"...The police is still investigating the cause of these blasts, but what's concerning is the fact that the two houses that are reduced to rubbles last night were owned by two prominent figures of the Bengal society. The house in central Calcutta belonged to Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, the man who had cheated death, only a month ago, and the other was owned by RayBahadur Neelmoni Mukherjee, the Ex-Justice who is said to have his involvements in the Swadeshi Custodial Death Case against which Barrister Roy Chowdhury is an acting prosecutor. Now, the question is whether these two blasts were related or not..."

Satyakirth, his boys, along with the Roy Chowdhury brothers were seated in the quaint hall inside the abandoned house in the alleys of North Calcutta, their attention glued to the radio, as the news of the two consecutive bomb blasts in one night made the city dwellers drift off to an unsettling horror. Ten police officers had burnt to death along with two Krantikaris, and although Neelmoni Mukherjee's body wasn't found, the investigators were of opinion that cheating death from a blast of such intensity was almost impossible.
The news mentioned that the Roy Chowdhurys, however, weren't at home when their house was desecrated by fire, but the two guards standing at the outer gate were severely injured, now admitted to the Calcutta medical College and are treated from the Roy Chowdhury trust fund. The news also assured that the police was looking closely at the matters to investigate if there was any connection.

"Connection! There's definitely connection..." Batuk huffed in indignation, "that bloody Neelmoni!"

"Language, Batuk." Anirudh let out a mild protest, his words faded by the sound of the incoming train whistling past the house, the station was only at a walking distance.

"Sorry Dada, but for that man, or rather I should say that excuse of a man, I don't have any better vocabulary."
Batuk looked away in disgust before getting up from his seat.
"I'll go check on Bondita."

He excused himself at once, making his way out of the hall, and Anirudh stole a brief glance at the figure standing behind the door at a near distance, her head hung low, probably hiding tears and her lips were quivering in shame-
Raimoti Mukherjee.

Anirudh sighed deeply and turned towards Satya.

"I only have today. The evidence needs to be submitted tomorrow, early morning, and then once they sanction a date for the final hearing, I'd need Raimoti to accompany me to the court for the testimony, along with..."

Satya was listening quietly, as his eyes too glanced at the door at the mention of Raimoti's name, but the woman was already gone, hiding inside the seclusion of the closed room.

"Yes, Anirudh Da, the other witnesses are ready too, I've ensured their safety." Satya spoke grave, but his eyes brushed against the half closed door yet again.

Anirudh sighed.
"Batuk is angry at the man, Satya. Please excuse him." His voice was low, and it made Satya frown.

"No, Anirudh Da, his anger is completely justified. But..." He looked at the door again, and let out a soft sigh.

"Go check on her." Anirudh had gotten up from the chair, and he placed his hand on Satya's shoulder.
"She's a gem Satya, a rare one. Keep her safe."

Satya nodded slowly, before he too, got up, only to head towards Raimoti's room, in staggered baby steps.
His heart full of compassion for the incredible woman who had suffered so much, just like him!

"Don't say anything." Raimoti sighed as he felt Satya's presence inside the room.

"I won't."

"Is my father alive?"
Her voice had a crack in it.

"Yes."

Raimoti sighed sharply.
Now what?"

"Now, we need to be here till the final case hearing, and then Chattagram."

Raimoti nodded.
"And, till then?"

Satya had inched closer to her, touching her shoulders gently. She indeed couldn't wear a blouse, and the fresh cotton saree was wrapped loosely around her shoulders.

"Till then, I keep you safe, and you, me."
He hushed.

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

"One more time, this would be last." Bondita had picked up the green telephone receiver once again, dialing a number, her panicked face was flushed in all shades of red.

"Boudi, enough... We'll try again later." Batuk had taken the receiver from her hand, keeping it down.
"I'll go to Tulsipur if needed. Don't worry, please."

His words were soothing, but weren't enough for her to calm her worries, she paced back and forth inside the small telephone cubicle at the bakery, while her brother in-law sat quietly on a wooden bench, sipping a cup of tea thoughtfully.

"Satya Da loves Raimoti."

"Huh?" Bondita looked at him, not sure of what he said, her mind preoccupied with the thoughts of her daughter.

"I said, Satya Da and Raimoti."
Batuk kept the cup down, and looked up at her.
"I feel so foolish."

Bondita narrowed her eyes at him, now fully aware of the conversation that Batuk was trying to draw.
"So? Good for them, isn't it? You never liked Rai anyway."

Batuk sighed.
"Yes, but, she's nice, and now when I see her with Satya Da, it hurts."

"Why?" Bondita raised an eyebrow, picking up her cup from the table, as she took a large sip from it.
"They make excellent tea here."

"Boudi you aren't taking this seriously." Batuk objected.

"Batuk, really? You want me to take This seriously? This?" Bondita widened her eyes. "Sorry if I'm being rude, but I have no news of my daughter and KakaSasurji, am hell worried about Barrister Babu, and now that we sit here, I just can't brush off the thought that those two men are continuously keeping an eye on us."

Batuk turned around at her words.
"Probably customers."

"Yeah whatever, but trust me, your so called heartbreak because of Raimoti is the last thing I want to jog my brain with." Bondita took another sip and kept the cup down.

"Alright, you could have said that nicely too." Batuk pouted at her.

"Nicely? I don't know how else to say Batuk... You've always been like this, always fell for the wrong girl. And, it's always too late."

Batuk looked up at her and rolled his eyes.
"Come on... I've never..."

"Oh really? Then what about Mala from middle school... And Kamala kaki?"

Batuk sighed and tried to get up, but Bondita held his hand and made him sit again.
"Let's have a conversation Batuk, a real mature one."

Batuk patted the wooden table mildly with both his hands.
"Alright... Bornomala got married before I could even realise how I feel for her, and Kamala was already married with two kids, she was just an infatuation."

"Kamala kaki." Bondita corrected.
"And what about your undying love for Miss Lenny? Didn't you visit Dehradun thrice during the second year just so that you could see her!"

Batuk looked down.
"Infatuation Bondita... " He groaned.
"Don't tell me you never had one."

"No Batuk, I never had one." Bondita folded her arms to her chest and leaned back on the chair.

"Liar... You were so infatuated on Dada... My God!" Batuk chuckled. "How can I forget all those nights you used to make me stand your guard while you peeped through the keyhole to see Dada sleeping... You creep!"

Bondita rolled her eyes at him as he let out a hearty laughter.
"That's called love, you dumb head." Bondita lowered her voice and pinched Batuk's hand.
"But, coming back to Raimoti, we all had literally begged you to marry her, and you said she's the most, quoting your words, the most vile woman you ever met, so don't you think this explains everything?"

Her eyes were narrowed on him, a serious expression on her face, and Batuk let out a loud sigh and rubbed his face with his hand.

"You are probably right, I shouldn't pine for her now, It was my mistake."

"You aren't pinning for her, Batuk, you are pinning for the bond that Satya shared with her, because it's beautiful, and it's in human nature to..."

"To crave for everything that is beautiful."
Batuk repeated the words without letting her complete.
"Seriously Bondita? everytime!! Do you and Dada rehearse these things together?"

Bondita looked away bashfully, and Batuk started to speak again.
"And, guess what, I just had a realisation." He got up from the chair, "I'm not meant for love, I'm better this way... And, I'll never marry."

Bondita rolled her eyes.
"Be careful what you wish for Batuk, life is long, and unpredictable."

"No Bondita, I'm serious, love isn't meant for me... And.."
Batuk had walked up to the telephone and had dialled the number again, and this time his stopped in mid-sentence and gasped sharply.
"Bondita, it's ringing."

Bondita had snatched the receiver from her brother-in-law's hand like a hungry hawk, as if the receiver was the only basic instinct that had guided her impulses, and Batuk flinched a little feeling her sharp nails scratching his fingers in the process.

"Hello... Helloooo... Bihari Kaka?"
"Yes... Yes... No we're good."
"No, and Rudhi?"
"No... Don't..."
"Yes, I'll call back in sometime..."

Batuk saw with curious eyes as fat tears started to flow Bondita's large eyes.
"No, don't worry... Yes."
"Dugga Dugga."

The telephone receiver was pressed to her bosom, and Bondita sank down on the floor with her back against the narrow wooden wall separating the cubicle with the rest of the hotel, and Batuk felt the suppressed wail that hammered her heart to break free as violent streams of tears.

"What happened Boudi?" His voice was low, as he too, sat down on his knees infront of her.

"KakaSasurji, and Rudhi..." Bondita gasped, "they've reached home this morning, safe..."

Batuk had sighed a relief and before he could fathom the sense of relief that the news to meant to bring, he felt Bondita's arms around his neck, as she almost jumped on him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Boudi..."
Batuk touched her hair gently, letting her cry her heart out.
"All's well Boudi, don't cry now... please..."

His words were a tender hush, and Bondita left him and sat upright slowly.
Batuk was smiling at her, and she too smiled back, tugging a lose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Now, you can tell me all about your heartbreak... and quibble about anyone, as long as you want."

Batuk widened his eyes.
"I'll keep your kind offer in mind Bondita, until next time" Batuk winked at her, getting up from the floor, as he pulled Bondita up too, by her arm.

"Next time?"

Batuk nodded.
"Yes... For, I'm suddenly so over Raimoti Mukherjee." He spoke to her, his eyes looking past her shoulders, smiling, as Bondita frowned at him and turned her head around, only to find an elegantly dressed lady standing at the counter of the bakery, her face wasn't visible to her, and her head was covered with a plain black shawl... her simple while saree was neatly draped around her slender figure, and beside her was another girl, holding her hand, with a serious frowned expression on her face with two set of deep dark eyes, her hair neatly braided on two sides, and she wore a checked saree and an overcoat, very uncharacteristics to the people of the plains. Bondita's gaze was sudden narrowed, and it was then that the girl turned around and looked straight at her, and so did the lady with her...

"Mira!!" Bondita gasped.

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

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