There are days when the inception of dawn proclaims it's lazy delay... as if, the sun is wrapped under a cold blanket of clouds, unwilling to rise up from its pleasing comfort, ignoring the nature's eternal demand!

Anirudh was resting in a deep slumber, holding Bondita close to his chest as his slow breathing maintained its steady rhythm. The outside was still dark as the sun had just started to bloom like a sleepy scarlet flower in the eastern horizon. Melodious chirps rippled through the cool, barely-lit flora surrounding the little hut. From those first few notes burst so many more, as if the birds had collectively been waiting for the first to call into the dawn.
Anirudh slowly opened his eyes as the chirps pushed the dreamy languor from his mind, making his thoughts sway with the sweet melody.
His lips curled up into a tranquil smile as visuals of the passed night flashed upon his memories. He slowly lifted his head up to see his Bondita sleeping peacefully on his chest, snaking him with her soft arms, as her legs were pressed and intertwined with his. They wore no clothes, apart from each other's body, and a pale blue cotton sheet was loosely wrapped around their naked torso.
In a scanty slanting rays of the new sun, Anirudh saw Bondita's angelic face, the face that he could die for! His eyes tracked down her neck to the collar bone , going further down on her chest.
Suddenly, his eyes furrowed up on a particular spot of her body, a deep red bruise on her chest!
Anirudh's heart sank in a moment. He lifted Bondita's head slowly from his chest and lay her down gently on the floor. Bondita wiggled and shifted sides, pulling the cover a little down from her bare bosom.
Anirudh swallowed hard...
Not one, but there were multiple such bruises on her body, some of which had turned into a dark blue hue, discoloring her perfect white skin.
His eyes wailed up at the sight, as an overbearing sense of guilt consumed his heart.
'What had he done to his Bondita!'
'How could he?'
The unanswered questions rang in his mind as his eyes fell on Bondita's white legs. He pulled the sheet a little up revealing similar marks on them as well.
His heart wretched in a sharp agony as he pressed his head with his hands.
He felt as if a heavy stone was crushing his heart mercilessly.
He moved his hand again, to pull the sheet down this time, when Bondita turned around, slightly spreading her thighs that were pressed together all this while.
Anirudh let out a sharp inaudible cry!
There were stains... stains of dark clotted blood on her creamy thighs!
Anirudh jumped up in terror.
'He did this?'
The question hammered his head as his let out an agonizing grunt.

"Oh God... How could I!!"
A word of lament escaped his lips as Bondita slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

"Good morning."
She murmured in a state of drowsiness as Anirudh hid his face away from her.
"You're crying?" She asked. "What happened?"

Anirudh couldn't reply. Instead, he pulled her closer into a earnest guilty hug, making her writhe in pain.

"Ah... Barrister Babu..."

Anirudh let her go at once.
"Oh.. I'm sorry... I'm so so sorry Bondita..."
His words choked as a deep pain erupted out from his heart.

Bondita looked questioningly at him, not sure of the reason of his sorrow, she slowly inched her lips towards his face, planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

"But... What happened to you?"

Anirudh took a deep breath, straining to control his emotions, as he lift his fingers pointing out the bruises on her body.

"I did this to you... How could I..."

Bondita smiled. She hushed him gently with her fingers as she wrapped her arms loosely around his body.

"It was beautiful last night... Please don't apologise." She said.

Anirudh stayed still. In his mind he had already killed himself in a hundred battles for hurting the love of his life. He was a beast... A beast when unleashed, was capable of creating a havoc on Bondita's body... and this was exactly what he would have to restrain himself from doing.

"I don't want to hurt you...ever again!" Anirudh hushed in her ears patting her head lovingly.
'Even if it means resisting your closeness.' He told himself exhaling a sharp breathe of resolution.

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

Soft sunlight began to invade the darkness inside the room through the cracks of the weaved window sill. Anirudh felt a strong urge to take a dip in the cold water of the pond, to greet the day, washing away his emotional agony.
But, leaving Bondita alone in this small alien wilderness was not a choice!

"Shona... Will you be able to get up?" He asked her softly. "I was hoping to take a bath in the pond... Will you accompany me?"

Bondita nodded her head slowly as she wrapped the matted saree around her body.
Anirudh had already tied his dhoti on his waist before he helped her to stand up.
Bondita held his hands and stood up with an effort, her legs shook and knees fumbled as the soreness overpowered her physique.
She staggered towards the door moving her sore thighs as slowly as possible.

"Shona..." Anirudh groaned at the sight. "What have I done to you.."
He quickly scooped her up from the ground as Bondita latched on to his neck.

"You have loved me... And I, you!"
She smiled, fluttering her eyelashes like a beautiful young butterfly.

Anirudh swallowed a dry lump as he looked away from her face.

The unknown birds chirped their heart-rending melody as Bondita sat on the fringe of the pond happily, dipping her legs in the cold water, while Anirudh dunked his misery in it.
He pulled Bondita into the water carefully, scrubing her skin gently to remove the strains of her alleged sufferings.

Bondita leaned closer, as her lips inched towards him. Her eyes closed expectantly craving his touch, but she felt Anirudh's lips touching her forehead instead... only a light peck.

"It's cold... Let's quickly get you dried up."
He quickly moved past her eager arms and got up from the water.
"Come Bondita... I'll carry you back."
He extended his hands to her.

"You don't have to carry me all me time... I'm not sick!"

Anirudh didn't reply, as he saw Bondita got up from the water alone with some effort, he walked quietly infront as she followed his trail back to the hut.

Bondita narrowed her eyes as he saw Anirudh entering the kitchen, pulling out a dry dhoti from the trunk.
She took a deep breath, as she closed the door behind him... wondering about his sudden comportment.

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

"Maa Lokkhi... Anirudh Babu... "
A loud voice broke Bondita's chain of thoughts as she sat beside the small window, resting her chin on her hands, as her eyes were fixated on the view outside.

"Kaka... We were eagerly waiting for your return."
She heard Anirudh's voice greeting the old man as she pulled up the loose end of her saree over her head and came out of the room slowly.

"Anirudh Babu... You have no idea how you two are a blessing in my life..." The man started as he sat down on the raised porch. Bondita handed him a glass of cold water along with a small bowl of puffed rice.

"Maa Lokkhi... May you always prosper!" He blessed her heartily as he started to munch the food.
He turned towards Anirudh and started his story.

"You know babu... I had two bulls, Luv and Kush, and in the shed... is their mother Kamli. Luv Kush are the closest thing to me after I lost my entire family to the deadly epidemic." He paused to gulp some water from the glass.

"The season is bad, and last month I had to send away my Kush as a mortgage to the village headman... I tried a lot babu... I swear I did... But I couldn't arrange the money to free him." He paused again, probably recollecting the series of incidents in his head.
"That morning when I went to the man to ask him for some grace time, he refused... He wanted to take Luv from me as well... But then... God.. God helped me." He raised his hands to his forehead muttering a small prayer.
"God never comes on his own, instead he sends angels... as he has sent you two in my life..."

Anirudh smiled at his words as he sat down beside him in the porch.

"Babu... I didn't know when you had put a fifty rupees note in my pocket. But, then luckily I found it when I had lost all hope. And, not only did I pay off the loan and got Kush back, but also, repaired my cart."

"I'm glad I could be of any help to you." Anirudh smiled gently.
"Now, Kaka... It would be great if you would take us to the nearby locality... to a post office to be precise."

The man looked up.
His eyes wailed up at the thought of parting from these angels of kindness.

"Anirudh... Son... I lost my son very early. Had he lived, he would have probably been of the same age as you... With a lovely wife and may be some children playing in this porch right now."

He looked up at Bondita lovingly.
"Maa... I want you to consider this house as your own... I probably won't live long... So, when I'm not there, do come here and spend time in this small poorhouse, bring your children... Atleast I'll have someone as my progeny."
His voice choked at his final words as he wiped a tear from his eyes.

"Lets get you to the post aaffis then... Come on and hop in... Luv and Kush would take us to the village in no time.

He walked out of the porch as Anirudh looked gently at Bondita, exhaling a long held breath.

"Times up Bondita... Let's get back to reality."