Koyli didi told me that there is a call for me. I rushed to pick up the call.

It was call from a famous law institute in Bombay. They had asked me to attend a special seminar, not for a barrister.

It is the largest law institute in India and I wrote a letter a few months back from London to instil self-defence classes for the female students who live in the hostel alone. Even my Pati babu taught me this

but this seminar may take months.

I immediately said no to it. I lived without Pati babu for so many years, cannot bear this distance anymore not at any cost.

I searched in all books of study then I went to the library. Bondita's not sleeping behaviour is abnormal. She is hiding something, I know her very well.

My eyes stopped at a random page while I was flipping them hastily in the library.

Insomnia

Difficulty in falling asleep. Abnormal sleeping pattern mainly caused due to some incident in past that has caused trauma, separation from loved ones, stress, divorce, job loss etc.

Can be cured by proper medication, exercise, healthy habits, avoiding naps, but most importantly, care and affection from the most loved one in the person's life.

How could I not think of these? I am not sure but what if she is an insomniac? I need to dig this out.

"Beta mujhe dikh raha hain tu takleef mein hain aur shayad mujhe pata hain kya takleef hain tujhe" said a tensed kaka.

"Kaka baar baar ek baat kyu keh rahe hain, kuch nehi huya hain mujhe" he said loudly.

"Bahu ko case jitwane mein tera hath hain na?"

Kaka's words shocked him.

" tu bata de bahu ko, maan ko halka karle aur logo se taane bhi sunna nehi parega" suggested kaka, "bata de ki jo tareef usey mil rahi hain wo tere hisse ki hain".

"Nehi kaka" he cried, "ap jante ho na Bondita ko, wo apne ap ko asakhsham samjhegi, khudse nafrat karegi, ussey bohot dukh pohochega aur mein ek boond ansu nehi dekh sakta uske ankho mein" said Anirudh, placing his head on kaka's lap.

"Itna pyar karta hain par jatana nehi chahata" thought kaka and smiled.

"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 ye dard ek pita hokey sehene nehi de sakta".

We fought last night and so we were not talking to each other. I was stressed, not feeling well and didn't want to talk to anyone.

Bondita entered to talk to me.

What a bad timing Bondita!

She threw her coconut telephone at me and held the other end to her mouth.

I was really not feeling well. If she would have come some other time, I would have listened to her but not now.

" hello jamai babu, meri beti bohot gussa hain apse, ap baat kyu nehi kar rahe ho, chaliye ussey baat kijiye "

"Enough Bondita" I shouted at her. She shivered in fear. I threw the phone away, "stop acting like a child, bacchi nehi rahi tum, bari ho gyi ho, try to act mature".

Tears brimmed her eyes," mein to bass..."

"Chup!" I scolded her, "please mujhe akela chor do please".

" pati babu" she held my hand but I jerked them off.

I tried to leave but she back hugged me, in order to stop me from leaving, "ek baar meri baat sun lijiye".

I separated her from me and left the spot.

I cried almost the whole day, why is he not talking to me?

" Roney se kya faida?" Said Sampoorna didi.

I tried to leave but mami held my elbow tightly

"Tu bewakoof hain Bondita? Tere pati babu se teri kamiyabi dekha nehi jaa raha, jo bhi ho, hain to wo bhi isi samajh ka ek mard"

I jerked off my hands and left the spot.

I washed my face, rubbed off my tears and went downstairs to find Gopi sitting with a box of sweet. Seeing me she stood up, "Barrister Madam, mein ap se aur Barrister Babu se milne aya tha, muh meetha karwane" she smiled.

"Zaroor kyu nehi".

"Barrister Babu ka bohot upkar hain humpe" she joined her hands.

"Pati babu ka upkar?" I was confused. He was the opponent, right?

"Unhone meri jaan bacha k sarre praman o ko ap tak pohochaya tha taki ap jeet jay"

Mere to pairo taale zameen khisak Gaya. He made me win intentionally?? Why?

Did I take away his credit? How could be you so ruthless Bondita? How could you take away his credit?

I am an incompetent girl who cannot win without mercy. My whole life is mercy. He saved me, made me barrister. My whole life is mercy.

I was broken. I was hating myself. I went numb hearing this. How could I not figure out his problem???

I went straight to my room and sat on the floor placing my head on the edge of the bed.

"Bahu" kaka sasurji knocked at the door. I pulled on my pallu to cover my head immediately.

He sat in front of me,"bahu ek prashna ka uttar dogi?"

"Ji" I replied softly.

"Pyar karte ho humare bete se na?"

I was feeling shy to share this with him yet nodded my head.

"Agar hum tumhe pyar ka parikhsha dene ko kahe to doge?"

I looked at him in surprise but said yes.

"Sabse bara Kya kar sakte ho uske liye?"

"Jaan de Sakti hu" I replied softly.

"Apne sapne ko chor sakti ho?"

When he said that, I wasn't believing my ears. Tears rolled down my eyes and I clutched my pallu.

"Pati chahe patni se kitna bhi pyar kare jab baat dono ki kamiyabi pe ati hain tabh kya ek pati apne patni ko khudse zyada kamiyabi paate huye dekh sakta hain?" He said.

Sampoorna didi and mami were right. I was in dilemma and was asked to take the biggest decision of my life.

"Hum intezaar kar rahe hain" he said.

"Chor sakti agar sapna mera hota par ye mere pati babu ka sapna hain kaise choru? Jo meri nehi hain wo mein kaise choru? " I replied.

Kaka looked disappointed and was about to leave but I continued,

"Jo meri nehi hain wo mein kaise choru par jo meri nehi hain wo mein kaise rakhu?"

He looked at me, "matlab?"

"Ye kamiyabi meri nehi isiliye mujhe ye nehi rakhna, mein apse vaada karti hu, kal ka suraj nyi kiran laygi, saari pareshani dur ho jaygi".

" isiliye to hum tume itna lad Karte hain bahu," he said happily and left.

As soon as he left, I collapsed on the floor and cried loudly. "Na mein mere sapne ko kho sakti hu na pati babu ko. Agar pati babu ko khoya to sapna kho jayga aur agar sapne ko khoya to pati babu...." I cried even louder.

Next morning

We all were present except Bondita. Baba asked Dada about her but he didn't reply as they were still not talking to each other.

Kaka came and we all started our breakfast. As soon as we all took the first sip of our respective beverages, we understood, it wasn't made by Bondita.

"Kya ghatiya bana hain ye" Baba made faces.

"Maine banayi hain" Sampoorna maa said

Baba took another sip, "mujhe to bohot pasand aya".

" Nalayak" kaka murmured.

"Bahu ne kyu nehi banayi aj" kaka asked Bihari kaka.

"Bahu rani ji to subha se neeche hi nehi ayi" he said.

"To bula la usey".

Dada pretended to not care but his eyes were fixed at the stairs.

Bihari kaka came running, " Bahu rani Ji ko purey haveli mein dhund liya kahi nehi hain".

"Matlab!" We all stood up.

"Ye chitthi mili," he said and forwarded the letter. Dada snatched it from his hand and read it in one go. Soon he looked at all of us in a numb state.

"Kya likha hain?" Aske Som dada.

"Arrey, bol na" shouted Baba.

The letter fell from his hand. I picked it up immediately and read it while he stood like a statue.

This is not possible? How could she make such a big decision?

"Batuk kya hain usmein" kaka asked me but I said quietly.

Dada now turned to kaka and broke his silence, "kaka apne kya manga tha Bondita se?"

"Check kijiye ekbar please," I said panicking.

"Name?"

"Bondita Anirudh Roy Chowdhury" I replied.

"Sit we cannot give personal details unless you are a family member." Said the lady.

"I am," I said immediately.

"Who are you to her?"

"I am her..." I paused, "I..." I again paused. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, "I am her Husband, Anirudh Roy Chowdhury".