Chapter 4: Witnessing the unwilling changes

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It is said that Change is the only constant. But some changes are unbearable to be faced. Same was the condition of Anirudh after seeing his Bondita changed to this extent.
Whereas as Tupur was elated with the change. She was happy seeing her married and was thinking that after this her husband may change.

The Roy Choudhary haveli was engulfed with darkness of night and while every members were dozed off in their respective rooms, Anirudh was roaming around the study. Sleep was far away from him getting the flashbacks of the evening he that he could never imagine. He wasn't able to gulp the fact that his Bondita was not only married to a Britisher, but has become against her own citizens, her own family and her own Sakha babu. When he saw her eyes filled up with tears when he met her alone for her answers, he could somewhere see the glimpse of his Bondita. He was expecting that she isn't actually changed but as soon as she spoke about enmity and saw her eyes filled with hatred, his perspective completely changed. Overall, the Bondita he witnessed in the evening was not the Bondita who left for Kashi but was just a doppelganger, she was Suzie.

In Das baadi, Thakuma decided not disclose about Bondita to Sumati as she was already not well and hearing about her changed daughter, she may become more restless. Chandrachur was sitting on the bed resting his back on the headrest whereas Tupur was pressing his legs massaging them. He spoke up "Bondita se ye ummeed bilkul nahi thi. Yaha maine uske liye 8 saal inzaar kiya aur usne? Ek angrez se shaadi karli." Tupur was smiling internally thinking that Bondita has gone from her husband's life. She fearfully asked him "Bondita ki shaadi ho chuki hai, ab toh ussey bhool jaayenge na aap? Ab mujhe hi maanenge na apni patni?" She was expecting him to be angry but to her surprise he smiled at her and touching her face he uttered "Aisa kyu puch rahi ho? Tumhari jagah aur koi le sakta hai kya Tupur?" To which she smilingly nodded in a no. Suddenly his hand which was lovingly caressing her face went back and clutched her hair making her wince in pain. Changing his expression into anger he uttered "isiliye liye toh Bondita ke jaane ke baawajood abhi tak tumhe jhel raha hu kyuki tumhare paas sabse zyaada jagah hai." She understood what he meant. He was just bearing her as she owns the maximum jagah, that is the property of Das family. But unknown to them they were going to face an obstacle in this matter as well.

The next day they were supposed to reach the place at 9 am. But since they didn't want to make any delay, the Thakuma and Chandrachur along with Tupur reached the garden cum playground 15 minutes earlier where Philips was already present in his sports attire and that was when they realized a soccer match was going on ahead among Philips and his team against the fellow British team . Within few minutes Anirudh and Trilochan also reached there. While Philips was doing his warm-up after completing the first half of the match, he saw them and said "Oh! Look who is here. Both the rival families ek saath?" To which they rolled their eyes in annoyance. "Officer kab tak aayenge?" Asked Chandrachur trying to be polite in front of him. "Jo time bola hai tabhi hi aayenge. Ab aap log itni jaldee aa hee gaye hai toh mera match hi dekh lijiye" said Philips with a smirk. He turned and shouted to call his wife "Suzie, where are you darling? The second half is going to begin." "Coming dear" as soon as she replied him, Bondita was seen descending from the staircase of the ground wearing a knee length floral frock holding a white net umbrella. Anirudh didn't even look towards her due to annoyance but Thakuma spoke up to Chandrachur looking at her "ye Bondita kuch alag nahi lag rahi hai?" "Alag toh lagegi na Thakuma, poori angrezi mem bankar jo aayi hai." Chandrachur replied her in a disappointed manner. "Nahi nahi!" snapped Thakuma and continued "iske baal dekh." That caught Anirudh's attention and made him look up to Bondita. She has chopped her thick black hair which once used to touch her waist, is now just till her shoulder. Since last night in the party it was tied in a messy bun, nobody noticed this change in her. This made him completely disappointed as he remembered a day with his little Bondita.

The 12 year old Bondita was getting ready for her school. "Boudi, kitni der aur?" called Batuk as she was taking longer to get ready than usual. She always wakes up early and after the morning veneration and breakfast preparation, she gets ready on time with Koyili's help. But that day Koyili wasn't present and there for she was getting difficulty to tie her two sided braids. Anirudh walkes up to he room to check what was making take long and as soon as he reached he saw her struggling with her long hair. "Kya hua Bondita? he asked politely. "dekhiye na pati babu, ye baal theek se bandh hi nahi rahe." Saying this she combed her hair roughly. Seeing this Anirudh worriedly said "Arrey Bondita araam se. Baal khararab ho jaayenge." He has always seen her love for her long hair and always maintained it properly. Batuk came up by the time and saw his boudi struggling, he teasingly uttered "Boudi, aap bhi na mere jaise apne baal chota katwa dijiye." "Nahi!" She quickly snapped and said caressing them "mere baal mere jaan se bhi pyaare hai." Anirudh smiled listening to it while she continued "Isse toh mai mar kar bhi nahi kaatungi . This made Anirudh frown and was about to utter when his evil Sampoorna maa entered her room and spoke up "tujhe pata hai Bondita? Sumati pishi bhi yahi kehti jab unke bhi baal tere jaise lambe the par ab dekho." Anirudh glared at her with anger as he was clearly aware about where this conversation was going while she continued "Kismat khel gaya unke saath. Bondita, tere mar jaane se aisa kuch nahi hoga balki tere pati babu ke mar..." "Bas!" Bondita snapped with tearful eyes and covering her ears not letting her to continue. "Aisa kabhi nahi hoga." "Abhi iss kamre se nikal jaao Sampoorna" Anirudh yelled at her to which she rolled her eyes and went away smirking. Batuk also went away leaving the couple alone. Indeed she was broken to listen such word from her own sister but Anirudh was disappointed seeing the chirpy little girl broken not because she may lose her hair but the fear that she may lose her pati babu. But a sudden fear engulfed him. He thought what if this actually happens? She will have to bear the consequences as Sumati maa is facing. The society will not spare her and she will face all the malpractice after his death. He made a promise to himself that he will surely fight against the malpractices taking place in the samaj before something happens to him so that his jeene ki wajah won't have to face any thing wrong in his absence. His pool of thoughts got interrupted when she said while sobbing "main aapko kuch nahi hone dungi pati babu, bhale hi uske liye main apne baal hi kyu na kho..." "Nahi Bondita!" He was quick to stop her and her and continued "aaj tumhe mujhse ek vaada karna hoga. Chahe kuch bhi ho jaay, chaahe koi bhi paristhiti ho, tum apne baal kabhi nahi kaatogi. Bhale hi meri jaan..." she quickly covered his mouth not allowing him to continue. He smiled seeing her concern. He wiped her tears and said forwarding his hand "Toh vaada raha?" She placed her tiny hands on his and gloomily said "vaada raha." He gestured her with his hand to smile to which she reciprocated with the same gesture. "Boudi jaldi kijiye." Batuk called her from downstairs making them remind that she's getting late. Anirudh said "jaldi karo Bondita warna punishment milegi. Laao main tumhari madad karta hu." "Aapko aata hai?" She asked to which he chuckled and replied "koshish toh kar sakta hu na." She smilingly nodded and he combed her hair carefully making sure he won't harm them.

Even after living in London for 8 years, she always maintained her style adoring herself with saree and her elegant long hair sometimes braided, sometimes giving it a wave while sometimes keeping it straight naturally the way it was. He has also noticed her frequently roaming her fingers between her hair to remove the tangles when she was disguised as Vaijayanti. He was smiling remembering each moment but as soon as he his Bondita in short hair he frowned and closed his eyes not because she broke her promise but unable to see the unwilling changes he has been witnessing from a day ago. Indeed she was looking beautiful but her beautiful heart was also changed like her hair. He clenched his fist to calm himself down and making him remind that she has changed now. Changed into Suzie.
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Hey guys

I know precape was given something else but shotti, these kind of changes in the chapter was also unexpected for me as well. I was about to write about the challenge they were going to face but as I started drafting my mind was giving me this weird idea to write about the changes. And I also wanted to add a sequence of little Bondita.🙈🙈

So here's the next chapter! Do make the star orange if you liked this and comment down your views.

Love,
Ammy💜

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