Satyakirth had almost carried Anirudh's large muscular frame single-handedly onto the ground floor guest room, making him lay down in the comfort of the soft bed. Bondita was still in shock, and in tears, and after treating an unconscious Anirudh with some more antiseptics and sedatives, Satyakirth made a couple of phone calls, everytime with different code-words, different code-names. Bondita had already informed Batuk, and it was only a matter of moments before a doctor from the Medical College would visit to take over the treatment officially.

"Take some rest Bondita, you'll need it." Satya was washing the blood strains from his hand after dressing Anirudh's bullet wound. He had fixed his broken bone and a tied a sling around it as well.
And now, all Anirudh needed was care and healing.

"I don't need any." Bondita had sighed, as she sat beside her husband's head, changing the tepid cotton cloth from his forehead, in attempts of reducing his body heat.

"Anirudh Babu would be fine..." He saw a drop of tear fell from her eye to her husband's neck as she continued to stare at the dressed bullet wound.

Satya smiled.
"He is a warrior Bondita... Warriors are meant to have battle scars."

"Why him?" A soft sob had left her lips.

"Why not? Aren't you proud?"

"But it could have cost me my everything Satya... "

"No Bondita... Trust me. With you by his side, death himself wouldn't dare to touch him."

"But the suffering?"
Bondita changed the damp cloth again.

"Aren't sufferings part of living?" Satya inched forward and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I too have suffered a lot Bondita... Still suffering... We all have our own sufferings, some physical some emotional." He moved his hand from her shoulder and touched her head instead, trying to sooth her with a touch of compassion, touch of assurance.
"And the good part is, physical sufferings are quicker to heal... He will heal soon Bondita... Just have faith!"

Bondita hadn't replied back. She had simply nodded her head, wiping a tear away, as her eyes fixated on the closed eyelids of her husband. There was a deep cut, just above his left eyebrow, and Bondita took the cotton cloth and wiped the blood clot gently.

Satya was looking outside the window, trying to focus on the street, bathed in the scanty light of the nascent sun.
His face had suddenly brightened up, and he promptly turned around and smiled happily at Bondita.

"Batuk is bringing the doctor. And, Bondita... He is bringing the best! You husband would be in the safest hands, Bondita, the god of medicine himself!"
He quickened his pace and picked up his medicine box from the table.
"I'll take a leave now... I'll be in touch with..."

Bondita looked up and signed, her eyes had a heartwarming commanding undertone to it.
"Go to the next room Satya... That door left to the room would lead you there... I'll ensure your presence is a secret... Unless..."

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

'Batuk, where is he? Where is my lion?'

Dr. Prantik Pramanik grinned happily after re-examining Anirudh's patched up wound.

"Is he here... Batuk? It's been long since I have seen him!"
The old doctor was washing his hands in the luke warm water, as he felt a pair of strong hands touched his feet.

"Sir!!"

Prantik Babu looked visibly pleased, as he promptly pulled his favourite student up by his shoulders.

"Satyakirth!!" He pulled the young man closer to his chest, letting him rest his chin on the old man's shoulder, a place that had always felt warm to him.

"Satya, I know how relentlessly you are working towards our collective goal... And, I can't explain in words how proud I am, how honoured I feel to be your teacher!"

Satya smiled at the old man with a sense of gratitude.
"I've learnt from the best, Sir... You are the best!"

Prantik Pramanik sighed at his words.
"Swadeshi is in your blood Satya... Nobody needed to teach you to love your country... You were born with it." He paused, his mind's wondering in the dark alleys of the past.
"You are exactly like her... Your mother! That same zeal, that same courage, determination... She would have been so proud..."

Anirudh had coughed up a little, as Bondita quickly held his head and fed him two spoons of water.

"Anirudh Babu? Can you hear me?" The old doctor had leaned forward as he moved two of his fingers slowly infront of Anirudh's half opened eyes.

Anirudh smiled.

"How many fingers?" The doctor asked him again as Anirudh parted his lips slowly and mouthed the words.

"Two..."

"Excellent!" He grinned and turned towards Bondita.
"Bondita Maa... Your husband is doing perfectly fine. Now just feed him lots of food and see that he doesn't jump around much."

Bondita tried to smile, but instead her eyes started to burn at the sight of the husband's droopy eyes.

Their eyes had met.
"Bondita..." He had groaned inaudibly.
"How long was I asleep?"

Bondita wiped her tears and tried to smile.
"Not long."

"I dreamt of you Bondita... a beautiful dream." He tried to move his hand, in attempts of touching her face as all the three men standing near almost cried out in unison.

"Arey arey... Anirudh Babu... Don't move your hand... " The old doctor was smiling at the young couple.

"Anirudh Babu, two of your ribs have broken. You need absolute bed rest... Don't even think of moving."
Satyakirth exchanged a glance with Bondita as she immediately got up from the bed.

Anirudh smirked, his eyes naughty and his lips mouthing the words very slowly.
"I won't heal if my medicine is away from me." He strained his eyes to look at his wife, as she lowered her head promptly in embarrassment.

The old doctor had left with a warm heart. He would come back again to check on the Barrister, but, for the time being, he had instructed his favourite student to treat him, for he knew that in his teaching career of 40 years, he had never come across a brighter one such as him.
A rare gem!
And, Prantik Babu was happy that the cosmos had gifted him with the opportunity of polishing the rough ends to make this gem shine out even in the darkest of times.

Take care Satya!
His heart had muttered a silent prayer for him.

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

Raimoti was locked from outside, as she slowly walked towards the door and pulled the latch up, locking the door from inside as well.
She has sat under the flickering electric lampshade, reading the papers one by one, with utmost care, as with every passing word, her heart was churning with disgust and hatred towards the man she had loved so much.

How could her father do such a sickening act? How?

Treachery... Arsony... Smuggling... Murder... The list was long, with proper statements from eyewitnesses and victims. But what had hit her hard was how her father had managed to carry on all those monstrosities, for years, hiding from her eyes under the veil of goodness!

Tears had dried on her eyes, and so had her hope to live.
She sat with the papers all day long, lost in her thoughts, as finally her heart guided her to do the only thing that she had thought of so many times in the past few days.

The papers needed to be destroyed as well!!

She got up and flung open the doors of her wooden wardrobe, pulling out strong silk sarees one by one, forming a heap at her feet.
It's time to act...
And she won't give in this time...

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

Dear readers,
This is my second update for the day. Do let me know how it was.