Zindagi Bhar Ki Maut

Aansoon

She took the first aid box and went from there, Saudamini was dumbstruck seeing this confident and bold yet shattered, soft hearted yet cold, caring yet fierce Bondita and also she was unable to fathom anything after listening what actually happened with Bondita.

Anirudh hided himself. Bondita went to Koeli’s room and cried her heart out. After sometime Bondita went to study to talk about the girl’s school and knocked at the study door which was closed from inside where he was crying holding Bondita’s gudda-gudiya and wiping the doll's face as if trying to wipe away her tears.

Inside he was crying hard and having flashbacks of him calming angry Bondita and making her laugh easily. “Kaise tum ruthti thi aur mai jhat se mana leta tha, tum roti thi aur mai tumhe chup kara leta tha par aaj mujhme himmat hi nhi tumhara samna karne ki, tumhe kaise manaun mai tumhe itne gehre zakhm jo diye hai maine.

 Kaha gyi meri hasti khelti tarq karnewali Bondita, mai to bas us Bondita ko wapas lana chahta tha par maine shadi ko gudde gudiyon ka khel samajh liya, shadi koi khel nhi hai aur maine tumhare sath khel khel liya, daag reh gya meri dusri shadi ka. Mai tumhe kaise samjhaun Bondita mere paas shabd hi nhi, mere paas himmat hi nhi.”

Bondita was worried for him as she already knocked two times but he didn’t open the door. She started banging the door calling him Patibabu in panic. Anirudh wiped his tears immediately and rushed to open the door hearing the word Patibabu again and again.

He opened the door and held Bondita by her shoulders and said in a tone both with excitement and worry,“Bondita, Bondita tum thik ho? Aur tumne mujhe Patibabu bulaya?”

Bondita downed her eyes and didn’t say anything and realisation hit Ani that he was holding her shoulders tightly he took her hands back when Bondita noticed blood on his hand and the room was in disarray, broken glasses and other things scattered here & there but all these went unnoticed by Bondita as she couldn’t see anything except her saviour's deeply wounded hands. She shouted Patibabu and held his bleeding hand.

“Ye kya hua Patibabu aapko? Kaise hua Patibabu? Aapko ye chot kaise lagi? Mai abhi aayi.” She was almost shouting in worry and ran to bring first aid box.

Kaka came there hearing Bondita shouting and he too started scolding and bombarding him with questions.

Anirudh tried to calm Kaka saying, “Kaka kuch nhi hua, mai thik hoon wo zara si chot aayi hai, thik ho jayega.”

“Ye zara si chot hai? Dekhiye na Kaka Sasurji ye zara v dhyan nahi rakhte apna. Mai abhi aayi, inhe kahi jane mat dijiyega, dantiyega inhe agar yaha se hilne ki koshish v ki to.” Saying this she kept first aid box and ran again to bring something.

Both Ani and Kaka were silent and shedding happy tears as they got glimpse of old Bondita and the memories of kinda same situation flashed in their mind.

Bondita came running with turmeric milk put it down and ran to bring some more necessary things. Both Anirudh and Kaka were smiling lovingly at her. Anirudh almost forgot his pain only seeing these kind and sweet gestures for him.

Bondita was tying bandage on the wound and crying continuously while muttering, “Ye kaise hua? Itni chot kaisi lagi aapko? Dhyan nhi rakh sakte apna? … .. …”

Ani was smiling heartily at her innocence, care and concern and suddenly said with a chuckle “Bondita utni chot nhi lagi jitne mote mote tumhari aankhon se aansoon gir rahe hai.” while helping her in tying the bandage.

Finally she tied the bandage and kept her hands over bandage wanting to soothe his pain, he too kept hand over the bandage, closed his eyes and sighed in relief. Kaka had already left giving them their space. Bondita handed him the turmeric milk and he made faces and Bondita scolded and commanded him through her eyes and he obliged in defeat closing his eyes and making faces and was drinking it.

“Aapko chot lagegi to aansoon nahi bahenge kya mere! Mujhe dard nhi hoga kya!” Bondita blurted suddenly.

Anirudh instantly jerked his own hand holding glass, opened his eyes and his eyes met hers and they shared an intense eyelock with Whirlpool of emotions.