It was early spring. Wild colourful flowers had bloomed in abundance in the green valley of Dehradun. The aesthetic bliss of the scenic beauty was good enough to make anyone fall in love with life. But what about the ones already in love? Or the ones blind to the prospect of it?

It was a big day for Bondita. First her graduation ceremony followed by her 18th birthday celebrations. The Roychowdhury's had already reached Dehradun a day before. They were lodging at their ancestral Banglow in the middle of the beautiful valley. Bondita had gone to greet them along with her friend Kshitija. She was extremely elated to see Kaka,Batuk and Koeli didi. Som Dada couldn't make it as he was all set to go to Mumbai for his further studies on civil engineering. In the evening, Bondita had taken them out for a local sightseeing. The scenic beauty was breathtaking! Amidst all the fun and frolic, Batuk had pulled Bondita aside and asked, " Boudi, any news from Dada?"
Bondita sighed deeply and nodded her head in denial.
"So what did you decide?" Batuk was restless.
"What's there to decide Batuk? He doesn't want me. He just wants me to be independent, and here I am." Bondita paused. "I'm his obligation Batuk."

"No you are not... Boudi, please. Please don't desert us. I have never had a mother or a sister. You are the next best thing that had ever happened to me." Batuk's voice choked with emotion.

Bondita couldn't hid her tears anymore. Wiping her eyes, she took a deep breath before speaking.
"Let's go inside Batuk. Time only will give us the correct answers."

Leaving the Roychowdhurys inside, a thoughtful Bondita returned back to her convent dorm. Kshitija, too, sensed her melancholy. She tried to cheer her up the entire way back.

Kshitija's family hails from Delhi. They have a modern outlook towards life. She, too, lost her mother at a tender age and was left with a Ranger father and a twin brother, Rishit. Throughout these four years Kshitija has been a constant companion to Bondita. Her father loves Bondita dearly and her brother... well, Rishit has always been enamoured and bedazzled by Bondita's intelligence and beauty.
..................

Bondita had a lot to prepare. The ceremony was due in the next 3 hours. The guests would start pouring in soon. Bondita was fiddling with her graduation speech, thanking everyone starting with her family and Ms. Lenny for supporting her. But the more she read it, the more it sounded vague.. something was missing, something that she could neither figure out nor fathom.
Brushing away her thoughts, she opened her wardrobe to take out the saree she had planned to wear for the day. It was a simple old saree that Anirudh had presented her 5 years ago. It was not any fancy silk but a regular Indian made cotton saree, off-white in colour with bright blue and red border. This saree was a result of Swadeshi movement that Anirudh was supporting at that time... A lot of sentimental values!
She brought the cloth close to her nose and sniffed it. It smelled familiar, it smelled like...
Her chain of thoughts were broken by Kshitija who busted inside her room.
"Bondita... Come. Let me show you something." She pulled Bondita's hand in great excitement and took her by the window.
"Look! What a car... Bondita... I want a ride in it." Kshitija faked a cry.

"Really a lovely car. Imported I'm sure. Whose is this by the way?" Bondita enquired.

"Ms. Lenny's special friend's." She whispered with a wink. "All the way from London." She swayed her hand in the air.
"And a handsome hunk so I hear." Kshitija concluded.

"Wow. Ms. Lenny's Special British friend is undoubtedly rich." Bondita remarked.

She turned her eyes away from the window casually and went back to her side of the room. She picked up the saree from the bed and clasped it to her breast.
"But I'm richer." She murmured with a smile.