ANIDITA : A Life For Revolution

CHAPTER 15 : Part 3

Anirudh's p.o.v

I continued rubbing the ointment onto her burned hand, my eyes never leaving her angelic sleeping face for even a second. It's been night and Bondita slept in between our little chatter. My other hand haven't left its tight hold on hers yet – whether it's a conscious action or an unconscious one, it gives me the sukoon I need right now, it gives the assurance I crave for... It keeps the dark thoughts at bay. All I want is to wake up to her face, to have her beside me tomorrow morning... If possible, every morning.

I looked at the wall clock behind and then at the Calendar on table. That's when it struck me. It's her birthday! It's her birthday tomorrow! I looked at the clock again, just seven minutes to go! Should I wake her up? That would've been a wonderful idea, to wish her at 12 but I don't have anything ready. No Anirudh. May be you should let her rest and wait until tomorrow morning. I sighed in disappointment and went back to my only solace for the moment – her face. For a reason I can't quite place, memories started hitting me. All our times together with all its glory was nothing less than a torture. How ironic is that sometimes in life, the sweetest of memories can be excruciating later!

"Bondita... Hum baki jodiyan ki tarah kyun nahi hai? Jis farq ko mein aj tak apna guroor samajhta tha, woh aj mere liye vinashkari keise ban gaya? Aisa kyun hai ki har baar yeh duniya humein alag karne par tule huye hai aur humein humesha ek dusre ko khone ke darr se guzarna padta hai? Humein aise hi, bina pareshani ke, bina kisi darr se jeene ka avsar kyun nahi mil raha Bondita?"

I held her hand up, now clutching her palm with both of mine – my elbows resting on bed.

"Pata hai Bondita? Iss baat keliye mein naraz hoon Dugga Maa se! Kuch dinon keliye meri dua bas yahi thi lekin woh manti hi nahi! Unko kya? Bohot manoranjak natak hai na? Acha lagta hoga humein dukh mein dekhkke... Mein janta hoon! Tum agar hosh mein hoti toh turant muh fula leti. Mujhse naraz hoti lekin mein bohot naraz hoon unse Bondita! Isiliye tumhari harkathon ka koyi asar nahi hoga mujhpar"

She groaned in sleep and threatened to open her eyes. Oh damn! I might have been louder. I didn't bother to keep a check of my rising sound in flow of talking. Brainless, Anirudh!

I leaned down and stroked her to sleep, hushing on her ears in an attempt to calm her.

"Pati babu...?" she murmured in sleep.

Honestly, I was taken aback. He recognized my touch even in her sleep! And the fact that she calls me Pati babu – her husband – even after her confession to me...

Just thinking about that makes my blood boil! I better take it out of my mind quickly. Still stroking her, I placed a loving kiss on her forehead and whispered to her.

"Happy birthday Bondita"

She smiled in sleep, a sense of contentment washing over her features. Instead of amusing me, this involuntary act of her made me proud. Don't ask me why because honestly, I don't know the reason.

"Mujhe jana hoga Bondita... Kal tumhara janamdin hai aur mujhe tumhare udhne se pehle bohot kuch karna hai" I squeezed her hand.

Standing up, I turned around to leave, only to be stopped by her palm still entwined with mine. I smiled lightly and replied.

"Mein bhi tumhe chodkar jana nahi chahta lekin tumhare liye mujhe jana hoga..." I cupped her palm in silent assurance and left the room half-heartedly.

May be because I left the light of my life, darkness engulfed me all of a sudden. God, I think a lot in her absence! While decorating the room with the minimal things I had and managed to get, my thoughts carried all those events that occurred during previous days.