Barrister Babu

Chapter 16: First Puja

When Anirudh finally gathered enough courage and went to the bedroom, he found Bondita asleep. With a sigh, he just hugged her and slept.

In the morning, Anirudh got up when he couldn't feel Bondita next to him anymore. His eyes went on the time.

"Shit! It's time for the morning puja!"

He got up immediately and freshened up. Then he went downstairs.

Bondita, Trilochan, Keth, Chameli, Som, Batuk, Bihari, and Koyeli—everyone except Anirudh was in the temple.

Anirudh got inside the temple and stood next to Batuk as Bondita performed the veneration.

Batuk noticed that so he ended up arching an eyebrow. 

Som took a step closer to Batuk and Anirudh and whispered, "Dada, what brings you here today?"

"Of course 'Boudi'," Batuk deadpanned.

"Did you two have an argument?" Som asked again.

"Otherwise there's no way Dada would be here," Batuk mumbled again as Anirudh chose to ignore them until the veneration to be on Bondita's good side.

"Two of you, stop it. Don't talk during the puja," Keth said sternly, making the two of them zip their lips.

Bondita was finally done and she and Trilochan turned back. Trilochan widened his eyes in surprise. But Bondita pretended to seem unbothered as she gave the offerings to everyone.

"Bihari, did the sun even come out today?" Trilochan joked. "Or have I gone blind?"

"No, no, Malik, you are really seeing Barrister Babu," Bihari stated foolishly.

Anirudh cleared his throat and walked to Trilochan. Then he bent down and took his blessings. Trilochan was still surprised but blessed him.

Anirudh folded his hands in front of him. "Kaka, I am sorry for my behavior yesterday. I should respect your ideologies too. I didn't realize I wasn't considering your thoughts and kept arguing with you."

Trilochan was amazed at this.

He continued, "I will try to make it up to you for my behavior and the best way to start is by attending morning puja every day."

A wide grin appeared on Trilochan's face. "You will attend puja every day?!"

"That's what you got from all his speech?" Som ended up saying.

"Som Dada, shush and let me enjoy this!" Batuk hissed.

Anirudh nodded to Trilochan's question.

"Okay, okay, beta, I forgive you," Trilochan said with a smile and pulled him into a warm hug.

Bondita watched this with a subtle smile on her lips. Finally, her patibabu gained some common sense.

"I'll serve breakfast," Bondita spoke up. "Kakasasurji, Pandit Moor will come at 2 PM, right?"

Trilochan nodded and without sparing one last glance at Anirudh, Bondita walked to the kitchen.

Anirudh hated her silent treatment since last night. She wasn't giving him a chance to talk with her as well. But even he was Anirudh Roy Chawdhary. He knew very well how to get his wife's attention.

###

"Wear this saree," Barsha handed a red colored banarasi saree to Mala.

Mala instantly dropped it. "No, no, Maa, I cannot wear this. I am a widow!"

"Areh pagli, you will wear this only in front of Keth Babu to get his attention, got it?"

Mala looked at Barsha innocently. "How, Maa? We can barely see him."

"I learned from one of the guards here that Keth Babu wakes up at three in the morning and meditates for an hour and a half at the gazebo," informed Barsha, hoping her daughter got the hint.

"So?"

Barsha slapped her forehead dramatically. "What did I do to deserve such an idiotic daughter?" She picked up the saree and handed it again to Mala. "You will wear this tonight at 3 in the morning and help Keth Babu relax to you, so that he doesn't need any meditation."

"Chi, Maa, how can I do that?" Mala was utterly disgusted.

"Okay, fine, not that but try to let your presence be known. At least, form a connection with him." Barsha urged, "Remember, you can be the Zamidarni Bahu; the eldest Bahu of Roy Chawdharys."

Precap:

"Leave my hand! What are you doing? Someone will see us." Fear was evident in her eyes.

"Let them. I don't care. Why aren't you talking to me?" he leaned closer to her, pushing a few strands of her hair behind her ear.