My Destination, My Bondita (3)

372 - One Month Later...

"Sort it out soon... just do that, okay?" Manika asked, wishing that Anirudh didn't keep on separating himself from Bondita for things he believed were great reasons.

She really hoped the reason this time was actually great.   

"I'll do my best," Anirudh said. "Where is she?"

"Upstairs, in her bedroom." 

--

Batuk got the room next to Bondita's. 

As soon as he dropped off his belongings, he went next door where he suspected Bondita was staying, and he knocked on the door. 

Bondita opened it right away. Her textbooks were spread over her desk.

"Batuk!" she gasped. 

"I'm staying with you!" Batuk said excitedly. 

Bondita's mouth fell open. "Pati Babu agreed?" she questioned with excitement. 

"Right away!" Batuk said with a grin, "I must be really charming!"

Bondita just grabbed Batuk's hands and squealed, starting to jump with excitement. 

"Careful Boudi! Big D will kill me if anything happens to you here!" Batuk said fearfully, eyes wide. 

"Is he here?" was Bondita's only response. 

"Downstairs with Manika Didi -" 

Bondita just answered by pushing past him to run downstairs. 

As she was going downstairs quickly, she caught Anirudh coming up the stairs, and a big smile broke on her face. 

She hadn't anticipated seeing him so soon, after he told her that they wouldn't be meeting. 

"Pati Babu!" Bondita yelled with happiness.

Anirudh tried hard not to smile. He tried really hard, but just as he was about to break out into a smile, he gasped, "Bondita slow down!"

"I'm fine!" she said, rushing down the stairs. 

They met halfway on the staircase, and Bondita just launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. 

Anirudh immediately gripped her, caressing her hair and he murmured, "Crazy girl. You can't run like this." 

"I won't hurt my baby," Bondita just said, her words muffling into his waistcoat. 

"I'm serious. If you run like this, I'll make you stay here longer," he threatened. 

A gasp escaped Bondita's lips and she broke the hug with a pout. 

Anirudh's heart fluttered as her familiar cute expression played with his senses. After the stressful day today, Bondita was really all he needed. 

He brought his hand to her cheek and asked, "How was your day?"

"Good," Bondita said with a grin, "But I missed you. I didn't even get my morning hug. How was your day Pati Babu?" 

Anirudh immediately pulled her in for another hug and he murmured, "It's an evening hug today. And I'm okay Bondita."

A morning hug had been their ritual for years. They had promised that no matter how mad they were at each other, how they argued, or how disappointed they were... they would never skip their morning hug. As long as they were physically together.

"Every day will you come and hug me?" Bondita asked innocently, as she felt his back, feeling his muscles. 

"No," he whispered. "Today's the last day... I came to drop off Batuk. Otherwise, I wouldn't have."