Barrister Babu: A Tale Retold

05 ~ A New Problem

Bondita started to wake up.

Anirudh got alerted and he was ready to help Bondita with whatever she asks for.

He was the one who decided to be awake as no one else has spent an entire night without sleeping in the Mansion. Mini was fast asleep in the next room.

Bondita was confused at first. Where is she? How did her dress change? Why is she feeling this dizzy and why is her head feeling that heavy?

Anirudh laid his hand on her shoulder and she jerked away only for him to catch her as she went to the edge of the bed because of the movement.

"I'm sorry Bondita for startling you like that. You've been unconscious since-"

"Since?" Her voice was hoarse.

He gave her water to drink. She smiled and accepted the water.

"For how many hours was I unconscious?"

"Around 6 hours. You reached Haveli by 6:30 PM and it is half-past midnight. Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Ok wait. I'll get your dinner. And don't worry, Saudamini changed your dress." Anirudh said as he gave the plate to Bondita.

She ate the dinner a bit slowly but didn't waste any food. He helped her to wash her hands and then helped her to lay back on the bed.

He covered her up and then went to the couch so just because his Kaka could enter the room in the morning and would tell at him. But, Bondita stopped him.

"Why would you take the couch? This is your bed right? You can sleep next to me, nothing is going to happen if we share the same bed."

Not finding a reason to argue, Anirudh decided to sleep on the bed. He was really impressed that she had progressive thoughts like him.

His only hope is that Kaka doesn't see him sleeping next to Bondita.

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It was 8:30 AM when he woke up.

Anirudh was late. Very very late.

He knew Kaka would flip out when if he enters the room.

Bondita was fast asleep next to him. Of course, given the fact that she was injured. He tiptoed out of the bed to brush his teeth and later took another set of blanket and pillows and arranged it in such a way that it looked like he was asleep on the couch.

Bondita woke up a bit too fast and she felt her head swirl. Anirudh caught her in the nick of the time and made her sit on the bed to collect herself.

She thanked him and slowly went into the bathroom to refresh herself. Anirudh was redoing the bed when Kaka entered the room.

"What are you doing here Anirudh? Where is Bondita?"

"Kaka, she's in the bathroom. As you can see I'm redoing the bed. And I'll redo the couch once I finish this."

"So you were here all night? How could you-"

"Kaka, Bondita is hurt. And she didn't take her dinner, I was there to help her. I slept on the couch and not next to her-"

"Anirudh, stop bluffing. You were laying next to me when I asked you specifically to come and lie down next to me. And Kaka, no one is going to learn the fact that Anirudh and I shared the same bed. Its your shouting that will make them gossip about this."

"What are you trying to tell, Bondita?" Kaka asked, irritated by her talk.

"I'm trying to tell that outside world would never get to know what is happening inside the Haveli unless and until you make a fuss out of it. You were literally shouting on top of your voice, I'm sure the entire village would have heard it."

Bondita said and then stepped outside of the room, leaving Kaka shocked. Anirudh went behind her and Kaka went behind them followed by Bihari.

"Bondita, wait. Although I appreciate you supporting me, but you shouldn't have talked to him like that."

"What do you mean? So, he is allowed to shout and let others know that you had a girl in your bed last night? Even though you and I did nothing, we'll be forced to get married because we slept in the same bed. And what's wrong in what I said? I requested him to lower his voice so that no outsider would know what happened. What's wrong in it? Tell me?"

Anirudh kept quiet.

"That's what I thought." She said and walked downstairs, where Mini was waiting for her.

"Let's get out of here fast. Everyone heard Kaka screaming at Anirudh."

"Yeah. I requested him to talk in a lower voice. Why should someone react like that? You and I sleep in the same bed and no one says anything, but the moment a guy sleeps next to me, they'll assume we had sex. . ." Bondita kept ranting on until they reached Mini's room.

Mini stopped Bondita, "Hey. People like him belong to an older generation. And also that they have different thoughts than us. We are well educated, so we know all this. But they are not educated properly. That's the issue."

"And also the fact that they twist whatever is written in the Holy Books for their own comfort and convenience. This is totally wrong."

"Bondita, we can't do anything. All we can pray for is that our generation isn't as bad the older generation is."

"Yeah, you're right." Bondita nodded, agreeing with Mini.

She then freshened up and wore a saree for a change. Bondita decided to ask Mini for one of her sarees and later Mini helps Bondita to tie the saree.

Just then someone knocks on the main door of the house and Mini's Dida opens the door. A middle-aged man is on the other side, doubling over to catch his breath. He introduces himself as Abhinandan Bannerjee and requests to talk to Bondita.

Dida lets him in and calls for Bondita and Mini. They come, but Bondita walks a bit slow as her head is still buzzing. Abhinandan inquires about her injuries and requests her not to come to the village as the situation is grim and also that he overheard a woman (related to Bondita) talk about killing her as she comes to the village.

Bondita nods her head and calls the Sarpanch to inform him that the next 3-5 days will be a holiday for the children and she requests the Sarpanch to tell the kids to put the skills they've learned to use. Sarpanch is pleased and thanks her for the idea and also for understanding the situation.

Mini requests Abhinandan to walk back carefully and gives him some money so that he can stop by the market and get some jewels for his wife and kids, that way no one would suspect him. He accepts and sets back to Chandan Nagar, both Mini and Bondita can only pray that he returns safely.

Just as Bondita and Mini stepped out, the phone rang.

The voice that called for Bondita was loud and familiar.

Who could it be?

***

Chapter 06 will be up soon!

Guess in the comments who is the caller. The plot is starting to thicken.

Stay tuned for more updates!