri--" She  glared at her, but her lips were pulled in a cute pout, making her look like an angry bird.
"Ok.... Ok... You didn't drink alcohol. But what did you actually eat or drink?"

"Uhmmmmmm......" She started thinking hard. "orange juice. But it was very bitter. Bleh! " She stuck her tongue out and scrunched her nose clenching her eyes. He tried to look strict but a snort left his lips in amusement.

"Who gave you that orange juice? Subha? Or you drank it yourself?"

"No! A bad, bad man gave it to me." She made her eyes big . "He  was, very, very scary." She shuddered at his memory and put both her arms on her eyes.

"Shetu! Why did you take the juice from him? Did you drink whole glass?"

She nodded bobbing her head. " Aah! My head. It hurts!" She held her head and winced.

"Wha-what happened?"
He pressed her forehead with firm fingers. "Does it feel okay?"

"Hmmm. Very good." She giggled.

"My silly Shetu!" He slapped on her cheek softly.

He continued massaging her forehead, "Tell  me a thing, did he say something to you? Or maybe .... Uhm..... Touched you?"

She looked at him and nodded. She showed her wrist to him where three finger bruises were marked. Her eyes pooled and she hid her face in his abdomen.
Batakrishna's face contorted in anger and his jaw ticked at the idea of someone touching her and making her feel uncomfortable.

He caressed her wrist and said, " Anywhere else?"

She sat taking support of headrest. "Here." She touched her shoulder.

Batakrishna touched the spot and caressed it. Shetukala felt relieved at his touch. "Where else?" He asked praying for no bad news.

"No! Just these two." She mumbled.

He made a mental note to find out that bastard while imagining ways to torture him. But right now, monitoring her was his priority. He could not leave her alone in a house full of guests.

"Did you have food?"

" Noooo! I'm so hungry. Elephants are running in my stomach. " She touched her stomach and whined." I want food."

He laughed and kissed her forehead. "Okay. You wait here, I'll bring you food."

" No!!!! Don't go! Don't leave me. Please. " She held his arm with both hands and put her head on his shoulder shaking it in no.

"Shetu! Then how will I bring the food?"

"No! Don't go." She whined again.

"Shetu! Please! I'll come back soon. Shotti. "

"Take me to your room." She looked at him.

" Why? "

"Because I'm scared to be alone and your bed smells like you. It will feel like you are with me." She giggled, breathless but still giggling.

He sighed." Okay, come . Let's go."

He pulled her hand to stand her up. But she stood on the bed, leaning over him.

"I want piggy back ride."

"Shetu!" He mockingly glared.

" Pileeeeeezzzz..... " She jutted her lower lip.

" How I wished you said all this in your sense, but ...." He sighed. "Okay . Fine with me. " He turned and she jumped on him, stumbling him.

"Yayyyyy!!! Thankyou, thankyou thankyou sooooooo much." She tucked her hands around his neck and hooked her legs around his waist, her saree lifting to her knees.

He held her waist by wounding one arm behind himself and with one hand he held her wrists. "Shall we go?"

"Yes." She rubbed her cheek on his, his small stubble tickled her and she giggled.

Batakrishna took her to his room and laid her on the bed. " Now lie down here. And no mischief okay. I'll lock the door from outside so don't even try to go out. I'll bring the food."

She nodded and snuggled into the comforter.

"Listen, bring Roshmalai also." She shouted.

" Yes , boss. " He mock saluted her.

Batakrishna returned back to his room with a plate of food in his hand.

"Shetu! See I---" His mouth was wide open as he saw Shetukala sprawled on the bed , her hair fanning her face, her eyes closed. But the most shocking thing was that comforter was thrown on the floor along with her saree leaving her only in her royal blue blouse and petticoat. He put the plate on table and moved on the bed.

"Shetu! Shetu! What happened?" He patted her face hovering over her. She flinched her face and her eyes shot open and immense fear flashed in them , but got relaxed when she saw him.

"Hmmmmm.....What.... What happened?" She looked at him.

Her eyes hooded and her smile so seductive , Batakrishna couldn't breathe."Why did you ..... Op... Open your saree?"

She pulled him by his tie, making him fall over her, but he placed his palms on both sides of her head preventing himself from crushing her. Their face almost touching, and he could feel the heat emanating from her flushed skin.

"You look so gorgeous from this close. Like really, really,  really gorgeous. It should be a sin to look like this."

She spoke against his lips and puckered her own to place a kiss on his. As they lips almost touched , she hiccuped and then giggled.

Batakrishna came out of his daze and removed his tie from her grip. He picked the comforter and covered her again.

She immediately threw the comforter again and stood up moving down from the bed.

"Nooooooo!! I feel sooooo hot. That saree pricks me. And this blouse too." She started opening her blouse hooks.

Batakrishna's eyes widened and he held her hands." Hey! hey! What are you doing?"

"Why are you behaving as if you haven't seen me?" She asked with a frown. He reddened remembering their night at hut.

Sober Shetu would never have said that without becoming red like a ripen tomato but this one was stating it as obvious as a weather forecast.

" You.... You don't know what you are doing right now. "

"This blouse itches. Please open it." She gave up when she couldn't open it and  lied down on the cold floor and sighed spreading her limbs wide. "Haah! So cold." 

" Shetu! What are you doing? Get up." He pulled her arms , but she resisted.

" No, first open it."

"okay, okay I'll open it. Let me bring a towel or something to cover you ." He stood up to move.

"No need. I'm not naked beneath it."

"What? "

" Yes, I'm wearing, what did she say , B-bra.... brazeel under it."

Batakrishna burst out into a laughter at her words. Shetukala frowned at him. "What are you laughing at? "

" No- nothing." He laughed again. " Anyways, I don't remember you wearing 'brazil' before this." His shoulders shook up and down while controlling his laughter.

"We went tomorrow to market and bought it and this saree too." She grinned. " Subha didi said your favourite color is royal blue. So I got everything the same color." Her eyes shone with glee and a wide smile painted on her face. Batakrishna's heart melted at her words.

"This was what you were hiding yesterday?" He asked amused.

"Yes." She laughed.

"You looked so breathtaking today. I couldn't move my eyes from you."

"Liar! liar! Pants on fire! Then why did you not ask me for dance?" She said loudly.

He laughed ."Because it was written on your face that you were going to say no. Isn't it? And my pants are absolutely fine, thankyou very much."

"Huh! Now, open it. This infernal thing is not opening." She tucked at her hooks violently , ignoring his question.

" Wait, wait. You'll tear it." He picked her up and sat her on the bed. He gulped nervously." Are you sure, you can't manage without removing it? "

She shook her head in negation.

"Ohhh....ohkay then."

Guys! My  motivation to write this story is literally hanging on a piece of thread. I understand that it's not a Anidita story. But the effort I take to frame the plot and write the dialogues is same.

If you don't like the story, that's a different thing. But if you are reading it and liking it, please don't hold yourself back from voting and commenting.  Bcz That's what keeps me going.

A big, big thank you to those who vote and comment since beginning. You are the ones I'm writing this. Love you all sweethearts.

Do tell me how this was  and don't forget to vote. Thankyou ❤️😘