ANIDITA : A Life For Revolution

CHAPTER 15 : Part 4

Anirudh's p.o.v

The haveli fell into an eerie silence when I announced my intention. The silence was unnerving. And I wanted someone to break it. But what caught me worrying was Bondita's pale and impassive face looking right back at me. I thought she would be happy. I thought her cheeks would go scarlet, her eyes will shine with joy and her face would glow like the brightest star she is... But I got the opposite.

Her face got paled to such an extent that it seemed blood had drained from it. Those impossibly innocent eyes were shooting daggers at me, flaming unreal fire inside them. I felt myself burning under her constant glare which somehow screamed dismay and betrayal.

"Pagalpan ki bhi hadd hoti hai Anirudh! Yeh kya bakwas kar rahe ho tum?!" Kaka broke the silence, jerking his chadi with his usual zamindar poise.

"Mein wahi kar raha hoon jo Bondita chahti hai Kaka. Mere liye uski khushi se zyada kuch bhi mayne nahi rakhta"

"Bahu? Bahu yeh chahti hai? Bahu chahegi kabhi kisi aur se shaadi karna? Taras aaraha hai mujhe tumpar Anirudh! Harr din chaubees ghante 'Meri Bondita', 'Meri Bondita' karte rehte ho lekin tum kabhi apni Bondita ko samajh nahi paye... Arre tumse zyada hum jante hai apni Bahu ko! Humein vishwas hai humari Bahu tumhare alawa kisi aur ke bare mein soch tak nahi sakti! Lekin tum -"

"Kaka!" I interrupted rashly "Bondita ne khud mujhse kaha hai ki woh Tapas se pyaar karti hai" I announced, masking the disappointment inside me.

Bondita's face which never even twitch until then suddenly showed some movement – she narrowed her brows at my announcement.

"Senior!" Tapas interrupted immediately.

All the eyes went in his direction.

"Ap... ap galat samajh rahe hai"

Now it was my turn to frown.

"Matlab?"

"Matlab humne... humne apse jhoot bola tha"

Thunder rambled inside me. What do he mean he lied?

"Jhoot? Par Bondita..." I trailed off.

How is that possible? She herself told me!

"Senior Barrister babu ne apko sirf haan bola tha... Yeh nahi bola ki woh" he paused and glanced at her "ki woh mujhse pyaar karti hai"

I gasped when the realization hit me.

"Boudi... Meine sab bata diya hai Dada ko... Dada yakeen nahi kar rahe hai tum hi bata do inhe"

"Bondita... Kya yeh sab sach hai... Kya yeh sach hai ki tum Tapas-"

"Bata do Bondita! Sach chupane se kya fayda?"

"Haan Birristira babu"

So what was it? It was all a well-planned strategy? But why?

"Matlab... Tum donon ne...?" I trailed off.

Tapas is fine. But Batuk? My little brother? Why would he do this to me?

I was about to launch at both when someone interrupted.

"Anirudh" Baba adjusted his spectacle "Tapas iss ghar mein mere anurodh par aaya tha. Hum sab chahte the tum aur Bondita ek dusre keliye apni bhavanaon ko samjhe aur apne rishte ko aage badhayein... Hum sab ne bohot koshish ki tum donon ko samjhane ki lekin humara koyi bhi yojana safal nahi huyi" he glanced at me and then the ground, adjusting his chashma again "Isiliye mujhe Tapas ko bulana pada"