"That's a lot to take in." Anu says after listening to Madhav explain things to her.

"Yeah especially at the middle of the night." Sivaji adds sleepily rubbing his eyes.

It was no longer a normal voice call on Whatsapp. Madhav's call of help became a video chat with Anu and Sivaji.

Anu had a wheat complexion and had the curliest hair in all of India. She had bright black eyes cradled with dark under eye circles that came from her short hours of rest. Anu despite being the batch topper at the University of Madras, decided to settle down as a homemaker in Bangalore after her immediate marriage to Sivaji.

They had a small wedding in the mandhir a week after their graduation. The marriage was an inevitable option after Anushya was declared pregnant with Sivaji's child. The news was shocking to Madhav as well as to both the families, who on the other hand followed different religions.

Joseph Christopher Sivaji was the son of a pastor. Meanwhile, Anushya Chithambaram, a Brahmin Hindu, was the only daughter of an affluent minister in the Tamil Nadu state. Madhav volunteered to take up the task to convince both the families to accept Anushya and Sivaji's relationship, after weeks of heated arguments and pleading he succeeded in his task.

Sivaji tied the knot to Anushya in a small temple in Bangalore. Her father gifted them, or rather her, with a two storied house in the outskirts of Bangalore. Seven months later, Anushya gave birth to their first son, and she named him 'Madhavan'.

Madhav, one the other hand had left to the United Kingdom, a few days after their wedding, to do his Masters.

"I'm sorry, but I had no one else to turn to." Madhav says. "I really needed to talk to you."

"Aww that's sweet." Sivaji adds.

"He meant me. Not you, duffer." Anu says rolling her eyes. She leans to Sivaji and presses a kiss to his cheek. "Don't get offended baby."

"I can't get offended even if you say something very offensive about me." Sivaji says pinching her cheeks.

"You got used to it, haven't you?" Anu cheekily adds.

"Okay, guys. Focus." Madhav says waving his hand at them.

"There's only one way to solve things. Both of you, sit down and talk it out." Anu says tying her messy hair. "Also, do us all a favour and explain why you were being such a big control freak."

"What?" Madhav whips at her quizzically. "I am not a-"

He stops as he notices Anu tweak her eyebrow at him.

"Fine. I am a big control freak. But I have my reasons. The last time I was too unprepared-"

"We know." Sivaji finishes somberly. "Devakshi."

"But you can't blame yourself, Madhav." Anu adds concerned. "You were a mere teen and you were not in your full consciousness. You tried your best to save Deva."

"You haven't told anyone about what happened to Deva that night." Sivaji murmurs. "Everyone at home, Shree too, have no idea about the horror that happened to her, isn't it?"

"It's too disturbing for anyone to hear." Madhav pleads shaking his head.

"Madhav, are you worried that the same would happen to Shree?" Anu asks and she frowns when he nods.

"You need to open up, Madhav." Anu shakes her head.

"Definitely, machan." Sivaji adds.

Anu adds "Also let the woman breathe a little. You aren't her father to tell her how to dress and what to eat."

"You are her daddy." Sivaji says saucily and winks. Anu laughs.

"Shut up!" Madhav quips in embarrassment.

"Regardless, she's a beautiful woman. She'd look amazing in anything and let her eat anything- because after she conceives it's whatever that's healthy for the kiddo."

"True, true." Madhav nods. "I should let her be the way she is."

-M A D H A V     R A M A K R I S H N A-

After a warm shower and having changed to comfort clothes, I pour my self a glass of whiskey and sit on the balcony chair.

I pull out my phone and scroll through my gallery until I find her photo.

Devakshi Mohana Ramakrishna.

It was the photo appa took of her on her first day at the Mumbai's most privileged state campus. She was wearing a yellow kurta with red leggings and held her books to her side. I was there too, a scrawny teen with messy hair. She was smiling so brightly, of course, after finishing her five-year long MBBS program she'd be a surgeon, at least an intern.

She was nine years old when I was born. Appa keeps telling everyone how as a kid I would never go to sleep without seeing Akka. That's true. Even now, I look at her smiling photo before falling asleep.

As a child she wanted to be the best surgeon in Mumbai. She worked hard to ace her 10th, 12th and everything she showed interest in. She was the brightest student in primary school, high school and at her university. She excelled in sports too, being a talented table tennis player.

Appa and Yashoda Ma adored her.

After Amma died, Akka took the reins and raised me like Amma would have. I was four, and she was a mere teen of thirteen years. With her, by my side, I never felt the absence of a mother. She taught me how to read and write, she sang to me every night and watched me fall asleep in her lap.

As I grew my hatred for my father grew too. I rebelled against him and defied him. I was the unruly disobedient child. His only mean to have me disciplined was by having me sent to boarding school. I was sent to a boarding school in Tamil Nadu. I hated it, especially because I had to stay away from Akka.

She would call the school boarding every day at 8PM to talk to me, and she always came with Appa to pick me when we got holidays. She grew up, from an effervescent little girl to a very charming intelligent woman. Appa keeps on saying, even today, that she grew up to be a lookalike of Amma. She did. Tall, fair with deep black eyes and long wavy hair. I still remember hearing Amma's laughter resonated within hers.

Meanwhile I was skinny with faint limbs.

Akka was flawless.The ideal daughter, sister and student. However, her major flaw, lead to an unpleasant incident that ruined her. It was indeed the worst summer vacation. She was in her third year of study and in love with a guy. He was her senior, a decent looking man, Aravind.

For some reason Appa disapproved of the relationship. Akka would never do anything to disappoint him. She called Aravind and explained her situation, asking him to break up with her. Over the next few days, he called her endlessly, and dropped by the RK mansion begging and threatening her to reconsider.

"I can't, Aravind. Appa doesn't approve of our relationship and I don't want to proceed without his consent."

Her stance was as clear as daylight, but he was adamant.

The police was summoned, and they had to drag him from the mansion premises.

He became mad and infuriated, blinded by his desire he even opted to go to any grave lengths to have her. He harassed her in university and kept annoying her in every way possible. The height of his atrocity was when he tried to force himself on her.

She was infuriated. She filed a case against him on basis of attempt to rape.

She never told anyone, I was the only one to know since I overheard her phone conversation with the police commissioner. For the next two weeks we didn't see or hear from him. I was glad that he was no longer a part of Akka's life.

I was wrong.

One stormy night, with loud thunder and blinding lightening, Appa and Yashoda Ma left with a three-month-old Shyaam to the hospital. Apparently Shyaam was having a very bad fever.

I was in Akka's room with her that night. She was helping me with a few Algebra practice questions, when her room doors burst open. There he was, Aravind holding a bottle of cheap alcohol, drunk beyond his wits and infuriated than ever before. How he came past the watchman at the gate surprises me.

Aravind locked the door behind him and lunged at her. The storm raged on and thunder started to boom louder than ever.

I came in front of her, as a shield. He grabbed me, throwing me away, with all his force. My head hit the wall with such a force and everything around me started to become a blurry mystery. I could hear her muffled cries and he was saying the obscenest words to her. Bigger flashes of lightning and thunder, so loud, boomed outside.

I never knew what happened. I woke up on the cold marbled floor towards sunrise. I sat up with a start and looked around. She was writhing and shivering in a corner of the room, crying softly, in a miserable form. It was a sight that no one should ever get to see. My hear broke into several pieces seeing her bruised and naked form. The bed sheets were a mess and stained with traces of blood.

I pulled the curtain and brought it to her, to wrap around her shivering body. The rays of the early morning sun fell into the messy room and against her messy form.

"Madhav?" She asked feebly as I wrapped the thick curtain over her shoulders. She quickly fastened the curtain around her and wiped her tears. "Are you okay? I saw that man push you against the wall. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save you."

"No akka. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything-"

"No, Madhav. You are innocent here, too weak and helpless against him." She says and pulls me towards her. I sit beside her, resting my head on her shoulder. We sat in silence for a long time. Her wrists were bruised, and her lips were torn, with plenty of evidence of being gagged.

"Did it hurt?" I ask holding her hand.

She didn't answer. "Go to your room and freshen up. I need to get rid of this mess."

I left immediately.

I walked into her room two hours later and the room was neat and tidy. She was spreading a new bed sheet on the bed, the old bloodied one was in a far corner. The curtain was hanging on the railings, intact. She was wearing a black kurta and a white pair of jeans. She hid the bruises and her wounds with makeup.

She looked different, the smile in her face, gone.

"Are you going to tell the police?"

"No, Madhav." She replied bluntly as she made a fire on the fireplace in her room. "In fact, I took back the case I had initially filed against him. He forced me to do so."

She threw the bloodied bedsheet to the fire, and soon it was burnt away to ashes.

"Listen, Appa will be coming in a few minutes. Do not ever tell him what happened last night! Understand?"

I nodded.

"Good."

"I'm sorry I let this happen to you. I could have saved you-"

"Madhav you are a little boy; you were pushed to a wall and suffered a minor concussion." She makes me sit on the marbled floor and she sits facing me. "I understand that you wanted to save me from him, but you were too young, and you didn't know what happened until you gained consciousness. Even if you weren't unconscious, I don't think you could have outpowered him. But one day, when you are a grown man, I'm sure you'd be able to save anyone from such horror. You can't keep all the women safe but keep all the women who are related to you safe from such predators- like your sister, friends, wife, daughters, niece."

I nod.

To be continued....

Glossary

Amma- Mother

Appa- Father

Akka- Elder sister

Keep the votes and the comments flowing!

Also let me know what you think of the following through your comments

-What will happen next? Especially to Devakshi?

-What do you think about Anu and Sivaji? Would you be interested to read more about their university life with Madhav?

-Did you like Devakshi's character?

-What are your thoughts about crimes such as rape and murder?

Announcement!

It's Dedication Time! As a way of returning your unwavering love and support to the story, I have decided to dedicate ALL the chapters of this book to each reader.

1: A question will be asked at the end of each chapter, regarding the story and/or the characters.

2: One person will be selected from all those who have provide the correct answer.

3: The lucky winner gets one chapter of this book dedicated to him/her. This process will happen repeatedly until all/most of the readers, active and silent, have chapters dedicated to them.

PREVIOUS WEEK'S QUESTION: Name 2 others apart from Madhav and Sivaji who studied at University of Madras.

Answer: Anu and Siya

Winner (picking one since I can't dedicate to all those who answered correctly) Congratulations to @SanDhu_aka_SanDhiya

This week's question: How does Shyaam know Devi?

Submit your answers with inline comments. May the correct and most accurate answer win!