Parenthood

 
Main tera dil pyar mera hai tu
Mera jeevan sansar mera.

“Subhash Chandra Bose is setting up an army as he joined the INA.” The radio broadcast spoke as Bondita looked up at the news. “He is inviting help from the citizens of the Indian subcontinent in any way they can, in cash and kind.”

Bondita stood up and walked up to the drawer and opened it. In it were the contact details of a client of Aniruddha’s whose brother happened to be based in Taiwan. She looked up as Aniruddha entered the apartment, opened the door, and Lekha ran to hug him.

“What is that?” Aniruddha asked, putting down his things.

“Mr Mukherjee’s contact in Taiwan.” He frowned a little at her words. “I wanted to know if we could give some jewellery to help the INA.” Aniruddha’s brows shot up at her words.

“Your jewellery?” She nodded, He shrugged. “I will ask him myself.”

“Do you think Kakababu will be upset if I give them away?” She asked as Aniruddha shook his head. “If anything, he will be proud of you.”

“I will still ask. Oh, I have a client to meet in the evening, can I use your chambers?” She asked as he nodded. 

“Sure, I will be home with Lekha. We will have to look for a chamber for you soon.” He spoke as she shook her head. “I want to do it with my own hard-earned money.” he smiled agreeing with her words.

“Maa, Maa,” Patralekha ran back into the sitting area, her ribbons untied from either side of her braids as she asked, “We are going home this weekend, taina?” She seemed excited as a clueless Aniruddha asked “What is exciting about that? We go home every weekend.”

Patralekha put her hand over her mouth and smiled excitedly.

“Ashu dada has got pets.”

“Pets?” Aniruddha frowned as he looked up at Bondita who nodded with a smile.

“Oh yes, Asha called this morning, these two are excited about some kittens he rescued.”

“Also, I want to show Pori my new toy.” Patralekha clapped her hands and ran inside.

“All that will be done if you finish the work I gave you first.” Bondita reminded her.

Patralekha sulked. “You are a strict teacher, I want Baba to teach me.” Bondita smiled amused at her as Aniruddha’s brows shot up. 

“Oh, I had a stricter teacher than you do.” Bondita popped her sulking puffed cheeks making Patralekha laugh with her.

Things had also changed in Tulsipur over the past four years. Binoy Roy Chowdhury had reluctantly retired giving Somnath the freedom to run the business in a more modern approach, Trilochan Roy Chowdhury wanted a lawyer to advise him on legal rules and laws relating to Panchayat matters. Much to his delight, Bondita happily offered to help with everything as they came by on the weekend. Ashapurna managed the home as efficiently as Bondita once did. Batuk was off on a ship to Egypt, without a marriage that was being forced upon him by Trilochan Roy Chowdhury. Ashutosh was topping his academics while Poritosh managed to keep the house on its toes. Since Patralekha was growing up, Aniruddha and Bondita made a decision to compulsorily visit Tulsipur every weekend so that Patralekha knew home and her own people and had the privilege of growing up with her cousins. As much as Trilochan Roy Chowdhury was against them staying away,  he proudly flaunted the same to others. The Independence Movement had by now reached every lane and corner of the country and everyone was being affected by it. There were also fears of riots and partition doing the rounds.

“Now they demand to make two countries out of one,” Trilochan spoke in rebuke as Somnath turned off the radio news. “This is ridiculous. Why will anyone leave their homes?”

“Dada, we will never know what is the cause of anything.” Binoy was calm. “But just in case anything like that happens, we need to be alert.” Trilochan shook his head again. Ashapurna set down the breakfast as Somnath checked his watch. 

“Is the train late again?” He spoke almost to himself. “Dada should have been here by now.”

“I keep telling him not to travel to and fro in this turmoil. Can’t they stay back for a few years?” Trilochan rebuked.

“But Lekha has to be admitted to school, Dada,” Binoy recalled as Trilochan shook his head.

“They set up the girls’ school here, why not teach their own daughter here too?” He shrugged.

The sound of the car engine was followed by Lekha’s Nupur running up the stairs of the portico as Ashutosh ran down the stairs shouting “They are here, they are here!”

Ashapurna scolded him, “You will fall down!”

“Bordadai! Chordadai!” Patralekha ran across the sitting area to the table and hugged Trilochan who smiled and placed her on his lap.

“Lekha, your shoes!” Bondita called after her in vain as Ashutosh came to hug her.

“Boroma, what have you brought for me?”

“Khoka!” Somnath scolded. “Why will they bring anything every weekend?” He frowned at his father’s words as Aniruddha knelt before him.

“How about this?” Ashutosh smiled at the football Aniruddha held and snatched it.

“You are spoiling him.” Somnath shook his head as Ashutosh ran to Patralekha.

“Come let’s play with this.” He held his sister’s hand and pulled her from Trilochan’s lap. Trilochan let out a gasp.

“She will not play such a sport.” He shook his head. “These are for boys.” He eyed Aniruddha as he added, “She will get hurt.”

Patralekha was used to the constant struggles of what she should and shouldn’t do as listed by her own father and her grandfather and she immediately jumped down from his lap and said, “Dada, let’s go see the kittens first.” Ashutosh smiled at the idea and dropped the ball as the two of them ran out to the back courtyard.

Trilochan shook his head as Bondita followed Ashapurna into the kitchen and Aniruddha sat down at the breakfast table.

“We read Boudi’s name in the newspaper again, Dada,” Somnath spoke as he sliced his omelette. “Jetha Moshai has saved the cutout of winning the case.” Aniruddha smiled at his words.

“Any words from Batuk?”

“Yes, he sent a letter from Egypt. He is working with the British run Archaeological survey there, on some King’s tombs.” Binoy shrugged. “Bihari! Bihari!” He called out as the man came running. “Go to my room, and come back with Batuk’s letter. It is on the writing table. Show it to Choto Malik.” Bihari bowed and ran off.

“They are so small.” Patralekha gasped as she knelt down before the basket where the three kittens lay. It was layered with rags to make it softer and the kittens played among themselves. Ashutosh smiled.

“What should we name them, Bonu?” He asked, kneeling down beside Lekha who was afraid to touch the fragile creatures. He gently rubbed the head of one, to show her it was alright. Patralekha did the same and giggled.

“How about Bhombol, Dhombol and ….” 

“Kombol?” The children giggled.

“Where are their mother and father?” She asked, alarmed, “Aren’t they too young?” Ashutosh shrugged. He had found them in the gutter running near the walls of the orchard. He had saved them and his mother had cleaned them up. The thought of the kittens’ parents never occurred to him. Patralekha frowned. 

“We should find their parents.”

“How will we do that?” he asked as Patralekha smiled. “They must look similar. We will look for white cats with black and yellow patches like theirs.”

“Where do you want to start looking?” Ashutosh seemed excited about the idea.

“Where did you find them to start with…” Patralekha shrugged. 

“Great, I will go get Pori, you go and tell Maa where we are.” He ran off as Patralekha walked towards the inner house again.

“If you don’t want to come back, leave Lekha Didimoni here. We are her family. She will be safer here.” Trilochan rebuked as Aniruddha looked up. “I am not leaving her here. She needs us. She needs her mother.”

“When are you both home? Both of you are at work, she better stay here than at Bina’s with Bouma. Ashutosh and Poritosh are here too.”

“Jetha Moshai, we have had this argument a million times, she is close to Tapan too.”

“They are not her family, we are. You are going to leave her here.”

Patralekha hid behind the curtain of the doorway as the conversation went on. Suddenly the thought of the abandoned kittens disturbed her more. She didn’t want to sleep without holding Bondita’s saree in her palms, nor go to school without Aniruddha tying her braids or her shoelaces. As much as it was true that she saw less of her parents than others her age, the time she spent with them was her happiest. Patralekha ran away towards the orchards where she was supposed to meet Ashutosh, without entering the dining hall. 

“Did you tell Maa?” Ashutosh asked, putting Poritosh down as he smiled at Lekha, his hand in his mouth. Patralekha gently put his hand down and held it.

“Let’s go.”

"Jetha Moshai, if you feel either Bondita or I neglect Lekha because of our work, I can assure you it is not so." Aniruddha got up as Trilochan shook his head. 

"I think you neglect yourselves too." He added. "Otherwise, Didimoni is almost five, she should have had a sibling. You should have had a uttaradhikari. If not two." Aniruddha opened his mouth to protest. Binoy glanced at him. It was no use. He walked away. 

"This is what you always do. You walk away." Trilochan rebuked.

Trilochan saw a mud trail in the Thakur dalan and frowned. He followed it to find the kittens in the dalan, right under the idol, muddy and messed up, as they have left a trail of their adventures behind. First Aniruddha’s resistance, then this. He had had enough.

“Bihari. Bihari.” Trilochan shouted. “Take these kittens out.”

“But Malik, the children…” Bihari stopped at his cold stare.

“They will learn not to invite strays inside. Take them out and leave them somewhere safe.” He walked away as Bihari bowed.

Patralekha, Ashutosh and Poritosh looked all around the garden in vain for the mother cat. In the middle of it, they were totally distracted by the tamarind tree, as Ashutosh brought down some ripe ones for his brother and sister. Patralekha took two and kept one in the belt of her now muddy, once blue, dress. Ashutosh frowned.

“That is for Maa. She loves it.” Patralekha smiled. Ashutosh put one in his pocket as a reminder that his mother loved it too.

“There you are!” The children were startled as Koeli came after them. “I have been looking all over the house for you. Choto Thakur, Didimoni, come quick your mothers are looking for you.”

“What have you done?” Ashapurna let out a gasp seeing the children all muddy and dirty as Ashutosh decided it was the right time to offer his mother the Tamarind. Well, it backfired as Ashapurna looked more agitated. 

“You climbed up the tree?” She inspected him. “Your shirt is torn!” Bondita seemed amused at the sight of the children but she tried hard to put up a very strict face as Lekha gave her the tamarind. As Koeli took them away for a bath, Bondita laughed.

“Let go of them, Asha. They are children. They are bound to be naughty. Remember how we stole Tamarinds in the afternoon?” She made Asha smile.

“Well, we can put these to good use while Koeli bathes and feeds them.” Ashapurna smiled as Bondita ran to the kitchen to bring some salt and chillies to make Tentuler Aachar.

Aniruddha was alerted by Patralekha’s shriek as he rushed out from the study room and towards the courtyard. He reached to find Ashutosh in tears as an agitated Patralekha kept asking “Where did they go?”

“What’s wrong?” Aniruddha knelt down as Poritosh murmured “Kittens!”

“What?” he seemed clueless as Poritosh gave him a sad longing hug. “Stop crying, Khoka, tell me what happened.”

“Someone stole our kittens.” It was Patralekha who spoke as Ashutosh sobbed. “They were here this morning and…” Patralekha stopped as she saw a trail of not-so-neatly wiped mud. She eyed Ashutosh.

“They must be here, somewhere, let’s look for them.” Aniruddha wiped Ashutosh’s tears. 

“We looked everywhere, Jethu.” He shook his head. “They are gone.”

“Okay, let’s get you cleaned up first.” He picked Ashutosh up and held Poritosh’s hand as Patralekha stood with her eyes on the floor.

“Lekha?” She looked up at her father. “Let’s go inside.”

“I will go see what Maa is doing. And tell her about the kittens.” She spoke as Aniruddha nodded and walked away with the boys. Patralekha waited for them to leave and followed the trail back to the Thakur Dalan. She stopped at the threshold. Trilochan was murmuring something to Bihari.

“They aren’t coming back I hope.”

“No Malik, I took them out to the village and left them near another litter.” He nodded. Patralekha gasped. Her eyes filled with tears as she ran inside and went straight to her mother’s bedroom. Bondita had just finished the Tamarind with some nostalgia and as Ashapurna left to check for lunch, Bondita decided to clean the bedroom. Barrister Babu never let anyone touch his books except her. She was startled as Patralekha came running into the room and hugged her tightly. 

“Lekha?” Bondita frowned. “ What is wrong, my child?” Patralekha sniffed as she knelt before her daughter, worried. “Lekha?”

“The… kittens.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Bor Dadai left them in the village. Now they will never find their mother.” She sobbed as Bondita hugged her.

“Oh, you poor child. How did you know that?”

“I heard him say that. Dada thinks they vanished.” She sniffed “I should tell him, right?” Bondita looked alarmed.

Aniruddha walked across the threshold and saw the duo on the floor. 

“Do you know what happened to the kittens?” He asked Bondita as the mother-daughter looked at each other and back at him.

“Ashutosh should know the truth,” Aniruddha spoke as Bondita wiped Patralekha’s face clean and made her sit on the bed, feet dangling.

“And he will resent Kakababu.” Bondita snapped. “We shouldn’t…”

“What Jetha Moshai did was wrong,” Aniruddha shrugged. “He should have talked to the children first. What is wrong, is wrong Bondita.”

“You only told me, right and wrong are perspectives, remember?” Bondita frowned at him. “Besides, we should never tell the truth if it hurts someone, white lies are meant to protect people.”

Aniruddha shook his head “Sooner or later, the truth comes to light.”

“Maybe it will hurt less then.” Bondita reasoned.

“I think we should teach Lekha to speak the truth no matter what the circumstances, or who it's about or whom it will hurt.”

“We should teach her to be compassionate and understanding, Barrister Babu. Your truth is not universal.”

“In this case, it is.”

Patralekha observed her parents and sighed. She wasn’t new to them disagreeing on parenting her. They would argue, then they wouldn’t talk for some time, and weirdly call each other “Lekha’r Baba'' and “Lekha’r Ma” until her father would be fed up with the silences and bring in the weapon of reconciliation, Rosogollas. Patralekha on the other hand was worried about facing Ashutosh. She was the worst with lies. Her cousins said so, and so did her father. One look at her and they would know she was hiding something. A thought suddenly struck her. She jumped down from the bed, making her parents stop arguing as they looked at her and she ran out towards the children’s room. Her parents frowned at each other and followed.

Ashutosh was still in tears, as Poritosh sat on his mother’s lap, quietly. Ashapurna was trying hard to tell him that the kittens must have wandered off on their own. Patralekha came up quietly and sat down beside him silently on the floor. She held out a shell of the coconut for him as she took the other one. Ashutosh was still sniffing as she placed her hand on his shoulder, reassuringly. He took the shell to listen as Patralekha walked back a few steps to talk into her half. 

"Tring tring! Tring tring."

 Bondita reached the threshold, followed by Aniruddha, curious and anxious as to what Patralekha would tell Ashutosh.

“I know what happened to them, Dada.” Her words made Ashapurna stare, a little pale, first at her then at Bondita who nodded. 

“You do?” Ashutosh straightened himself. “Tell me then.” 

Patralekha inhaled.

“Remember when I asked where the mother was?” He nodded. “I think like we can’t live without our Ma Baba they can’t either.” Her reassuring tone made it believable as Ashutosh nodded. “They must have found their mother.” Ashutosh liked the thought of it. He wiped off his tears and stood up as Patralekha came and took the coconut shell from him.

“Can we play now?” Poritosh asked as he nodded, making Patralekha smile.

“I will bring out my kitchen set and make you tea.” She clapped and walked to the trunk of the toys. Ashapurna smiled relieved at Bondita who herself was pleased. Aniruddha shook his head and walked away. 

Late at night, when the crickets sang in the bushes and the house grew quiet, Aniruddha took a book from the study room and walked up the spiral staircase into the bedroom to find Bondita on the bed, studying a case file. Bondita ignored his presence as he cleared his throat. He walked around the room she didn’t look up. Aniruddha didn’t have patience with a silent Bondita. One thing the marriage never taught him was to be okay with Bondita being quiet or upset with him.

“Look I…” He walked up to her and she held the file up for him to read.

“Abhinash Bagchi.” He read with a hint of doubt. “But the victim came to me.” He frowned a little. 

“The accused came to me, his wife knew Sudeshna, and she recommended me.” Bondita looked unsure. “I don’t think they know we are related.”

“Not that it matters if you see potential in a case.” Aniruddha was quick to reassure her. “Just come clear to them about it.” She nodded, 

“I will tell them we are related as soon as I agree to take up the case.”

“Then there is no issue at all.” Aniruddha shrugged.

“Are you sure?” Bondita asked as she placed the papers down on the study table as he sat on the edge of the bed.

“If you think you need to defend this man, go ahead. Don’t let my representation of the victim stop you.” Aniruddha nodded “I feel he is guilty, reading into the case.”

“And I feel it was a setup. I met his wife and…” Bondita shook her head “He needs proper representation. I wouldn’t like to see the man prosecuted for something so serious so wrongly.”

“I don’t think my client would lie about something as character-destroying as... rape. It is a very serious offence.” Aniruddha shook his head.

“I met his wife and in these things, women know more than facts and sense.” Bondita smiled. “She was very sure her husband didn’t do it. I just need to find an alibi.”

“And my client is pregnant, that child needs the name of a father.” Aniruddha crossed his arms at his chest.

“See, we are already fighting.” Bondita shrugged. “I don’t want to take the work and case back home. I don’t want us arguing all day over it, especially with Lekha.”

“You are overthinking.” Aniruddha shook his head. “Okay let’s set out some ground rules. We will not discuss the case nor talk of it outside the courtroom. We will honour the rules.”

“Okay. I say yes to them then?” Bondita asked.

“You haven't already?” Aniruddha shook his head “I am surprised.”

Bondita smiled. “I wanted to ask you if you are okay with it?”

“It would be an honour to stand opposite you in the courtroom, Barrister Babu.” Aniruddha’s words made her smile. He was about to approach her, the smile still meandering on his lips as the sound of nupur made him stop. Patralekha was at the door, peeping into her parent’s room. Usually, over the weekends she was more than happy having a room of her own in the house. Trilochan had shifted her bed and belongings to Bondita’s old bedroom while the boys shared the nursery. 

“Did you have a bad dream?” Bondita knelt down and extended her hands as Patralekha ran to her. Bondita caressed her braided hair as she looked up at her father, who smiled. 

“You won’t leave me here, will you?” Her words made Bondita frown as Aniruddha shook his head and picked her up.

“What makes you say that?” He asked as she shook her head. 

“I heard you argue with Bor Dadai…” Patralekha was scared she would be scolded for prying.

“You shouldn’t hear adults talk.” Bondita stood up and scolded.

“It’s okay. Listen to me carefully Lekha, we are never going to leave you anywhere. No matter where we go or stay, you will always be with us.” Aniruddha reassured. “I promise you.”

“Shotti?” Lekha asked unsurely.

“Shotti.” Aniruddha nodded. “Shall we go back to sleep now?” Patralekha nodded.

“I tiptoed over Koeli Pishi sleeping on the floor.” She giggled, making her mother shake her head. 

“Goodnight.” She ran off before her parents could say anything.

“That is why she made up that story,” Bondita spoke in a voice of disbelief.

“What?” Aniruddha asked as he peeped to check that Patralekha had reached her room and shut the bedroom door behind him.

“Her story about the kittens finding their mother.” Bondita looked up at Aniruddha with a sense of pride. “She has a mind of her own.”

“That is a good thing, right?” He asked a little unsure.

“Yes, it is.” Bondita smiled. “Till she starts opposing you like you do with Baba.” She almost giggled as Aniruddha frowned.

“I will never fall out with her.” He shook his head. “That is impossible.” Bondita looked amused at her husband.

“Do you know she is just like you when it comes to stubbornness?” Bondita reminded him.

“I thought she was like you.” He pulled her closer as she smiled.

“Barrister Babu,” Bondita spoke, with her eyes closed as Aniruddha patted her head, and placed it on his chest.

“Hmm?”

“In a few years, I mean not now…” Bondita spoke quickly “I was thinking… should we plan a sibling for Lekha?” He looked a little wide-eyed as Bondita looked embarrassed.

"Did Jetha Moshai put you up to this?" Aniruddha looked suspicious as Bondita shook her head cluelessly.

“I mean she is lonely back in Calcutta.” she looked away “Seeing Khoka and Pori…” She stopped to study his face as he smiled. 

“I think it is a good idea. Especially, we will be ready this time.” He reminded her. Bondita smiled.

“I liked being surprised last time.”

“It was a good surprise.” Aniruddha agreed.

READ ALL CHAPTERS