"The greatest moments in life, are not concerned with selfish achievements.
But rather with the things we do for the people we love and esteem."
As Anirudh walked upto his and Bondita's room, he was really raged. He wasn't angry at hid mother, ofcourse, but he was just upset about the thinking of this society!....
He entered and banged tje door behind him, this is what he had always been doing since childhood, to show his anger. He just tried to calm his breath down, controlling his anger.
As he just punched the cupboard in anger, something fell down with a thud sound. He bent down to pick it up and throw it somewhere, but as he glanced at it, his heart melted.
It was their family photograph, from their last anniversary. All happy faces. Suddenly his thoughts moved to how he had behaved with Maa and then he was reminded of something from the past. From he day, when he had so lovingly got this family picture framed for Bondita.
Flashback
"Wooowww Pati Babuu!!!.... I absolutely love It!" Said a visibly happy Bondita, holding the photo frame in her hands. It was a little too big for her hands, but she wanted to hold it.
Anirudh just smiled at her happy face and felt happy that he had gotten a mice gift for his wife, a gift that she loved!
As she was looking at it closely, it just slipped from her hands. Anirudh grabbed it, just in time and Bondita's breath had just hitched in fear.
"Is it okay?" She asked, clearly scared.
"It seems so." He replied, checking the frame.
"Ya, it's fine!" He smiled at her and she sighed.
"Pati Babu,"she said, in a serious tone and took his hand into hers. He too kept the frame on the table and held her hands.
"Promise me, that just like this frame, you'll never let this family fall apart!... Never- ever! Promise me, Pati Babu!" She had asked him.
"Never, Bondita! This is our family and I'll never let it fall apart!" He had replied.
Flashback Ends
He looked down at the picture and kept it back. His eyes were moistened now. He walked to the window and held the window pane. This was when another memory rolled in his mind.
Flashback
Bondita and Anirudh were sitting by the window, holding hands. Her head rested on his shoulder and his head was on hers. It was all so serene in the cool night breeze.
"You've held our family together so beautifully, Bondita!" Anirudh said. "Another reason to love you, Mrs. Bondita Anirudh Roy Chowdhary!"
Bondita just smiled and looked up at him.
"You know what, Pati Babu?" She asked softly playing with the hair that fell on his forehead.
"You are the key to this. You are my key to keeping this family together. I just know one thing, that no matter how much right I have on you, your family shall always stand first!" She touched his cheek softly.
"You are firstly the son of Roy Chowdhary family, and only after that, Bondita's Pati Babu! They always have the first right on you."
She held his hand and demanded, "Promise me, that if time ever challenges, you'll always put your family before me!
Anirudh's eyes glistened with tears and he hugged Bondita tightly to his heart.
"I love you, Bondita!" He whispered, closing his eyes. "I so love you, my Jaan!"
Flashback Ends
That was when his heart twitched. He had done something really wrong, he felt and a sudden sense of guilt taking over his being. The promises, he had made to his Bondita, needed to be fulfilled at any cost! He too, cannot let his family break apart, just because of different thoughts!..
He quickly went down, to find his Maa, but she wasnt there. Anirudh checked in her room and asked Baba too, but didn't find her. Finally, he saw her sitting on the terrace swing.
Walking to her, Anirudh sat down near her feet and held her hands softly.
"Maa!" He said, but Maa looked away.
"Please, listen to me!" He said softly and Maa looked at him with a start.
"Maa, firstly, I'm sorry!... I shouldn't have talked to you in that way, you may scold me. I don't have any justifications or explanations to that, I know I was wrong for that." He told, looking down.
"But Maa, what can I do too? You know, I can't tolerate any such thoughts, right? So how could I tolerate them in my own family, Maa?"
Maa just looked at him and listened.
He continued, "I understand you too, Maa. You have grown up listening and seeing this around you, so it's tough to not believe it! But you still have been really progressive with time, for us. You never stopped your bahus from working outside, neither did you let the society affect them. There could be no better Mother-in-law than you!...."
Maa's eyes started getting wet, her son was telling her that she was right, but still wrong. She was proud of him, above all.
"Today, I didn't agree to what to said. Maybe you are right, but just think it once Maa, Bondita and I are equally involved in our marriage, right? So if Bondita can leave her own home and live with my family for her whole life, can't I stay with her family for a few days too?" He asked.
Maa just looked at him and smiled. She finally spoke.
"Anirudh, beta listen to me, I know what you said is right and I do support it too. But it's just, maybe her parents don't agree to you, then? They would never tell you this, but the society questions everyone! We might ignore it, but would they? I hope you don't want them to feel bad about anything, right?" She said and made him think about it.
"And talking about me, I know they too are your parents. But I too am a mother and that too of a son! You know, the parents of a daughter always know that their daughter isn't theirs, she'll go away and love someone else more than them. But no mother of a son ever thinks so! It's always something really difficult for a mother to share her son." She told him all her fears nd he jist looked up at her sadly.
"But Anirudh, I know this today, that my son will never go away from me. I ain't afraid now, because I know that my son and my bahu love me above all. You will never be away from me!" She said, touching his cheek lovingly.
She moved up her hand to his hair and touching them softly, she said, "Go, my child! Go to your second home, but return to me soon." Saying this she extended her arms and he hugged her tightly.
"I love you, Maa! You're the best!" He said, hugging her.
_______________________________
"Da, is your packing done?" Asked Som, as he got Anirudh his files from the study.
"Ya, Maa and Vibhavari are just getting a few things, which they want to send for Bondita." He said, while keeping stuff in his suitcase.
"Firstly, Bondita took away my suitcase! And in her suitcase, their was so much stuff!" He sighed and they both chuckled while Maa came inside with Vibha.
"Give all this to my Bahu only! Don't even try to eat them on the way!" Ma told him handing some boxes.
"Okay!' He replied rolling his eyes.
As the packing was done, Som drove Anirudh to the railway station and waved at him.
"Da, do telephone us, once you reach!" He shouted. "And take care of Boudi!"
Anirudh smiled, waving at him and the train went away.
_______________________________
"Maa, it's too much now! I can't eat more!" Bondita cried as her Maa served her one more luchi.
"Are you eating or shall I call your Baba?" Maa threatened her.
"What's going on here? Why are you scolding my daughter, Sumati?" Her Baba came and sat on one of the dining table chairs.
"See, she isn't eating!" Maa complained to him and Bondita gave him a 'please save me' look.
Her Baba just gestured her mother to leave. He instead, picked up a luchi and making a small morsel, stuffed it into her mouth lovingly.
Bondita whined but ate it happily. He made her eat the whole food and talked with her.
"When will you ever grow up, Roshogulla?" He laughed and she too giggled.
As she had finished eating, they heard a car honk outside. Her Baba gestured to a servant to go and check for whom it was.
In the meantime, Bondita stood up and went to keep her utensils. Her first trimester had still not come to an end, so her baby bump did not show. Neither did her body show any signs of pregnancy. Afterall, it was just her third month.
As the servant came in with the bags, Bondita asked him, "Who's it?"
"Jamai Babu has come!" He exclaimed happily and Bondita's heart just decided to skip a beat. Her Baba had already went out to receive his Jamai.
Thats all for this chapter!❤️ Hope you liked my work!❤️ Don't forget to star the chapter and leave uour comments, if you want a quick update!❤️
And Thankyou for all the love, you all the Besttt!😍❤️❤️
Love, Author!❤️
.....