“Snehalata Chattopadhyay.”
The headmaster snatched the answer sheet as the last bell rang.
She walked out as everyone left and sighed in relief. The examinations were finally over. She would read novels for hours, uninterrupted, after helping with the chores. Shobha, who lived two houses down the road and studied in her class, came up to her and tapped on her shoulder.
“Let’s go?” She nodded as they made their way to the cycle parking.
“How was the paper?” Shobha asked, worried about her silence. “I think mine went well.”
“All the suggestions Deb Da gave me worked, but it was too lengthy to finish,” Snehalata complained, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the end of her saree.
“Only because you knew all the answers.” Shobha reminded her with a faint smile. “Will you get scolded?” She gave away her amusement in her smile as Snehlata frowned at her.
“Good thing is he is not here.” She heaved a sigh of relief.
“And my mother said he isn’t returning anytime soon either.” Shobha smiled. Snehlata narrowed her brows some more at her words.
“What do you mean? He just went to visit Borda.” She said with a shrug. “He goes there every now and then.”
“No. This time is different.” Shobha spoke as she unchained her cycle and balanced it. “My mother said his Thakuma told her that he will also work in Calcutta. With Rudra Da.” Shobha looked a little surprised. “Didn’t he tell you?” A taken aback Snehlata shook her head and frowned some more before heading off home on her cycle, followed shortly behind by Shobha.
“Didi, O, Lata didi?” She stopped paddling down the red-soiled lane between the fields of marigolds as a young boy came running towards her. Shobha waved at them as she cycled past her home.
“Ananta?” She frowned “Why aren’t you home yet?”
“I was. Then Dada sent me to…” He stopped as Lata’s brows shot up. “Yes, he is back.” Ananta added as she opened her mouth to speak, “ He is looking for you.”
Ananta ran again, towards the small line of shops near the school, leaving Lata dumbfounded and scared. Wasn't he supposed to be in Calcutta? Why was he here then? She gulped.
I folded the sleeves of my crisp, ironed Panjabi as Bibha stood at the threshold of my room. She leaned against the doorway, twirling the ends of her braids as she frowned. I had asked her about her choice of career, but instead, she questioned my sudden decision to come back home.
She insisted that Boudi must have said something that made me pack my bags and leave. I shook my head. Even if she did say something, Bibha knew I was stubborn. She just couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that I actually chose to leave city life for … this. Thamma was visibly pleased, though. I glanced at Bibha once, trying to be intimidating. In Dada’s absence, I was the man of the house. How dare she question me? She shook her head, dissatisfied with my reason, feeling nothing close to intimidated that day. She didn’t enquire further but told me about her plans to pursue her Bachelor's Degree in Calcutta instead. She wanted a taste of city life and wanted to stay with Dada Boudi. I smiled, visibly pleased. Although I sensed Bibha’s decision was influenced by her attraction to the city, I hoped that my siblings would take their careers seriously. I was here to guide them like Dada did for me. When I asked her about her subjects of interest, Bibha was done talking to me about them. She said she would think of it once her results arrived. She looked around the table at the books for a while as I combed my wet hair. Bibha then picked up the book she had taken from my bookshelf and left, the curtain still swaying a little in inertia.
I turned my back to the door and started keeping my things in place. My eyes fell on the clock. It was way past her usual time to come by, but then I knew Lata well. She always found it difficult to finish the question paper on time. I don’t remember how many times she had endured a scolding from me for the same. Soon after, I sensed her walk in. I always did. But I never looked up to acknowledge her presence in the room. That was a usual thing. That day too, Lata quietly put down her bag on the floor before proceeding towards my open suitcase and taking out the bundles of clothes, stacking them up. Then she moved to the drawer to take out the key to the wardrobe. All the while, she didn’t say a word, unlike everyone who made me feel like a convict for choosing to come back, leaving the city life. Everyone except Thakuma, of course. She started placing the clothes back on the empty racks. It’s been just three days since she had removed them from the racks and put them in the suitcase. I cleared my throat.
“Was it that bad?” My words made her stop as she looked up at my face, a little grim. I didn’t wait for her explanation as I walked past her, to her bag and took out the question paper. I ran my eyes through it.
“I taught you all of this,” I said, almost rebuking her. She agreed with a silent nod. The ticks beside the questions in ink indicated she had answered most. She was a good student, no doubt. Better than my siblings, at least. Thamma’s call saved her from further scoldings as she picked up her bag and promptly went downstairs. I suddenly realised that ever since I walked into the house, everyone had asked me at least once why I was back home. Everyone except Lata.
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