Sometimes, it takes a lifetime to call someone your own, and sometimes, it just takes a moment.
Mira had felt an unknown bond with Anirudh, a bond that she was yet to name, or probably never to name! She felt an inexplicable oneness with him that was beyond words for her to express.
No one had ever been kind to her the way Anirudh was, no one had ever patted her head lovingly, no one had ever praised her cooking.
Mira's dark droopy eyes teared up as she heard Anirudh's words,
"I'll take you with me Mira, soon... Very soon!"

"Don't cry Mira... Remember what I had told you?" Suresh's mother came out of the kitchen slowly limping with age, as she inched towards her.
"Now you need to think about the one growing inside you. If you cry, the small one would suffer." She took the edge of her saree and gestured her to wipe the tears.

Anirudh saw a shade of melancholy drawing upon Mira's face as his heart too felt the pain.
This was not her age to bear this burden, this was not her age to face the dark realities of life. Anirudh took a deep breath as he tried to force a smile on his face.

"Mira... You shouldn't be crying anyway. Remember, you're too strong for tears!"
He held Mira's shoulders tenderly with both hands as he bent his head a little lower to meet her gaze.
"Promise me, you won't cry..." Anirudh told her. "Promise me, you would fight."

Mira looked up slowly and nodded her head.
"I'll fight... I promise."
She bent down to touch his feet once again as Anirudh held her up.

"You don't have to do this Mira."

Mira smiled softly as she moved her hand up and touched the top of her forehead with it.

"Now, this I won't listen Barrister Babu. You can't take this away from me... Not in this lifetime." She smiled.

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

As the evening climaxed, Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury drove down to the Magistrate's residential Banglow. The simple down-to-earth young man, who had eaten the simplest food from a banana leaf plate just about an hour ago, had now, completely transformed himself to match up to the superiority of the elite world.
His expensive silk tie and his Oxford Blazer were all in place, as Anirudh entered the banglow.
Superintendent Davidson had already arrived and the three old friends sat down in the open air of the banglow garden, reminiscing their old college days, regaling each other with stories of their heroic tales.
The champagne was uncorked... followed by another bottle of Chardonnay as Davidson finally remarked,

"So, Anirudh... This lady... Chi-T-Ja... Didn't you say she is engaged to be married?"

Anirudh nodded his head slowly.

"Womenfolk, man... Womenfolk!" Heinrich breathed loudly. " It's so difficult to gauge what's in that pretty heart of theirs!"

"But, I still can't believe the audacity! Didn't she already knew that you are spoken for?" Davidson asked again.

"She sure did!" He said plainly. "She claims to be her best friend!"

Heinrich patted Anirudh's shoulder as he finished the last sip of his Chardonnay.
"Brother..." He voice was slurry. "Everything is fair in love and war. And we're in this with you!"

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

There are two basic motivational force in this world- love and fear. All positive emotions come from love, while fear invokes negativity.
After Koeli had left her alone in the morning, Bondita had felt an inexplicable amalgamation of both these emotions.
She felt love for Anirudh, and had feared losing him at the same time.
Koeli was perhaps right, their marriage, ten years ago, had bounded them for the next seven births, then why would she deny this divine relationship?
Why would she be afraid to claim what is truly hers?

But, didn't she tell Anirudh herself, that her identity doesn't depend on the red vermillion strain on the forehead! Then why? Why was this thought bothering her so much?

After a considerable amount of reflection and inner turmoil, Bondita finally decided to claim her rightful place in Anirudh's life. She would not wear sindoor herself, instead, she would ask him to adorn her forehead with the colour.

As the evening darkened, Bondita slowly got up and took out a new amber orange Banarasi saree from her closet. Anirudh had bought this for her, but she never had an occasion to wear it... Until now.
'It was perfect!' She thought.

She took out a few gold jewelleries that she owned and walked up towards the dressing table.
'I want to look like a wife tonight... his wife!" Bondita smiled as she carefully drew a broad trace of jet black kohl on her eyes lids.
It was after an hour that she slowly walked down the stairs and entered Anirudh's bedroom.
It was empty.
Bondita took a deep breath as she closed the door lightly and walked towards his king size majestic bed.
Her heart pounded as she pulled the loose end of her saree and wrapped it around her head, pulling it down to cover her face with it.
She gathered her legs and sat on his bed like a newly wed bride.
Her heart raced with every passing second, anticipating his arrival.

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

It was quite late when Anirudh finally reached his Banglow. Heinrich had insisted several times to send a driver along with him, but Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury was indomitable.
It was somehow against his intoxicated pride to take assistance, and hence, he had decided against his good judgement to drive home alone.

He left the car at the entrance of the Banglow and staggered sloppily to the door.

Bondita had heard his echoing footsteps as her heart started to beat in skips.
Her breathe became ragged in anticipated excitement when she realised Anirudh had finally pushed the door of his bedroom open to entire inside.

It was her moment of truth, she wanted him to come close to her, to uncover her veiled face and lift her chin lovingly. In her mind, she could almost feel his mesmerizing deep eyes intensifying his gaze on her. Bondita exhaled sharply as the thought send a shiver down her spine.

She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip in anxiety. Any moment now... her heart told her.

"Damn..!" Anirudh breathed the word a little loud as his un-rhythmic steps collided with the centre table kept in one corner of the room.

For a moment, Bondita thought of jumping out of the bed and tending to his discomfort... But not tonight, she told her heart.

'Why didn't he see me yet!' Bondita thought as she regretted the overtly dark countenance of the room.
'I should have got a couple of candles atleast!' she told herself.

Bondita sensed Anirudh tossing his blazer on the couch as he inched towards the bed.

"Holy Mother!!"

Bondita heard Anirudh jumped backwards quite a few steps as he yelped the words loudly.

"Not here... You vile woman! Not in my bedroom atleast... "

Bondita was dumbfounded as she removed the saree from her head only to find Anirudh almost sprinting out of his bedroom, staggering his feet as fast as he could.

'Now what happened!!' Bondita murmured. She got down from the bed slowly as her loud sigh echoed in the empty room.

.............................
................................
Hey guys,
Just to let you know... With this update I have successfully completed one month of writing in Wattpad.
This story is just one month old and thank you for loving this so much. ❤️❤️
Keep voting and commenting 😊