"Where were you?"

A sharp voice reverberated through the wall of the empty room as Kshitija crept inside Suresh's house. She was wrapped in a black shawl to sheath her evil identify even in the dark.
It was long past midnight when Kshitija finally returned to the house ensuring the smooth execution of her demonic plan.

Suresh had returned only about an hour ago from the hospital, after tending to a traumatised Mira and an injured Gobindo. As per Lachman's words, he had informed Superintendent Davidson, intimating him about the situation, as he saw him send out a search party immediately to rescue the abducted couple.

"Where were you at this ungodly hour Kshitija?" Suresh asked again, his voice, a little stern this time, as he sat in a chair in his empty bedroom. "I trusted you..."

Kshitija didn't let him finish his sentence. She quickly dropped the shawl from her body and removed her saree seductively that covered her breasts.

"No Kshitija..." Suresh protested trying to get up from the chair as he felt Kshitija's firm hands pressing his shoulders making him sit back in his place.

"No... Kshitija don't... "
Suresh's lips were occupied by a pair of soft sensuous lips as they started to suckle his thoughts and doubts out of his mind.

Suresh couldn't speak any more as the overpowering sensuality of Kshitija's body engulfed his entire being, entrapping his soul in the dark abyss of carnal desires.

Kshitija's hands skillfully moved around his body, caressing and stroking his pleasure points as Suresh moaned out loud in an undeniable euphoric pleasure.

"You need to trust me Suresh..." Kshitija hushed in his ears seductively as she unbuttoned his shirt slowly. Her hands ran wildly on Suresh's hairy masculine chest as her pelvis grinded on his lap.

"Ahh...." Suresh gnawed in pleasure as his body lost complete control, submitting himself to the mercy of his mistress.

He followed Kshitija to the bed like an enchanted soul, as she gestured him to lower his naked body down on the soft mattress. His muscles stiffened and senses muddled up as he saw her saddling over his body. She positioned herself on top of him as her hands guided his manhood inside her with a sense of dominant mastery.

"Take me Suresh..." She grunted seductively as she felt his sharp thrusts mindlessly rupturing her soft core.

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

"Barrister Babu... I can't walk a single step further."

It was past midnight as Anirudh and Bondita staggered their bodies along the undulating mud road outside the border of Dehradun. It's been almost three hours that the duo had been walking with no sign of locality within the vicinity of their reach.

"Bondita... Shona... I little more!" Anirudh requested her politely. "You are my tigress, aren't you... Just a little more!"
He tugged at her arms making her cover a few more steps.

"No... I can't..." Bondita dropped down on the road. "You have been telling me the same thing for the past one hour." Bondita panted breathlessly as her throat dried up in acute thirst.

Anirudh looked around helplessly, his eyes desparately searching for a becon of hope that would save them from spending the night under the chills of the open sky.

"Bondita... Look!"

Anirudh exclaimed as she looked up following the direction pointed by his hands.

"What's that? A cart?" She asked. "But..."

"Let's go and check.."
Anirudh scooped Bondita up in his arms, cradling her tired body, as she clutched his neck firmly with her hands.
"Just a little more..." He hushed under his breath.

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

A bullock cart was halted by the side of the mud road leading towards a dense greenary. Anirudh approached near as he saw an old man sleeping peacefully inside the thatched shade of the cart.
The bull was probably sleeping as well, or perhaps resting.

"Kaka.... Kaka..." Anirudh called out shaking the man gently with his hands.

"Who....?" The man replied in a sleepy voice.

"We are travellers Kaka... We are in trouble, we were attacked by robbers." Anirudh blurted out the answers.

"Robbers!"
The old man sat upright, rubbing his eyes as he looked at Bondita and Anirudh closely.

"My wife.." Anirudh gestured towards Bondita as she joined her hands together.

"Please Kaka... help us."

The old man got down from the cart immediately.
"Maa... Please don't join your hands to this poor old man... I don't want to die with a sin on me." He replied softly as he looked up at Anirudh.

"Young man... I don't know who you are... But, tell me how I can help you." He said.

"Kaka... It would be great if you can take us to the nearest locality." Anirudh paused. "We have been walking all night and my wife is very thirsty and exhausted."

"Nearest locality...?" The man scratched his head lost in an unknown thought.
"That would be 18 miles from here... But... I can take you to my hut. It's nearby." He remarked gleefully.

Anirudh looked at Bondita.
"Perfect.." she replied as Anirudh helped her hop inside the cart.

The old man took some time to tie the bull back to the cart as he sat in the driver's seat.

"Huttt... Hutttt....!"
He pulled the rope gear to make the bull leap and move forward.

Anirudh had wrapped his arms around Bondita making her snuggle in his warm embrace. Her eyes closed down in relief as she felt his calming musk aided by the rhythmic thud of his heartbeat.

"Young man... What is your name?"
The driver asked loudly as he manned the bull expertly on the grassy road.

"Anirudh."

"Anirudh what?" The old man asked again.

"Anirudh Roy Chowdhury."

"I'm sorry Babu... I didn't realise you are a brahmin!" The man apologized sincerely.

"Kaka... You don't have to be sorry." Anirudh replied politely. "Which place is this?"

"It's called Tehri Garhwal Babu... My hut is just around the corner." He replied back. "The village is eighteen miles from here."

The sky had started to fade a little as the bullock cart stopped infront of a small mud hut.

Anirudh helped Bondita get down as the old man tied the bull to a tree trunk.

"Wait here... " He asked politely, as he quickly went inside the hut to fetch a glass a water.

Anirudh and Bondita stood infront the thatched hut as their eyes started to look around the beautiful scenery, all painted in a dark orange hue. There was a small shed attached to the hut, covered with dry hay. There was a small verandah infront of the hut mucked up tidily. Small flower shrubs adorned the perimeter of the hut giving it a touch of celestial romanticism.

"It's beautiful around!" Bondita gasped.

"Yes Maa... it is!" The old man replied as he handed her the glass of water. " My old girl was fond of gardening. All these that you see here...She created these!"
Bondita noticed a soft dew in the corner of his eyes.

"Where is she?" Bondita asked slowly fearing the answer.

"There." The man gestured towards the sky. "Good people doesn't live long here with sinners like myself."

"I'm sorry to hear that Kaka... " Anirudh replied as he touched his shoulder to comfort him.

The old man wiped his eyes.
"Maa Lokkhi... Come inside." He quickly turned towards Bondita, taking the empty glass from her hand.
"I have a job to do today. I'll be going to the border to pick up a cargo and deliver it to a farmer friend. You two, can stay the day here." He smiled. "I'll be back by tomorrow evening. Then, I'll take you to Tehri village."

Anirudh took out a note from his pocket and handed it to the old man.
"Thanks a lot Kaka..."

"Oh... no no Babu... I can't take this. You are my guest, you are narayan!"

Anirudh was touched by this gesture.

"Kaka... Please... I insist." He tucked the note into his worn out pocket and the man blessed him heartily.

"You will have everything you need here." He smiled gently to the young couple. " Fresh clothes, rice and fresh milk from my Kamli gai." He pointed towards the shed. "There is a small vegetable garden behind as well."

Both Bondita and Anirudh were exhausted beyond their extent as Bondita tottered towards the door.

"Maa Lokkhi.. wait!"
The old man stopped her suddenly as he looked sharply at Anirudh, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You said she is your wife... But, why is her forehead empty?'

Anirudh fumbled for a moment as he looked up at Bondita's tired face.

"We... actually...she is of a different religion. We have eloped." He said in a low voice.

"Oh...hoo... !" The old man chuckled softly. "A marriage out of love... That's beautiful!"

He turned around to face Bondita.
"But Maa Lokkhi... There is no bigger religion known to human than love.... " He smiled.
"Wait here... I'll be back."

He sprinted inside the hut and came out within a few minutes. He walked towards Anirudh straight and handed him a small box.

"Open it son.. it's my old girl's." He smiled fondly as Anirudh slowly opened the tiny brass lid.

"Sindoor!!" He gaped.

"Yes... My old girl said it is a powerful one. And, she believed that this is what kept me alive during the epidemic, and it took her from me instead." His voice choked. "She was proud to have died before me... that silly girl....! She gave this to me on her death bed... and then our son died too!" He paused. "Take this son, and make her yours forever!"

The moment was emotionally overwhelming.
Anirudh looked helplessly at Bondita as he saw her approaching towards him with small baby steps. Her head was slightly bowed down as her bare hairline was visible in the faint morning light.

"Do it son..." The man remarked. "Love is the greatest religion, and you worship it in the pure union of marriage."

Anirudh inched closer to Bondita, as his hands moved up to her forehead with a pinch of the red vermillion held in it.

The birds chirped in a melodious cacophony and the pious morning sun blessed it's first rays on them, as Bondita felt a soft touch on her head, straining a line of love on her bare hairline.

She closed her eyes and a soft tear of joy escaped from her eye.

"Bondita..." Anirudh called her affectionately, as he held her chin gently in his fingers raising her face up to meet his gaze.

The red vermillion made her look ethereal, and Anirudh noticed a trace of the dust splattered aesthetically on the bridge of her pointed nose.

He lost his words as the surreality of the moment overpowered his mortal senses.

"Exquisite!!" A lone word escaped from his mouth as he gaped at the beauty of his wife.

"Dugga Dugga..." The old man raised his hands to his forehead in a hearty prayer.
"Maa Lokkhi, now go inside with your husband... I'm sure, you both are very tired." He spoke tenderly. " I'll be back in two days, consider this small hut to be yours!"

Bondita looked at Anirudh bashfully as he held her hand, helping her step inside the small hut... together!

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

** Bengali's call their daughters and daughter-in-laws 'Maa Lokkhi' lovingly.
Maa Lokkhi is Goddess Lakshmi in Bengali. Women are generally referred to as goddess Lakshmi because they are said to bring prosperity to a household just like the goddess herself.
So, next time if you meet an elderly bengali, and the person refers to you as Maa or 'mother', don't be surprised. 😊😊

I'll be eagerly waiting to read your views on this update. ❤️❤️