A suspicious mind believes more than it doubts. It believes in a formidable and eradicable evil lurking in every person. Beenapani had liked Bondita from the first day, but what she couldn't fathom was her alleged infidelity. Beena had seen broken homes and had experienced the sorrow of broken hearts, and under no circumstances she was prepared to let Bondita ruin her own home. Her constant efforts of reminding Bondita about her household, her child, everything seemed to fall in deaf ears. She would notice Anirudh stealing a glance at Bondita, painting her cheeks in crimson, and in the next moment, Beena would ask her about her daughter, a faint attempt to remind her of her marital status.

"Do you even love your husband?" Beena had asked her after the class as they walked together towards the bustling college canteen.

"What? Ofcourse I do." Bondita had unmindfuly blushed at her question, as her eyes followed Anirudh's gaze sitting in one of the table nearby with two other elderly professors.

"Would you be able to forgive him if he... if he ever falls for someone else?" Beena asked again, a little firmly to draw her friend's attention to the conversation.

Bondita furrowed her eyebrows at her question.
"Why do you ask such questions Beena?" She turned her eyes away from Anirudh.
"My husband would never do such things... He loves me." Bondita murmured, her lips curled into a constant smile.

Beena let out a sigh of defeat and discomfiture.
What kind of a woman was this!
She claimed her husband's love and at the same time took pride in flirting with another.
Her brother probably says the right thing, 'Liberation corrupts women!'

Beena lowered her eyes to look at her tea cup, contemplating how to convince her dear friend to not stray from the path of faithfulness, but as she moved her gaze up, she saw Bondita smiling bashfully, her eyes fixated on Anirudh, who in turn was licking the edge of his own tea cup meaningfully.

"What's going on!!" Beena had finally decided to confront, breaking Bondita's love trance.

"What?"

"What's what? You tell me Bondita!! You are a married woman!" Beena stood up from her chair.

A sudden smoke of confusion cluttered Bondita's thoughts at this strange outburst of her friend, but before she could seek any further clarity, a voice called out her name from behind.

"Bondita.."

Bondita had turned around, her face brightened up instantly at the sight. It was the same black complexioned young man with a pair of extraordinary blue-green eyes.

"What are you do..."
Bondita stood up, smiling, as she stretched her hands to acknowledge Satya's extended greetings.

"Who would this be now?" Beena had stood up too, her eyebrows still furrowed into suspension, as Bondita turned towards her and smiled brightly.

"He is family."

Satyakirth's face, too, had brightened up at Bondita's response as he smiled happily before excusing themselves from Beena.

"Do you have it?"
He had lowered his face to reach Bondita's ears on their way out of the canteen.
Bondita nodded, smiling, but what she missed was Anirudh's narrowed gaze on them as his eyes fixated on Satya's arm around her, guiding her out. His hand hadn't touched her, but the closeness was hard to miss, and although in his heart Anirudh knew his Bondita would always be his, but still he couldn't stop his heart from twitching at the sight.

"Excuse me, Professors." Anirudh smiled politely at the men he was sitting with before he stood up, prepared to leave.

......................................................

"Is the news confirmed?"
Neelmoni Mukherjee's gruff voice sounded even rough over the telephone.

"Yes, Sir. It is. He even has statements of some of those French dealers." The voice from the other side replied slowly.

"Damn it!" Neelmoni shouted.
"How?"

"Sir, how I don't know. But, he seemed really prepared. I was with him the other night, in the meeting." The man paused. "But, he only feeds us bits and pieces. The masterplan is inside his head."

Neelmoni growled.
"What else do you know?"

"He keeps all evidences and recorded statements in a red file. And he carries it at all times." The man paused.
"He also said..."

"What did he say?"

"He said that he had huge respect for you. And, if you would have smuggled those arms and ammunition to our desi brothers instead, then probably he would have supported you in the cause... But..."

"But?" Neelmoni hissed.

"But, you are doing it for money, dealing with the French... He... he called you a traitor Sir... Deshdrohi."

"Deshdrohi!!" Neelmoni's rough growl took shape of a sinister laughter.
"What Deshdroh? When the country itself is under slavery?" Neelmoni chuckled.
"He is the traitor...! His family cheated my daughter... Me!! And, now this Deshbhakt will pay for his unnecessary Deshbhakti."

The telephone line was disconnected as Neelmoni Mukherjee blew a cloud of smoke from his pipe, his face contorted into a dark evillish grin.
"Anirudh Roy Chowdhury.... You chose to battle the wrong devil!" His shaky hands reached out for the telephone receiver once again.

"Hello... " He spoke slowly.
"Be prepared. It's time!"

...........................................................

The red blossom of the Krishnachura tree felt extraordinarily surreal that afternoon. Each petals were painted in the glow of the sun, woven in silk. Bondita and Satyakirth were standing under the blooming beauty, lost in their conversation.

"So, you are saying Girish Da would need to drop this year in college? Won't that create a noise? He is the Students Council head!"
Worry had taken over Bondita's cheerful tone as she let out a deep sigh along with the words.

"It can't be helped Bondita. He can't return. The police found traces of his blood inside the jail... They are sampling everyone in their suspicion list... He won't be spared too... And, once it matches, you know the consequences."
Satya's eyes drew a veil of sadness as well.

"And you?" Bondita's voice was eager.
"What if they get to you?"

Satya let out a soft chuckle.
"Didn't you read the English Daily? They gave me a new name, 'The Electric Eel'... They can't get me till I'm alive." He jaw muscles had tightened with the words.

"You would be alive... Always..."
Emotions had a strange way to heart.
The sudden thought of Satya's doom made Bondita's heart wretch in pain.
She looked up at him with moisture in her eyes as her hands automatically raised up to hold his arms.

"How can I help Satya? Anything... Anything at all."
The eagerness in her voice had touched his heart too.

"You being there... You calling me a family... That beyond my expectations..." He paused, cupped her face gently in his hands.
"These past few months... Knowing you... I can't explain Bondita... But, somehow, I feel I want to live." His voice was choking as well.

"You would live..."
A fat drop of tear escaped from her eye and fell on his palm.
"I won't let anything happen to you... Barrister Babu and I will protect you together."

Satya let out a soft laughter at her quivering words.
"Why do you call you husband 'Barrister Babu'?" He suddenly asked, trying to lower the intensity of the melancholic emotions.

"What else shall I call him?" Bondita wiped her eyes.

"I don't know... Dear, Darling, Honey... Something atleast." Satya winked his eyes to tease her, making Bondita smile amidst tears.

"If KakaSasurji hears me calling him Honey... Then he would probably make him shower in honey and milk to do a Shuddhikaran."

They both burst out into fits of laughter, radiating unadulterated gaiety of friendship.

"Bondita, how is he? Your KakaSasur?" He suddenly asked, his face had turned a little serious.

"He... he is like a coconut." Bondita smiled fondly.
"Hard from outside and soft inside... He is an extraordinary man Satya... He manages the entire Zamindari all by himself."

"You... You don't have a mother-in-law? KakiSashuri?" His voice was soft, reflective.

"No... He never married." Bondita paused, letting out a deep sigh.
"He has spent his entire life taking care of these two brothers, and then me... The man never thinks about his own wellbeing you know."

Satya looked down and smiled.
"Does he even mentions why he never married?"

"Umm... No... I don't know. Barrister Babu might. I'll ask him."

"No. Nevermind." Satya tried to shake off the conversation.
"Where is it, the thing I came for?"

"In the car. They were checking today as well... I left it inside... Let's..."

Satya didn't let Bondita complete her words as his muscles suddenly stiffened. He balled his fists and clenched his jaws at once before hissing into her ears.

"Bondita turn... Police!!"

Bondita had faced him back, pointing him towards her car when Satya's words had hit her. In a second, she turned to face him, as in the next moment she felt him drag her by her waist, making her fall on his strong chest. And, before she could react, Bondita felt his face buried on her shoulder as his muscular arms gripped her body, lightly. Their body hadn't touched, and Satya ensured not to cross that thin line, still for an eye seeing them from outside, they looked pretty intimate.

"Get a room bloke!"
Three white British officers passed by them, as one threw an indecent comment, strolling past, joking among themselves.

Bondita's heart was beating faster, matching with the intensity of Satya's heartbeat.

"I'm sorry Bondita." Satya had held her shoulders, helping her stand... And, before, Bondita could reply, a calm thunderous voice had called out from a near distance.

"Bondita!"

The known voice had startled them both, standing underneath the dreamy Krishnachura tree as Bondita saw with widened eyes Anirudh Roy Chowdhury standing infront, with an inexplicable expression written all over him.
She hadn't seen this before, and the thought of his misinterpreting the situation ran cold shivers down her spine.

"Barrister Babu... It's not what it looks like... I mean... I can explain..."

Anirudh's eyes had shifted from her to him, his gaze steady of Satya's fearless face... His calm ocean deep eyes staring back at him.
Anirudh let out a soft sigh.

"Barrister Babu... I..."

Anirudh turned around and started to walk towards his car.
"Bondita, come." He commanded.

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