Barrister Babu

Chapter 33: Marrying Mala

It was five in the morning, time for puja, but Bondita was slightly disappointed when she didn't find Anirudh next to her. Well, she wasn't sleeping beside him either last night.

Sighing, she called out, "Chameli, get up. You have to do the puja today."

Chameli was tired after all the wedding functions. She shifted to the opposite side. "Let me sleep, yaar."

"No, get up." Bondita already freshened up and was wiping her hair. Then she realized that Anirudh would want coffee the first thing in the morning. "Oh, no. Why didn't Patibabu call for me yet?"

She found it a bit suspicious, but shrugged.

"Maybe, he's still asleep as well due to tiredness," she mumbled and saw that Chameli pulled the blanket closer to her chest. Bondita went to her and pulled the blanket, "Chameli Boudi, uthiye."

Chameli's eyes grew as wide as saucers and she jolted awake. "Bondita! I told you to not call me boudi."

Bondita smiled. "Get up. It's your first day as a Roy Chawdhary bahu and today is your first rasoi too. You have a lot of work, jethani ji."

"This is worse!" Chameli retorted, hearing jethani from Bondita's mouth.

"Okay, okay, now freshen up. I am going downstairs," with that, Bondita went downstairs.

She found the study lights on and thought Anirudh was there. However, much to her disappointment, he wasn't.

"Patibabu never leaves the study lights on. What's going on?" Bondita muttered, feeling restless. She needed to see Anirudh, just a glimpse of him to calm her uneasiness.

"Bahu, where is Chameli bahu?" Trilochan's sudden voice startled Bondita.

"Kakasasurji..."

"Didn't you tell her today she will do the puja and it's her pehli rasoi?" he inquired.

"Yes, I did. She is getting ready," Bondita uttered.

"Boudi, I have to go to college now. I have work," Som informed her. "Please serve me breakfast."

"But breakfast isn't made yet. Chameli bahu will make it," Trilochan said sternly.

"It's okay, Kakasasurji. I will just make something light for Som so that he doesn't leave on a hungry stomach."

Trilochan wasn't happy but nodded. He was disappointed at Chameli. She should have been responsible on her first day at sasural.

Bondita rushed to the kitchen to make something for Som.

"Koyeli didi, please cut some fruits too," Bondita instructed and Koyeli followed.

Chameli finally got downstairs and saw Trilochan grumpily sitting in the living room with Som. She was disappointed by not seeing Keth.

Chameli went to touch Trilochan's feet and he blessed. "Sada suhaagan raho."

Then he looked at Chameli. She was wearing an expensive saree but no jewelry. She didn't even wear a sindoor!

Trilochan squinted his eyes in anger. "Bondita Bahu!"

Bondita was finished making a light breakfast for Som. She put it in a tiffin and ran to the living room.

"What's wrong, Kakasasurji?" she asked, handing Som the tiffin so that he could eat when he wanted. Som left for college.

"Didn't you teach Chameli bahu some basics? Why didn't she wear any jewelry?" Trilochan turned to Bondita. "Look at my Bondita bahu. She still looks like a newlywed and a Roy Chawdhary bahu. You have to be like her, Chameli bahu."