When you're born working class, especially with a paralysed bedridden mother, and a widow elder sister, you run expecting to save yourself and your family. Being chased is as potentially lethal as it gets. You escape at any cost, escape from the immediate starvation, immediate poverty that threatens the hapless family at every step. You learn to focus the hard way. You think, thoughts driven by need and not judgement. You deal with the trauma later, or don't. Survival comes at a cost... one you pay because you have to.
Sometimes because you don't have a choice.

Prabir, the young law graduate, the bright intern at the Alipur Judge Court practicing under the expert guidance of the prominent Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, was pouring liquor in a silver stem glass for the rich Raybahadur who had paid him a hefty amount to betray his mentor by stealing his licenced revolver among other things.
Prabir was reluctant, but then the deteriorating condition of his ailing mother forced him to sell his morality and later his dignity to the man who took pride in calling himself his saviour.

"Arey... Pour more... You aren't paying this from your own pocket, are you?"
A drunk, wasted Shashi Chandra grunted at the boy, shoving him aside, as he snatched the fancy glass jar from his hand to help himself.

"It's your aiburobhaat tomorrow sir, you'll have to wake up early and..."
Prabir tried to make a point, in the most gentle way possible, but Shashi Chandra clenched his teeth in the most vicious manner at him and mocked him cruelly.

"Ahare... Aiburobhaat!! As if I'll become a virgin groom once again...!"
He gulped the drink from his glass and poured some more into it, unsteadily.

"Is this why I'm feeding you boy? To tutor me? Where is the work that you're appointed for? Where is it you bloody bastard?" Shashi Chandra shouted and Prabir closed his eyes and swallowed the insults in silence, recalling the moment when Anirudh Roy Chowdhury had trusted him with his briefcase, and how slyly he had broken that trust, pushing the godlike man into the jaws of impending death.

Prabir had ran and seeked refuse under Shashi Chandra's roof after that night, like many others, and his only job was to convince another strong headed wealthy man living under the same roof, to consider subjugating his affluence to his patron, a man whose daughter he had once intended to marry.

Running away was running a way for Prabir, a way to survive, running a path both from and toward. It was all a matter of perspective in the beginning, but as days passed, the derogatory behaviour of Shashi Chandra accompanied by the uncouth verbal abuse made him question his judgement to a great extent.

"Go... Go at once you bastard, go and do the job you've been appointed for... And... And for heaven's sake, leave me alone!"
He spat the words in a slurry tone and called out loud, and a young widow house help in early twenties came inside at once.

"Bhanu... Come closer Bhanu..."
Shashi Chandra made chucking sounds, showering pouty kisses to the widow, slapping his thighs. The girl gulped and stole a helpless glance at the young man standing near, and next she sat right on the middle aged Raybahadur's lap as ordered.

Prabir flinched his face in disgust and walked out of the room.

"And you..."
Shashi Chandra had called.
"Get the job done before my marriage, or else two celebrations would happen together, my wedding and your funeral... Remember!"

Prabir left, and Shashi Chandra dragged the widow roughly to his bed.
Not all widows deserved love, not all received it!

Being chased brings a primal fear, the kind that brings out every ounce of you, that empties the reserve tank of the reserve tank. It is the kind of fear of the worst of nightmares, the kind that ignores physical and mental pain in the pursuit of safety.

Neelmoni Mukherjee had lost his influence, but the affluence still remained to some extent. His daughter had abandoned him, and so did the British officers whom he thought to be in his pockets. After Anirudh had won the case, he had thought a hundred times to flee the country. He had written to his brother in-law in Scotland too, and the only wait to execute his wish was the royal invitation from the Duke of Scotland, a free pass to travel abroad.
Neelmoni was spending his days expecting the arrival of that letter any day, only with little knowledge that it already did a week back, and was duly torn and burnt by his dear friend Shashi Chandra Chakraborty.

It was dark the entire day, solar eclipse the radio said, and at dusk, Neelmoni stood by the window of the room alloted to him in his confidant's abode. He wasn't supposed to meet anyone, wasn't supposed to share his identity, and Shashi Chandra had successfully convinced him how the British police was sniffing around like hounds to hunt him.
Neelmoni had believed him.
He was still grieving his destroyed house, and the lost wealth and position. However, the thought of his estranged daughter made his blood boil.

That sly bitch... That whore... Running away with a Krantikari!! How preposterous!!!
His jaws and fists would tighten every time.

"May I come in? Mukherjee Sir?"
Prabin had knocked the door, maintaining this little gesture of courtesy, and Neelmoni had turned around at once.

"Come in." He commanded, his old pompous, domineering way holding on to its final thread, and Prabin bowed down and greeted him politely.
"Tell me young MirJafar... What can I do for you today!"

It wasn't really a question, but a statement that Neelmoni made, for he knew at that moment he could do nothing, he wasn't capable of doing anything infact.

"Sir, did you decide anything?"
Prabin joined his hands and asked him gravely, and Neelmoni sighed.

"I can't Prabir... I really can't. That house of mine in Birmingham, i really can't write it to Shashi... I understand he's like a brother to me... But..."

"But what Sir? You're just about to write it to him only a few months ago?"

"Yes... But that's because he was marrying my daughter... That house was meant as a dowry... But... But things changed. I... I don't have my Calcutta house anymore... All my properties in India are sealed by the British government. That house is my only hope !"
Neelmoni paused and looked away, and Prabir took out a legal paper from inside his shirt and kept it in on the bed nearby.

"It's a good deal Sir. Your house for your freedom. Shashi Sir is powerful, he can arrange for a free pass for you... You sign and you seize the opportunity... Or else, how long do you intend to be here? As his guest? Day after his marrying another... What if the new mistress objects in your lodging here?"
Prabir coughed at his own words, and Neelmoni first frowned and then broke out into a mocking fit of laughter.

"What? The new mistress? Really? A girl of twelve will drive me out of this place?" He made a disdainful chuckling sound and turned to bum a cigar.

Twelve years indeed, or perhaps thirteen, the father's these days hide their marriagable daughter's age atleast by a year.
Prabir thought and sighed.

"But what if your friend turns around? What if...?"
Prabir spoke again, and Neelmoni chuckled.

"Is that a threat MirJafar? Is it?" He blew a large smoke of cloud on the young man's face and laughed out loud.
"Get lost you sly bastard... Get lost from my sight."
He pointed his index towards the door before turning around to face the window once again.

For if his 'friend' turns in on him someday, he knew exactly what he had to do!
Neelmoni closed his eyes and smirked silently, before an evil grin spread across his lips slowly in the darkness of the eclipse.

"Anirudh Roy Chowdhury... How our final battle is still due..." He chuckled.

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

"No Bondita... Absolutely not..." Anirudh announced firmly looking at his wife.
"You aren't getting up to make tea..."

"Coffee then?" Bondita protested feebly, and was promptly stopped by her husband's vehement refusal.

"No tea, no coffee, nothing... I'll ask Koeli, if anyone needs to drink, she'll make it, not you!"

"But, Barrister Babu..."
Bondita pouted her lips and crossed her arms to her breasts, and Anirudh smiled at her reaction.

Just like old times! She hadn't aged a day...

"No but Bondita, you aren't getting up... And for the next one week I'll keep a very close watch on you."

"You can't imprison me in my own house..." Bondita pursed her lips and Anirudh leaned forward towards her, and cupped her face tenderly.

"But I can imprison you in my love, can't I?"

"Uff... Nobody can win you with words Barrister Babu..." Bondita smiled too, and Anirudh sat down on the bed beside her stretched legs and smirked silently.

"Isn't that the point? Isn't that what I get paid for..."

"And don't get paid for sometimes too..."
Bondita added, as the duo laughed aloud together.

"But seriously Barrister Babu, what am I going to do sitting here like this? You aren't letting me read as well."

"Yes, thats because of the light. It's eclipse today Bondita, and the generator isn't enough." He remarked thoughtfully.
"We'll probably have to get a new one eventually... A better tecnology perhaps."

"The Germans make good ones." Bondita lazily picked up a pillow and placed it on her lap, throwing the words off hand at her husband, and Anirudh narrowed his eyes at her thoughtfully.

"Given the current status of the country, another war is perhaps just round the corner Bondita..."

"You don't say that!"
Bondita widened her eyes and gasped.
"First this failing Civil Disobedience Movement, and then our Netaji's imprisonment... I mean Barrister Babu, do you realise the implications of another war? Our hope for independence would be pushed back yet again! Not to mention the poverty and economic crises the country would face!"

Anirudh looked at his wife in a surprised disbelief.
"Someone had been reading Anushilan Samithi a little too much these days it seems."

"Yes. And NavaShakti too. I know these are banned, but it's my country Barrister Babu, and I feel I should know everything that's going on, shouldn't I?"

Bondita looked at him longingly, longing for his approval and Anirudh held her hands and nodded his head.

"You should. Just keep yourself save. Reading these mags in public can put you in sentence."

"But my husband is the best barrister in Bengal, should I still be scared?"
Bondita winked, and Anirudh smiled at her antics.

"Accha Barrister Babu... You said you wanted the speak to me earlier this morning, before Kaka entered. What was it about?"
Bondita asked, and Anirudh thought for a moment and then nodded his head.

"It can wait... Don't worry."

"No tell tell Barrister Babu, what was it? And now that you mentioned, i won't be able to do anything unless it know what it is."

"The same old you Bondita... It's just that I don't want you to stress."

"So it is stressful?"
Bondita narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"A little yes..."

"Then tell me... Tell me please..."
Bondita held him by his shoulders and shook him, until Anirudh finally gave in to her persistence.

"Alright... It's... Well, it's about Batuk... His marriage."

Anirudh's words were a low whisper, and it formed dark clouds on Bondita's face at once.

"With?", was all she asked, and the reply was always monosyllabic.

"Candice!"

Anirudh was looking down, and Bondita look away, churning the name in her mind.
Candice? No way... Not when I'm alive!

"How do you know she's telling the truth? Plus she's married already."

"The doctors did confirm her pregnancy Bondita... And, I'm waiting for Batuk to return. I'll ask him directly the truth of her words... I know my brother, he won't lie." Anirudh paused, thinking.
"And about her marriage... She said she'll get a separation, and the governor is scheduled to leave India next month." He paused again.
"But to be honest, I'm a little unsure about everything."

"So am I Barrister Babu... You can't possibly have Candice in our house as your brother's wife... Especially when..." She stopped to search for the right words.
"Especially when you two have an intimate history."

"Intimate history? Candice and I? I barely touched that woman!"
Anirudh protested, and Bondita held his arms at once.

"She said you did, and you never revealed your past to me... How am I to know Barrister Babu? How am I to judge?"
Bondita looked straight into Anirudh's eyes and he too looked back, both sharing a silent connection of agreement.

"Alright, I'll tell you... It's just that I never wanted you to be bothered about bad memories of my past... It never mattered to me when with you Bondita! But now that you've already heard things, and untrue things, I thing it's high time you should know everything."
Anirudh took and deep breath and pulled another pillow on his lap, and Bondita promptly lay down on that pillow, both smiling at each other.

"So hear it like a story... And promise me you won't be bothered!" He gave a prelude, and Bondita winked her eyelashes in assertion.

"It all started on a trekking trip. I went with my classmates, and she was there too. Never had I spoken to her much before, although she always used to be around. So, that night, well, I won't lie to you Bondita... I was intoxicated, more than I was capable of handling, and when I got into senses, Candice was in my tent, half unclothed."
Anirudh paused, and Bondita closed her eyes.

"Then?"

"Then, I was at the end of my tether! I freaked out, and she told me we made out while I was not in my senses. I was ashamed Bondita, utterly ashamed, and although I couldn't recall any of my actions, I still chose to believe her words.
I told my father that I intend to marry her, and he was somehow happy..."

"Why?"
Bondita asked.

"Because her father owned a business which my father was trying to partner with for a long time. His intentions were to get into the blooming railway business... And the match would have been very lucrative."

"Then?"

"Then, later, I came to know the truth. I overheard her speaking to Daniella, Paul's ex- girlfriend, about how she fooled me into this engagement...
I was disgusted Bondita... I hated it... But when she realised the truth of my knowledge, she apologized. I accepted, but then she went behind my back and did unspeakable things, starting from misbehaving with my brother, to dismissing people from my services without my knowledge... And then the final blow was her stealing money from the fund that I created to buy medicines for Spanish flu that had broken out here at that time."

"That's when we met, isn't it?"
Bondita rolled over and hugged his waist gently, making him smile.

"Yes... That's when I saw my little Princess, and I married her."

"You did." Bondita kissed on his stomach and then kissed again, before looking up to meet his gaze.

"What else do you want to know about Candice?"
He asked, caressing her hair, and Bondita exhaled and then smiled brightly.

"Nothing more."
She pouted her lips and closed her eyes, inviting her husband to touch her, and seizing the opportunity Anirudh too leaned down and bridged the gap inbetween their lips.

"It's been so long I haven't loved you properly Bondita."
He murmured, and Bondita raised her hands to pull him closer by his head.

"Do it tonight." She whispered.

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

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