The time was 1930s, the whole India was going from the flames of the Independence movements especially the eastern part in Kolkata. A sassy girl from a mere village of Bangladesh (in undecided India) sparked a new flame of war , the war of survival. At the mere age of 12 she got married in a rich family of Kolkata but fate wasn't on her side so at the age of 14 she lost her husband and also the right to study. She came back to the village house, her life was at its brink due to the big sacrifices she has to do as a widow. But she didn't lose and fought.  In her entire adolescence she had to fight for her rights and also became self dependent. So now the family kind of fears her. She doesn't sugar cote her words and do what she thinks is the best. But the desire to become a happy wife and mother still bothers her, so she leads a double life of a matchmaker to help people who need her in a different identity (paan bou: betel bride, as she always brings a betel leaf with her while matchmaking. Will she be able to break the social rules for widows and achieve happiness in her life?

It was a clear moonlight night, when a young woman in her late teens was laying in her bed upside down. Everyone in the Chatterjee house was sleeping soundly. Her hair was loosen in her wide open back, a thin white khadi saree was wrapped in her body which has been loosen due to the uneasy posture of sleeping. Her yellow skin was shining in the moonlight coming from the window. Her smooth side surves and big hips were making her body more attractive.She turned on the other side and her huge breasts were exposed a little bit, it only had one cover of the white saree. Her right hand came up to her chest and pressed her left breast tightly

"Ahhhh.( A sound came out of her throat)"

Another older woman was sleeping in the same room on the floor. She woke up because of the sound.

"Chor thakuran( young mistress), again? It's the third time you dreamed about that stuff. How many times I tell you don't go near the ghat when men are there."

"Uff, mashi you don't need to worry me. Worry about your salary this month. You have woken me up from sleep for the third time this week."

"Do whatever I just say for your good. You are a young widow and I am the only one after the old master who actually cares about you in this house."

Minati mashi was the old maid of the house who was working for the Zamindars for decades now. She herself brought her up with her own hands. After they went to sleep again a black shadow appeared in the back of the bed and it whispered in her ears.

"Charu."

It was a cold, ghostly and husky voice that could terrify any of the normal people but when charu opened her eyes instead of scaring she got angry and got up and turned to ward the shadow. It was taking the shape of a woman little by little. It was a married woman who had sindoor in head and was wearing a yellow saree with a red border. She has a very cute face in her sixteens maybe.

"Sheetal, not today please. I don't have any energy."

"Yes after watching so many shirtless men in the Adivasi village of course you must be hurting."

"Nah, it's not because of that. If you want me right to see them now I can do that for the whole night. It's because of not getting any sleep for two days for your sudden excursion."

"Yes my visits are sudden and when you tell me to transport you in front of the Adivasi fields it's very reasonable right."

She just smiled a little bit towards her. As if she was telling her that she is her best friend.

"I am not joking right now when a girl's life is at stake."

"Which village? which family?" She said tiredly while yawning.

"Daspara, Manik Babu's house."

"I see. I was suspecting it from last year. They might be our next customer soon."

She came down from the bed and walked towards the mirror. She looked at her maid when sheetal said

"Don't worry she is soundly asleep and she will not wake up before dawn."

Charu turned back and uncovered the mirror. She took out a red from the trunk under her bed to change no one knew about this one. She looked back and said

"What are you going or do you wish to look at my body?"

"You shameless brate I am going now."

She vanished in the thin air. Charu took off her saree and was about to drape the other one when she saw her naked body in the mirror. The moonlight was drinking her beauty of glowing skin. Her fair breasts were shining in the moonlight, her thighs were sleek but not too thin and gave her body a nice shape. Her belly has formed a lustful curve. Her hips were well curved.

"How beautiful" is the only thing she can think of at that time because she barely stands front of the mirror during the day. What a shame a beauty which is worth enough to make a man mad is eventually going to waste as she ages more. She just sighed and draped the saree around. Charu wore the jewellery from her head to toe which she always does before going to matchmaking. She applied alta(red colour) on her lips and kajal in her eyes. This was the only time she could fully be herself like a married woman. She placed her anchal in her head and made a rope from the sarees she tuck it to the window and came down to the ground. She quickly grabbed the hurricane hanging in the hut outside of the main building and climbed the wall to get out of the house. She landed safely in the ground as usual.

"Sheetal came out. If only your trick worked in the house I shouldn't have to go through this."

Sheetal appeared from thin air again.

"What can we do my powers are too weak to work on a holy house like yours. They made a bandhan in your house. Because of which I Can't use my powers there. I only come to your room because they put all the garbage in this side. For which your bandhan in this area is quite weak."

"Yes yes, don't start your whining now. Grab it."

Charu pulled her anchal in her forehead because her half face was visible. Only her nose ring in the middle and her red lips were visible. Though she smirked and said

"So let's start today's real play."

She stretched her hands towards sheetal and she grabbed her rest when a white fog started to arise there and when it vanished they were gone.

Charu and sheetal appeared in front of a big two storied house in the same position. Now sheetal also pulled the anchal to her forehead. So that no one can see their faces. A middle aged woman was walking from one side to the other side in the house. Seems like she was waiting for someone

"So is it you who summoned us?"

She was so surprised that she trembled at first by their sight.

"Paan bou, you came. Rumor said that you come at midnight. You are so late that I thought you were not coming."

"What did you take us to do think we do some child's play?"

"No, no thakuran. Please rescue my daughter."

"Sheetal gave me the patra( letter)."

Sheetal pulled out a box from her bag and gave a rolled betel leaf from it which was tied with Durba (small grass).

[BEFORE GOING BACK TO THE STORY THE READERS NEED TO KNOW SOME HISTORY HERE.

When Charu first started her matchmaking she did this to people she knew or more likely who are in the same village. But to expand this service she needed to reach more people. Because of her accurate and good matchmaking skills she got famous among the individuals in Palashpur her own village. The royal palace themselves made a search for her because they wanted to reward her but after sometime when no one was able to catch trails of her she herself told one of the clients how to come in contact with her. As she was showing up herself for this unit now. She told them that whoever wants to seek help from her they need to write the name information, gotra of the suiter and also write the problem they are facing in the process and place to the Bannian tree before the Jamindar palace( which is the current shelter of sheetal who brings all the worthy requests to her and she began to match) .If she is pleased and found someone worth matching she will definitely appear. After that all the villagers from her own and outsiders came to the famous old Bannian tree and rumours that those suiter for whom Paan bou appeared had all have a successful marriage and loveable life . Paan bou become a legend of folk lores people call her the 'agent of love' who appeared and disappeared on her own.]

In the current situation

"Is it the one you tide with the tree."

"Yes yes."

"Hmm"

She opened the leaf and faced it towards her.

"Look carefully it's your daughter's problem right. If you lie to another person remember you will have to pay a much bigger price."

"No no you can testify to it yourself."

Sheetal whispered in her ear.

"Yes, I am also thinking about him."

"Boudi, I have a perfect match for your daughter. Tell your husband not to give the proposal to the old hag."

"Who are you to tell me what I am supposed to do for my daughter?"

The husband and the father of the girl came out from the house because he didn't found her wife at home.

"Mr. Bhattacharya is not an old hag he is a reputed Brahman in Dashpar. Age is not a barrier for men. He is....

"Hahaha" paan bou laughed and sheetal also. Do you think we are that foolish to run such a big business sir. We already know that the old hag promised you to pay as much as money to save your business. What was that again sheetal?"

"Four goats, thakuran."

"Yes yes four goats are also coming as a dowry. By the way why do you need more goats boudi he is already a goat to marry her daughter to a man in his fiftees ,in exchange for some coins and another pair of goats."

After saying that they are both bursed in laughter.

"You scoundrel, you are trading our daughter to the bastard just because of money." The girl's mother yelled at her husband.

He was quite ashamed of it he didn't say anything and looked the other way.

"Whatever boudi I got a suitable match for you who are willing to pay any needs of the bride and the boy is in mid twenties ."

"Really?"

"Yes, and I will take a look at your daughter and send the proposal to them tomorrow. But remember this is your last chance you know what will happen if you refuse a match from paan bou right?"

They both looked at each other and gulped as if remembering a horrible incident.

"I hope you guys know what price you have to pay if you refuse Paan bou's match."

[SOME PAST HISTORY: Charu was doing paan bou's job since she was fifteen. She used to appear herself in the suiters home who critically needed her. So basically there were some families who didn't believe in her matchmaking and thought it was a mere foolishness to choose suiters by the interest of the bride and groom. Two of them rebelled against her beliefs and married their daughters in other places. One of them was attacked by bandits in the middle of the night while returning to the groom's house and the other one was poisoned by her own husband. Paan bou knew all of the reasons so she suggested to marry them in a different household. So whatever the reason is it turned out in her favour, and rumours spread that paan bou is a Love agent sent by heavens. No one ever dared to oppose her marriage proposals.]

Current situation:

The couple stared at each other and said

"Paan bou, we don't want to refuse you. Do whatever but please give our daughter in safe hands and also save our business."

"Don't worry, first I need to see your daughter to confirm if the one I am thinking is right for her or not."

"At this hour, she might be sleeping in her room. "

"So what am I man? Or what do guys take me for today or I am....

"No no Paan bou don't go. I am bringing her please sit in our drawing room."

"No I need to go to her bedroom. I match people with their raw quality not by class."

They did as she told them to do. She saw the girl's face when her mother woke her up from sleep. She fixed her saree after seeing an outsider coming in. Paan bou sat in the bed and grabbed her face and said

"I need to talk with her alone so go outside."

"Which class are you studying dear?"

"8th"

"Oh, you are sixteen this year? Do you like studying?"

"Yes, I like to read about so many different places, foods , peoples and cities."

"Really,is that book self yours?"

"Yes"

Paan bou asked While taking a look at the books

"What kind of man do you like? Who is brave like Bajra sen or smart like Byomkesh Bakshi?"

"I like someone like Ajit who has lots of knowledge and I can talk to him about many different things I don't know and didn't get to experience."

"I was worried for nothing. You are more than fit for him."

She came outside where the couple were panicking and blaming each other. When she came out they came running.

"Don't worry, she is fit in that household. In your Village do you remember Mukunda Babu he has three sons. I am talking about his youngest son."

"Yes but he was studying for a doctorate in London."

"He came back last week. Seems like you don't get news of your own village. He is perfect for your daughters preference. They were requesting me for years but he didn't returned from overseas even for a weak. It is a great coincidence sir if you married her to their house his brothers are willing to pay whatever demand you change for your business."

"Thank you, paan bou I was anxious a moment. You have cleared my all doubts."

"It's my work sir, I will send a proposal to their house tomorrow. "

"Paan bou you have to come in the wedding functions. We should get the first invitation.'"

"You didn't heared I disappear the moment I match a couple." She smirked and said "matching the couples and tie their knots is the only duty I carry in my sholders. After that they need to carry their married lifes on there own."

Sheetal came outside and took out a betel leaf painted in sindoor dots. She gave it to them and said

"This is the proof that your daughter is matched by paan bou. Give it to them when the Groom's house reaches you."

The two of them vanished in the mist of dawn. Back to her room Charu took off her red saree and removed all the makeup. It was like she was back to her old self. Minoti Mashi didn't wake up yet. So lay down in her bed naked. She was playing with her hair and watched her body in the big mirror. She said enviously

"Bajra sen, Byomkesh, Ajit, I am in a position where I don't even deserve Puti ram."

She slightly slipped her hand in from her lips to her fair breasts and from the curves of her belly to the holy organ between her thighs. She pushed her middle finger in her vegina to explore the unknown spots of happiness. Her chest started to rise , she was breathing fast as the finger was pulling in. She was breathing through her mouth now.

"Ha, ha, ha uff"

After sometime she lies after getting tired.