At times, it's a nudge that's all you need!

"Anirudh... What are you doing here this late?"
Trilochan asked him quizzically as he walked passed the study room, wrapped in his black kashmiri shawl.
"It's shivering outside. Go to your room and sleep." He commanded Anirudh lovingly as he proceeded towards his master bedroom.

"Where did you go this late Kaka?" Anirudh looked up as he saw his uncle wrapped from head to toe desparately trying to beat the chill in the air.

"Well... Um... I wasn't able to sleep. So I was walking outside in the garden a bit... My old bones needed to be stretched a little!" Trilochan replied, as he turned around and entered the study room instead.

"But, Anirudh, shouldn't you be with bahu right now? It's not a good idea to be away from your newly wed wife for this long!" He remarked as Anirudh let out a sharp breath.

"Kaka... It's just that... I was..."

"No Anirudh, I've been watching you two, whatever the reason be... Bondita Bahu should be your first priority in life!"

"She is Kaka... It's just that..."

Anirudh couldn't complete his sentence as Trilochan narrowed his eyes trying to gaze his dilemma.

"Beta... I understand this must be new, may be difficult to you as well. But, to be with your wife, loving your wife is the most natural thing that a man can do!"

He inched closer to Anirudh and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I understand there might have been some issues, I don't know exactly what... But, sort it before it's late... Life always doesn't give you a second chance Beta... I'm probably the biggest example! But, now that you have got an opportunity to re-live your love, don't hesitate or held back."

Anirudh looked up at his words, nodding his head slowly.
"But Kaka... She is very young and I'm afraid I might..."

"Anirudh... She is not 'very' young. You, at her age had decided to marry her, fighting against the evils of the society." Trilochan paused. "And, women are way more stronger than we think they are! For all you know Bondita is stronger than you!"
Trilochan smiled as he patted his favourite nephew lovingly on his back.
"Now go at once... "

Anirudh slowly walked upstairs to Bondita's bedroom. He was about to knock as he found the door unlatched.
It was dimly lit inside as his eyes fell on the empty bed.

"Bondita..." He called out softly, entering the room with a stealthy cautiousness.
Bondita was not in the room, but a soft gushing noise of water was rippling from inside the bathroom.

Anirudh sat on the couch.
'Bondita is bathing at this hour! That too in this cold?' he thought.
For the last few days, they had communicated very less, although their nights were spent in the same room, in the same bed, but there was an unseen barrier that had prevented their natural discourse.
'Its all my fault!' Anirudh thought as he closed his eyes, leaning his head back on the rim of the couch.

The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. Love can endure all, but indifference! Love needs to be tended, nurtured... like a lamp, it needs to be fed with oil and oxygen, or else it doesn't take long for the flame to burn out!

Anirudh opened his eyes and looked up as he heard a sharp sound, unlatching the bathroom door. And, in the dim shadowy light, he saw Bondita!
She had just taken a shower as her wet locks hung loosely on her bare back and shoulders. A white saree with thin red border was wrapped dangerously on her moist body, as droplets of water glistened on her white creamy skin. Her hairline was void of any vermillion and was body devoid any jewellery. Except for the sparking finger ring that she wore and the thin gleaming gold chain that snaked her sensuous slender waist!.

She wasn't wearing any blouse and the half dampened white saree was not doing any justice to cover her perfect bosom.

Anirudh gaped at the sight, as he stood up like an enchanted soul.

"You?" Bondita muttered as her eyes fell on him. But, she looked away the next moment and walked towards the large stand mirror on the floor.
Anirudh saw her reflection on the mirror. She finger brushed her dampened hair, deentangling the hair stands. She hummed a soft tune inaudibly, paying absolutely no attention to Anirudh's presence in the room.

Her eyes were fixed on the mirror as she hand dried her hair, and fixed her saree to cover most of her bare body nonchalantly.

Anirudh's heart burnt at the sight. It was his Bondita standing infront of him... This enchanting seductress! But still, his entire being was so possessed with inhibitions that he couldn't make himself wrap her into his longing embrace!

Bondita was unwary... She loved Anirudh more than she had ever loved anyone, and hence his indifference had hurt her the most! How could he alone just decide for both of them?
How could he just verdict their separation?

Bondita's heart was full of discomposure. As she could easily express her unconditional devotion to Anirudh, she also knew how to brush aside her emotions as well.
She took no notice of Anirudh's presence in the room and continued her chores before bed.
She picked up the silver vermillion case and opened it's lid slowly, taking a small pinch of the red dust in her fingers.
She closed her eyes and her hand advanced to her hairline, as she felt a soft touch seizing her advances.

"Barrister Babu?" She opened her eyes, drawing an insouciant glance at him through the mirror.
"What happened suddenly?"

Anirudh didn't reply. Instead, he inched closer, spooning her from behind, as his fingers dipped inside the vermillion case.
Bondita's eyes were fixed at their reflection as she felt Anirudh's fingers brushing against her forehead, coloring her hairline with the tinge of love.

"Why now?" She muttered as her eyes shut tight, calming the intensity of the moment.

"Because, it's better late then never!"
Anirudh bent his face down and pecked a light kiss on her neck.

"Forgive me Bondita... I know I have hurt you. But, I have hurt myself more..."

Bondita kept staring at the reflection like a still porcelain doll. She didn't move, nor did she fight! She just stood there... as tiny water droplets glistened on her hair, entrapping Anirudh's soul in them.

"Say something... " Anirudh urged, turning her towards himself. His hands cupped her face earnestly searching for a reaction from her.

"I don't have anything to say Barrister Babu. Please sleep... I'm sure you are very sleepy today as well!"
She freed herself from his loose embrace and walked towards the bed.
Anirudh crossed her path again.

"Shona... I know I have hurt you. But, you have to trust me that it was not what I had intended!" He studied her face with an aching expression donned in his own face.

"It's fine Barrister Babu. I've stayed away from you for 5years... I think I will manage the rest of my life as well." Bondita replied with a sharp politeness.

"What are you saying Bondita? Why would you have to stay away from me?"
Anirudh tried to hold her hand as she moved away.

"Isn't that what you want?" She looked up in his eyes. "Isn't that what you decided for both of us? Again? Without feeling the necessity to know what I feel?"
Bondita's voice quivered at her last words. She pressed her eyelids letting a tear roll down her soft cheeks.

"I have wronged you Bondita. But my intentions were not wrong. I didn't want to hurt you again." Anirudh stretched his arms again inviting Bondita in it.

Bondita stepped back as she removed the saree on her shoulder, revealing her bare moist skin. She held the saree onto her bosom covering her feminity as she drew Anirudh's attention towards her undraped skin.

"Do you see any mark Barrister Babu?" She asked sharply as a small chuckle of disdain left her lips.
"The physical hurt that you were pining about is long gone... But what remained is the hurt that you gave me here!" She pointed her fingers to her heart.

"Bondita... I... "

"I, what? Did you ask me even once how I feel about that night?" You didn't... Now I guess you'll never know."

Bondita moved passed him as he kneeled infront of her.

"Forgive me Bondita. I realised my mistake. Please don't turn me away. Please... I'll die if..."

Anirudh couldn't complete his sentence as Bondita hushed him with her fingers!

"Don't worry... I'll still be your wife if you want me to be."
She walked passed him and climbed on the bed as Anirudh stood up slowly.

His head started to spin suddenly at the thought of Bondita's absence in his life. He wanted to save her from getting hurt, but he had ended hurting her even more!
"I'm sorry Bondita!" He spoke slowly as he picked up a glass of water kept beside the bed table to soothe his dry throat.

"And once KakaSasurji leaves, you can go back to your own bedroom... Don't have to come here and pretend to be my husband..."

Anirudh's grip on the glass tightened as he heard her words silently.

"And once we go to Tulsipur, I'd stay in me old room, sparing you the horror of spending nights with me... And if someone asks tell them that you think it's unethical to sleep with one's own wife on the pretext of hurting them physically and that you are working to pass a law on the same as well and..."

Bondita's words were interrupted by a sudden abrupt cracking noise along with a soft splash.

She turned her eyes towards Anirudh as her heart let out a sharp cry.
"Anirudh... What did you do!!"

Anirudh was rooted in his place, his jaws clenched and a stiffened expression on his body. His left hand was bleeding as a conoid glass fragment stabbed his hand.
Bondita's words had made him channelize all his contrition towards one glass of water, making him shatter it in his grip, as his guilty and iniquity towards his wife dripped on the floor carpet along with the dark crimson blood drops.