Ruma and Bidisha were close friend since their college life.They started to reside in hostel where students from different cities came and admitted to the renowned college of Calcutta. For the first time they started living at hostel  far from relatives. Gradually they started mixing with one another and became good friends . They were benefited by group study in hostel.Thus three years passed .They returned home after graduation.

After two decades or more all on a sudden Ruma and Bidisha meet in this  town . Both are astonished. Bidisha is looking so beautiful still, almost as she was  in her younger days,tall, fair complexioned and slim . And Ruma having a pleasant beauty is now a bit fatty. Ruma brings  her forcibly  to her house. Meeting after such a long time, both of them start gossiping . They talk about old memories, about other friends. Ruma  does not  spare her without making dinner in her house .Her husband Arunabha then helped Vidisha to reach her quarter.

Ruma and Arunabha came in this town almost before twenty five years, when  Arunabh was transferred  here.This place  attracted them.It is a small city surrounded by hills in North Bengal.Morning and evening are filled with bird's  chirping, the views of sunset and sunrise are so beautifully enjoyable.Calm and quite atmosphere is fit for worship and maditation. All these make them live peacefully .

They built a house there and used to live since then .Before two years Arunabha has retired from service.Ruma is still in service .She is a teacher of the missionary school near their house. This  missionary institution  has a Church,a school, a college,and an orfanage in the same compound.Bidisha joins as a honourary teacher  of the school a few days earlier.

Ruma and Arunabh, after marriage used  to go to tours frequently.Sometimes they went to sea and sometimes in hilly areas.Thus they went several times Puri and enjoyed the sun rise and sunset at the seashore,  used to visit Jagannath temple and enjoyed bathing in the sea.  Thus when even after five years they had no issue,they became anxious and came to doctor,who after investigation told them that Ruma cannot conceive due to some faults,which is not curable.Ruma gradually started sufferring from depression .Then they decided  to adopt a child .As they came in contact with children of missionary's orphanage, that took the decision easily. Arunabha's parents at first , though not willing , but afterwards thinking of their happiness gave concent. Many a times they used to come and stay with them.Then Ruma and Anunabha  adopted a baby girl of six months,who filled the house with mirth and merriment. Sometimes Arunabha's parents and sometimes Ruma's parents came and looked after the child. Then the girl Prapti started going to school with her mother .She was attentive to her studies as well as playing. Thus gradually she completed school life and went to college  After making graduation with a good  result she was married to Partha,a nice guy.Partha's house was in one hour distance in train from their residence.In most of the holidays  Partha and Prapti come here and enjoy the whole day with Ruma and Arunabha. 

When Prapti was twelve years of age, one fine morning Ruma and Arunabha disclosed to her the truth that she was their adopted child. The little girl after hearing all this, held her father and mother tightly. Afterwards, as she grew older, she became more and more responsible to her parents. They informed Partha's family everything about this before marriage, so that no complication might arise in future. This green hilly town , missionary school ,college ,orphanage, the prayer of the Charch and greenery of the wood around ,all these filled their llife with  immense peace. This quite atmosphere led Ruma to worship God every morning and evening peacefully.

After some days one holiday Ruma invits Bidisha to her house with a view to staying full day together.Arunabha has gone to her  daughter's house. After lunch two friends sit in the garden and become busy in conversation of old memories .When Ruma inquires of  Saon, lover of Vidisha,she bursts into tears.

When they studied in college Bidisha and Saon were involved in love affairs .At that time Saon had newly joined a job. Most often Bidisha and Saon used to meet together .Bidisha  used to tell  her friends about their talks and future planning of marriage with most enthusiasm. Bidisha was a charming young lady and Saon also was handsome.They first met in a marriage ceremony of Bidisha's cousin.All the close friends enjoyed their love story .

Now, out of natural curiosity Ruma asks about Saon and about her life . But seeing her crying Ruma gets disappointed .She tells "Unknowingly  I hart you.Don't tell, forgot this. Let us go to our room and take rest".

Bidisha says ,"No ,I have to tell everything .I can't bear any more .I want to share with you everything." Bidisha narrates that ,after B.A. examination she met Saon in his house. That day no body was  there in his house. All his family members went to their relative's marriage ceremony. At some moment they became closer to each other out of love.

After some days, Bidisha realised that she had conceived .

She immediately informed Saon everything and insisted him to marry soon. Saon hardly paid any heed to her sentiment.He told him that it was impossible for him to marry now, he needed some time. It would be better for Bidisha  to consult  a doctor and abort the fetus.Vidisha was afraid .She did not accept the offer of abortion. But Saon was strict in his decission. Bidisha returned home and told her mother everything.Her mother was extremely shocked.  She informed everything to his husband .They summoned Saon and requested him to marry Bidisha. But Saon denied to marry immediately .He said that he will marry letter . Thus time was passing.Bidisha denied abortion. Bidisha's family then came in this missionary and requested the then Father as well as incharge of the missionary to help them. Father made arrangements of Bidisha's and her mother's staying here .So her father returned to his home. After some months a beautiful baby girl was born .After that Bidisha with his mother stayed there for some months and afterwards  returned giving the baby to the orphanage under the supervision of that Father .

After this Saon never made  any contact with Bidisha.Henceforth she started her single journey of life .Being a good student she joined a renowned school soon as a teacher in a distant town and stayed there .Only on  vacations used to meet her parents .

After one year  she returned to this orphanage and came to know that a family adopted  her baby .She came with expectations of seeing her baby once more, but got disappointed. She moved to tears. Father insisted that she should be happy thinking that her child would  be brought up in a nice family with so many care. She really  got immense peace at Father's words.

But this place attracted her time and again. So after so many years when the advertisement of an honourary  teacher in this orphanage ,she readily resigned her job and accected the offer.  Though the post was honourary but fooding and lodging facilities were there.Thus she joined  this missionary school as a teacher and luckily met Ruma.

Hearing the life history of Bidisha Ruma also becomes astonished and  starts crying. She attracts Vidisha to her bedroom in no time and opens the family album in front of Bidisha where  a six month's beautiful baby girl is laughing at the lap of her mother.

Bidisha cannot believe her own eyes .This is the baby girl whom she was bound to leave in the hands of Father for ever out of fear of the society. She now realises that the Amighty makes two friends meet together for this noble purpose.

Next day Arunabha  returns with Prapti and Partha. Ruma informs him of the whole incident. After consultation they go to the orphanage, request the existing officials  to tally with the records of twenty four years ago.They check all the old records according to the request of Bidisha and Ruma and  Arunabha.They says that their suspect is  right. They return home with Bidisha .They introduces Bidisha with Prapti and Partha, disclose to Prapti that Bidisha is her mother. Bidisha  bursts into tears of joy .They embrace each other.Prapti wipes off her tears .All  the three women and two men were happy. 

Bells of Church start ringing in this dusk.Birds start chirping. Peace pervades the whole atmosphere.

Sikha Ray.