Bengal, Chatterjee House

Saudamini kept gazing at him, with half closed eyes. The tip of her fingers were touching his as she snuggled more on the mattress, blinking. Lost in thoughts. Her eyes lowered down to the tip of her finger contacting his, and then towards their marriage ring which was on his ring-finger. 

He had accepted her. 

He had accepted her past. 

She lifted her brows, as Anirban fisted his fingers and drew in his arm in sleep. He gathered himself a bit, and dug his head further into his pillow. And that's when she realized that she had taken the entire blanket from him over herself. He was practically lying without any covers and did not even realize in sleep. 

She bit her tongue sheepishly, feeling embarrassed. 

Sitting up, she peered at him for a moment, and then flipped the blanket over his sleeping figure, covering him properly. His subconscious self held the edge of the cloth and adjusted it over himself in reflex, his expressions relaxing in comfort almost instantly.

She shook her head, as her lips crept into a small smile. 

She wiped a streak of tear from the corner of her eye, and pressed her lips.

Satyakaam had a sarcastic smile on his face, tears coagulating beneath his eyelids. His body vibrated subtly as he tried to suppress a hopeless, sarcastic chuckle gurgling from his throat, "You, you would've talked to your father, Saudamini?"

Saudamini halted clattering her teeth, she was shivering in anger as she stared at him with wide eyes.

A painful escaped from Satyakaam's lips finally, "Before you would've spoken, your dearest father would've noticed two tears from your eyes....and your family, your family is always there to wipe your tears." He looked away, pressing his lips together, "And when did you suddenly started being so selfless that you are going to talk to your father?!" 

 Saudamini glanced above, trying to blink away those unwanted waters of saline. 

Gone was the Saudamini who used to hide behind her family and weep even due to a mild scratch. 

.

.

.

The charm of early morning of something else at the Chatterjee residence. 

Birds chirped cheerfully around, even the water birds which are rare to spot in the town could be seen. None can deny that the sweet scent of the Ganga river was afloat amidst the cool zephyrs. 

Saudamini strode around the corridor, in fresh garments and her hair slightly wet after the bath. Her long tresses were left open to dry in the morning breeze, her torso was wrapped with a blue Benarasi saree with golden imprints. Neck adorned with a long piece of designed gold neckpiece and wrist adorned with Shakha Pola, and a few bangles which signified her newly married life.

She had missed the chance to explore the Raajbaari at night. To be honest, the entire house appeared more bigger in the darkness. The morning light was giving away the secrets. 

The walls legit had imprints--imprints about the notable people, or who did the carvings and involved in the making of the house, clearly signifying that the house was more than hundred years old. The Chatterjees, more preferentially called so from 'Chattopadhyays' now under the British influence, were a class of the ruling Brahmins. It gradually shifted from rule to business, again due to the Britishers. Yet, the family did not forget to keep their ancestors alive through their portraits and carvings every now and then. 

Heck, they seemed to be even richer than the Zamindar of their land. 

Both Manikant Chatterjee, Anirban and Tripti's father and Somnath Das, Subhankar's father had kept the essence of the palace alive and thriving. Their friendship was always the talk of the town, and one could go raving about how the two souls in-spite of having a difference in class could be bosom friends; so much so that Manikant had given half of his estate to Somnath without thinking twice. Majority called it a hasty decision, but Manikant was firm in his views. 

Well, that explained why Anirban, Tripti and Subhankar were inseparables.

The pooja room was hustling and bustling with the women, preparing for the grand veneration to signify their heir's marriage. All of them were seated in the room, busy in making flower garlands, or bringing in offerings. 

Saudamini stood near the door, feeling a bit timid amidst the grandness. Once upon a time, she had felt that there might not be a family any richer than them. And now there she was, technically a Princess of the Chatterjee palace. 

"Mini Di! Why are you standing there? Come inside please!" Saudamini heard Tripti's gleeful voice, who was sitting beside her cousin sister, Meghmaala. Meghmaala was Anirban's middle aunt, Shaanti Maashi's daughter. She had to realize one thing, more than his father's side, Anirban's mother side had more relatives. And that had a reason too. 

Not everyone from the Chatterjee family was happy with Manikant sharing his property with Somnath. Specially his elder brother, Shashikant, who had left the residence in anger, firstly due their father denying him the right to the property because of his erratic and irresponsible nature; and now when Manikant shared his property, he did with his best friend rather than with his brother.

And they say blood is thicker than water? 

Saudamini passed her a small smile and entered inside, clutching her veil. There was the sweet fragrance of marigolds, the advent of winter had literally produced thick marigolds of yellow and bright orange. The scent of ittar, honey and the incense stick also did not fail to leave their mark.

The room smelled as divine as it could be.

Saudamini pouted animatedly at a girl about three years who was sitting on Meghmaala's lap, busy plucking out the little petals from a marigold. Well, to keep her busy of course, while her mother was immersed in inserting the flowers into a string. The child chuckled softly seeing her expressions, making Saudamini giggle back at her as well. Phalguni, was the youngest daughter of Meghmaala, who had two sons who were elder than her as well.

"Come Saudamini, sit with us!" A few of the women called her. Saudamini sat beside Meghmaala, flattening her saree and got hold of a basket with the flowers. Meghmaala smiled softly at her, and she returned the same.

"Kigo, tomar chhele duti koigo? Dekhne pelam na to shokkal theke?"("Where are your sons off to? I didn't get their glimpse this morning?"),  Saudamini ushered her with a smile, while pinching Phalguni's cheek, who was still immersed in plucking the petals. 

"Aar bolona go! Shei shokkal theke beriye poreche duti nijer Babar shaathe ghat e! Eder khela je aar shesh hoye na..." ( "Don't ask even, Saudamini! Those two kids had went off with their father towards the ghat this morning! Their playing just never get's over....") Meghmaala deadpanned at her shaking her head with a smile, causing Saudamini to giggle, "Na na, thaak. Eito chhoto, boro holei to tob shesh.") ( "Let them sister, it's just their youthful days they are going to enjoy. These days would never come back once gone!")

"Na go...tumi aar taal diye na to oder ke!" ("Oh God, not you too!") Meghmaala snickered, "Tomar shaami to agei eder mathaye tule rakhe ekkebaare- koto baar na korechi eto taal diyona, ke kaar kotha sone ( Your husband too keeps them on his heads-even though I repeatedly ask him not to listen to their tantrums, but who cares....)

Saudamini couldn't help but chuckle further. 

Both of them were busy conversing with each other, while Phalguni grew irritated after her job was done. She began to tap Meghmaala and even grab a strand of her hair and yanked it, causing her to yelp, "Uff...." 

"Arrey...." Saudamini gazed at her amusedly. 

"She does like that only, she needs something to keep her busy always." Meghmaala clicked her tongue, and then ushered her daughter to go and irritate Tripti in return. Phalguni instantly got up, much to Saudamini's amusement and lunged at Tripti from behind, who was about to stumble due to sudden attack. She turned around, and her frown turned into a wide smile, as she collected the child in her arms and kissed her repeatedly, taking her out. 

Wholesome. 

Saudamini resumed working with a smile, when Meghmaala gazed at her for a brief moment with a nervous expression on her face, "Saudamini....if you don't mind, can I ask you something?" 

"Yeah sure! Please go on!" She demurely smiled back, inserting a marigold into the string.

"Why didn't, why didn't your marriage work......with Satyakaam?" 

With that, Saudamini's fingers automatically stopped working. 

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

👀👉👈.

Btw the environment was so Bengali coded 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Signing off for today!

Nushkie