When the call connected in the Police control room it was probably a routine call for the emergency responder, but it was about to cause a lot of commotion in many people's lives.

"Hello! Control room, What is your emergency?"

There was just laboured breathing heard through the line.

"Hello! Kindly speak up, I'm able to hear you... Hello!"

After a few seconds of silence, followed by croaking and groaning sounds a faint
"H.. he.. hello.." was heard.

If not for the improvised equipment the responder would have hardly heard that voice, he was sure it was a female caller.

"Hello, Maam! Are you okay? What is the emergency?"

"I.. injury.. fracture.. blood.." the caller was panting and struggling to speak.

"Did you meet with an accident? Can you give me your location ma'am? Is anybody there with you?"

"home.. no accident.." as she struggled to complete her sentence the responder was sure he heard another weeping voice in the background.

"Ma'am I can help you for sure. If somebody is there with you ask them to speak, please. We can't lose time, we need to help you."

A few minutes passed with grunting and shuffling noises in the background, the responder exchanged some panicked glances with his colleagues, one of whom ran to summon a senior officer.

"Hello officer"
the voice of a young child with a foreign accent reluctantly sounded over the speaker, and the whole control room fell silent.

"Hello beta! I'm Madhav. May I know your name please?"

"I... I'm Vanya. My mom is injured. We need help please."
She broke into a sob "Please, help us. I'm scared. Please. He will come back to hurt us."

"Okay, okay Vanya beta. Relax. We can help you. Do you know where you are and who hurt your mother?"

He prepared to relay information about the kidnap location and the identity of the captives.

"We are at home and Dad... dad hurt mom."
She then gave the address.

"You are at home? Are you hurt too?"

"No, I'm not hurt. Please come quickly.. Mom is losing a lot of blood".

~~~~

Paarth's car screeched to a halt in the parking lot of the private hospital where the elites of the capital city get treated away from the prying eyes and ears of the media. He rushed towards the ICU after being guided by the staff and Ravi was close on his heels.

"just get away from me Ravi. I asked you to do one thing, man. To take care of Mumma and..."

"Paarth listen to me please..."

The elevator arrived carrying a few more people from the basement parking, interrupting their conversation.

Ravi observed through the glass-panelled elevator that the hospital resembled a five-star hotel. He couldn't help but think that affluent people did have a weird way of showcasing their illness and grief too.

Dressed to perfection at all times, suppressing their grief or distress caused by the sickness or death of a loved one, just so the paparazzi wouldn't catch them off guard with an ugly picture. They were constantly hounded by the public and media eyes, that they could not even afford to express their grief openly. Ravi felt sad for them.

When the elevator stopped at the fourth floor they ran towards the ICU.

Paarth let out a sigh of relief as he spotted Padmini seated in the waiting lounge, body slumped forward, head held in her hands.

"Mumma" he whispered gently, touching her knees as he knelt before her.

He noticed that her cheeks and nose were red and tear-stained.

"Paartha... What are you doing here?"
She glanced at him quizzically and then at Ravi who solemnly gestured that his mouth was zipped.

"Please tell me why you are here. For her? The person..." His nostrils flared anger evident in his hushed voice.

Padmini cast a glance around, "Paarth, there is a time to exercise hostility and a time to shoulder a fellow human in distress. They need me now." She emphasised each word indicating her displeasure at her son's attitude.

"Mumma that woman..." He held back the insult that was threatening to spill out,
"she ruined your life. She was the reason for all the torture that you went through. The pain you put up with all these years. She just deserves to die, a characterless..."

A slap echoed through the now-empty lounge. A stumped Paarth held his cheek and glanced at his mother in shock. Ravi was equally startled at Padmini's anger.

A soft sob was heard from the corner of the room at the same time. All three of them turned sharply towards the corner of the room. A small figure dressed in yellow pyjamas lay curled up in the last row of chairs, a violent sob racking through the tiny frame. A visibly hurt Padmini looked back at Paarth.

"I thought I raised you right!"
She walked hurriedly and crouched near the girl.

"Baby... Vanya. I'm sorry for what he said. Please don't cry" trying her best to pacify the child, Padmini was overcome with emotions herself.

She gently placed her arm around the child's back and rubbed it offering comfort. "Don't keep crying Beta, you will fall sick my child. Mom will be okay very soon and come back to you."

She managed to coax the kid to sit up, "she... She... Mom is not a bad person. She loves me a lot. She... She loves dad too. Everybody treats her badly.."

Vanya struggled to finish amidst her hiccups. It broke Padmini's heart to see the child in such fear and anxiety. She shared a dejected look with Paarth and Ravi. It wasn't fair for any child to experience what she was going through.

"Shhh... Shh..." Padmini hugged and cradled the little girl patting her head lovingly, "I know, I know, and she is a very beautiful lady too. Isn't she? "

The little girl who seemed to be around ten years sniffled and turned her head towards Paarth while still in Padmini's embrace.

Paarth was dumbfounded by how much Vanya resembled himself. Both of them bore an unmistakable resemblance to Chandrakanth Malhotra. The only thing setting them apart was their eyes.

Vanya's soft blue eyes resembled a troubled ocean swimming with tears, reminded of her mother Kayla. While Paarth's honey-brown eyes had melted with compassion at the sight of a frightened little girl, just like Padmini.

Paarth cursed himself as he slumped in one of the chairs, Ravi sat next to him.
"Relax Bhai! You should let her do what she feels is right."

"Pretty easy for you to say that" he let out an exasperated sigh "after she went missing last time I'm weighed down with so much guilt. If anything had happened to her today..." he turned towards Ravi. "Am I wrong in trying to care for and protect her"?

Ravi knew he was right in his place.
" I understand your need to protect her as a son, but..."

"But what? What Ravi?"

Their conversation was interrupted when the door of the ICU opened revealing two doctors and a police officer, all of them dressed in protective scrubs. Padmini walked towards them holding Vanya's hand. Paarth and Ravi stood rooted to their spots unsure if they should be joining them.

"Inspector I understand this will be considered as her official statement and complaint. She wanted to speak to Mrs Padmini in your presence. You both may go inside. Press the bedside panic button if there is any problem."

"I understand doctor, I'll see to it that she doesn't strain much"

"Ma'am, I wouldn't interrupt your conversation. I will ask my questions at the end. You can take your time, I shall just record her statements" the inspector led the way into the ICU.

~~~~

Padmini's heart skipped a beat, and a rock landed in the pit of her stomach when she saw Kayla's bruised face and body, through the glass door, as she was helped into a protective scrub.

"You think she will come home with me today?"

Vanya's soft voice bought Padmini back to her senses. Quickly wiping her tears, she squeezed her little hand and gave her a half-hearted smile.

"Hi maa, are you alright?" Vanya placed her palm on Kayla's cheek. As if on cue Kayla's eyelids fluttered open. There were multiple bandages on her body.

The doctor had said that her pelvic bone was fractured on the right side along with her leg which was in a cast now. Padmini could see the multiple bruises all over her body, the one on her face especially leaving Kayla unrecognisable.

For a moment, Padmini felt like she was seeing herself on the hospital bed, fighting for her life. Yes, there was a time when she despised Kayla for many reasons; for taking away her husband, for being the woman he loved, for kidnapping her, and for threatening her family but not right now.

She curled her fingers gently around Kayla's and sat for a few minutes. Vanya climbed onto the bed and rested her head on the pillow near Kayla whispering something to her, as tears drenched the little girl's face. Kayla twisted her head towards her daughter and gently placed a kiss on her forehead, taking a laboured breath she turned towards Padmini.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" Kayla's voice was raspy and strained.

"Kayla please..."

"No Padmini, I need to talk it's important. Vanya, this is Padmini aunty. She will be taking care of you..." when the child opened her mouth to protest, Kayla sternly cut her off.

"No, Vanya listen to me. I'm injured badly. I'm not sure if I will be able to live. I want you to be in safe hands."

She turned towards Padmini, "I was foolish enough to trust my brothers. They only had their selfish motive in mind when they promised to help me."

A sudden bout of cough interrupted her, Padmini panicked, but Kayla stopped her from calling the doctors. She took a while to compose herself.

"When Chandrakanth was left with no power, property or significance in Jagannath Group, they were disappointed. They held Vanya captive and asked me to negotiate with Chandrakanth for money or access to the factory. When they knew he was telling the truth they threw us both out of the house. I was denied my share in the family inheritance. Chandrakanth and I had frequent fights over this. And recently I..." tears rolled down the corners of her swollen eyes.

"He got back to his wayward behaviour" censoring her language in the presence of her child "bringing them to the farmhouse where we lived".

Padmini gasped, and Kayla let out a whimper.

"I deserve it Padmini. For ruining your life, for being a wretched human being towards you when I knew you couldn't have been at fault."

"Please Kayla, rest now these talks can be had later."

Padmini gently wiped away Kayla's tears. Vanya had fallen asleep near her mother, the poor child had been so exhausted with fear for the past few days.

" I want only one thing from you." She clasped Padmini's hands and spoke in a pleading voice.

"I know it is too much and probably I do not even have the right to ask this. Please take care of Vanya. My brothers may use her again as bait as they used me. My first marriage was fixed in haste to get rid of me. Turns out I was stupid enough to believe their story" she let out a sad chuckle.

"And Chandrakanth also fooled me. I was just another distraction for him and he wasn't renewing any romantic relationships with me. When I knew this, I was broken, because I had already issued a divorce notice to my husband. I had to force him to keep up our relationship when I got pregnant with Vanya."

"That manipulative bastard made me believe that you were a conniving woman and that he wasn't happy. Even if at times I had a suspicion, I let it slide because I was selfish. I refused to see through the rose-tinted glasses I chose to wear. I kept saying to myself that I was right in doing so since I was doing it for the future of my child."

She fondly rubbed Vanya's head "remember you warned me the other day, about Chandrakanth's abusive nature" she chuckled sarcastically "I did not believe you, not even for a second. I think I was in denial. I wanted this relationship to work so badly. I was tired of people using me, Padmini."

She let out a heartbreaking wail and Padmini knew how she felt. It twisted her insides to see another woman going through similar pain.

"That's exactly what I had been doing Kayla all these years." She affectionately ran her hand over her bandaged forehead.

Kayla fiercely dried her eyes. "I have made up my mind. He won't continue to hurt anyone anymore. I just need one assurance from you. Will you be there for Vanya? I know my time is limited.."

"Kayla, why do you keep saying that? This hospital is the best in the city you will recover..."

"Not a chance Padmini" she gently nudged the blanket covering her body to reveal a bandage covering her abdomen.

"he was getting frequently angry with me in the past months. He couldn't tolerate the fact that all power, fame and luxury were snatched away from him. He blamed me for that. The fights were frequent. I told him we could move to another country and start a new life there if he felt humiliated here. He argued over that last night and was drunk, I was shocked when I saw him consume drugs. That was an attempt by my brother to get him addicted and thereby get access to the wealth"

"Wait! When he attempted to strangle me he said you had spiked his drink and..."

Padmini realised that he was very cleverly playing a game and instigating both women against each other. Both of them exchanged glances.

"The argument led to a scuffle. He suddenly picked up the golf club and began hitting me. I tried to prevent him, but couldn't. He said my brother proposed a deal, if he would hand over Vanya and me they would help him set up a business in London. I knew my brothers, but Chandrakanth was too intoxicated to listen.

I had locked up Vanya in her room and hidden the key. He kept demanding the key to her room. I can't let him hurt my baby can I Padmini?

After a couple of strong blows to my head and stomach, still, he wasn't satisfied he kicked me and pushed me down the stairs. That's when my hip bone and my leg broke.

He picked up the kitchen knife and threatened me, but I stood firm. He slashed my throat and stabbed me in my stomach, in his rage. When I collapsed he realised what he had done and ran away. I somehow managed to open her room and called the police. I had to save her and make him pay for what he has done."

Later, in the presence of the inspector and a lawyer Kayla recorded her statement of complaint against her family and Chandrakanth.

The custody of nine-year-old Vanya Malhotra was legally given to Padmini, at the request of her mother Kayla who cited that her family members and Vanya's abusive biological father Chandrakanth were all a threat to Vanya's life.

A search and arrest warrant was issued in the name of, Chandrakanth Malhotra. Three days later Kayla succumbed to the severe internal injuries caused by the domestic violence unleashed by Chandrakanth Malhotra on her.



Word count: 2608
Date: 10 Dec 2022