Twilight fell. Oil lamps lit at every corner. A few from the audience called out at the top of their lungs, "Hey! When are you going to announce the winners? "
The judges went back to their seats, but the last one to sit astounded the people. Gasps resounded to see a young man in his twenties, wearing a white tunic and pants with a garland of yellow flowers sat in th
Asha halted as the man, whom she knew well, looked at her in the eye with a grim face. Her heart pumped faster while her spine tingled. This man had no good intentions and his target was her.The people loudly gasped. Ronjon wondered what was happening. The judges stood up. Fishal got nervous. He knew the man, the son of the late magistrate who died after eating the po
"That guy was ridiculous." Mukti placed a bowl of soup on the table for Asha and another for herself. They sat opposite each other in Mukti's kitchen. "I hope what happened won't affect you and the restaurant." Asha took a sip of hot soup as they squatted on the wooden floor beside a short table.
Fishal, wearing a thick golden night coat, sat in his comfy office chair. He clasped on his chest a pretty lace handkerchief with an especially embroidered name, Fultushi."What should I do with your daughter? I need to help her. This is the only way I can have peace to amend my wrongs." Ninu's kind face surfaced in his mind. "I could have helped him, but..." He breathed deeply with misty eyes. "Sorry, Fultushi, I have to do what I need to do for my family." He closed his eyes, tears fell. He caressed the hanky on his wet cheek. "Sorry, Ninu. Sorry, Fultushi. Sorry, Asha."Grief hollowed his heart. He sobbed quietly for a while. Later, he opened his eyes and twirled his wedding ring with his fingers."Marry her to my Monojit to protect her. Would you agree, Fultushi? But this is the best way I know." He looked out at the foggy garden outside. "He will arrive soon for winter vacation. I need to do this. It’s the only way."---- o ----Asha woke up feeling warm. She could feel calm breat
Ronjon drove the car at a turtle's pace again but at peace deep within his heart for the sun would shine soon. He looked up into the rear mirror. "Just guide me where to go, either go straight or turn left or right. Okay?" Asha nodded in silence with eyes fixed at the roadside.
Fishal heard the news. He was frantic and on edge. He couldn't settle even for a meal. "What could have happened to Asha? I should have done something after the competition. Adrisar, Adrisar?"A thirteen-year-old lad came in the study. "Yes, Sir?"
Binoba hastened his steps and bumped at Asha, intentionally. His voice was soft, only Asha could hear. "Why are you still here? Where is Mister Ronjon? And don't approach the police officers or someone can leak your presence."Asha was so shocked by his words that she almost tripped. Binoba pulled her with him and talked loudly for Netratav and other's ears. "Chotto Bh
At this moment, the man Binoba sent arrived outside Fishal's office. "Is the District Representative in?" A man led him in. Fishal heard the news and gave the man a written order to be given to the Chief of Police, void of the knowledge that Netratav was already there.Before the man left, Fishal asked, "Do you know where Asha Das right now?"
fter an hour of walk, Asha, who was still wearing a Panjabi, found her way to Mukti's restaurant. What she saw stopped her from moving. It was closed, stone marks on the walls, windows smashed to pieces, and dripping paint writing on the wall saying, “Poisonous food, stay away.”Asha’s temple throbbed with rage and planned to wash out the words, but patrons started coming. She knew these people well. That meant it was almost lunchtime. She crossed the street in a hurry and hid behind a tree with her head down. The incoming couple froze when their eyes laid on the written words. "I don't believe this. We've been eating here for years, but we've never been poisoned. Who did this?" the wife said."Maybe jealous people did it. This restaurant had wonderful food, so they got a better income compared to other eating places," the husband replied. He touched the paint and left a mark on his finger. “Don’t… What are you doing?” His wife took a hanky and wiped clean the red paint from the husb
Asha blew air in exasperation. "Okay, Chef Ronjon Munshi.""Why is the chef title being inserted in this conversation?" Ronjon asked as one of his brows raised.
Both Asha and Ronjon went back in later. An hour more and the doctor came out from the operating room. All of them stood right away, aside from Asha, who slept, exhausted from crying."Who are the relatives of Shaheb Arup Mukherjee?"
Noontime came. The scenery was mesmerizing, but Rimas mind was not on it because the scorching heat of the sun was like burning coals roasting them alive. He tried lessening the soreness of the sunburns by covering his head with his shawl but held the cloth in his firm grasp, keeping the strong wind from blowing it away. Suddenly, someone yelled at his back. Everyone looked to where the shout came from and saw a woman pointing at a man who fell from the train. All the passengers on top of the roof were frightened to death. They might be next if they would not be careful.
Unknown to them, Rimas silently sat at a corner at the airport in the capital city. He tried to buy a ticket to flee the country but as Ronjon and Harry had predicted, all flights were sold out a long time ago and no more tickets were provided for the following months. Every family decided to find the best place suited for them to live. Somehow, the British Raj had not yet submitted any clear boundaries of the two countries, and there were only four months left before the set independence day.
Tarapati went back in and wakened Ninu and Arup."Ninu Bhai, your daughter is here. You better get up or something ugly will happen," Tarapati said while shaking Ninu.
Tarapati came out smiling to greet Asha, who stood in between Ronjon and Harry, but halted his steps when he saw the police cars escorting behind. He looked back at the two men sleeping in the living room, Arup and Ninu, and thought of waking them to clear up the situation to the unfriendly visitors.That night, when Ninu, Tarapati, and the rest arrived in the mansion,
Instead of being happy, Tarapati's mind boiled in rage against Ninu."Who are you playing with? Me? How dare you impersonate my late good friend?" Tarapati hollered right up to his lungs as he clenched his fist to strike Ninu on the face, but the latter calmly moved his head and shifted his hair to show Tarapati his hairy mole behind his left ear. Tarapati's hand tempo
While Tarapati was at it, he asked Ninu to allow him to talk with Sovhona alone. However, Sovhona was not at ease with the idea. She insisted on Ninu to stay with them. Hence, Tarapati had no choice but to ask Ninu for an oath of secrecy because he perceived him to be an outsider. He absolutely did not recognize this Ayoush's real identity even though they were close before.
Tarapati went to visit and talked with each of Rimas wives, aside from Sovhona, who he had no inkling of her where to find. The wives were in outrage after learning Rimas sold the house and their properties in secret. They couldn't even accept that he had the nerve to keep all the money to himself. With the fact that most of his acquired lands and business establishments were from their dowries, most of them wailed in agony and a few wished to sue him but with no power and money to do so.