Chapter 3: The Story from the beginning

(About an year and a half ago)

Circa 1929

"Vandita... You are to welcome the guest. Hope your speech is ready?" Miss Lenny was hurrying past the stony walls of the huge convent corridor.

"Ready Miss." Vandita grinned gleefully, rolling an eye at the two girls busy in their own merrymaking.

"And the flow of event list?" Miss Lenny asked again.

"That too!" Vandita responded back.

The year at the Dehradun girls convent was coming to a closure, and that particular day was big day for all, specially her batch, passing out after years of their rigorous formative education. And, for Vandita, it was a little extra special... First, the much awaited graduation ceremony, and then her eighteenth birthday celebration!

Needless to say, Vandita was excited as any teenager would be. Endowed with intelligence, she had a pretty face with an exquisite pair of dark brown eyes. Her lips were full and pink, and could make any man go weak on his knees, her hair was slightly wavy, silky, flowing down to her waist... She was everything that a young girl would be, but only with a small difference... the girl was challenged by the cruel joke of destiny!

Vandita was married! At a tender age of nine, the fatherless child was drugged with opium, and was forced to marry a man of her grandfather's age in the name of custom and society. Colonial India in the 19th century witnessed many such unmatched marriages, resulting into horrible customs like 'sati', where the wife would be burnt alive with her dead husband in the name of religion!

On the fateful wedding day, the old groom had died at the atler. Vandita probably would also have been dead, had she not been rescued by the young, foreign educated Zamindar, Awnirudh Roy Chowdhury. The liberal, reformist young man had instinctively taken the dead groom's place and had married Vandita in the same alter. And little Vandita, even in her state of inebriation, knew in her heart that she owes her life to him!

Although child marriage was quite common in those days, but with an age difference of nine years, Awnirudh could never have considered little Vandita as his wife. Instead, they had developed a unique relationship, a relationship of a mentor and a mentee. Awnirudh, being a prominent barrister himself, taught Vandita everything that would make her grow up into a fine woman someday. He wanted her to be independent, he wanted her to be the voice for all those downtrodden women who could not speak for themselves. And as years passed, Vandita had made him realise how brilliant she was!

She was his shadow, his pride, his comfort! And his pristine affection for her was unmatched, for, there was nothing that he wouldn't do for her well-being, and there was no barrier that could have veiled them from each other's sight...

But again, destiny yet had her own cards to play...

It had all started when Vandita turned fourteen. The spring had just started to brush its colorful shades in the nature's easel when the duo experienced an unexpected encounter!

Unwary of the rules of heart, one fateful morning when the twenty three years old Barrister had just stepped out from shower, Vandita suddenly entered his room without any prior intimation. Instead of the normal cordial demeanor that the duo generally possess, for the first time there was a strange awkwardness, a tension that thickened the easy atmosphere of the room.

"Vandita... Do you need..." Awnirudh couldn't complete his sentence as his eyes wondered on her astounding expression.

Vandita realised how exquisite the man standing infront of her was! His dampen hair, the dripping water from his long eyelashes, his ocean deep eyes, his red thin lips... In a daze, Vandita saw those lips moving, as if they are drawing her soul towards them. Her eyes had travelled further down, his fair chiseled torso and toned muscles were all wet with water. Vandita had instinctively felt a jolt of electricity running down her spine. Mesmerized, she had walked towards Awnirudh in a trans, as she picked up a towel to touch his chest with it. And, it was that moment when she felt an inexplicable emotion brewing inside her chest... Awnirudh had grabbed her hand with his!

...........

Barrister Awnirudh Roy Chowdhury always had immense love for his little Vandita. And from the inception of their relationship, he was overwhelmed by her honesty and simplicity. He adored her. But, it was not the kind of love that one would feel for his lover or wife. Awnirudh treasured her with all his heart the way a little child treasures his most prized possession! And, in his heart, he was determined to go to any extent to ensure her well-being and happiness. He saw Vandita as the fiesty intelligent child who has the courage to question the society and Awnirudh encouraged her to question fearlessly. He taught her how to enlighten oneself with books. He taught her the difference between a good touch and a bad one. He taught her self defense. He was there comforting her when she got her first periods... He was always there...

But of late, Awnirudh was noticing an abrupt change of behaviour in Vandita. She would get lost in her thoughts time and again... smiling bashfully without an occasion. She would stare his him mindlessly without flapping her eyelids. Once, he even found his name written all over inside her Mathematics notebook. Vandita did get a good scold from him though! But, he thought it to be just another phase of Vandita's growing up.

However, things took a serious turn when Anirudh noticed Vandita staring at his lips constantly during one of their evening lessons.

"What's wrong with you Vandita?" Awnirudh had enquired sharply furrowing his eyebrows, clearly revealing his displeasure to her action. Vandita had quickly turned her eyes away, excusing herself before running away from the room with shades of red in her cheeks.

"Shy and Vandita?" thought Awnirudh as he too, felt uncomfortable at this sudden change of her conduct.

On that chirpy fresh morning, Awnirudh had just finished his bath, as he came out of the shower with only a dark blue towel wrapped around his chiseled waist. He was about to pull out another one from his wardrobe to dry his hair when suddenly Vandita burst open the door.

Vandita had never been fond of knocking, especially while entering his room, and with time this act of hers became as normal to them as breathing.

She probably was looking for him to tell him something, but the moment their eyes met, Vandita stood there transfixed.

"Do you need anything Vandu?" Awnirudh asked. There was no answer. He could only see Vandita's eyes roaming around his bare body.

"Vandita... Do you hear me?" "Is there anything you want..."

Vandita didn't let him finish the sentence. Like a possessed soul, she inched closer to him, dangerously closer! And, without breaking her gaze on him, she took a towel lying near and touched Awnirudh.

Awnirudh felt different. It was the first time he realised that her Vandita was no longer a small child. He felt her rugged breathing and saw her quivering lips... Her small heart had started to grow feelings of desire!

'Was she desiring him?' He questioned himself.

His head started to spin as he felt helpless infront of this young girl. 'What kind of touch is this? Why is her touch kindling an unventured territory in him?' he wondered swallowing a dry lump in his throat.

He needed these answers. But, before his heart could give him more ideas, Awnirudh had caught Vandita's hand and stopped her.