Do you want something to eat?” Bondita was startled out of her thoughts by Aniruddha’s question. His eyes were on the road as the radio played the same advertisement for the hundredth time. He lowered the volume, assuming she did not hear him speak, when he repeated the question. At first, Bondita shook her head unmindfully, staring at him through the corner of her eyes. He kept a stubble; that was new. What else? The glasses were new. She was unsure if they were power glasses or just for show, an attempt to look serious. She noticed the expensive watch under his rolled-up sleeves. That was not new. She had seen that before. A gift from his father for graduation, he had once told her. His repetition of the question prompted her to utter “No.” She added a “Thank you.” That made him smile. He looked amused as she narrowed her brows, wondering at his amusement. He shook his head as he eyed her briefly before his eyes were back on the road.
“This Bondita is new. The old one could not dream of speaking in monosyllables.” He observed keenly, “She would have asked me a million questions about everyone already.”
Bondita wanted to speak her mind, tell him how everyone who cared, Som Dada, Batuk, Jyatha Moshai and Thamma kept in touch with her through letters for all these years, how she knew that Som Dada was thinking of introducing someone to the family and she promised to help once she was back, how Batuk felt like Aniruddha was disappointed with his career choice to study architecture. Jyatha Moshai now has diabetes, and Thamma’s knees occasionally hurt. They had consulted a doctor in Kolkata once. She knew how they took each other to their doctor appointments and that Binoy Roy Chowdhury had expanded his business to Siliguri and often stayed there, as Batuk said. It was only he who remained alien to her. Instead, Bondita kept quiet. Aniruddha continued.
“You did not even tell me that you took up law. I had to hear that from Jethu. And you didn’t even ask how I am doing? We are almost home!”
“How are you doing?” Bondita tried to sound as aloof as possible. Aniruddha smiled. “I opened my own Law firm, ARC & Associates. We deal with Environmental and Civil Law issues.”
“Congratulations.” Bondita smiled faintly. “Is it in Chandannagar?”
“And in Kolkata.” He sounded proud of himself. “ Congratulations on your degree, too.”
“Thamma and Jyatha Moshai came to my graduation.” Bondita stared out of the window as she murmured. Aniruddha frowned. “ I was not invited,” He said plainly, “By someone who left without telling me.” His tone sounded like a ten-year-old sulking as she stared back at him.
“I did write to you, you did not reply.” She said defensively.
“Once… I was angry…” He shrugged. Bondita frowned. “Even Batuk wasn’t that angry.”
“I am not Batuk. You could have waited for me to return from Delhi.”
“ Jyatha Moshai said I need to leave for Dehra in three days or else I will miss the orientation day for the new session. There was no point in waiting.”
“Bah!” There was a hint of taunt in his voice as Bondita grew quiet for some time, and then she asked, “Are you angry now?”
“What?” He seemed amused. “It's been nine years, Bondita!”
“Then you could have come for my graduation with Jyatha Moshai and proved so. I took up law because of you.” The moment that came out of her mouth, Bondita bit her lips. She had always been this way with him, saying things without thinking. But she was not a kid anymore. She needed to draw her boundaries and be aware of him. It was true that his passion for his career and urge to help people inspired her career choice, but why would she give him the pleasure of knowing that? Aniruddha suddenly smiled a proud smile.
“I was glad you did when I couldn’t convince my brothers to…” He seemed pleased. “I am glad I inspired someone.”
Bondita was quiet, unsure of what to ask that would stop this embarrassing conversation. About his family, wife, and kids? Would that not be intrusive, especially when he did not bring up personal matters? She had made sure never to ask any of his family about him in all these years. When they occasionally talked, each one of them stuck to their equations with Bondita. Their lives at home, with each other, were alien to Bondita, like it would be to an outsider.
“And I needed an invite to know someone wanted me there.” He emphasised. “Jyatha Moshai and Thamma are your guardians, I am not.” Bondita did not respond. In her mind, she was framing the next question. Asking how his married life was would be too direct. What about How is Mini Didi? Or … Before she made up her mind, she could see the Strand go by and, finally, the gate of the Roy Chowdhury Property.
Bondita was welcomed by the familiar view of Thamma and Jyatha Moshai having tea on the lawn between the houses. Kalindi was in her familiar white, simply worn Tant saree, and Trilochon was in a pyjama Panjabi embroidered with Kantha Stitch. As soon as they spotted her, they got up from their chairs with smiles, and Bondita ran to hug Thamma. Her smell brought back memories of home. From the banks of Bidyadhari to those of Bhagirathi in Chandannagar, and finally, Kolkata, she had never felt at home, only to realise at that moment that the constant she had in life was Thamma to call her home. She watched Kalindi wipe tears in her anchol as she touched Trilochon’s feet.
“ Thaak Maa,” He blessed her “We are glad you are home. The house looks empty without the daughter.”
“Yes, especially during Durga Pujo.” Kalindi agreed. Bihari had walked in with her luggage and inquired if he would take it to Choto Bari. She nodded. “Oh, wait.” She opened the chain of her suitcase and took out her certificate and graduation picture.
“Jyatha Moshai…” She wore a proud smile as she watched Trilochon inspect the certificate, praising her. Kalindi once again wiped tears.
“Well, I'd better be going. You go spend time with Thamma.” Trilochon handed the certificates back to her as Bondita nodded.
“I will come by in the evening with Payesh. I want to cook it myself.” Her words made Trilochon gasp.
“Look at that, Kalindi. She can cook too.”
“Of course she can.” Kalindi smiled.
“And don’t worry, I will use Sugar-Free because you have diabetes.” She reassured him. “You can have a little, just a little.” Trilochon chuckled at her words and agreed.
“I tell you what, come to use our kitchen. Koeli will help you.”
“But I…”
“Come on. You may know how to cook, but I am not letting my daughter cook for so many people without help.” He did not wait to hear her protest. Bondita was about to follow him to the Roy Chowdhury house when Kalindi asked, “Where are you going? Let's go have lunch together.”
“I wanted to show this to Aniruddha Babu.” Kalindi smiled, shaking her head.
“Oh, he has left for work by now.” Bondita frowned. They just got home. “Show him in the evening. Batuk and Somnath will also be back by then.” Bondita nodded to the suggestion.
Bondita tasted the food Kalindi made, and it felt like heaven. The simple rice, Shukto, Dal, Potoler Torkari looked like bliss. She gorged on it as Kalindi smiled.
“Batuk is here?” She enquired.
“Only till his work starts in Kolkata. He is doing something… what do they call it… temporarily for six months for experience?”
“Internship?” Bondita raised her eyebrows as Kalindi shrugged. “Great, I have not seen him for ages.”
“Yes, Somnath takes care of his father’s business here.” Kalindi sounded worried. “Binoy is barely home. He takes care of the North Bengal Branch.”
Bondita stopped at her morsel. “Why did he leave?”
“I don’t know what exactly happened, but I can guess.” Bondita waited for Kalindi to speak.
“Oh, did you know Bhowmik Babu suddenly died of a heart attack?” Bondita shook her head. “Oh no, poor Mini Didi, I should go see her.” Her words made Kalindi smile.
“She is not here; she stays in Shillong.” Bondita frowned at this information. “Shillong? Why?”
“What do you mean, why?” Kalindi frowned at her. “ That is where her husband and kids are. You did get the wedding invite by post, didn’t you?” Kalindi shook her head. “She was so upset you did not come.”
Bondita did get the invite by post. She knew it was a wedding invite. She did not feel like opening the card to read it. She threw it in the dustbin and cried herself to sleep that night.
It was normal for Bondita to borrow books from Mini Didi. After mugging up on every possible genre of books in the Roy Chowdhury Library, Mini Didi was her next provider. One day, Bondita tiptoed into Mini Didi’s room, welcomed by a familiar sight of her in a salwar kameez, the dupatta carelessly hanging from a corner of the four-poster bed, as she read through a magazine. Hearing her come, Mini smiled and got up. “Aye… You finished the last one already?” Bondita nodded sheepishly as she put the book down and scanned through Mini’s bookcase.
“Why do you look upset?” She enquired. Bondita inhaled. “I fought.”
“With whom?” Mini stood up and walked to her side. Bondita was quiet.
“With Ani?” Mini raised her brows. “Is he talking about boarding school again?”
“I said I won’t leave Didi…” Bondita was almost in tears. “Why does everyone want me to go?”
Mini calmed her down and made her sit on the edge of her bed. “There. There.” She patted her head gently.
“Tell me the real reason now,” Mini asked. “Why do you not want to go?”
Bondita looked up at her, a little pale. What could Mini Didi figure out? She was suddenly scared as she stammered. “Wha… what do you mean?”
Mini smiled as she lifted Bondita’s chin with her manicured fingers and asked, “Is there someone?”
Bondita feigned innocence even when her heart thumped in her chest.
“Wha… what … do you… mean?” She lowered her face and looked away.
“Come on, you are fifteen now. You are allowed to have crushes. And you are allowed to tell me…” Mini smiled at her. “I have been there, done that! I won’t judge you.” She promised. “And I won’t tell anyone!” Bondita looked away reluctantly as Mini continued, “Is it a teacher? Is it someone from your Maths tuition? Someone from the neighbourhood?”
“Didi!” Bondita looked embarrassed as her cheeks grew warm. “It is not like that. I don’t want Thamma to be alone.”
“But she is not alone. She has all of us!” Mini shrugged. “Alright, I tell you what, you tell me your crush and I will tell you mine. I have never told anyone too, deal?” Bondita glanced over her shoulder as Mini walked away towards the window and blushed.
“You know …Bapi was saying… he will talk to them… so that the wedding happens as soon as possible.”
“Whom?” Bondita narrowed her brows. Mini hid her face in her hands and chuckled, embarrassed, before she turned to face Bondita.
“Roy Chowdhurys.” She shrugged. “You know how he is; he barely tells what he feels, and he will never approach me, so if Bapi talks to Binoy Uncle…”
“Who….” Bondita’s heart thumped as if it would leap out of her mouth.
“Aniruddha…” Mini smiled “Who else…”
Bondita felt light in the head. What was Mini Didi talking about? She thought he told her everything the way he promised. He never spoke about Mini Didi. But then, he never spoke to her about such things. He thought she was still young. Young enough not to understand.
“Bondita?” She stared at Mini Didi blankly.
“I… have to go… I just remembered Thamma needs me.” Bondita ran back to her room before the first stream of tears trickled down her cheek.
Of course, it made sense. Mini Didi and he were perfect for each other. They were of the same age group and grew up together. Bondita laughed amidst her tears. Was she crazy to think he would ever… He kept saying she was a kid and he was her guide, but what could she do if her heart thumped in her chest every time… She had found herself blushing the first time she wore a saree, and he said she looked beautiful. “Boro hoye gecho dekhchi”, he had acknowledged her as a grown-up for the first time. She stared at him through the corners of her eyes when she studied and he worked. She made up problems for him to solve so that she could see him. He came home late and found her waiting in the study with books in hand. She was hurt every time he suggested going to boarding school for the last four years of her schooling. She was scared of leaving home, scared of not seeing him daily. He tried to make her understand it was best for her education. But Bondita was stubborn. That was the day she spent a sleepless night, hoping the tight feeling in her chest would go away, and she realised it would never go away as long as she stayed there. Her vivid imagination could not stand witnessing Mini Didi and his blissful marriage, even when a rational side of Bondita knew that sooner or later, she would face this reality when he chose someone else. It was silly to think he would look at her beyond her age and, of course, her background. That was the day she ran to Jyatha Moshai, telling him she would go to boarding, and she came to know he had left for Delhi. She was even angrier that he left without resolving their fight. He did not care for her; he pitied her. Bondita could now see things clearly; to him, she was a child he had rescued and a project he pursued to prove a point. Nothing more. He probably did not think of her as a friend, but he was the only friend she had. Did he not understand that? She refused Jyatha Moshai’s suggestion to wait till he got back. Mini Didi gushed that she would send her the wedding card, and she did.
Bondita wrote to him once, just that once, a month after she left, telling him that he was right about boarding school. She had made friends with her roommate and enjoyed the extracurricular activities. She was missing, home less, she lied. To her disappointment, he had not replied to her letter the way Batuk did. Batuk was angry with her for leaving, but he still kept in touch. Bondita vowed not to write any more letters to Aniruddha. She kept her promise.
Bondita stared at Kalindi, confused. “I thought Mini Didi…” She was unsure whether to bring it up. Kalindi nodded. “Two weeks after you left, there was a huge fight in the house.” Bondita narrowed her brows. “Why?”
“Binoy Babu gave his word to Bhowmik Babu about Aniruddha Babu and Saudamini, but… he refused.”
“Who refused?” Bondita’s heart skipped a beat.
“Aniruddha Babu did. Things have changed since then. Binoy felt humiliated, and he left. Bhowmik Babu severed all ties with them and got Saudamini married the next year.” Kalindi seemed worried. “Your Jyatha Moshai often laments that Binoy and Aniruddha are still not on talking terms because of that incident. He was angry that Aniruddha refused when he gave his word, and Aniruddha was adamant it was his life decision. He never saw Mini as more than a friend or neighbour.”
“Why did you not tell me any of this?” Bondita frowned. “Mini Didi must have been upset.”
“Koeli said she came to meet Aniruddha Babu the day her marriage was fixed, and they talked for a while.” Kalindi shrugged. “I don’t understand this generation, we all thought...”
“And you omitted this whole thing in your letters?” Bondita narrowed her brows. “And phone calls?”
“Oh, you were too young to understand.” Kalindi knew immediately that she would argue over that reason, so she quickly added, “You were at a new place; how could I make you worry?” Bondita nodded. “Besides, it's not our place to gossip about this. And when I visited for the holidays, we enjoyed ourselves. What good could some gossip about the neighbours do then?” Bondita could not find a reason to argue about it. Kalindi warned her not to talk about it with anyone else. She nodded. But did that mean he was married elsewhere? Before Bondita inquired, Kalindi answered.
“What we did not expect was him not marrying at all.” Bondita’s lips felt dry as she wet them with her tongue. “Your Jyatha Moshai did try. Every time he set up a meeting, Aniruddha did not think the woman could sustain his lifestyle. He works all day and returns at midnight. Often for days, he would be at some cyclone-struck village or somewhere flooded…” she sighed. “ He doesn’t think it would be something a girl would want to get herself into… Your Jethu thought it was an excuse, so I told him to focus on Somnath now.” Bondita nodded. She made a mental note to meet Somnath Dada and discuss his plan to introduce Ashalata to the family. She had promised. Somnath had opened up to her and accepted her in a sisterly way after almost a year of being in Chandannagar solely because of her efforts to befriend him. She kept hovering around him and called him Dada, making him finally give in to her innocent questions. The first day he brought her the same chocolate he gave Batuk, Bondita was overwhelmed. She was in touch with him to maintain the relationship she had worked on and earned his trust for. It mattered to Bondita that the few people she called family stayed that way. Unfortunately, it was not the same with Aniruddha, who did not bother to respond to her letter.
Back in her room for the afternoon siesta, Bondita stared at the whirling fan, wondering. Why did he refuse Mini Didi? She was so sure he liked her. She turned to her side, her eyes fell on the bedside table where there was a picture of them with Thamma and Jyatha Moshai on her first Durga Pujo here. She was in a new frock. Bondita sighed. It was silly for her to think he would see her as a woman when she looked like that. Irrational teenage crushes… Bondita turned to the other side, facing the wall. But why did she feel nervous around him? What if he understood that just like he understood, she avoided him when she left? Did he want to come to graduation?
In the evening, Bondita opened the window facing the house and spotted Thamma and Jyatha Moshai in the lawn chair again. They were sitting silently, sipping tea. Bondita remembered as a child when she saw them sit there, she always wondered why they went through this awkward ritual every day, when they mostly stayed silent through teatime. Standing by the window, she observed them keenly. Thamma said something. Jyatha Moshai stared at her and smiled, amused. She shook her head and smiled back. Then they were quiet again, sipping tea. Bondita felt the silences were about familiarity and not awkwardness as she thought it to be. Sometimes, when people were too familiar, they did not need to exchange words. She remembered silent evenings studying across the desk from someone going through his files. Her eyes involuntarily travelled to the closed window of his room. Bondita shook her head. She was not going that way. Twenty-four-year-old Bondita would not do what fifteen-year-old Bondita did. It forced her to miss out on family and friends. She won’t be silly enough to not know when to stop anymore and get hurt again. For all she knew, she thought she was over that feeling by staying away.
Bondita walked into the Roy Chowdhury kitchen in a pair of jeans and a long Kurti, noticing the newly made cabinets and tiles. Koeli’s familiar face welcomed her as she prepared for the Payesh.
When she knocked on Somnath’s door, he opened it with a disturbed look on his face. It changed to a smile seeing her. “Bondita! When did you…”
“Payesh. My graduation treat!” She placed it down on the table and eyed the ashtray of cigarettes, then turned to face him. “I am here to talk.” Somnath nodded and then checked the corridor before coming to find Bondita sitting on the chair while he took the corner of the bed opposite her.
Bondita inspected the picture in Somnath’s purse.
“She looks pretty.”
“She is a teacher here. She wishes to work after marriage.” He sounded unsure.
“Will that be a problem?” Bondita frowned.
“I don’t know… can be… no woman in this house had worked before.”
“There is always a first time for everything.” Bondita reminded him.
“So, who should we start with?” Somnath asked. Bondita was lost in thought.
“What if Thamma told Jyatha Moshai?”
“He will be upset that it did not come from us.” Somnath shook his head.
“Hmm… What about…” Bondita raised her eyebrows suggestively.
“Dadabhai?” Somnath looked scared “No way. How can I go and tell him I like someone?”
“Why can’t you?” Bondita frowned. “He won’t eat you up.”
“How do you guarantee that?” Somnath shook his head in all seriousness, making her chuckle. “I can hear him saying, Somnath, I did not expect you to do such things when you should be working hard…” Bondita laughed some more at the imitation. “He is not someone who understands emotions.” Somnath’s words made her smile. “What if you talk to him?” His suggestion made her smile fade as she stood up, shaking her head. “No way.”
“You want to get me in trouble on the first day I came home, Dada?”
“But he listens to you.” Somnath shrugged.
“He listened to me a decade ago when I was a sulking child…” Bondita exhaled. “It’s different now.” She suddenly felt a little empty. Somnath narrowed his brows at Bondita.
“Did he say something to you?” He enquired. Bondita shrugged. “Just that he was disappointed that I did not stay in touch” She nodded as she murmured, adding, “Not in those exact words.”
“Honestly, he seemed very upset with you. I never saw him ask anyone about you.” Somnath made Bondita smile faintly at his words as he added, “It is not because he doesn’t care…”
“I understand.” Bondita nodded. “I left without telling him. I can’t complain because I did not ask about him either.” Somnath nodded.
“Honestly, all of us are a little tired of tiptoeing with your mention to each other. Sort it out.” Somnath commanded as Bondita shook her head.
“Dada, we did talk, there’s nothing more to…” She shrugged. “Now, let’s focus on Boudi.” She teased. Somnath appeared clueless at her words. “Who is Boudi?” Bondita tapped at the picture of Ashalata, making him blush as she continued to tease him.
A car honked at the portico, and Som checked the clock. “That must be Batuk,” which made Bondita leave his purse on the desk and dash out to greet her childhood friend. Batuk was greeted at the stairs by Bondita, her hair bunned up, arms on her waist.
“ Where were you?” She narrowed her eyes.
“Hello? Hi? How are you?” Batuk suggested. “Nothing?”
“I have been here for five hours already, and all I hear is that Batuk is home. Yet he is not!”
“A friend wanted to meet.” He shrugged. Bondita frowned.
“And that is more important?” Batuk did not respond as he tried to walk past her when she blocked the path.
“Fine, you are not getting Payesh.”
“Payesh? Who made Payesh?” Batuk’s eyes widened.
“I did.” She said proudly. Batuk laughed.
“Then no, thank you.”
“Batuk!” Bondita exclaimed. “Jyatha Moshai, Jyatha Moshai!!!” She ran upstairs, Batuk following in her toes. “Look, Batuk is irritating me.”
“What? I just asked for Payesh.” Batuk laughed, “Until I heard who made it.”
Bondita glared at him as he laughed again, and Trilochon walked out of his room. “Bondita, you still here?” She nodded as Batuk interrupted, “Where else will she be? She has no home and nothing to do anywhere else. Don’t you remember how she followed you or Dadabhai around all day?” Bondita narrowed her eyes again as Trilochon scolded him, “Of course she can stay as long as she wants; this is her home too.” Batuk stopped laughing at his rebuke as Bondita made a face at him and declared, “I am telling Koeli Didi to give your Payesh.”
She walked back to the kitchen to put the remaining food into bowls. One for her, one for Thamma, one for Batuk, one for… “Koeli Didi, when will your Choto Malik be back?”
“Oh, he comes very late after I leave.” Koeli shrugged. “Maybe midnight.”
“Who serves him food then?” Bondita asked. Koeli pointed at the table. “I'll keep it covered there and leave.” Bondita’s hand stopped at the bowl as she put two of them in the refrigerator.
“Won’t you have yours, Didimoni?” Koeli asked.
“I will have it later. Here, give this to Batuk, and I will take this to Thamma before she has dinner.”
Aniruddha tiptoed into the quiet house as usual around half past eleven and immediately noticed the lights on in the living room. He frowned, thinking Bihari must have forgotten to turn it off. He dropped his files and briefcase near the doorway and stepped barefoot into the living room. His eyes immediately fell on the couch, where Bondita slept, half sitting, holding a cushion like a Pash Balish. Aniruddha was unsure why she was here or sleeping on the couch. His hand stopped before he called her. She did not stir. Her breathing was slow, like she was in deep sleep, and he suddenly realised she was not a child anymore. It would be inappropriate. He moved away, wondering how to wake her and tell her to go home. Bondita jolted as a glass was kept noisily on the marble tabletop, and she found him standing over her sleeping figure with narrowed brows. He was still in his white shirt and black trousers, and a silver pen peeped from his pocket, the spectacles that were now familiar to her. Bondita got up, trying to tie her hair into a bun, suppressing a yawn. He scratched his stubble cluelessly.
“What are you doing here?” He asked with knitted brows.
“I… made Payesh.” Bondita stood up and declared. “Quick, wash up, and I will serve you food.”
“You could have just left it…” He suggested awkwardly. The last thing he expected was anyone waiting for him.
“And miss seeing your reaction on how it is?” Bondita shook her head and headed for the kitchen, straightening her Kurti. Aniruddha smiled to himself. This was the Bondita he knew. She never missed getting praised, be it for her studies, her sewing or now her cooking.
When Aniruddha walked downstairs, folding the sleeves of his green Panjabi, Bondita served the rice, dal and sabzi and went to fetch the Payesh. He noticed the food was warm.
“You did not need to heat the food again.” He called out after her while cleaning the spectacles on the edge of his Panjabi.
“Thamma says we should never eat cold food.” She replied from the kitchen. Then, she appeared in the dining room with two bowls of Payesh. She sat down on the chair to his left and took a spoonful of Payesh to taste from her bowl.
“Umm... it is good.” She smiled. “Try it.” Aniruddha glared at her, smiled and then took a spoonful.
“Yes, it is.” He said. She eyed him briefly and cleared her throat.
“What is it?” Aniruddha half turned towards her on the chair and asked as she dropped the spoon a little wide-eyed. “You want something, don’t you?”
“What?” She shrugged.
“You tell me, Bondita. I am the elder sibling to two brothers, and I know buttering when I see it. The hot food, payesh…” He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
“Excuse me.” Bondita stood up, holding her empty bowl. “The Payesh is for my graduation. Oh, wait!” She walked away towards the living room and brought the certificates with her.
“I waited to show you these.” Aniruddha felt a little bad for drawing quick conclusions. She was not fifteen anymore. He could not just scold or accuse her like before. He washed his hands and took the certificate and picture with a smile. “Wow, congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Bondita smiled, about to take it back, but he did not give it back. Instead, he took it to the study room with her, following him confused, and turned to face the wall where the brothers had their medals, certificates and pictures hanging.
“It will go here.” he pointed to a space on the side. “Beside Batuk’s.” Bondita was surprised.
“But, it's your family wall.” She murmured.
“And when are you, if not family?” he stared at her, raising his brows intendedly as she suddenly missed a heartbeat and looked away. He smiled, “I will get these framed by Bihari. If that is alright with you?” She nodded.
“You are the reason I am here today.” Bondita had a hint of gratefulness in her voice as he kept the certificates in a drawer. “All these are as much yours as mine.”
“No, Bondita, this is all your hard work.” He shook his head and smiled. “And I am glad you came to me when you needed a little help.” He made her smile faintly. The clock struck half past twelve, and she shook her head.
“I should go before Thamma wakes up and doesn’t find me.” She turned to leave.
“Bondita.” She stopped at the threshold.
“I have an idea.” She half turned to see him behind the study desk as he spoke, adjusting his glasses by holding the rim. “I am hiring new assistants and interns at the firm. If you are interested…” Bondita looked surprised as he said, “You can give me your resume, and I can see which position you can fill.”
“You want me to work for you?” Bondita repeated it as if to hear for herself.
“Why not?” He shrugged. “After all, I can trust you more than new people, especially with my cases, and you will have a chance to learn from the best.” He smiled as she nodded.
“Can I think about it and get back to you?” Bondita asked as he nodded. “Of course, the court will be closed next week for Durga Pujo; you have a month to think about it.” He smiled. Bondita nodded. She was about to leave when she stopped.
“Umm… you were right. I need something…” She stared sheepishly as he looked amused. “Bondita!” She hadn’t changed like he had expected, had she?
“But I will say that tomorrow. It's late today. Tata.” Before he could react, she was gone. Aniruddha shook his head as he sat down to his work.
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