It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

107

" Where did Aniruddh go this early in the morning ?" Trilochan yelled at Bihari.

" I don't know Malik ! Forgive me !"

Bondita stood at a corner. He looked ok after their little exchange. Then...

" Look how worried is your Chhoti Malkin." Trilochan said making Bondita straighten her furrowed brows.

" Forgive me Malkin."

" It's...it's ok Bhari Babu." She hurriedly replied. It actually wasn't his fault.

" Why are you thrashing the poor man Kaka ?" Aniruddh stood beside his study door.

" Aniruddh ! Beta." Trilochan walked up to him with quick steps. " You are ok ? Where did you go ?!! You know how worried I was after... yesterday..." He went quite after that.

" I am ok Kaka. Just needed some fresh air." Aniruddh had thought some morning light and breeze would do him good.

" But you should have told someone. At least told Bahu..." Aniruddh glanced behind his Kaka to see an angry faced Bondita. Ok...

" Forgive me Kaka. Won't happen again."

" Alright. Alright. Hurry up. Wash your hands and come for breakfast.

" Ok. Bondita... please come help me." He called her.

They were both near the utensil washing area just outside the kitchen. Bondita poured water on his hands as he rinsed them vigorously. " Every one just do whatever they want." Bondita grumbled. " Come when ever they want..." She almost punched the soap on his hand " go wherever they want. They are men. Can do anything."

Aniruddh was amused by her taunts. Wife...she was acting like one. " I just went for a walk."

" Don't even care about others. Would I have chained you here had you told me ?" She put the mug back. " But no..." She extended the towel to him as they both stood up. She was not even looking at him. Aniruddh ignored the towel and bent down to get hold of the loose end of her pallu. Bondita stated at him wide eyed as he wiped his hands on her saree, smirking. She didn't want to show it but she liked him doing it.

Bondita watched him drop her saree and reach into his pocket to pull out something. " Here..." He took the towel out of her yet outstretched hand and placed it there. She saw a newspaper packet, once used in stalls for packing. " I...just thought..." She now sensed he was a little nervous. " Just...throw it if you don't like it. I... I am going to the table."

Bondita waited for him to disappear from her line of sight. She slowly opened the packet and fragrance filled the air. Gajara... White gajra strings. Love filled her heart once again as she stood holding it in her alta red hands " Pati Babu..." She whispered as she brought it to her and inhaled it deeply. Not the most expensive gifts, but surely one to be cherished deeply. His every little gift had come to her with an emotion of its own. Story of its own. His letter asking her to stay had made ' I love you ' leave her lips for the first time out loud. His green saree telling her he was selfish for her. And now this...just like she had seen husbands buy gajara for their wives, he did it for her today. Something purely a husband does, according to her innocent knowledge.
She really needed this today.

Aniruddh sat chewing his food as Bondita entered with yet another filled tray. His eyes followed her. She looked... normal. No shyness. No giddy looks. " Here, have more Pati Babu." She placed even more food on his plate but his eyes were trained to the back of her head. Was she wearing it ? How would he know, she had her pallu on. " You want something ?" She asked him.

" No." He looked back down on his plate at being caught. She stood there, turned the other side serving his Baba. He really was not able to make out if it was in her hair. Maybe if he caught it's fragrance...