"Barrister Babu..." Bondita called out loudly from the terrace as Anirudh looked up at her, waving his hand in the air.

"Come down Bondita... It's a beautiful day." He replied back raising his voice to make it audible to her.

The storm had subsided at the herald of dawn, leaving the nature tormented yet rejuvenated after the fresh shower.
The vegetable garden in the backyard of the Banglow desparately needed tending after the menacing act committed by Kshitija almost over a month ago. Lachman and Gobindo had tried their best to regrow the plants but alas! they were no farmers. Koeli too, had tried her hands at gardening but how much can she do alone without any aid!
Keeping in mind all these, Koeli had suggested Anirudh to hire help from outside and that very morning Anirudh stood in the vegetable garden inside their Banglow estate, supervising the new plantation and enjoying the fresh morning air.
Gobindo had brought two farmers from the village who were desperately looking for a job. Hearing the opportunity at the Roy Chowdhury estate, they had readily agreed to work hoping to make some good money.

"Who are these people?" Bondita asked Anirudh as she climbed down the stairs and sprinted outside the Banglow.

"That's Bheem and this one is called Raghu. They are farmers." Anirudh remarked pointing at the two men working in the garden.

"They don't look like farmers." Bondita raised her toes to hush the words into his ears.

"Hahaha... Bondita!!" Anirudh laughed out loud. "Now, just because their physical appearance are contrasting, it doesn't mean they are not farmers. What logic is that?"

"No... Barrister Babu.. they look scary. Did you notice the scar on that man's face?" Bondita gestured her eyes towards the one called Raghu.

Anirudh laughed again.
"Stop judging people by their looks. Now someday would you tell me I don't look like a barrister as well."

"That you don't." Bondita replied pressing a mischievous smile in between her lips.

"So? What do I look like?"

"A poet, with your stubble. Otherwise a warrior, a knight may be... Or a knight who writes poetry."

Anirudh burst out into fits of laughter.
"Stop romanticizing my appearance Bondita... A knight poet? Really?"

Bondita made a face mocking his laugh as she turned her eyes around to look at the beautiful maple and deodar trees around.
"These are beautiful!" She remarked. "Barrister Babu, we should come here often you know... May be have a picnic or something."

"That we can... But before that we have another place to be." He winked his eyes at her.

"Where?"

"Tulsipur... I can't wait to go home with you."
Bondita's face flushed with shades of pink as she heard his words.
This would mean their marriage... Their togetherness forever!
Bondita held his hands bridging the gap in between his fingers, as he pressed her palm gently to make her aware of his passionate existence in her life.
Her heart started to flutter as she looked away from him smilingly.

Suddenly, something stuck her.
"Barrister Babu... Does this man looks familiar to you?" Bondita asked as she furrowed her eyebrows, trying to recall something.

"Who.. Bheem? I don't think so... Why?"

Bondita shrugged.
"Nevermind... He just looked a little familiar."

"Do you want to take a walk with me?" Anirudh suddenly asked as she nodded her head at the proposition.

The duo walked through the lush green estate garden, adorned with scattered trees and lovely flowering bushes.

Anirudh spoke first breaking the mesmerizing silence of the surrounding.
"I spoke to Mira last night. I told her my thoughts about her... I told her that she is my sister and that I'll protect her and her unborn child." Anirudh's voice was grave as he looked expectantly at Bondita trying to search for an answer.

Bondita didn't speak. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him lovingly, pressing her head against his chest.
"We will protect her together." She muttered.

Anirudh smiled at the genuinity of her expression. He had expected no less from his Bondita, and with every passing day, with every stalling moment, her simplicity and honestly was just making him fall for her harder.
He kissed her head as he held her close to him in a tight embrace.

"I'll never let you go from my arms." Anirudh kissed her forehead again as she looked up to meet his gaze. " Never ever try to escape Bondita... Else, I'll die."

"Don't talk about death... We'll live together, we'll grow old together and then I want to die peacefully in your arms, with all our grandchildren around us."
Anirudh was trying to say something, but Bondita didn't let him. She had raised her toes to reach up to his lips as her arms clutched his neck, caressing the back of his hair before brushing her lips against his in a sweet indulgence.

"I love you Bondita." Anirudh murmured as his ears heard the exact words that his heart had craved to hear since years.

"I love you too Anirudh."
Bondita replied bashfully as her lips dug deep in his mouth in a passionate encounter.

"Bondita..." Anirudh broke their kiss temporarily.
"I have something to tell you."

"Tell me whatever you want... I'll listen to everything you say." Bondita fluttered her eyelids artistically as Anirudh smiled at her words.

"I have to leave for Delhi early morning tomorrow, I have received a very urgent work mail from the court. I'll be back in two days."

Bondita kept quiet as Anirudh noticed her face losing color at his words.

"I know it's hard... But, just two days. I'll be back before you'll know." Anirudh hugged her again.

"And promise me Bondita, you'll take care of yourself... And everyone in my absence."

Bondita didn't look up. Instead, she kept her head on his chest, listening to his soothing heartbeat.

"I promise, I'll... Come back soon. My heart hates to beat without you around."