This weekend, I posted three chapters. I hope you enjoyed them!
I'd really appreciate your stars on each of the chapters.
Also, I'm willing to post more. Just shower your love. 🥰
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Of course, the first person that Anirudh met when he entered was Manika.
"Anirudh!" Manika hissed angrily, when she saw him enter the haveli, dragging Batuk's luggage inside with him.
A glance at the two men confirmed that Anirudh hadn't come here to take Bondita back. But rather, he had come here to drop Batuk off.
Manika had no qualms with Batuk staying here. Her problem was with Anirudh leaving his wife here when she knew that it must be because of some other self-sacrificing act... again!
"Manika, I can explain," Anirudh gulped.
Batuk looked at the two of them, and then just shrugged. He didn't want to be caught in the crossfire! He just wanted to find his nephew!
So Batuk just bolted to dump his belongings in an empty bedroom, and then find his Boudi.
Anirudh on the other hand, said, "You must be wondering -"
"Don't say you have a reason! I know what your reason is. You must have sacrificed your love AGAIN Anirudh."
"W - what?" Anirudh stammered.
"That's all you do! Sacrifice yourself and your love! For the sake of everyone else!"
"Manika, maybe you're right but the situation is really -"
"Who cares what the situation is? Fight Anirudh! Fight for your love for once!"
"Will you hear me out?" Anirudh argued, getting annoyed now. "Manika, even if you're right, you can at least try to understand!"
Manika took a deep breath and demanded, "Fine. What is it?"
"I can't tell you! But what I'll say is that if I don't do this, then I won't be able to look myself in the eye. I won't be able to look Bondita in the eye either. I've harmed her in the past Manika, and I won't repeat my mistakes," Anirudh told her firmly.
"What? How will you leaving her here prevent you from harming Bondita?" Manika questioned.
"Just trust me," Anirudh begged. "That's all I can ask of you."
He reached for Manika's shoulder and held it gently, "If you don't believe me... then believe that I wouldn't do anything wrong to Bondita. Just trust that."
Manika took another deep breath and asked, "Fine Anirudh. Then tell me, how long will she stay here for?"
Anirudh gulped again. "I don't know... it can be a few days or a few weeks."
Manika nodded. "I want her back at the haveli in two weeks. Sort out what you need to do. Don't leave her here too long! She needs her husband in her pregnancy!"
Anirudh looked at Manika, a guilt-stricken expression on his face.
"She only needs strength Manika. And she is strong enough to give herself that strength," Anirudh told Manika, "I... want to be with her. But... I can't right now. I know she has you, she has Batuk now too. Her friends are with her. She has great friends."
Manika looked at Anirudh, her heart breaking as she saw the guilt etched on his face. The sorrow that he had to separate himself from his wife during her pregnancy.
"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."
Bondita let go of him and looked into his eyes, her heart sinking.
"Do you remember what I told you last time?" Anirudh asked her softly, "As I was leaving?"
Bondita nodded.
"Don't let your mind sway you..." Anirudh murmured, wanting to pull her close and hug her again.
But he refrained.
"I will wait for you Pati Babu," Bondita answered, "I won't get swayed. I will wait... until you come for me. I won't get lost in the idea of attachments. I won't get pulled by my feelings and hormones. I will be strong... and I will wait."
Tears filled her eyes and she said, "You brought Batuk to me too so I wouldn't feel lonely. You always take care of me, Pati Babu."
Anirudh looked at her, his heart hurting. "I didn't bring him because you won't feel lonely Bondita. You have it in yourself to feel complete. You don't need Batuk, or anyone to fill that void."
He continued, "I brought him here for another reason."
She wasn't going to ask him why. She said that she would trust him, and she meant it.
Anirudh leaned closer to her and touched her nose with his. Bondita's heart quivered. She could feel his breath on her lips.
"Pati Babu," she whispered, her lips tingling with excitement.
"My Bondita... my precious Bondita," Anirudh hummed softly to her, "I'm very sorry."
"Don't be..."
"You have no idea what will happen."
"Is it scary?" she asked.
"No," Anirudh whispered, lying.
He was terrified.
"Is it sad?" she then asked.
"No," he lied again.
He was devastated.
"Is it a good thing?" she then asked.
"All things are good things. The only thing that's flawed is our perspective and the way we see them," Anirudh murmured.
Bondita smiled, "Do I have to worry about you?"
"Absolutely not," he murmured. "Just like I know you can take care of yourself... trust me, that I'll take care of myself."
"You promised you'll eat on time and sleep well," she said, feeling his warm breath tickling her lips.
"I did, and I will."
"Good, then I can too."
Anirudh leaned even closer to her and gently pressed his lips on her soft ones.
Tears seeped out of his eyes, as he kissed her.
He thought he'd already had the last kiss. But it turned out, the universe allowed him one more.
Bondita kissed him back, slowly, and lovingly. Wet tears slowly rolled down her cheeks too, as she matched his movements with her own.
Finally when they broke the kiss, Anirudh cupped her cheeks.
"I have to go," he said to her softly.
She looked at him sadly.
Anirudh brought his hand to her belly and placed his loving touch there for a moment.
A silent smile later, he turned around.
Bondita followed him down the stairs, reaching for his hand and holding it.
He didn't say a word, as he gripped her hand back.
They walked to the front door, and Bondita reluctantly let go of Anirudh's hand.
He gave her a smile... a gentle one, and then walked away, back to his car, as Bondita watched him go.
She didn't hear from him... or about him again...
For a whole month.
--
One month later...
Bondita was pregnant, and it was no secret anymore.
The school knew.
The residents of Tulsipur got the word, because their children went home to their parents and told them.
Of course, Trilochan was ecstatic to talk about the pregnancy, but he couldn't even enjoy that luxury, because of the lady who was in their home.
Saudamini Bhoumik, who believed she was Saudamini Roy Choudhary.
And Bondita whose belly began to grow even more, since she was in her second trimester now, hadn't heard from her Pati Babu.
He would reside in her thoughts. But she wouldn't ask anyone about him. Because... she trusted him. She told him she would have faith in him.
And she needn't worry about him, because if anything happened to him, she would be the first one to know through their soul connection.
The thoughts did come though.
Did he miss her?
Was he really going to come back for her?
Did he... abandon her?
She would shake those thoughts away and try very hard to ignore them, but time was the enemy for thoughts to sprout. So the thoughts would come anyways, no matter how much she tried.
"I have full faith in my Pati Babu," she would say, and then laugh off those thoughts, and distract herself with her studies or by hanging out with Batuk.
But her desire to see him again was the opening in which these doubts crept in.
Manika took great care of her, and Bondita would tutor Manoshi in her free time.
Manoshi looked up to Bondita. She was a young girl whose life Bondita had saved. She had a cruel fate... married to a man much older than her, at a tender age. She was taken advantage of in every way. Now that man was dead, and Manoshi was technically a widow, although Bondita didn't let her live like one.
And Manoshi saw Bondita as her Goddess. Her saviour. Someone she looked up to, revered.
Vikram would often visit the farmhouse, and in some ways, the cold air between Batuk and Vikram began to subside.
Although Batuk had yet to apologize to Vikram, Vikram was already softening towards his best friend.
Vikram spent more time with Batuk and Bondita, than with his own girlfriend Manika, and Manika had no problem with it.
In fact, she would often join them as well.
On the other hand, people were starting to clue in on the fact that Bondita wasn't living with the Roy Choudharys anymore and that Saudamini Bhoumik was back, and living with Anirudh... as his wife.
Anirudh made it hard for Mini to interact with anyone, because he had a doctor come in and tell her that she should limit her interactions with the world outside the haveli, just so she didn't cause stress to her brain.
Even though they tried hard to keep this whole thing under wraps, the news was beginning to spread.
And the first rumours were springing up.
Bondita's pregnancy, Anirudh leaving her, and being with Saudamini was causing a lot of commotion in Tulsipur.
Nobody would dare confront the Roy Choudharys or Bondita.
They just enjoyed gossiping behind their backs.
The rumours sounded like:
"I always knew that Bondita was not loyal. That's why Barrister Babu must have left her."
"Did you hear about the time Bondita spent the night with a boy at her school? How disgusting!"
"Barrister Babu must have had enough!"
"Saudamini was always of his stature, and Bondita was only a burden! He finally realized..."
"Even though Saudamini has caused sin, what could she have done when her own to-be husband was disloyal and left her for a little girl?"
"Who is even the father of Bondita's baby?"
The rumours were spreading like wildfire.
Bondita was aching... itching... to catch a glimpse of her Pati Babu again.
All she did was go to school, and then go home with the driver and Batuk. She would remain in thoughts of her Pati Babu, lost in aches and fears about whether he would return for her, but still convincing herself that he would. She knew they were mere thoughts. And all she had to do was to be patient and wait.
From time to time, she would smile and recall his form, his hugs. She would inhale his shirt... the smell on the fragment had already started to subside after all this time.
Her hormones weren't helping. She wanted his embrace, his kisses, his love. She wanted his comfort, his sweet words, and even his scoldings.
But she would try to remember, that she was more than just an emotional being - he had taught her this. Her love for her Pati Babu was pure. She couldn't let her emotions and thoughts taint their bond.
She hadn't heard the rumours that were circulating yet. Nor had her friends.
In fact, it was Vikram who heard it first...
The rumours...
He heard it in his own home, when neighbours came and were gossiping with his own mother.
He had been playing with his baby sister, when the aunty spoke in hushed tones to Vikram's mother.
About the boy who was locked in the school with Bondita, and apparently was speculated to be the father of her child.
He was that boy. But nobody knew that.
Vikram suddenly dropped his baby sister's hands in shock.
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Oooh, I hope you enjoyed these last few parts!
What stood out to you the most?
What will happen now?
What are you most excited to see?
How badly do you want the next chapter?
Press your stars and leave your comments, and then I'll start writing the next one soon.
Love you all so much!