Trilochan Roy Chowdhury always felt families to be like those strong rooted trees, capable of withstanding any storm that life may offer to them. And, although, like branches of the tree, they too might grow apart, but at the end of the day, they all would be held together by the trunk.
He was that trunk in the Roy Chowdhury family!

The fresh evening breeze from the Ganga had made Trilochan inhale sharply, filling his old lungs with another puff of life. He was strolling on the terrace, with his granddaughter in his arms, his Rudhi, and the little girl had thrown her tiny arms around his neck, grazing softly the silk collar of his expensive malmal kurta with her sprouting milk tooth.

Downstairs, it was ofcourse a different scenary. Batuk had returned from the Governor General's house, and after a bath, he had sat with his eager-eyed Dada and Boudi, hooking them with his strange experience of the day.

"No no... Tell us from the beginning..." Bondita was nodding her head vigorously.
"So, you went inside, and I stayed back... Then what?"

"But first shouldn't you be eating something?" Anirudh had interjected, as Bondita looked sharply at him, clearly unhappy at this abrupt intervention.

"Dada... You have no idea how much I ate today... and..."

"Uff Batuk... From the beginning..."
Bondita scoffed restlessly as Batuk narrowed her eyes at her.

"This is the same enthusiasm with which you read those gossip columns in the evening newspaper." Batuk winked at his elder brother as they both shared a subtle laughter, before their eyes turned serious once again.

"Alright, so Governor Sir took me inside." He started, as Bondita cradled her face on her hand, crutching on her elbow.
"It was very dimly lit, a little spooky if I may say... And, after crossing three, no four rooms, he finally pushed open a lightly shut door."

"And?" Bondita murmured, her eyes large with interest.

"The moment he did, something just came flying from inside, and then... Splash! A splattered flower vase, and then a pillow..."

"That's odd." Anirudh remarked as Batuk turned to face his brother.

"But, then... The Governor, very slowly started to call out a name... Marie, Marietta... It's me... Someone had come to see you." Batuk's voice was intonated and dramatic.
"By then the governor had switched on the electric light, and guess what I saw in that light?"

"What?" Bondita's eyes were widened.

"Pieces of scattered porcelain and glasses everywhere on the floor, and fresh blood marks as if someone had trodden over them."

"That's really bad." Anirudh too had widened his eyes.

"And what's worse was the woman who was sitting on the bed... All golden hair was all over her face, her white gown had blood marks all over, and she held a piece of broken glass in her hand.

"Wait what?" Bondita gaped.

"Yes Boudi, but she had this very strange gaze in her eyes, calm and unrested." He took a deep breath, probably recalling the moment as it was.
"But, strangely she didn't do anything to me... She was looking at me as if I'm an unicorn... Her eyes had widened, her hands were trembling, and then she dropped the glass piece on the bed." His eyes had suddenly turned sad as well.
"I saw that her wrists had slits, self inflicted, and blood was oozing from the wounds. Governor Sir had gripped my shoulder by then as he said,
'Doctor, I've tried a few British physicians, she isn't letting anyone come inside even, but... If you can, I mean..." Batuk had brought a psudo gravity in his voice imitating the British officer.

"Wow! Then?" Bondita gasped at his words.

"Then, it was very strange you know, Governor sir had left me with her, he had probably gone to write the letter for you, and as I slowly walked closer towards her, I saw that the vacant look in her eyes were gradually changing into sadness, she started crying!" Batuk paused to draw another sharp breath.
"I had already picked up the first aid box that was kept on the table beside her bed, her eyes were following me...and then I moved the blood strained bedsheet a little and sat infront of her.
And then... A very strange thing happened..." He looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes, visualising the moments. " She stretched her hand, and she touched my face, here..." He pointed towards his freshly shaven jawline.
"It was very odd... But, she had this strange glint in her eyes... And she muttered something, 'Boy' no, 'Roy'...No I think it was 'Boy'... "

"Boy.. Roy... Whatever it was... What happened next?"

"Then I took her hands and cleaned her wounds, and she let me... without any fuss... And then I told her my name, and she started to cry again, silently... And then once I was done and I tried to get up, she grabbed my shirt and didn't let me. And then as I sat back, she just glided and slept, her head on my lap! Can you imagine? The Governor General's wife!"

"How old is she? Would the grief be over a lost son? Or may be a brother?"
Anirudh's eyes were furrowed, thoughtful, as he too, probably was touched by the heart-wrenching story of the British lady. Bondita had tears already, her outward enthusiasm had turned into a pale subsided cry.

"Could be a brother, she was in her late twenties." Batuk shrugged slightly.

"Anyway, then as the governor came after a little while later, she got up slowly and told him in firm clear voice, Doctor Batuk Roy Chowdhury would have lunch with us today... I'll cook!"

"Woo what? She said that?" Bondita's mouth had opened in an 'O', as Batuk nodded his head happily.

"I was there with Governor Sir, very amicable man, he showed me pictures of his posting in Canada, and their wedding,  a month back, and told me his hunting stories..."

"My God... My brother had surpassed all my expectations... Bravo Batuk!" Anirudh too was smiling, and so was his wife.

Batuk, nodded his head bashfully, taken aback a little by this sudden appreciation.
"She fed me and the entire time she was just staring blankly at my face... And then when it was time for me to leave, the old man said that it's very rare that Marietta Madam speaks or interacts, and that my influence was perhaps positive for her, and hence he invited me to visit tomorrow as well!"

"What?"
"Wait What?"

Both Bondita and Anirudh had screamed in unison, as baby Rudhi too, made a sound that sounded pretty much like her parents.
Trilochan had just come down from the terrace, his happy face reflecting a calm aura.
"Who is invited where?"

"At the Governor's place Kakamoni... Tomorrow." Batuk grinned happily at his uncle.

"Well, tomorrow is fine, but free your calendars the day after, we'll have a grahashanti puja at out house on Friday." He paused to leave.
"And, oh... Invite that young doctor as well... There is something strange about him, he feels very... Very familiar!"

"Who? Sarthaki?" Bondita remarked, as Batuk frowned, unable to understand the reference of who they were talking about.

"Yes... Sarthaki... Arjun's Sarathi" Trilochan murmured, as he walked back slowly to his room, his heart reminiscent of the long lost memories from another life!

Batuk was still frowning.
"He meant Satyakirth." Anirudh whispered at his confused brother.

"Oh... That's how! But wasnt he supposed to be here? Where is he tonight?" He narrowed his eyes at the duo in question.

Bondita smiled, as Anirudh let out a soft sigh.
"There isn't a way to know... Satyakirth isn't someone to be chained indoors." Anirudh exhaled, his countenance... a little thoughtful.

"Probably the radio would tell us in the morning about his whereabouts and escapades of the night." Bondita smiled fondly as her hands raised up to her forehead, automatically, muttering a small prayer for the Sacrosanct.

May goddess bless him with life and happiness!
May he find whatever his heart craves for!
Dugga Dugga...

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

The night was growing from its innocent adolescence to the passionate hues of youth. Raimoti and Satyakirth were seated infront of each other, the proximity of their closeness made their breath clash, Satya was staring at her parted lips, and Raimoti's eyes were on his lowered green orbs. They sat in silence, complete silence, only the sound of their elevated heartbeats waging a war within them. Their hands lay within an inch away from each other's but weren't in contact, as at that moment, they both feared the raging fire that might burn them into ashes with just a single touch of their fingers.
With their flickering eyelids, the steady yellow electric light had also started to flicker, and Satya sat in a spellbinding astonishment, as his fading conscience questioned him about the genuinity of the moment.
These moments weren't his, his emotions were living on borrowed times...
Then why did it feel so real?
Why did it feel like this was the only moment he would wish to freeze?

Satya saw Raimoti close her lips, before her tongue had licked her lower lip subtly. She gulped.

"Water?" Satya hushed, his quickened heartbeat compelling him to prolong his gaze on her face.

"No!" Raimoti hushed.
"Has the game started?"

"No."
It was time for Satyakirth to gasp as he saw her bit her lower lip along with the words, a little elusively, perhaps in pain, as she moved a little back, and turned her eyes away, forcing him to break his gaze on her this time.

"Should we set some rules?" She hushed again.

"Rules?" His thoughts felt muddled.

"For the game!"

"Oh! Why don't you do it?"
Satya was smirking, convinced with the idea that amidst the havoc inside his heart, Rai was probably fancying this little moment of theirs.

Raimoti's lips had curved into a smirk to, but the moment she tried to shift her position and lean on the bedrest, her face flinched in a sharp agony.

"Are you alright Miss Mukherjee?" Satya looked concerned, he had raised his hand, touching her shoulders, and his touch had made her shudder, her eyes pressed shut in an indescribable trepidation.

"My... My shoulder... It's hurting!"

Her soft shriek was enough to root Satya back to his reality. His doctor senses were back in no time, as with effective urgency he quickly pulled out the scissors from his box and gently slashed open the cloth of the her shredded blouse that was still attached to her right shoulder.

"Damn! This doesn't look good." His eyes were now on the dark blue patch on her skin, a little below the shoulder.

"Is it that bad?" Her fingers had gripped the bedsheet firmly.

"Blood clots... This needs treatment."

Raimoti had pulled the covering sheet up her breasts a little, her eyes pressed shut with narrowed eyebrows as Satya's fingers worked on her bare shoulder, gently massaging the ointment into her bruised skin. She grabbed the sheet and trembled a little as his fingers travelled a little south, applying the ointment on the blackened skin right above her right breast.

"It hurts!" Her face was contorting, as she turned away in discomfort and a strange incitement, his hands arousing deep buried emotions within her veins.

Satya's eyes were focused, working his fingers on the affected areas of her body, as he murmured a question hoping to distract his beautiful patient.

"So? Did you decide the rules?" He brushed a glance at her flinched face and smiled.

"Yes." Raimoti nodded in pain,
"No touching!"

A little silence, and a sigh, a smile, and Satya started to speak slowly.

"Her hairs a mess,
Her kohl smudged...
But she didn't confess, she loved his touch!"
His lips had broadened the lingering smile as he felt Raimoti's wonder struck eyes staring at him with large fluttering eyelashes. It was a thoughtful distraction, his sense of poetry suddenly felt to be a tool to take her pain away.

"A doctor who does poetry? Who are you?"

"Definitely not John Keats, wasn't he a physician too!"
Satya was done coating her bruises with another layer of antiseptic.

"You read Keats?"

"Shouldn't I have?"

Raimoti didn't reply, she turned her eyes away from him and smiled. There was something about her smile, an unwritten appreciation, an unseen praise and Satyakirth felt the warmth of those finer emotions in his heart too.

"Where do you keep your clothes, Miss Mukherjee?" Satya asked her softly, getting up from the bed, as Raimoti smiled again at the question.

"Sometimes in the washer,
Sometimes in the tub
Sometimes in the laundry bag
For someone else to scrub."

Raimoti winked at him playfully, her lips breaking into a grin as she raised her left hand pointing at the lower rack of the four-doored wooden wardrobe in her room.

"Is there anything such as a bad poetry?"
Satya's had raised an eyebrow at her, teasing her playfully, clearly amused at the sudden emotional brightness in her countenance.

"Depends on who the poet is!"

He had already pulled the wardrobe door open, his eyes skimming through the neat artistic arrangement of her clothes.
"As in?"

"As in... If you are an well known one, say Rabindranath Babu, then whatever you utter becomes a masterpiece."

"Hm.." Satya smiled. "Makes sense though..."
Satya's eyes were still searching the dark insides of her wardrobe.

"If you are looking for my shirts to wear, you won't get them there!" Raimoti pressed her lips in a tease.

Satya smiled at the intended pun.
"But where do you keep your robes Miss Mukherjee, the cotton ones?"

"Left down to those linge... lingeries..."
The last word was uttered a little softly, as her eyes looked down bashfully, bringing a fresh hue of blush on her pale cheeks.

"There you go... These should do." Satya had pulled out a folded cloth, a robe and held it open infront of her.
"You now need to wear this, and you can put those dear clay covered clothes in the laundry bag, I'm sure someone would definitely scrub them new for you."
The subtle reference from her light poem didn't miss her attention.

She nodded her head slowly and tried to sit up, but her sprained shoulders compelled her to let out another sharp cry.

"Here... Let me help you."
Satya had inched near her again, with the scissors in his hand as he ripped open the other sleeve of the blouse as well, freeing it from her shoulders.
"Now you can open it, it won't hurt."

"You owe me a white embroidered blouse." Raimoti had pouted her lips at him before she clutched the cotton sheet in between her teeth, forming a cloth fence to sheath her naked torso from him.

Her words had made Satya smile, infact his eyes were looking away, skimming through her lavish bookshelf, admiring the collection of her literary editions.

"It's done."

Satya turned towards her at her approval.

"You have a lovely collection Miss Mukherjee... I'd love to read a few of these someday."

"Only a few?" Raimoti had raised an eyebrow, a smile plastered to her lips.

Satya smiled back, picking up another needle from his box, carefully arranging another injection.
"The rest I have read Madam. No matter how dilettante you think I might be, I too had the opportunity to taste a few of your poison."

"Ah.. an erudite! I see you."
Raimoti smirked as Satya inched closer to her, and sat on the bed once again, syringe in hand.

"The last one for the night." His words were an assertive plea.

"Noo... How heartless of you to puncture my skin like this!"

It's only your skin, Miss Mukherjee!" Satya's meaningful eyes met hers again, sending a swift surge of current down her veins, as she gulped nervously and lowered her eyes.
"On one condition." She hushed.
"I can't bear the sight of this shirt..." She tugged at one of the buttons lightly, her subtle touch making his heartbeat rise.
"Open it Sarthaki Babu... Open it right now!"

Her commanding words had made his blood wake up his brain, although he thought he was awake already, but this new awakening felt delirious, it's delicious taste lingering in his eyes, fuming up the fire of impulse that Raimoti's impetuous, uninhibited actions had birthed in him.

His shirt had come off, but the perilous eye contact, as both swallowed hard and gasped at the fervoured potency of the moment.

"You may pierce me now!"

Her words made his heart skip a beat...

If only eyes could kill!

The suppressed, yet brewing tension between them was undeniable.
In a daze, Satya felt her lips move, tempting him with another alluring permission.

You are piercing my heart Rai, not with a dagger, but with that look in your eye, that word in your lips!

He took a deep breath, and swallowed hard, his hands inching up her arm, as his gaze intensified once again at the piercing needle.
Raimoti didn't flinch this time.

"How long will this take to heal?" Her words were suddenly very restrained, as she looked directly into his eyes once again.
"My legs, Sarthaki Babu, how long would they take to heal?"

"A couple of days more... A week maximum." Satya got up.
"I'll come to check on you tomorrow again."

Raimoti sighed, her head held back, slowly leaning her body on the bed.
"I don't have the luxury of time Sarthaki Babu. I need to be somewhere."

Satya exhaled sharply at her words.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes." Rai sighed.
"Wear your own shirt next time."

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Looking forward to read your comments.

Also, I would love to read if Rai and Satya could make butterflies fly inside your stomach as well... Or not!