Barrister Babu

Chapter 3: Fired

"Bondita?" Anirudh was surprised. Then his eyes fell on Chameli, who was holding Bondita's injured elbow and crying. Anirudh's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

He opened the gate and rushed to Bondita. He held her elbow and started to examine the wound. "Bondita, this injury... it is bleeding."

Bondita just had a smile on her face, her heart at ease just by looking at her husband.

"Bondita, you—" he saw the tears in her eyes and it made him emotional too. "You are crying. It must be painful."

"Boudi, you are back?" Batuk rushed to her and gave her a side-hug due to her injury. "You should've informed us."

Batuk rushed inside the haveli once again, to inform everyone about her arrival.

"See!" Chameli glared at the guards. "She wasn't lying. She is Bondita Roy Chawdhary. You pushed her!"

The guards lowered their gaze in shame and folded their hands. "I am sorry, Bondita Malkin. We didn't k—" they were cut off by an enraged Anirudh.

"Sorry? You pushed her? You pushed my wife? How dare you?" Anirudh yelled at them.

Bondita felt butterflies in her stomach when she heard him claim her as his wife. Even though she knew it was out of responsibility, it always made her feel good.

"You are fired," Bondita broke from her trance as soon as she heard Anirudh say that.

"No, Patibabu," she protested. "Don't fire them."

"But they pushed you. Who gives them the right to push women?" Anirudh clenched his fist.

"They did push me but it was a slight push because I called Batuk by peeking inside. I lost my balance and fell. They were just doing their job. Please forgive them."

"Yes, Malkin, we will never push anyone even if slightly. Forgive us."

"Please don't fire us." Both the guards pleaded in guilt and fear.

Bondita looked at Anirudh, who was still looking at her wound. "Patibabu, let's go inside and you can treat my wounds." She did that intentionally to save the guards. Despite Anirudh understanding her technique, he didn't protest because his first priority was Bondita.

All of them walked inside.

As Bondita was about to step inside, Trilochan stopped her. "Wait, Bahu." Bihari brought all the grih-pravesh things. "Today, my bahu is back and I want to perform this aarti. May Durga Maa protect you from all evil-eyes."

Trilochan wiped his tears as Bondita stepped inside the house. She took his blessings.

"Bihari, bring the first-aid box!" Anirudh ordered.

Bihari rushed in while Batuk said, "Dada, should we call Som Dada?"

Bondita shook her head. "It's not even that serious. Let Som attend his classes."

Bihari brought the first-aid kit and handed it to Anirudh, who started to treat her wounds.

"Bondita, you should've at least informed me that you were coming. You said you would come next month. Then how...?" He finished treating her wounds and sat next to her.

"Uffo Patibabu," she slapped her forehead dramatically, "if you ask all the questions now, then what's the fun in here?"

Anirudh furrowed his brows. "Fun? Bondita, if we didn't come on time, the guards would've misbehaved with you even more. I am firing them next week."

"But—"

He interrupted her, "I am generous enough so I am giving them a week to find a new job. That's the best I can do."

"All that is okay, but who is that girl, boudi?" Batuk pointed toward Chameli.

"Yes, even I was about to ask that, Bahu," Trilochan looked at Bondita, for a response and so was everyone.

Precap:

"I dream, that one day you would fill my hairline like this, Patibabu but I know that day is way far away."

"Bahu, you are an adult now. You and Anirudh should stay in one room now."

"I will make his coffee, Koyeli Didi, don't worry."

"You got this, Bondita."