It's rightly said that every morning starts a new page in the story of our life... a new possibility, a renewed hope, and a fresh perspective.

Bondita had managed to successfully persuade Anirudh to ponder upon his rushed words. She had promised to tell Mira about the nature of their relationship, but all in due time. Mira had already suffered a lot, and to Bondita it was important to make her realise the truth without hurting her any more.

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

Anirudh had to go out to the town on some urgent business. Also, a note from Davidson promised news about Kshitija's whereabouts, and Bondita thought it to be the right opportunity to talk to Mira, and get to know her a little better.

The red strain on Mira's hairline was still there, and Bondita found her a bit chirpy this morning.
'That's a good sign to start with.' She thought as she started the day's lesson with her.

"Didi... Will you teach me numbers?' Mira had asked enthusiastically as Bondita happily started to draw the Bengali numerals on the blank slate.

Mira looked a little serious while memorising and understanding the concept of numbers and Bondita couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness seeing the girl on task.

"Didi... Can I ask you something?" Mira suddenly lift her eyes from the slate and asked her curiously.
"Why were you throwing that red kemkel on each other last night? He told me it's bad but then I saw you were painted with it."
Mira's curious eyes were fixated on Bondita.

"Mira... It's Chemical... not Kemkel. And you ask too many unnecessary questions during your lesson time." Bondita rolled her eyes, as she smiled and she gestured her to focus back to the slate.

"And by the way, why didn't you wash your hair properly? I can still see ink in there." Bondita touched Mira's head lovingly.

Mira didn't answer, she smiled and pointed towards Bondita's bare stomach instead.
"You too didn't wash it properly. I can still see three red fingers marks. Tell me Didi... did he make these marks?"
Mira's eyes were focused on Bondita as her tone intensified with the question.

Bondita cleared her throat in embarrassment as she pulled her saree to adjust and hide the ink marks.

"Why would he do something to you like this? Why would he touch you there?" Mira asked again. " You said he is our protector!"

"Mira... " Bondita paused trying to figure out the right choice of words.
"Do you remember I told you that I'm to get married soon?" She asked carefully as Mira nodded her head.

"So, it's Barrister Babu I'm to be married to." She remarked softly trying to gauge Mira's reaction.

Mira was leaning on the bedrest as the words made her sit upright.
"So did he force you to marry him?" She asked with a stern expression on her face.

"No Mira... He absolutely did not. We decided this together!" Bondita replied as she saw Mira exhaling loudly, resting herself back on the bedrest.

"But you are not married yet..." She murmured to herself as Bondita saw her eyes wailing up with a broken expression.

"Chocolates?" Bondita asked her trying to sound as cheerful as possible and Mira looked at her blankly nodding her head into an yes.

"Come on now... Let's go upstairs. You haven't been to my room yet, have you?" Bondita said as she quickly stood up gesturing Mira to follow her trail.

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

"Didi... all these sarees... all are yours?" Mira's eyes were full of astonishment and wonder as she stood infront of Bondita's open wardrobe.

"Yes... And you can choose any saree you like..." Bondita smiled back at her gaped face.

"I can?" Mira's eyes teared up as she touched the pile of sarees, pulling out one from the lot.

"Excellent choice..." Bondita ruffled her hair. "Now let's see how you look in these jewelleries"
Bondita opened a small wooden box as she pulled out a long snake chain and a pair of matching gold earrings.

"For me?" Mira asked as her voice cracked up in choked emotion.

"Yes.. for you! These are yours now Mira... wear them regularly."
She handed her the accessories as Mira moved forward and wrapped her arms around her.

"Alright... Don't have to be so emotional now..." Bondita kissed her head lovingly. "Now tell me what else do you wish for?"

"I wish to be you didi... I wish to be you!"

Bondita had expected simple answers like chocolates or may be another saree but this sudden answer caught her a bit off-guard.

"Umm... Alright let's see how can I turn you into me." Bondita said tenderly as she walked towards the wardrobe and pulled out a matching blouse with Mira's saree.

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

The two girls laughed and giggled all day long as Bondita carefully brushed Mira's black traces and tied them into a low bun just the way she keeps her own hair. She made her wear a blouse and Mira fiddling and wiggled uncomfortably in this new piece of garment. She painted her lips red and the drew her eyes with kohl, and by evening, Mira was unrecognisable!
The pink banarasi saree ornamented with golden threads was perfectly co-ordinated with the golden blouse that Bondita gave her. And Bondita's eyes teared up as she saw an exhilarated Mira standing infront of the mirror, admiring her own reflection.

"You look perfect Mira." Bondita uttered tenderly as she moved closer, holding Mira's shoulders, while the mirror reflected their happy emotions.
"Here you go...!" Bondita sprayed her favourite perfume on her body adding to the final touch.

"No one has ever loved me so much Didi!" Mira turned around to hug her waist. She was a few inches shorter than Bondita and all Bondita did was keep her chin on her head lovingly while caressing her back.

"Now stop crying, will you! All the kohl is going to get smudged." Bondita scolded her lovingly as she sniffed a tear herself.

"Do you like flowers Mira?" She asked instead. "I think I have pink roses in my terrace garden today. Wait I'll get it for you."

Bondita held Mira's hand and brought her near her bed.
"Sit here quietly while it fetch it for you. And don't cry. I'll be back in a moment!"

Bondita sprinted out of the room as her heart felt light as a new butterfly with her newfound sisterly affection. Mira was happy and it was all that she had wished for.

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

"The house is seized and after the massacre at your Banglow, Chi-Ti-ja hasn't dared to returned back to her own place." Davidson paused. "Although we're looking out for her, but I want you to be careful too."

The words were playing on Anirudh's mind in a loop as he drove down the hilly roads receding the distance towards the Roy Chowdhury Banglow.

It was late evening when he finally reached home. The sun had just set in the western sky painting the nature in its dark golden aura.
Anirudh had bought another golden bun pin for Bondita as she hasn't worn the last one after the dreadful event of Holi.

With the hope of surprising her, Anirudh tiptoed upstairs. There was nothing in the world that he wouldn't do to see his Bondita happy and in his heart he knew that his presence had always been the biggest reason for her smile.

He found the door to be open, as he walked inside stealthily, with the pin in his hand and a mischievous smile plastered in his lips, he found Bondita was sitting quietly on her bed... turning her back towards the door. In the dimmed final rays of the dying sun, Anirudh noticed her hair, it was tied up in a bun, exactly the way he had wished for it to be. Her legs were hurled up to her chest as she had wrapped her knees with her arms.
Anirudh came closer as he gently pierced the pin into her neat bun. His hands slide down her arms, clad with a beautiful golden silk blouse, as he lightly spooned her from behind into a loose embrace.

"I missed you..." He closed his eyes inhaling deeply her tantalizing scent and whispering the words lovingly into her ears.
"Tell you that you missed me as...."

Anirudh couldn't finish his words as he heard Bondita's voice calling him out. A sharp chill ran down his spine and his knees started to quiver in an unknown terror as he quickly turned around to determine the source of the sound.

"Barrister Babu??" Anirudh froze as the voice called out again, as he saw his Bondita standing at the door with a bunch of freshly plucked pink roses in her hand.

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