"You married Mala?" Chameli mumbled, wishing it to be a dream already and she woke up soon.
Bondita, who was still in Anirudh's arms, glanced at Keth, then Mala, who had lowered her gaze and then at Anirudh, who gave Bondita a defeated look.
"Yeh kya mazak hai?!" Trilochan shouted as his grip on his stick tightened.
"Mazak nahi hai, Baba!" Keth shouted back. "I married Mala and she is my wife now."
"But Keth Dada... you are already married..." Bondita muttered, pulling herself back from Anirudh's arms.
Keth shifted his gaze to Bondita and chuckled humorlessly. "Acha? Where is it written that we cannot marry multiple times?"
"Polygamy is not right!" Bondita let out.
"It is not illegal either," Keth retorted. "Is there any law about polygamy not being right? No. Even my shastra accepts polygamy. Many Gods had multiple wives. So I am not wrong."
Keth turned to Trilochan this time, using shastra as his weapon to convince him.
"But Ram had only Sita!" Chameli bursted out, tears profusely falling down from her eyes. "If you wanted to follow shastra, why didn't you follow Shri Ram?"
Keth felt a pang in his chest, seeing Chameli's tears. But then, Mala moved to his side, letting her presence be known.
"Now there is nothing to say. Mala is my second wife and I didn't commit any crime. I like her so I married her," Keth announced. "Baba?"
Trilochan watched this and sighed. Second marriages were okay. He couldn't deny that. But what he didn't like was that widow. If his son married another girl who was from a good family, he would've easily accepted that. But accepting a widow?
"Beta, out of all the girls in the world, you found her? A widow?" Trilochan said with disappointment. He hated the thought that Mala would be one of the elder daughter-in-laws of the Roy Chawdharys. She seemed the type who would always demean his Bondita Bahu!
"Why, Baba? Bondita was a widow too before she married Anirudh, yet you accepted her. Then what's wrong with my Mala?" As soon as Keth said that, Anirudh clenched his fist, seeing everything red.
"How dare you compare my Bondita with her?!" Anirudh was about to grab Keth by his collar, forgetting everything but Bondita held his hand.
"Patibabu, stop!" Anirudh stopped and looked at Bondita — her eyes. For once, she saw fear in her eyes. She was scared. His Bondita was scared, clueless. "Please... stop..."
He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Then he stepped inside the house and said, "Bondita, come and meet me in the study. NOW."
He walked to the study, leaving everyone.
"Koyeli, go and bring the grih pravesh things," Trilochan finally said, making both Bondita and Chameli shocked.
Mala kept her gaze low, but a subtle smile formed on her lips as her plan worked, while Keth was happy that his father was accepting his second wife.
"Sasurji..." Chameli muttered. She was absolutely helpless. She looked at Bondita with hope. "Bondita..."
Bondita clutched the end of her saree with her hand, unable to bear this.
Koyeli brought the items and handed the platter to Bondita, to welcome Mala, but Bondita didn't take it in her hand.
"I..." she was lost for words. She welcomed Chameli happily but now, she didn't want to welcome Mala at all.
"Bahu... take it," Trilochan urged.
With shaky hands, Bondita took the platter in her hand and did the ritual. Chameli was watching everything blankly — her sautan was stepping inside the house.
Now, it was time for Mala to step inside and it was when Anirudh hollered, "BONDITA, I WANT YOU HERE, RIGHT NOW!"
Everyone jumped slightly at Anirudh's voice.
"Ji, Patibabu!" Bondita handed the platter to Koyeli and ran toward the study.
A disheartened Trilochan welcomed Mala home. "Koyeli, take her to another guest room. That will be her room from now on."
Mala finally lifted her gaze and looked at the Roy Chawdhary haveli.
Her maa was right. She could rule this place now. That red banarasi saree did wonders. She could be a zamindaarni and also be close to her Anirudh babu.
Precap: Anirudh's breakdown and the truth
A/N: Next update when there's at least 15 comments. Thank you!
YOU ARE READING
Barrister Babu
FanfictionBondita grew up to be a fine woman and returned to Tulsipur after getting her degree. Now, she has achieved her and Anirudh's dream-being the first female barrister. However, things are now crazier as Bondita has to focus on her career, manage the...
