"Nine seven's a sixty three...
Nine eight's a seventy two...
Nine nine's a eighty one...
And, nine ten's aaaa........?"

Batuk recited the tables enthusiastically, expecting an answer from his students, as his friend and confidante Nakul walked up to him on the open raised platform of the temporary classroom, and smiled.

"Nine ten's a ninety!"
Nakul looked at the shy women sitting infront of them with their heads covered up in sarees.

"Batuk Da, I'll take care from here. You go at once. Zamindar Babu is looking for you.... He wants you to go to the station."
Nakul smiled again.

"Darn Nakul! what day it is?
Dada and Boudi is arriving today!"
Batuk widened his eyes in excitement.
"You have no idea Nakul how long I have been waiting for this day...
All these arrangements...
All these ideas of imparting education to women...
These are all Boudi's ideas, her project."
Batuk smile brightly and addressed the women sitting infront.

"Very soon, you'll have your own school, and, you won't have to hide from your families and come to our garage to study.
Your head teacher is arriving today..."

"Zamindarni Bahu?"
A woman asked hesitantly as a soft murmur arose amidst the garage hall.

"Bondita Bahurani!"
"Oh my God... It's her... She was the one to convince me to come and study here!"

Batuk smiled proudly as he heard all the low murmuring words.

"Yes, Bondita Roy Choudhury... My Boudi... She's returning back home... Finally!"

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

Batuk was jumping and leaping like a young horse as he drove his dada and boudi from the railway station to the grand Roy Chowdhury Haweli in a beautifully flower ornated car. A band of musicians, dressed in red and cream, played a welcome note as the young couple got inside the car... and, had followed the slow speeding vehicle back to the Haweli. Many villagers had gathered outside the huge Verandah of the main Haweli entrance just to see a glance of the new Zamindar couple.
It's not that they hadn't seen them before, but before, they knew the young rebellious zamindar, who married an equally fiesty small girl. But, now, things were different. Now, they awaited eagerly to welcome their grown up famous Zamindar Anirudh Roy Chowdhury and his beautiful educated wife, Bondita Roy Choudhury.

"Now, I hope Tulsipur would see a little sunshine!" A woman hushed to another amidst the crowd.
"She is a beacon of light for us!" Another whispered.

Anirudh Roy Chowdhury got down from the car and held the door open for his wife.
Koeli and other women from the household blew the conch to announce the pious welcome of their grihalakshmi.
The absence of a motherly figure in the Roy Chowdhury family made Zamindar Trilochan do all the welcoming rituals. And, he proudly held the aarti thali in hand and blessed the couple on their return.

"Maa Durga may bless you with all the happiness in the world."
Trilochan touched Anirudh head lovingly.
"May you be together for the next seven births and may your union be blessed with fruits."

Bondita pressed a smile of embarrassment on her lips as Anirudh nudged her waist subtly with his fingers at the mention of 'fruits'.

"Anirudh and Bahu, hold hands and enter together." Trilochan commanded.
"Visit Maa Durga first and then go rest in your room. I have made all the arrangements."

Anirudh and Bondita touched Trilochan's feet together as they headed to the in-house temple to take blessings from the goddess.

"Finally, we're home!" Bondita hushed in excitement as they finished their short prayers.

Anirudh looked at his wife lovingly and whispered.
"I can't explain how happy I am... But, I can express if you want." He winked at her playfully.

"Ahem ahem..!" Batuk coughed up in a jest as he intervened in their conversation.

"Arrey... Batakrishna! I wonder how do you always get to find the perfect timing for your intervention." Anirudh ruffled Batuk's hair as he mocked him lovingly.

"Really Dada... Batakrishna? That too infront of Boudi. You know how much I hate that name!"

Anirudh laughed out loud.
"As if your Boudi doesn't know that name."

"She does..." Batuk looked at Bondita and smiled.
"But, she is decent enough not to call me by that name." Batuk rolled his eyes at his elder brother.

"I'm just wondering about how your British teachers would pronounce your name during the final convocation!" Anirudh laughed out lightheartedly at the thought of the situation.

"Come on Dada... !"
Batuk turned towards Bondita.
"By the way boudi... I have a surprise for you... I want to show you something.." He tugged at Bondita's hand to take her out towards the garage.

"Batuk... " Trilochan called out.
"Let your Boudidimoni take some rest first! You will have all the world to show her things from tomorrow. Let them rest now!"
Batuk sighed in dejection as he picked up Bondita's trunk and suitcase and helped Koeli to take those upstairs.

"Anirudh... Bahu... Go to your room now. I have rearranged the furniture a bit to suit you well, feel free to add on."
He smiled lovingly as he walked out of the drawing hall.

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

"Yeah... Home sweet home!" Bondita screamed in joy as they reached Bondita's room on the first floor.

"Yes! This really feels good." Anirudh stretched his arms up in the air and yawned lazily.
"Go freshen up and I think you'll need some sleep too." He smiled meaningfully at her.

"Yes..! Barrister Babu... But, where are my suitcases?" Bondita looked around.
"I thought Batuk is bringing them up!"

Anirudh cupped Bondita's confused face and pouted his lips in a cute display of affection.

"My dear little wife... Wear one of your old clothes... I'm sure there are plenty in those cupboards. Meanwhile, I'll see where the suitcases are and will send them here. Alright?"

Bondita nodded her head and smiled.

"See you during lunch Barrister Babu."
She closed the door of the room before waving her hand at Anirudh.

She turned around and quickly opened the heavyweight saree that she was wearing, making herself comfortable in only her blue blouse and petticoat.
She walked towards the bed and took a deep breath inhaling the old scent, revitalising her fond memories of the past.

"Humm... My dear good Ol' bed!"
Bondita jumped in the bed and lay her body in the cosy comfort of the old soft mattress. She clutched a soft pillow close to her heart and closed her eyes in a sense of deep contentment and relaxation.
She inhaled the scent of her pillow sharply and murmured,

"My dear, dear pillow... Who would have known I'd miss you so much!"

Without making any effort to take a bath or to change into some fresh clothes, Bondita simply closed her eyes, letting the overwhelming calmness engulf her mind and body, slowly nurturing her into a deep happy land of dreamless sleep.

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

"Batuk... Koeli...
Bihari...!" Anirudh shouted as he reached his bedroom on the second floor.
He had opened the door of his bedroom only to be surprised by the out-and-out change in the room's decor.
Instead of his old bed, there was a lavish duplex king size bed with an elaborate canopy that adorned the middle of his room. His study table and book shelf was removed, and in its place a large dressing table was installed with ornamented wall cabinets.
There was a velvet couch at one corner of his room with a small tea table.

Anirudh brushed his fingers through his hair in astonishment as Bihari approached him with joined hands, followed by Zamindar Trilochan.

"Bihari... First of all, why are these suitcases kept outside my room? Please take them downstairs to Bondita's room." He paused.
"Um.. you know what, keep them outside.. don't knock on her door, she might be resting."

"And Kaka... What's all these?"
Anirudh looked at his uncle in utter astonishment as a tired sigh escaped from his mouth.

"Why? This is your room now, you will be staying here... And, Bahu would be needing the dressing mirrors."
Trilochan replied politely.

"But, Kaka... Why on earth would she come to my room to get dressed!" Anirudh rolled his eyes at his uncle.
"She has her own dressing table for gods sake."

Trilochan furrowed his eyebrows as he saw Anirudh enter into his bedroom, with displeasure written all over his face.

"Kaka... Why these paintings?" Anirudh looked around the walls.
"Radha Krishna! In my room? Is this for real?" He rolled his eyes again.
"And, and what's this? Who is this?" Anirudh pointed towards a portrait that hung from the wall.
"Seriously Kaka... You decided to hung a portrait of an unknown naked baby in my bedroom??"
He clutched his forehead and sat on the couch in exhaustion.

"I can't sleep with this wierd baby staring at me." He nodded his head in negation.
"Bihari... Take this picture down immediately, and, I need my study table back."
Anirudh got up from the couch and walked towards his wardrobe to take out a bathrobe.

"Bihari... I'm going for a bath... Make sure it's done by then... I'd sleep for sometime, may be till lunch!"
He yawned again and smiled gently at Trilochan's furrowed face as he disappeared behind the bathroom doors.

"Maalik?" Bihari folded his hand at Trilochan to seek his permission. He had been working in the Zamindar family long enough to know the wrath and temper of each of them. And, he would never bypass the hierarchy.
He waited expectantly for the eldest Zamindar to command him with his next course of action as Trilochan let out a deep sigh.

"Bihari... Do exactly as he said... Take Bahu's belongings to the room downstairs." He paused.
"These two are still behaving like unmarried bachelors."
He sighed again.
"And, it's high time they should be taught a lesson on nuptials!"