The Unventured Passions

A Picnic By the River (1)

There was a tangible beauty in the quietness of a country picnic, an elevation of simple subtle flavours into the consciousness. Anirudh Roy Chowdhury was bound by his words, and in attempt of giving his wife a beautiful picnic experience he had left no stones unturned.
Bondita had wished for a picnic in seclusion, just the two of them, but Anirudh insisted that it's real charm lies in sharing the day with other like-minded company, as in his heart he dreaded to face the magnetic sensuality that Bondita's closeness was recently stirring in him.

"But no Batuk this time." Bondita had pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, still struggling with her recovery from the life-threatening poison that his aunty had fed her with to boost her 'fertility'.

"That you tell him." Anirudh had replied plainly, as Bondita sank back on the bed, trying to figure out a way of getting rid of her nagging brother-in-law.

Batuk's recent obsession with Kamala Kaki and her newborn baby was giving Bondita a hard time, he would bunk school and would sit with the woman, hours long, listening her singing old folklores, and Bondita hadn't missed that strange glitter in his orbs when he looked at her.

"How many people?" She reluctantly asked her husband, referring to the picnic that he was planning so enthusiastically for her.

"Six, including us, if you can pursue Batuk to not join."

"Leave that to me." Bondita sighed, "And who are these four others?"

Anirudh had smiled happily, readily acquainting her with the group. He had invited two of his friends, with whom he studied in London, along with their wives.
There was Brojo, the outspoken, funny one, and his beautiful wife Bimala. And then there was Mukundo, the serious one and his young bride Sharmila.

"Sharmila? Didn't we attend her wedding last year?" Bondita narrowed her eyes, and Anirudh nodded.

"Oh... She is younger than me... And what about the other one, Bimala?"

Anirudh smiled.
"Bimala was in London, studying in a grade lower than us, very charming girl... You won't dislike her."

Bondita didn't reply. Instead, she sighed and leaned back again, closing her eyes, sensing an almost defeat of her purpose. She wanted this picnic to be only about them... Just the two of them... And she craved for some undivided attention from her husband.

"Here, take your medicines Shona." Anirudh had left his chair and was standing by her bedside, and as Bondita took the two small pills from his hand, their fingers brushed, making them tremble... and both had no way of ignoring the undeniable tension that was brewing in between them, a little more each day!

"Ahem... I'll... Um... Leave... " Anirudh half coughed and half hushed the words, and Bondita nodded awkwardly.

"Would you please ask Batuk to see me?"
Bondita murmured, looking away and fidgeting with her fingers, and Anirudh stopped by the door.

"Now?"

"Yes... Now!" Bondita gulped.

The 'now' came after three hours, as Batuk burst into Bondita's room, unannounced, humming a tune happily.

"Bondita... You called?"
He jumped into her bed and lay beside her, uninvited, trying to drag the sheet that had covered her.

"Three hours ago." Bondita rolled her eyes at him and kept the book away that she had been reading.
"And why are you smelling funny?"