The room basked in the gentle glow of two electric lamps, their golden light casting a soothing aura, like a comforting embrace in the darkness. The camphor-like scent of medicine lingered in the air, mingling with the soft rustle of Bhargavi's footsteps as she entered, her heart heavy with worry.

Bhargavi entered inside, her steps cautious, like a scared child, tiptoeing on the wet floor, afraid to disturb the serene stillness, her eyes fell on Batuk's silhouette upon the bed. Batuk was lying still, the cotton canopy hanging low from the bedpost, whose color was not very clear in the light of the flame.

As Bhargavi inched closer, a wave of tenderness washed over her, softening her features as she reached out to touch Batuk's forehead, her fingers trembling with apprehension. His silky hair whispered beneath her touch, like strands of silk caressed by a gentle breeze.

Batuk stirred, his slumber disturbed by her gentle caress, and as he awakened, Bhargavi's hand recoiled, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Don't stop... Continue... It feels good," Batuk's voice broke the silence, his eyes sparkling with warmth as he gazed at her. Bhargavi's smile was hesitant, tinged with embarrassment, yet she resumed to comfort him, her fingers trailing through his hair as Batuk shifted aside, inviting her to sit beside him on the bed.

Bhargavi hesitated for a moment, her heart fluttering like a trapped bird, before she acquiesced, her steps light as she settled beside him, their proximity bridging the gap between them. It was as casual as breathing for him, but it carried all the meaning in the world for her.

"Are you hungry? Shall I bring you something to eat?" Bhargavi's voice was soft, laced with concern, as Batuk pouted like a child denied a treat.

"Of course I'm hungry, but who cares, everyone seems busy with their own chores," His words carried a hint of playful exasperation, drawing a smile from Bhargavi.

"Not that, everyone is worried about you and..."

Batuk's restless energy interrupted her, his impatience palpable as he inquired about the menu, his appetite overshadowed by his curiosity.

"Nah, let it be. You tell me what I'd asked you to... Did you meet her?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And she seemed very disoriented... Her words, and..."

"Can you blame her? After all she had gone through?" Batuk's sigh echoed in the room, heavy with understanding. "What did she say? About me?"

Bhargavi hesitated, her gaze faltering for a moment before she mustered the courage to speak.

"She loves you."

The revelation was a whisper, yet it reverberated within Batuk's soul, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness of his doubts. With renewed vigor, he sat up, his heart soaring on the wings of newfound certainty.

"Tell me everything."

Bhargavi began, her words a delicate spin around the truth, weaving a net of emotions as she recounted her conversation with Mira, her voice quivering with each revelation.

"Choto babu, she loves you," Her voice trembled with tenderness, her words a fragile gift wrapped in uncertainty.

"But..."

"But?" Batuk's brow furrowed, his anticipation tinged with apprehension.

"She said she can't have children."

Batuk's initial response faltered, a mixture of amusement and frustration playing across his features before he composed himself with a deep sigh.

"It's not in her hands... It's us both, and...", he chose not to complete his explanation in front of the girl.

"No... Well... she apparently can't have children, the doctor whom she was married to said that..."

"Oh, now I understand her inhibitions." Batuk stopped her. "Does she have any idea that I'm a doctor too, well, I'm studying to be one, and there has been such progress in medical science these days that..."

Batuk's words trailed off, his thoughts lost in a maze of possibilities left unexplored.

"Well, Bhargavi," he continued, "Tell her I don't want her to bear children for me. I only want her, and that's enough."

Bhargavi's gaze wavered, her heart heavy with the weight of unspoken truths.

"There's more," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the tumult of emotions swirling within her.

"Choto babu, she can't tell you but she isn't comfortable with the way you touch her."

"Excuse me?" Batuk's voice sliced through the air like a whip, his disbelief tinged with a hint of anger. Bhargavi flinched, her heart pounding in her chest as she braced herself for his reaction.

"She showed me those marks on her body... The blood blotches, and she, let's just say she isn't fond of those."

Batuk's restlessness escalated, his confusion giving way to frustration as he struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

"But you know how they are formed, don't you?" His placed his hand on hers, and gave a little squeeze in order to gain her approval, but touch sent a shiver down Bhargavi's spine, a painful reminder of the one-sided bond they shared.

"The way you touch her reminds her of the torment she had endured in the past. Her old diseased husband and his brothers. Your touch makes her feel impure, Choto babu."

Bhargavi's words hung in the air, heavy with sorrow, as Batuk's expression morphed from confusion to heartbreak.

"My touch makes her feel impure?" The words fell from his lips like stones, each syllable laden with the weight of his anguish.

"Why does this always happen to me, Bhargavi? Whenever I love, all I ever receive is heartache. Why am I so unlucky? Why?"

His voice cracked with emotion, his despair echoing through the room like a mournful dirge, and Bhargavi couldn't control her emotions either. Tears flowed freely from her eyes now, her heart breaking with each sob that escaped her lips.

"Give her time, Choto babu... She loves you... She'll understand your love, she'll have to."

Batuk felt her emotions, and it overwhelmed him that someone was crying because of his pain. He pulled her closed tugging at her arm, and wrapped her gently with his, embracing her, letting her hide her face and cry in the comfort of his warm embrace. At that moment, it felt to him that her sorrow was more than his, and very gently he started running his fingers in her hair, caressing her head to comfort her. Bhargavi buried her face against his chest, and felt his heartbeat, for the very first time ever.

"Sh... Sh... Bhargavi, I'll be fine. Don't cry... Don't cry, my sweet little one."

He felt a lone drop of tear escaping his right eyes, fading in his lips, as he sniffed it back and placed his chin on her head, feeling the warmth of compassion that the little girl was offering him in abundance.

Time seemed to stand still as Batuk cradled Bhargavi in the cocoon of his embrace, giving and drawing warmth and solace from her silent companionship. The bond they shared defied easy categorization – Call it motherly, sisterly, or friendly, he wasn't prepared to name that warmth, nor did he feel the need to. It simply was, an ineffable connection woven from threads of understanding and compassion being two human beings, pure and unadulterated.

Batuk's heart, weary from the burden of his troubles, found a fleeting respite in the gentle rhythm of Bhargavi's silent sobs. Each tear she shed was a silent tale narrating her empathy, a silent acknowledgment of his pain.

"Sh... Don't cry more... It's alright now." He kept murmuring.

Bhargavi's cries had dried down to silent sobs and as Batuk slowly lifted his chin from her head, she rubbed her face on his chest one last time to dry away the traces of tears. She was preparing to withdraw her head from his chest when a dry cough shattered the fragile tranquility, jolting them back to the reality of their surroundings. Bhargavi hastily disentangled herself from Batuk's embrace, visibly flushed at the sight of Bondita standing at the door with a displeased demeanour in her appearance. Batuk however was unmoved by this sudden intervention. He rather seems as if he was expecting Bondita's presence and was rather hurt by the fact that she was late.

"Excuse me, please" Bhargavi promptly detached herself from Batuk and stood up, excusing herself from the room, fleeing as fast as she had entered. The sharp tinge of embarrassment on her face wasn't hidden from Bondita's expert eyes.
Batuk remained unmoved by the sudden interruption, his gaze fixed on the doorway where Bondita stood, her displeasure etched in the lines of her face. He felt a pang of disappointment at her delayed arrival, a silent reproach lingering unspoken between them.

"Finally, you finally thought it's time for you to visit me, good enough," Batuk's voice carried a tinge of hurt, his disappointment simmering beneath the surface. Bondita attempted a smile, but it faltered in the face of his palpable disappointment.

"What was she doing here?" her question hung in the air, unanswered, and in response he completely chose to ignore her question with another.

"And what took you so long? Did you speak with Kaka? And Dada?" His eagerness was palpable, his hopes pinned on Bondita's response.

"I did," Bondita replied softly, her words measured and cautious.

"And?"

"And both of them are of the opinion that you need to give this a little time before getting into something as important as marriage," Bondita's words were careful, chosen with precision to convey the gravity of their situation.

"Time?" Batuk's restlessness bubbled to the surface, his impatience palpable as he struggled to contain his emotions. "I've already married her, Boudi. I want you all to understand that, and this Boubhat I'm talking of would just ensure her status in this household as my wife. That's all I ask. Is this too much?"

Bondita's silence spoke volumes, her hesitation reflected the complexities of their situation. She reached out to touch his shoulder, her gesture one of both comfort and caution.

"It is, Batuk. Indeed a little too much. We all know Mira, her background, her history. Can you blame Kaka or anyone if they aren't able to accept her as a part of this family, as your wife, so soon?"

"Why is this difficult? They accepted you pretty fast!" Batuk's frustration boiled over, his words tinged with accusation.

"Did they?" Bondita's voice was tinged with sadness, her memories lingered back to the struggles she had endured. "You probably don't remember those days, Batuk. But they were difficult, acceptance. I had to earn it, and you know that, don't you?" She paused, thinking, trying to put her words through
"Let Mira earn her acceptance in this household too, why rush her? And rush yourself?"
Bondita's words were a plea, a desperate attempt to temper Batuk's impatience with wisdom born of experience.

"What acceptance are you talking about, Boudi? Just because she's a widow, she isn't allowed happiness?" Batuk's voice crackled with frustration, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.

"What's wrong with you? When did I ever say she doesn't deserve happiness? But think, Batuk, a year and a half back this same girl was head over heels for your own brother, and now she is all set to be your wife... How credible does this look in terms of love?" Bondita's frustration boiled over as well, her words a damning indictment of their situation. She continued,
"So yes, if you ask me if I have trust issues, well, guess what, I do, and so does everyone else," Bondita looked away.

Batuk's temper flared, his frustration reaching a point of no return as he struggled to contain his emotions.

"So where is the problem? Is it because she doesn't love Dada anymore? Or is it because you can't stand her?" His words were a sharp retort, a challenge flung in Bondita's direction.

Bondita recoiled, disbelief etched in her features as she struggled to comprehend the depths of Batuk's stubbornness amidst their turmoil.

"Kaka is sick, Satya just died, and all you can think about is marriage? How selfish of you, Batuk! Have you no sense, no shame?" Bondita's voice cracked with emotion and disbelief.

"What are you talking about? Kaka is getting older, it's evident he'll get sicker by the day. Should I hold off on my marriage because of that? And about Satyakirth, he was meant to die, wasn't he?" Batuk's words were a bitter retort, his frustration palpable as he struggled to justify his actions.

"Batuk!!" Bondita's scream echoed through the room, her anger uncontainable as she struggled to make him understand.

"Have you no heart?" Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she prepared to leave the room. "Chii." She vexed.

"No, I guess the heart department is reserved by just you and your husband," Batuk's scoff was a cruel twist of the knife, his words cutting deep as he lashed out in his pain.

Bondita's world shattered around her, her disbelief giving way to a cold, hard truth.

"You are right. And at this point, I absolutely don't doubt that you ever had one."

With those final words, Bondita turned on her heel and prepared to leave the room, her heart heavy with emotion, and the realization that some wounds cut deeper than others.

"Mira is my wife, and no one can change that." Batuk screamed, and Bondita wiped tears from her eyes.

"Get well soon, Batuk, I'll pray, because you need it more than anyone else right now."
She ran out of the room at once.