She was sitting on the bench quietly, waiting for the train, her eyes fixed at the tracks, her hand clutching the newspaper tightly in anger. She scrumbbled the page that had a picture of a black swastika on a red flag(guess the sign readers).

She started recalling those incidents.

Flashback

"What are all these?" Her mother shouted at her, "ye kitab kahase mili?"

She gazed at the wooden floor, hiding the book of Songs offerings(English version Of Gitanjali). "A few days back those people burned all the books in this city down so from where you got this book?"

"I stole it, from a library," she said softly.

She was about to slap her but stopped, "stole? Agar unlogo ne kitab dekh liya" saying this she snatched the book from her hand, "sochenge ki hum communist hain".

"Mujhe parna hain!" She shouted, "U Don't want to leave here, I don't belong here, I want to go to India, my home! Grandpa ki naukri yaha hain so let it be hum laut chalte hain"

"Shhh" her mother looked at her furiously with tears in her eyes, "Fuhrer k logo ne sun liya na to..."

"I hate him, I hate Fuhrer and his ideologies, I will run away to Indian, ap dekhna" she shouted in her broken Hindi and headed towards her room.

Flashback ends

A drop of tear escaped her eyes when she again recalled how she lost everything. She pulled the diary to her chest and cried. There is a big reason why Batuk was telling her about Bondita. "Don't cry," she murmured to herself, "Life kisiki bhi easy nehi hain, agar Anirudh aur Bondita lar sakti hain to mein kyu nehi?" and slowly she was understanding. Batuk, who was watching her from a distance felt elated that he is becoming successful. She is finally understanding why the diary is important to her.

Suddenly there was a sound of a heavy crash. In no time the station became crowded. An accident took place killing a woman. Batuk who was standing at a distance ran to her. The woman's face looked unrecognisable in the pool of blood. People closed their eyes in horror but her eyes were fixed at that woman. A pair of eyes that have seen so many deaths, this was nothing to her.

"Lily chalo yaha se" Batuk held her hand as he was not ready to let her see such things. "Lily mat bulaiye , wo log mujhe bulate the. Call me by my real name" she frowned cutely. "Accha Lolita chalo" Batuk held her hand and they walked away from that place.

Both sat in their respective seats in their coaches. Batuk again opened the book and started to read.

......................................

"Mein tumhe nehi le ja sakta" I tried to explain to her calmly but she was stubborn, "kal raat hi to apne kaha ki hum eksath chalenge".

How do I tell her that revolts are going on outside? This could be a risk and I cannot put her life at stake.

"Ap sach bataiye apka waha koi parivaar hain kya?" She eyed me.

Again? Since last day she is saying all these and I know exactly why. Since childhood Bondita gets influenced by books. She was mistaking me as Dev babu recalling which I chuckled. That day I saw her reading "chokher bali" and I know this could be the reason.

Oh god! My Bondita is still a child. I chuckled at her innocence while she stood there eying me in anger. "Agar mujhe pata chala ki apka parivar hain to". I moved to her closer, "to kya?"

"Apko Bondita kabhi nehi milegi ap jitna bhi dhund lo". I pulled her cheeks and kissed her forehead. She again frowned at him and tried to free herself, "choriye kaam hain" saying this she was about to go away but she slipped and fell on my lap by mistake.

"Sorry" she got nervous and tried to get but I pulled her again on my lap, "thori der aise hi baithi raho". I wrapped my hand around her waist and closed my eyes to comfort myself. I don't know when I will meet my Bondita again.

Bondita wanted to stay awake the whole night and talk to me but I forced her to sleep or else how will I make her the cake. I tiptoed inside the kitchen in dark, where Bihari was snoring on the floor. "Bihari" I called him silently, "Bihari". "Ji chote malik" he jumped up, "chor aya kya?"

"Shhhh!" I whispered, "utho aur chalo cake banane".

I took out a parchment from my pocket which had a recipe for cake written in it. Today from the court, I called at home to note this down.

"Ji chote Malik" Bihari picked up my phone. "Bihari cake kaise banate hain pata hain tumhe?" I asked restlessly."Cake? Ap cake k sath kya karenge?" Questioned Bihari.

"Tumhe kya bas koyli ko phone do" I shouted at Bihari. "Ji chote Malik" said Koyli from other side".

"Cake kaise banate hain mujhe please batao" I almost requested.

"Ap bahurani ji se puch lijiye na"

"Nehi puch sakta, tum batao mujhe mein likh raha hu".

Bihari took out a bowl and I did according to the instructions. "Sarre safed kyu hain" this fact irked me. Salt, sugar, flour, wheat everything here is white. "Abh apke liye ye sab rang badal le kya?" Bihari giggled to which I looked at him furiously. I started to whisk the batter but The had no idea this is such a tough job. My arms started to ache from shoulders to finger. Bihari took out a can of dry fruits. "Kitni der aur karna hain" I asked Bihari as I was tired whisking the barter. Bihari looked at it carefully, "ho gaya lagta hain" he said and was about to dip his finger in it when I hit his hand. I asked Bihari to look after and cake while I went to check Bondita. She was sleeping peacefully with her lips slightly parted in a sugary breath. I made her close her mouth but she opened it again. Like every, she again smiled and murmured something.

God knows what this girl always dreams about. I covered her with the duvet and went downstairs just to see Foolish Bihari standing in black smoke.

"Bihari!" I shouted at him and took out the cake but it was so hot that I started to toss it. This was for Bondita so how could I drop it. I carefully placed the cake on the table and held my head in disappointment. "Abh kya kare!"

"Malik ek kaam karte hain, Jale huye hissey ko kaat k fek dete hain" suggested Bihari. For the first time I liked his idea. I removed the burnt area and covered the cake with white cream.

I was so proud of myself. For the first time, I made a cake although the kitchen looked like a mess.

I picked up the cake like a trophy won by me, the great chef Anirudh Roy Chowdhury. "Bondita bohot khush ho jaygi" I told Bihari.

Have you heard this josh mein hosh khona?

Exactly this happened. Bihari and I were so happy that we started to jump with the cake and unfortunately it fell on the floor.

Both of us looked at it in horror. No no, not because it was destroyed but because it wasn't. I picked up the cake and knocked on it, "ye kya bana diya apne, Choti malkin ki daant hi nehi rahenge" said Bihari. My jaws dropped and then I realized the burnt portion was the only soft portion of the cake and the rest was as hard as a rock. I panicked and started to read the labels of each ingredient. "Kya dhund rahe hain ap chote malik?"

"Tum ne kahi yaha rasoi mein cement to nehi rakh diya" I shouted at him. "Apko bana na nehi ata to galti meri. Bahu rani ji khud sab rhakti hain rasoi mein".

I was so disappointed. All my hard work was in vain that I sat on the floor holding my head.

A sudden knock at the door woke me up. I switched the lights on and opened the door while yawning and rubbing my eyes. Opening the door, I realised there was no one outside except a note.

Chat pe intezaar kar raha hu.

I chucked and brushed my hair away from my forehead. Folding the note, I walked up to the stairs.

The silver floor due to the large shiny moon reflected the shadow of a man. As he came closer, I saw his face holding a charming smile.

"Pati ba...."

"Shhh" he placed his cold finger on my lips and gestured me to sit on a beautifully decorated table. On a large while plate, a single rosogolla was kept with a tiny candle planted on it.

I looked at him and chuckled, "bohot pyara hain ye cake".

"Meine koshish....matlab bana nehi paya" he seemed embarrassed. I stood up and he gave me a questioning look. I went to him and sat on his lap while he wrapped his hand around my waist. His perfume was again intoxicating me.

I blew the candle and parted the spongy sweet into two halves. We fed each other. He placed a feathery kiss on my cheek and whispered in the mist husky tone, "happy birthday". I closed my eyes when his breath touched my skin.

He kissed her cheek, her jaw, her ear. "Tell me what you feel." saying this he handed me a beautiful white saree, "pehen k ao".

"Par...."

That finger rose and pressed gently to my lips. "Don't argue. Just do."

I don't know why but my heart asked me to be obedient to him today, do whatever he says, let him lead me today but why?

I nodded gently and went to my room. I was blushing profusely.

I wrapped the saree around me, tied my hair in a bun and walked up to the terrace again. That saree was somewhat opaque, reflecting my shape more.

He took a step back and with slow deliberation looked at me up and down. His inspection seems to last for a long time, though it must take only seconds. The air between us crackled, and I wanted to move toward him, to close the gap between us again.

He came closer to me and pulled me closer to him by my waist. He pulled out the hairpin and allowed my hair to flow down. His hands moved aimlessly on my bare waist. I placed my hands on his chest. His other hand slowly moved to my head as it gently clenched my hair. His lips touched mine, his lips melted in mine. The most sweetest kiss one could ever get. He picked me up in his arms while we were still kissing each other and brought me to our room. I moved apart to take a breath but he smashed his lips again into mine. I felt his hands leaving my hand and moving down to my back. His fingers played with the dori for some time unless it pulled it open.

My body lighted up like New Year. He might have torn my heart to pieces earlier, but he still holds me like I'm the most precious thing in his world.

His lips now travelled down from my lips to my neck and he turned me away. I tilted my neck to allow him access. There were butterflies in my stomach. I have never been in such a situation, I have no idea what to do next. I did as he made me do. He kissed my knuckles and my nape as his hands trailed down my arms and then roamed on my waist. I hugged him tightly, unable to stand properly. I heard him chuckle seeing my condition but I still hid my face in his chest, not realizing that I was standing on his feet.

He picked me up and made me sit on the bed. I clutched the bedsheet in nervousness and was unable to make eye contact. He lifted my chin with his finger and slowly opened my earrings and then my necklace. I started to take a deep breath. His cold hands moved on my feet, my arms, my neck causing me to get breathless. I let out a soft moan when he again locked my lips with mine and gently pushed me down to bed. I curled my fingers and took all his love.

He trailed a lazy finger down the length, and my skin prickled at the touch.

I heard a sound.

Clank! Clank!

My bangles broke the fell on the floor.

My skin could feel the electrifying sensation of his touch. I clutched and intertwined each other's fingers to calm myself down. I was letting out a soft moan when his lips again touched mine. My saree lay in a corner of the room.

.

.

Tears rolled down my eyes and my lips parted, allowing him to trail his lips against mine. The pain was unbearable, feeling like my inner parts were ripping off although he tried to be as gentle as he could. I screamed and dug my nails on his skin, uncontrolled tears escaped my eyes but pleasure and love were much more than the pain felt. My painful screams were making it hard for him since he cannot see me in pain. He smashed his lips against mine to calm me down and that was it. We melted in each other forever.

.

.

Bondita surrendered herself to me that night. The next morning I had to leave for Gangtok. I woke up with Bondita sleeping in my arms. This time he wasn't murmuring in her sleep. Her sindoor was smudged and her arms wrapped around me. I pecked her lips and moved her hand gently and carefully not to wake her up. After getting ready I kissed her wound on his wrist which was caused when her bangles broke yesterday. Covering her properly with the duvet I kissed her forehead and went outside.

............................

She looked at Batuk who was sleeping on the train. Not able to sleep on a train journey, she carefully took the diary from his hand and tried to read.

Again she failed. The fact that this was written in hindi prevented her from reading this by herself all these years. This diary was always with her and she wanted to read but couldn't. She always wondered who must have written this and now she knows.

"Soye nehi tum?"

She shivered in fear, "weren't you asleep?"

"Yes but now I am awake," he said with a smile.

"Ek baat puchu?" She asked.

"Hmmm"

"I am no one to you, you are no one to me, I had no idea who you are then why do you love me so much?"

Batuk kneeled down on the floor to match her height. She, with two little pony tailles and a white frock, looked at him innocently. The little girls asked him the same question again.

He took the diary from her hand and changed the topic, "kuch sikha tumne Bondita se abh tak?"

"Yes, I am insomniac and she taught me to fight with it and one day I will overcome this like her. I am excited to meet Anirudh and Bondita".

"Don't call them by their name"

"If you don't mind ek question puchu?" I asked her out of curiosity, "tum to bhartiya ho fir Mr Francis ki beti kaise?"

"Sare angrez burey nehi hotey Anirudh babu, he adopted me and raised me like his own daughter" Priyam said with a smile, "I neber faced racism and was allowed to follow my religion".

Just then the phone rang. I picked it up and the voice on the other side made me smile,

"Hello pati Babu"

"Kaun hain Anirudh" Priyam asked me. Before I could answer Priyam Bondita questioned me from the other side, "ladki ki awaz kaha se a rahi hain pati babu?"