Dearest Piyali,

I know you would be surprised at receiving a courier from me. Why wouldn’t I send you a letter on Mukundo Babu’s next visit, as we usually do, you must wonder. What can I say? It’s not like that I do not trust him with our letters. He is too well-behaved and old-world-gentlemanly to do something like opening our letters. Still, I could not send this letter with him. What if…

…

Piyali was barely sensible of even her limbs by the time she finished the letter. Mukundo Babu and Saina? In love? At least that is what she seemed to think. How their meetings had grown friendlier month after month, when he visited her to give her Piyali’s letters and gifts and take the same from her for Piyali. Didn’t Piyali wonder how foolish and tiresome the job must be for him to do, amidst all his work? But he did it, month after month. Couldn’t he have just asked them to send letters via post? He didn’t. He was such an excellent judge of people’s characters and so good at understanding her problems. He advised and helped her like a true friend. He listened to her silliest stories.

I must sound mad, Piyali. The reason I am writing to you is to know if I am indeed mad and dreaming of the moon. You know him, don’t you? Did you ever get a hint of what he thinks about me? Could you find out? You would have my life-long gratitude. Until I hear from you, I will hold my tongue and try to behave myself normally. But you must tell me what you think and put my head straight – one way or the other.

Couldn’t people leave Mukundo Babu alone? First this mess with Pratibha and the entire neighborhood. Now with her best friend?

But try as she might, she could not ignore what Saina had written. There was indeed no better judge of characters than him. And he understood people and helped them like a true friend. He definitely listened to all of Saina’s silly stories, and listened them well. Because he conveyed them to her very well. She had gotten all of that right.

But had he grown so fond of her that…. Definitely he had remarked all those years ago that he was mistaken about her and that she was a fine girl. She remembered that he often referred to her as the mature one between the two friends. He definitely carried out this silly monthly assignment… And Saina was no fool. She was a city girl, who knew her way about the world…

Was it all true then? Is that why he was so vexed with her? That she could not see where his real interest lied and linked her with Pratibha? Oh Lord! What was to become of her life? And Mukundo Babu’s?

If all this was true, then what would she do? Be a nice friend to both Mukundo Babu and Saina, and encourage them?

—

“Is there a good coffee shop in this town, Piyali?” Pronab came to her next morning looking agitated.

“There is a coffee shop. I don’t know if it is good or not.”

“Let’s go there. At three today.”

“What for?”

“To have coffee.”

“We can have coffee at home.” Piyali was not exactly feeling up to an outing. Even minimal interaction with people at home was a lot of exertion for her.

“Piyali, please. I am getting bored at home.”

“I thought you had come to Haldia to escape the city.”

“What I came for… Please Piyali.”

He was her guest. Refusing him once was already out of line. Refusing him again would be rude. If Mukundo Babu knew, he would be disappointed in her again. She agreed to go.

“Pratibha Di!” There was a surprise waiting for her there, “What is going on? Pronab Babu?”

“You must help us, Pihu,” Pratibha spoke.

“Help us?”

“You are not so thick, Pihu. You can guess why Pronab is here.”

“Pronab? Oh my God! You two are a couple?”

Pratibha shrugged her shoulders and looked at her expectantly.

“What have you been doing then? Your family is planning your wedding. And Mukundo Babu is practically living in Kolkata these past few weeks to arrange…”

“Until Pronab told me about that, I had no idea how far they have gone… You must stop him, Pihu.”

“I? Him? You need to tell Seema Mashi, Di. What can I do?”

“I was bidding my time. The plan was to have him over a few times and hopefully impress them… But… He has been there only once. And no one is particularly impressed, or even aware.”

“Honestly, folks in Haldia are a difficult lot to impress. Even the wise man of your town, Mukundo Babu, seems to dislike me. I can’t fathom, why.”

“I can’t either,” Piyali mumbled, “But oh! It is such a mess. What do you want me to do?”

“Only Mukundo Babu can help us. And we can’t talk to him except through you.”

“Me? I am not his secretary.”

“You are the only one who can talk frankly to him. And he is the only one who can make Mashima understand.”

“And my Kakima too,” Pronab added.

“But you need to talk to your parents,” she reminded Pronab.

“Oh! The head of our household is Kakima. If she is convinced, others will follow.”

“I am too young to be of any direct help in all this, Pratibha Di… You know that. God! You guys are so sneaky….But I will try to find where he is and call him. Couldn’t you have said something before he left for Kolkata. Now I will have to call… oh my God… Saina!”

—

She had to work hard to explain to Saina that she couldn’t talk about her letter yet, that there was an emergency in Haldia, that it had nothing to do with anyone’s health, but that she must talk to Mukundo Babu as soon as he came there. Saina agreed.

“You haven’t been to talk to the groom’s family yet, have you?” she asked Mukundo with some trepidation when he called her from Saina’s home.

“Not yet. Why?”

“You must come back, Mukundo Babu.”

“What happened, Piyali?” he grew concerned, his soft voice not betraying even a trace of bitterness from previous day.

“This wedding can’t happen. Pratibha Di, and Pronab Babu…”

“What?”

“They love each other. They want to marry…”

“Oh my God! Piyali, are you… I am coming. It will ride as fast as I can… Don’t worry… Everything will be all right…”

Piyali looked at the phone quizzically after disconnecting. Why was he so worried? About her, particularly?

—

To be continued