They got married suddenly. Not with any boy I know. As usual, all the arrangements of the two families follow formalities. Supti did not know anything about such arrangements. Why not, he was so busy with his job in Dhaka that he couldn’t make time to see his wife even if he got a proposal at home. Didn’t think about marriage at all. When I called, both my parents kept asking me to take leave at home. Due to the pressure of her parents, Supti came home after taking a week’s leave with great difficulty.
After a few months, a very big event will be arranged to take it off. Supti’s parents like Ayan as he is not very handsome but he is quiet and educated. (Of course, before marriage, all brides and grooms are calm and polite) And since he had no choice of his own, he did not do so again while valuing the choice of his parents. Ayan teaches in a government college outside Dhaka. Kind of shy. So Ayan feels very uncomfortable staying at his father-in-law’s house even after the engagement. And he had to leave due to professional work. But Ayan’s heart fell to Supti. He wanted Supti to die soon. When Supti goes to Dhaka, she will take a seven-day leave. He says he will see his new wife very closely. Ayan and Supti pass the time by texting. Talks on the mobile at the right time. Mobiles were not so easy to get back then. It costs Rs.6 per minute. Three hundred rupees cards are seen to expire in two days. But the matter remains. Supti stays in the office guest house with some girl colleagues. There she does not have to worry about cooking or shopping.
When he returns home after office, he spends his time reading books, listening to music or chatting. But he does not want to spend the day of the solstice. So Ayan suddenly went directly to Supti’s office in Dhaka without informing Supti and surprised him. Supti somehow follows the rules of the office and comes out with the groom after applying for leave. Aon’s eyes had a winning smile on his face. He did not understand how the quiet and gentle boy had suddenly become so bold. Ayan rushed from Khulna after enduring the stress of the seven-hour journey. But he does not look tired at all. Even the midday sunlight seems like a full moon. They are walking on the sidewalk. In fact, there is no way without walking. The rickshaw drivers are also lying on their backs in a lazy posture. No one is in any hurry to go anywhere. Ayan is walking with his hand on Supti’s shoulder and talking.
While walking, they came in front of a restaurant. Supti smiles looking at Ayan and says let’s enter here. You can’t get enough of me. You have come so far. Ayan says with a smile, “With you, there is no hunger.” I wanted to swim across the Padma. But where else could I do it while on the ferry!” Saying that they entered the restaurant. Many people come here for lunch break. So getting an empty table is not so easy. The time of the people who come to have lunch is completely their own. Someone is having lunch in a group, ha ha ho ho. Someone is eating alone. Words float across the room with the clinking of spoons and glasses. Ayan Supti’s eyes searched for a desired table. Fortunately, it does. They took the corner seat as if heaving a sigh of relief. Supti gives the food order when Ayan arrives fresh. Supti says after eating from here I will go to the room to clean myself. I will spend time with the groom. Ayan jokingly says, “Will you let me into your guest house?” says Supti.
“It will give. Just not allowed to stay overnight sir.”
Ayan assures that there is no problem. Talked to my cousin. He asked us to go to his house. We are going there in the evening.
Ayan is sitting in Suptid’s guest room watching TV. Supti went to her room and changed her dress and put on a red anchal and a black saree with a red border and put on a small red tip. He stood in front of Ayan with necessary things in a small bag. Supti looks so beautiful Ayan can’t turn his eyes away. He slowly came closer and hugged her and kissed her on the forehead and said “You look like an angel.” I have written the name in the book of crazy men. Now I don’t want to go out anymore.”
Supti says in a slightly angry tone, “This is a guest house. There will be no reversals here. let’s go out
When the Suptiras came out, the sun’s brightness had decreased quite a bit. They have come from Uttara to Rabindra Sarovar by ignoring the Dhaka traffic jam in an autorickshaw. As it was not a weekend, there was not much gathering of people. So it didn’t take long to find a quiet place to sit. Supti speaks with great enthusiasm. Ayan looks at Supti’s face with fascination. To Ayan, the surrounding beauty seems dull to Supti. A little girl brought several garlands of belli flowers hanging on a stick. Ayan had never bought a flower garland for anyone before. So as the girl approached, he asked, “Have you come to give me all the garlands?” The girl shakes her head. Before Supti could say anything, Ayan bought all the garlands from the girl and wrapped them in Supti’s hair. They didn’t realize when the evening had come. Ayan looks at the clock and says let’s get up. My cousin’s house is in Dhanmondi. have to go there Ayan extends his hand to Supti to get up.
Rakib Bhai’s flat in Dhanmondi is well decorated. Along with Russian wife and two sons and daughters Ninit and Nikita. Tidy family. They have arranged for them very sincerely. The night is growing with stories. Suddenly Ayan looked at Bhabhi and Bhai and said today we will get up. I will come again. Rakib brother said get up! You brought a new wife. stay But Ayan came out of his brother’s house promising to come another day. Supti came out and asked if we were supposed to stay here. Why did you leave? Ayan replied quite naturally, “I didn’t want to spend the night with you at someone’s house, so I came out saying that I will be like myself.” Supti walks beside her husband without saying anything. Seeing a scooter coming, Ayan stops it and gets up with Supti. Then asked to go to a residential hotel in Dhanmondi. As the road is somewhat empty, it is not too late to reach them. Under the neon lights, Dhaka at night looks like a stark black and white TV. The scooter stopped in front of a rather shabby five-story building. They go inside the reception to talk!
A young boy is looking intently at some papers in the cluttered reception. He looks like he is preparing for the upcoming exam. As Ayan and Supti stood in front of the table, without wasting much time, the boy directly asked, “How can I help you?”
Ayan says “Can I have a room for tonight?”
The boy nodded his head and said, “What is your relationship?”
Ayan jokingly says why don’t we look like husband and wife?”
The boy seemed a bit irritated by his words, “There’s nothing to be disrespectful about here. Show me your cabin papers.”
Ayan says worriedly, “Did someone go around with the cabin name! I didn’t bring the cabin name with me. Can you show me the picture?”
The boy said firmly “No. We don’t accept anything here except the cabin name. Why is it a lot of trouble. If you don’t have the cabin name, you can look for another residential hotel.”
Ayaan and Supti’s head as if the sky is falling. They do not have any known residential hotels. Where will they go this midnight! Seeing their situation, the boy at the reception gave the address of some more hotels.
Ayan and Supti started visiting different hotels according to that address. But in every hotel, they wanted to see Cabinnama and turned a hotel room into a golden deer. Ayan and Supti’s faces are getting dirtier and dirtier. They are sitting side by side in the autorickshaw but no one is talking. Suptir is crying profusely. He turns his face and tries to look outside. And Ayan feels very guilty. Why did he come out of Rakib Bhai’s house without considering anything!
Finally the autorickshaw stopped in front of a residential hotel in Farmgate. After paying the fare, Ayan says to Supti, “Let’s see if there is any room available here! When Supti is about to get down, the auto driver says, sir, come and see if you can sit in the car.” Gets down from the autorickshaw. Ayan takes Supti’s hand and moves forward. Finally they get the desired room. Open the door with the key and see a nice and tidy room.
Both of them are very tired due to the non-stop all day and last minute stress. Supti sat down on the bed. In a black saree with a red border with gold work and a garland of white flowers on the khopa, she looks like an apsa to Ayan. The small room was filled with the smell of bell flowers. Ayan sat next to her and held her hand and said, “The room has been found. Why are you still so upset?” There was a sea of water in Supti’s eyes. She can’t stop crying like a dam breaking tide. Supti puts her head on Ayan’s shoulder and says, “Today I realized for the first time how much we need a place to stay in Dhaka city.” Ayan says “We will have a house too. When you and I arrange the family, you will support me mentally only then.” Supti closes her eyes in passion and obsession.
Toronto, Canada
