Anirudh looked at the silver pair on the anklet that he had brought for her. He had brought it years ago and decided to gift it on her first victory. Keeping all those taunts and insults

aside, he waited for her patiently.

But soon it started to get darker and darker. She started roaming on the terrace but she didn't come.

As soon as I finished with my duties, I ran to the terrace, "sorry sorry pati babu late ho gyi".

He was not facing me. I went to him and forwarded my hand with a wide smile on my face, " dijiye meri gift".

He moved away. "Pati babu kya ho gaya apko" I made a puppy face. He can never say to this, I know. "Chaliye gussa ko chu mantar kar dijiye" I hugged him but he pushed me away from him, "tumhe mujhse milne se zyada important kaam hain to jao wo karo".

"Aisi baat nehi hain," I said with moist eyes, unable to take his rude behaviour towards me. "Ap gussa maat kijiye please" I held my ears.

"Tum bacchi nehi ho Bondita!" He shouted at me to which I shivered in fear, "stop being so immature, 9 saal ki nehi 19 saal ki ho tum".

" pati babu I am sorry" I cried in front of him, "please ap mujhse baat kijiye".

He was about to leave but I held his hand, " meri is choti si galti ki itna bara sazaa denge ap?"

He jerked off my hand and again tried to leave.

"Mujhse baat kijiye na" I stopped him, blocking his way.

"Samne se hato Bondita," he said sternly.

"Nehi!" I rubbed off my tears.

"Hato same se!" He shouted at me and pushed me aside.

I fell on the ground but he had no idea about it since he had already left the spot. I remained in the position and cried my heart out.

I banged my fist on the wall and started to weep.

Oh No! What have I done

I hurt her for no reason. She was not at fault, I decided to let my problems affect her but...but I did.

I am sorry Bondita, I am so so so sorry

But I don't know what to do. I crossed my feet and sat on the floor, holding my head I cried murmuring an apology to her.

I saw Bondita lying on the floor and crying, seeing this I panicked.

"Bondita!" I made her sit, "ro rahi ho tum?"

"N..nehi to ank mein kuch chala gaya ha" she stammered.

This is the third time I found her awake this late night and this became a suspicious fact for me. Aisa kaise ho sakta hain jab bhi mein raat ko ata hu, I find her awake.

She was sobbing and crying.

I sat beside her, on the floor. "Dada se jhagra huya firse?"

She slightly nodded her head.

"Unhone mujhe milne k liye kaha tha par mein nehi a pyi..."

Something struck my mind immediately. He is angry at her just because she was late?

If he cannot live without her for an hour how come he decided to live without her forever.

If this ignorance of Dada can upset her so much, how will she deal with his lifelong ignorance?

I told him not to do all these but what Dada says, he does.

I left the spot

It was morning and sun rays were peeping through the clouds. I was standing in front of her room thinking whether to go inside or not, how to apologize.

I was about to knock but the door opened by the wind. Empty! She was not there. I called her several times but couldn't find her.

Is she still upstairs. I went to the terrace.

As I expected, she was sleeping there itself.

I sat beside her, "Bon..di..ta" I stammered and was also hesitating to wake her up. "Bon..." before I could wake her up she grabbed my hand in her sleep like a teddy.

"Bondi..." She hugged my hand more tightly and pulled me towards her causing me to fall on her.

She was sleeping peacefully while I fell on her and stared at her. Her cheeks had marks of tears making me feel more guilty.

I gently removed the hair strand on her face. Her lips moved slightly murmuring something in her sleep.

Ye ladki kabhi bhi chup nehi baith sakti, nind mein bhi nehi. This made me chuckle.

Kaka was sprinkling Ganga jal around the house. "Samjha Bihari issey maan ko shuddhi milti hain, chal abh chat pe chal surya dev ko namaskar karne".

Kaka kept preaching mythological teachings to Bihari while they climbed up the stairs, " tabh Surya dev na...."

He stopped so did Bihari...

They saw something else instead of Surya dev due to which their eyes widened and jaw dropped.

"Shiv Shiv Shiv," he said loudly, intentionally, to bring them back to reality.

Hearing this Bondita woke up and they moved apart with a jerk. "Anirudhhhh beta" Kaka hesitated, "beta kamra hain is ghar mein".

Bondita covered her head with her pallu, hiding her face from Anirudh and Kaka due to shame.

Bihari Giggled while Anirudh glared at him.

" ap jaisa soch rahe ho waisa...matlab...mein gir..gir gaya tha" he stammered.

"Thik hain thik hain" saying he went away, feeling uncomfortable.

Bondita stood up but he held her hand.

She turned towards him and saw him kneeling down, holding his ears, "sorry" he said cutely.

She kneeled down in front of him too and held her ears, "sorry"

They chuckled together and now said, "sorry" together.

"To gift dijiye!" She said cheerfully.

"To pehele baitho yaha" saying he made her sit on the swing.

He took out the anklet from her pocket.

"Hawww!" She gasped, "kitna sundar hain!"

"Hain na?" He said cheerfully.

"Ap laye hain to ap hi pehena dijiye"

Hearing this he looked at her in amazement. Then hesitatingly he held her feet.

He placed her feet on his thigh and ties them around her feet.

Bondita closed her eyes when she felt his touch on her skin but the moment was destroyed by

"Bahu....Arti nehi karni, tum dono tambu daal lo chat pe hi" shouted Kaka.

She ran downstairs immediately.

She was surprised to see her mama mami downstairs. "Dekh Bondita maa baba aye hain" smirked Sampoorna.

Bondita smiled at them.

"Tu ne to kaha tha ye dukhi hain, par ye to yaha khushi se kud rahi hain" whispered mami in Sampoorna's ears.

"Maa uchalne do issey, mendak ki bhi ucchal ne ki hadh hoti hain" she replied back.

At afternoon

Someone knocked at the door. Anirudh opened it and found Shyam Babu standing. "Ap yaha?" Asked Anirudh.

"Mujhe kuch madat chahiye tha, court ka silsila hain" he said.

"Ha boliye na" said Anirudh.

"Arrey ap nehi, mujhe Choti malkin se madat chahiye tha"

Anirudh's smile faded away.

"Arrey kaun aya hain Pati Babu" Bondita came from behind.

"Malkin mujhe madat chahiye apki" saying he went inside with her.

Anirudh stood there disappointed and feeling hurt.

"Kya din a gye hain" sampoorna came with her mother.

"Maine kabhi socha nehi tha ki humari Bondita aise apman karegi apne pati ko" said Mami.

I stood there silently.

"Kamiyabi pake Bondita to satve asman pe" Sampoorna laughed.

Those words were piercing my heart, causing it to bleed. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and went upstairs.

"Asar huya ki nehi maa" said Sampoorna after he went away.

"Ye aisa zeher hain jo dheere dheere asar dikhayega aur us Bondita k zindagi mein zeher ghol dega.

At night I went to him with the plate of food. "Pati babu aj ap niche nehi aye khane to mein hum dono ka khana yaha le aya".

He was facing outside the window. " Mujhe bhook nehi hain" he said rudely.

"Arrey aisa kaise" I said giggling, "chaliye kha lijiye dekhiya mein bhi bhooki baithi hu".

" kaha na bhook nehi hain!" He shouted at me loudly and threw the plate away.

I was shocked and horrified by his behaviour. Why is he angry with me now?

"Apne anya ka apman kyu kiya?" I cried and yelled at him.

"Tumhe ek bar mein baat samajh nehi ati" saying he held my hand and pulled me outside. "Apko kya ho gaya!" I cried. "Mujhe tumhara chehera nehi dekhna samjhi".

He pushed me outside and closed the door on my face.

"Ap kyu gussa hain mujhse" I cried and banged the door. I pressed my forehead to the door, "please darwaza kholiye na".

I ran to my room, threw myself on the bed and broke down. "Ap kyu gussa hain mujhse" I sobbed.

"Tujhe nehi pata"

I looked behind and found mami and Sampoorna didi standing.

I rubbed off my tears, "kya?"

"Ye hi ki" they sat in front of me, "tere kamiyabi se dukh pohoch raha hain unhe"

"Aisa ho hi nehi sakta" I said immediately, "meri kamiyabi k liye unhone apna pyar chora, jaan par khele, sab kuch kurban kiya, samajh se lara mere liye".

" tu bacchi hain" said Mami, "ek aurat ka dharm seva karna bass aur kuch nehi. Pati ka barabari karna paap hain"

Tears flowed down my eyes.

"Kuch bhi ho jay, tera sthan hain apne pati k pairo mein"

Bondita is right, he sacrificed everything for her, to make her Barrister Babu, and her success is not making him upset rather he is proud of her.

It is people whose words are making him upset and as usual, he is venting out his anger and pain on her.

Let's not forget he is a human too and continuous taunts, insults, and trolls break him each moment.

Society won't stop unless he is completely broken. Anirudh here is suffering more than her.

Sabko bahar ka dard dikhta hain which Bondita is facing but internal pains are more painful than he is facing.

"Anirudh" Kaka placed his hand on Anirudh's head gently while he cried to sleep placing his head on his lap.

"Mein apne bete ko aise nehi dekh sakta, bilkul bhi nehi, tu chahe mujhe na bataye Anirudh par mein jaanta hu tujhe kya huya hain aur mein tujhe te dard a ek pita hokey sehene nehi de sakta".