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This track starts with "Bondita decides to go to London". Sumati maa does not insist on her going to London. She is going by her own will. Everyone was against the decision including Sumati maa. Only Thakku maa and Bondita are with the decision.
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Anirudh was walking in the lanes of Tulsipur. How much ever he tried to talk to his Bondita, she is not trying to understand me. With the thought of how to mend her heart he returned home. There he was welcomed by kaka who was again potting against his enemy. But he was least interested in enmity now. He went and lay on his bed recalling today's incident.
His Bondita had his pistol right on the forehead and threatened him. Even if by chance she pulled the trigger, what would have happened? With these thoughts, he was not able to sleep. So he went to his study and checked the time it was 9:25, so again he decided to call Bondita. He quickly called her and was waiting for her to pick up. In a few seconds, the call was picked.
"Hello, who's speaking" He heard my angles voice
"Hello, it's your Sakha Babu speaking Bondita"
"Yes tell me, Barrister Babu, what made you call me at this time" I heard her sobbing
"Nothing important just felt like talking to you, so I called"
"If it's nothing then I'll hang up the call, actually I have some work," she said
"So now you don't even want to hear my voice, Am I that unwanted to you now that you don't even have time to talk to me Bondita" he said almost sobbing.
"No-no Barrister babu you are taking me wrong..." When was talking I heard Thakku maa interrupting her "Bondita I have bought a few new sarees for you I pack them in your suitcase If you want anything else tell me okay. And take your London ticket you had kept it in my room" The phone fell from her hand.
"I need nothing more Thakku maa" Bondita answered. As soon as Thakku maa left, Bondita sighed and picked up the phone.
"Hello-hello" Bondita tried to speak but there was no answer from the other side, soon the call got disconnected.
Anirudh POV...
What did I just hear, Is my Bondita going to London? She did not even give me a clue. Why is going to London? Did she forget about our dream? She didn't even find it important to inform me. In frustration, I just started throwing down the things from the study table. Hearing the noise caused by me all the members of the mansion arrived near the study.
"Anirudh, what happen to you. Why are you behaving as a wild bull" kaka yelled at me. But I did not stop; I threw all the things that fell in my sight
"Dada stop, what happen to you all of a sudden?" Som questioned me.
I did not answer anything to anyone. I went to my room, changed my clothes quickly, and stormed out of the mansion. I started the jeep and rode the jeep as fast as possible. I had all feelings inside myself; pain, frustration, anger, confusion, etc. Soon I reached the border of Tulsipur and Krishnanagar. I found it unsafe to take my jeep, so I decided to walk near the Das mansion. It wasn't too far. I soon reached the mansion and managed to escape from the sight of the guards. I moved towards the room and knocked on the door gently.
As soon as she opened the door her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
"Barrister babu, what are you doing here," she asked pulling me inside and closing the door.
"Are you going to London?" I asked her, my eyes were glaring at her.
"Barrister babu I ..." she was stammering, finding words to speak.
"Yes or No," I asked her sternly
"Ye-es" she replied sobbing. This made me lose my control and I pinned her to the wall.
"Why" I questioned her with my eyes shooting daggers at her.
"Because I want to go away from everyone," she told with her growing sobs
"You shouldn't go," I told her almost ordering her
"I will," she said looking straight into my orbs
"I won't let you go," I said
"You can't stop me from going," she said in a hard voice. I frowned and gently cupped her face and leaned against her forehead. "Please, don't go" I requested with teary eyes.
"I have to," she said "shouldn't you be happy, you are the one who said you hate me, you told me that you did not even want to see my face, and you also to me that you don't care even if I die. Now why do you want me to stay" she told in fainting but demanding voice
"Sorry, I'm so sorry" I murmured. Tears were not stopping from our eyes.
"Please stay" I again said. "I can't, it's very important for me to go," She said
"Why is it important" I stepped back and yelled at her. She immediately closed my mouth with her palm. "It's night, so please don't shout." She said angrily and moved towards the cupboard and took out a file and hand it over to me. When reading the file I stood numb not knowing how to react.
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Flashback {London}
Bondita POV...
The night sky was aglow with bright city lights. The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. We looked up at the blanket of stars that stretched to infinity. Today I'm very happy. Finally, our dream came true. I am a Barrister now and also a gold medalist. I finally made him proud. I can't explain my happiness in words. And in a few months I'll be in my country. I'm finally going to meet people whom I am longing to see. My Sakha babu, maa, Thakku ma, Kaka sasurji, Som dada, Batuk. While I was walking near the lanes of the university I felt dizzy and my vision went blurry. I tried to concentrate miserably failed and fell.
THUD...
I slowly opened my eyes and found myself in a white room surrounded by my friends, teachers, and a Doctor by my side. I was not able to make out what had happened to me. My hand was connected to the glucose bottle hung on the hook of the stand. I understood that I'm lying on the hospital bed. A light headache was knocking on my head. The doctor advised me to take some rest and I again slept.
The next evening I was discharged from the hospital. Aisha my friend and I went to the Doctor's cabin to collect the reports. I knocked on the door.
"May I come in Sir"
"Yes come in Miss Das," he told me. We entered and sat down opposite to him.
"So Miss Das how are you feeling," he asked me
"Better than before Doctor," I told him with a smile.
"So Miss Das, listen carefully, you are affected by BRAIN TUMOR," he said looking at me with a look with sympathy.
My body stopped working for a minute and he gave me some time to analyze the situation. He continued "You are in your fourth stage, I'm sorry to say this but I can't assure your life, I don't want to give you false hope. We will try our best with the surgery. But the chance of you living is only for four months and before that, we have to do your surgery.
"When is the surgery," I asked him
"Maybe after this month," he told me
"Doctor, am I allowed to travel, for one last time to see my family," I asked with tears and hope. For which he shook his head in agreement. Thanking him I went to my room and cried my heart out. After a few days, I returned to my country only to witness the rivalry between the two villages.
When I called my Sakha babu to meet me in the old mansion his words hurt me a lot. When he said that he won't care even if I die, I was already dead, only my body alive which will anyway die in a few days. But I did not want to give up. I went to Tulsipur in disguise as Vaijainthi. But again I lost. I kept on trying but only failed miserably. At last, I lost hope and gave up and decided to go back to London for my surgery. I told this only to my Thakku maa and she tried all her herbal medicine but it did not work. So she suggested me to go to London for the surgery.
Bondita POV... ends
Flashback ends...
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After hearing this Anirudh stood numb. Tears were flowing like a river. He read the reports again and again to find some hope but alas! He found none. Bondita took the file from his hand a kept it inside the suitcase. He slowly made his way to his house. He went and lay on the bed. He was not able to believe that his Bondita is suffering from such a big problem and he wasn't able to do anything.
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After few days
The evening sun cast long shadows on the ground. The slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange tinge to the sky. The sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun. The night sky was aglow with bright city lights. Everyone was standing in the port of Calcutta to drop Bondita. She took blessings from everyone. Only Thakku maa and Bondita know that her return is a doubt. They both started crying hard. Thakku maa was disappointed that her medications could not cure her sick granddaughter. She bid farewell to everyone and got onto the ship. The pain of leaving her family was unbearable. She went inside the ship, kept her luggage in her room, and was sitting on the bench alone recalling beautiful memories of her life. Tears were the only company she was left with. She walked along the railings; suddenly she felt someone's hand on her shoulders.
"Sakha babu" Her eyes widened in shock. Without any delay, she hugged him tightly and sobbed hard, tears made their way into their eyes, seeing her in pain he sobbed.
Anirudh POV...
When I got to know that my Bondita is suffering from a Brain Tumor, How can I leave her alone? She already suffered a lot because of me, but now it's my time to repent. I made a very big mistake by leaving her side when she needed me the most but now I will never leave her side, NEVER.
"Sakha babu, what are you doing here?" she asked me raising her face to see me.
"How can you even think that I'll let you suffer alone Bondita" I asked her
"Thank you Sakha Babu, I thought that I'll not have anyone beside me when I die." She said with a small chuckle, but it wasn't a joke for me. It felt like hundreds of knives piercing my heart.
"Bondita, stop saying that" I scolded her
"Okay, I won't say," she said and hugged me again tightly hiding inside my chest. I held her close to me not willing to let her go.
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It's been three days since we reached London. I never left her side these days. I did not even allow her to cook. Instead, I cooked for her while she was sitting on the slab and instructing me. We fed each other, though the taste was not up to the mark but it wasn't the worst. In these days I found my old self again. I realized that is the queen of my heart who rules and will rule my heart forever. After eight years I spoke my heart out, I laughed with her, I played with her. Every minute of these days was precious, so I treasured them in my heart. While Bondita penned every moment we spent together in her dairy. Days passed like this.
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Today I planned to take Bondita to the place where I used to see the sunset with my friends during my college days. As soon As I said that Bondita got ready and we took the black Ambassador to reach the destination. We sat on the wet grassy ground and enjoyed the view. She laid her head on my shoulders and I encircled her in my arms pulling her close.
We sat there like this for almost half an hour. Suddenly I felt her whole weight on my body. I pulled myself back and her with her eyes closed. I tried waking her by calling her name and patting her checks. But all my efforts went in vain. I started panicking and immediately lifted her and rushed towards the car. I rode the car at high speed and soon we reached the hospital. The nurse brought the stretcher and pulled her towards the operation theater. I held her hand tightly but the doctors told me to wait outside. I sat on the nearby chair and sobbed heard. It was a very painful feeling. Every second was difficult for me to pass. Suddenly the doctor came toward me and kept his hand on my shoulders and said "Sorry".
What did they mean by "sorry"?
"If you had come a little early, we could have saved her," they said with a sympathizing look. I was shattered, broken. "You see her for once now," they said. I slowly went inside the room only to see her lifeless body lying down on the bed. Her face was pale, her eyes were closed. I went closed to her and kissed her forehead and murmured "I LOVE YOU BONDITA".
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The sky was turning orange and the weather was chill. It reminded me of the last time I spent with my love. I wrapped myself in a shawl and I was sitting in the courtyard, enjoying the sunset. It was almost thirty years since my Bondita left me alone to fight with this cruel world. The only thing she left for me was her diary and a letter for me. All these years this was the only company I had. I read the last letter that she had written. I have been reading this letter since the day she left me. I read this letter at least ten times a day. Though the letter was old and few scripts were erased the words are registered in my mind.
Dear Sakha Babu
Maybe this will be my last letter to you.
You have always been the light of my life. If it wasn't you I don't know what would have happened to me. All these days I only imagined a beautiful and peaceful life with you. But my fate has decided something else for me. And I accept this with my whole heart. Maybe my sickness was the reason to bring you close to me. In all these days that I lived with you, I lived the fullest. Since childhood, my only wish was to always be beside you, which was possible in my last few days. I did not like to die in an insecure hospital bed, so I canceled my operation and lied to you that it was in the next month, instead I chose to die beside you, in your safe arms. Another thing that I wanted to tell but I do not dare to tell by looking into your eyes. "I LOVE YOU SAKHA BABU". Even in all my next birth, I'd choose you to be my companion.
From yours,
Bondita
I wiped my tears, wore my glasses, and closed the letter
"I MISS YOU BONDITA" I uttered
Suddenly Bondita called me running towards me. No, it's not my Bondita. She is Sashwathi's daughter. She is ten years old. Sashwathi always loved her Bondita maasi, so she kept her daughter's name as Bondita. I immediately folded the letter and kept it inside her diary.
"Mamaji please take me for a walk" she insisted
"Not now Bondita, I'm very tired" as soon as I said that she blew her face just like my Bondita used to do. I pocked her cheeks with my fingers and received a glare from her.
"Okay fine let's go" When I accepted her request she jumped clapping her hands. I quickly picked up the dairy and my walking stick and started walking and Bondita held my arms and we started walking towards the river.
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HOW WAS THE CHAPTER
I CRIED WHILE WRITING THE CHAPTER, AND IT TOOK REALLY LONG TIME
SO I EXPECT MANY VOTES AND COMMENTS THIS TIME
THANKYOU