Anidita: A sweet journey towards a new dawn

Chapter 26: the suspense intensifies

"Keya khabar lae ho Haran.." asked Halder "keya halat hain us larki ki man ka.."
"Babu woh ajkal thoda dukhi hain.." replied Haran "vidyalay main kuch larke use pareshan karte hain.."
"Hmmm... yeh baat uske gharwalo ko pata hain??"
"Us din maine suna ki Binoy babu vidyalay geye the ish silsile main... unhone use mana kiya Trilochan babu yah uski pati kisiko kuch batane ko.. har raat woh baat karti hain woh phone pe... per kabhi unhe janne nehi deti ki uske man main keya chal raha hain..."
"Wah keya baat hain... iska matlab Anirudh ko andaza bhi nehi ki Bondita ke dil main keya toofan chal raha hain.. aur nahi pata hain Trilochan babu ko... yahi mauka hain... Govind.." Halder called the other man there "Govind abh tumhara kaam suru... apne biwi ko acche se samjha do gao ke dusre aurat o ko uksane ko..."
"Ji Haldar babu..... per kaise uksau?"
"Bondita ki shadi kaise hui thi? Manse ya majburi se? Bondita ko kabhi apne pati ka patiwala sath mila keya? Anirudh use patni mante hain ya sirf ek zimedari ka boj? Anirudh main dusri shadi ki... man se payar se ? Woh biwi to mar geyi per dil se geyi hogi keya? Mard ka marji... Bondita to hain ek bacchi aur Anirudh sarif larka... per dil keya nehi karta uska?... aj o Tulsipur se itni dur rehta hain... ata bhi nehi... keya wajah hain sirf kaam ya kuch aur....... samjhe Govind.." Halder gave a shrude smile
"Samjha... per ek bacchi ko yehsab bolke faida hi keya? Suna hain Anirudh babu use bacchi ki tarah dekhte hain.. Kuch samjhi gi keya woh?"
"R a tumhe bacchi ko samjhane ko kaun bol raha hain.. gao ki aurat o ko uksao aise..."
"Oh accha ha... jaise yeh baat fail jai gao main..."
"Ha aur dusri shadi ki baat pe jor dena... aise jor dena ki uski dhiraj ki badh tut jai..."
"Per Haldar babu.." asked Haran "agar use uthake hi le jana hain to fer yehsab keu?"
"Hum itni jaldbazi nehi karte Haran .. jo bataya woh karo... tum khabar dete jao mujhe..."

Sampurna got out of the room and stood at the balcony and stared at the twinkling stars. Suddenly she noticed something moving in the darkness. A man came out of the bushes all covered up in a cloth. The man looked here and there and entered the house through the back door.
Sampurna instantly moved from there and went towards the back door.
The man entered and started moving through the corridor.
Sampurna followed him from a distance.
She saw he entered the servants place...
"Haran.." whispered Sampurna. She took a gulp. She got too frightened to go to him and ask why he moved out at night...

Next morning...
Anirudh and Banerjee was in the car..
"Anirudh kal jo case aya na.. uska hearing tum kar dena..." instructed Banerjee
"Ji sir.." replied Anirudh "sir... ap kahi ja rahe ho??"
"Ha Anirudh... "
Banerjee went off the car. Anirudh felt something fishy. Maybe it's his own thought.

Haran went to the market to buy things for the Haveli. There he met Govind.
Govind signed him to come at an isolated place.
Haran followed him.
"Keya hua Govind?" Whispered Haran
"Kal raat jab tum haveli laute to upar se koi dekh raha tha.." replied Govind
"Keya?! Kaun.."
"Ek aurat.. bacchi nehi bari... sayed woh Binoy babu ka neya patni .. samhal ke rehna aur bahana tyar rakhna.."
"Thick hain.. sukriya.."
"R a surika kis baat ki.. eh kaam pe to hum sabka bhalai hain.. tum jao nehito koi dekh lega.."

Sampurna already told Binoy and Trilochan about what she saw at night.
Haran entered the haveli..
"Haran.." called Trilochan
"Ji malik..."
"Tum raat ko bahar geye the..??" Trilochan asked in a full zamindari style..
"Ji ha Malik.."
Trilochan was quiet shocked at this reply...
"Ji ha.... keuu??" Asked Trilochan in a confused manner..
"Malik.. meri patni mere bacche ko janm dete samai gujar geyi... aj mera baccha bhi itna bimar hain.. khud ko bohat.." Garan started sobbing.. "isliye nadi ke kinare jake taro se baat karta hu... asma ke taro main hi apni patni ko dhun leta hu..."
Trilochan got emotional
"Ab tumhara baccha kiske pas hain.."
"Mere ma ke pas..."

Haran went to his room and closed the door . He started crying.
"Mujhe maaf kar do Maya.. kuch na kar saka... na tumhe bacha saka.. aur nah... bacche ki jaan bachane ke liye yeh paap karna par raha hain mujhe ... pata nehi Haldar babu ne paise bheje hoge ya nehi... kaam hone ke baad hi yohlog intezam karenge Kolikata ke haspatal main bharti hone ka..."
Haran sat on the floor with a helpless expression.

That night...
Bondita and Batuk were returning together from school. Biniy has gone to some work taking the car. So they walked down the street.
They two were teasing gossiping and laughing ... but suddenly Bondita sensed something. She looked back but nothing was there.
"Keya hua boudi.."
"Kuch nehi.."
After walking sime distance she again felt odd.
She looked back.
The man hid behind the tree.
Bondita could see nothing. But a chill ran down her spine because of some unknown cause.

That night.
The phone ringed...
Bondita ran and picked it up...
"Helloo"
"Haluu Bondita. .."
Bondita looked here and there.. she was breathing fast..
"Patibabu.. patibabu..."
"Keya hua Bondita.. aise.. keya hua?" Asked Anirudh
"Kuch nehi.. aap kab ayoge.."
"Jaldi hi Bondita "
"Jaldi ayo na... " Bondita sounded helpless..
"Sach sach bolo to Bondita keya hua.."
"Kuch nehi... kuch nehi.. woh padhai main man nehi lagta.. aur kuch nehi..."
Anirudh felt something suspicious. But he has still two hearings left and Banerjee has also referred to him a case. Now he can't go to Tulsipur. But he felt immense concern for Bondita.

Next moring he called at the haveli..
Trilochan picked it up... "subha subah kaun... Hellooo"
"Heloo kaka..."
"R a Anirudh beta tu .. itne din baad ish kaka ki yaad..."
"Kaka Bondita ko syad kuch paresani hain.. aap uska acche se kheyal rakhna.."
Anirudh cut the phone..
"Accha nachra larka hain.. aise phone cut diya?!.. r a tujhe humne god main bithake kitna khilaya.. god main leta to kitne lath mare mujhe... itne sab ka yeh fal.. ek paal thick se baat bhi nehi kiya jata kaka se.." kaka got emotional "ek vaar ay tu nalayak... aab danda main marunga.. bohat marunga... ...  "