4 months later

Malathi kept the mobile down, her mind was spinning, "Gowri is pregnant with Anand's baby? How did it happen? It is because of my own carelessness that Gowri got a chance to meet him alone? Pranav will surely go on a murder spree, he will not understand that they were in love. He will think that Anand forced himself on Gowri".

She took the phone and dialed someone she didn't usually call.

"Vishnuetta, I wanted to talk to you", she said hesitantly to him.

"Please Malathi, don't you dare call me to protect your husband, my Anand is not even gone for 15 days", said a very angry Vishnu.

"Please etta, this is something entirely unrelated to Pranavettan. I really require your help. If you have any love for me in your heart, please meet me", she pleaded.

A deep sigh was heard from the other end, "Fine, where do you want to meet?" he asked.

"The tea shop near my office?" she replied.

"I will be there in an hour and a half", he replied.

Malathi took Tushar who was playing on their bed and went to Pranav and Sridevi and said, "Pranavetta, I got an urgent call from the office, I need to go now. Could you take care of him?" she asked as she handed Tushar to him.

"We both can go with Tushar", said Pranav taking him from her.

"That will not be a great idea. Some guests may come in the evening for the house warming and then you have to do other works in here as well", she replied.

"Then take Karthikeyan with you", said Sridev.

Knowing that at least one of Pranav's brothers will come with her, she agreed to it. In a few minutes, they got ready and drove to her office. As soon as they reached the compound of her office she asked him to park and told him to wait in the car. She went into the office and greeted some of her colleagues. She went to her desk and opened her email and printed out a photo. Then she went out through the back door and crossed the road to reach the tea shop. It had started raining heavily and Vishnu was waiting under the thatched roof of the tea stall, looking upset. They both entered the tea shop and sat down on the benches in front of each other.

"Vishnuetta...", she said.

"Malu, your husband's life is a charity that I gave and he repaid it by killing our Anand" said Vishnu in anger.

Malathi folded her hands in front of him and said, "Vishnuetta, believe me, Pranavettan had nothing to do with Anand's death".

"Then why did you call me here?" asked Vishnu.

"Vishnuetta, Gowri, Pranavettan's younger sister was Anand's junior and they were in love. Their relationship was beyond... She is now pregnant with his child. Please save her", she said, tears streaming down her eyes.

Vishnu's looked at her in shock. "WHAT?!"

"Its true, she doesn't know what to do, I do not know what to do" said Malathi.

"Are you sure?" he asked her.

"Yes, in fact, even Vasudev knows about their relationship. When she was kidnapped by Sreekumar, they both saved her and at that time Anand had told him about them. If you still don't believe me" she said handing him the printout.

Vishnu took it and looked at it in shock, it was a photo of Anand kissing Gowri on her cheek as she was wincing with laughter. He looked at the happy face of his brother as he was holding her by her waist. Vishnu had visited Anand's flat once and recognized the room and the bed on which they were sitting.

"What does she want?" asked Vishnu.

"She wants to get an abortion", replied Malathi.

"Malu, this child will be the only one that Anand will ever have, I can't allow that", said Vishnu vehemently.

"What are you saying etta?" Malathi asked in shock.

"If the child is Anand's, I won't allow an abortion", said Vishnu.

"Have you gone insane?" asked Malathi in anger. "This isn't USA, how can she have a child without a husband?"

Vishnu shook his head in resentment.

Malathi lowered her voice and asked, "Vishnuetta, you got married two weeks after you were with me and you did not use protection. If I had got pregnant and came to you after you got married what would you have done?"

Vishnu looked at her in shock, he kept his hands on either side of the bench and looked around in helpless anger.

"You could have done nothing except suggest me the same. Anand is not even alive in this world. Even if this is the only child he would ever have, what will the child be called its whole life without a father?" asked Malathi.

Vishnu nodded.

"I can't let Gowri's life be ruined in such a way. So please help her. I can't go personally to Cochin and help because if I go there, then I won't be going alone", she said.

Vishnu thought for a few moments and said, "Two days from now, Vasudev is going to the temple for some rituals. I need you to meet him no matter what and tell him about the baby".

"But etta, this is a confidential matter, the more people know, the more it will be difficult to keep it a secret", said Malathi.

"Malu, I want to save this baby and the only one who could do it now will be Vasudev", said Vishnu.

"Please Vishnuetta, don't force him to take up this responsibility" said Malathi.

"I am not... I am asking you to give him the choice and let him select what he wants to do", replied Vishnu.

"Fine, as you wish", replied Malathi.

***

Two days later

Vasudev was sitting on his bed, deep in thought when Vishnu entered with Ganga in his arms. The baby was giggling and seeing her, Vasudev took her from his arms. Vishnu sat next to him on the bed looking at Vasudev who began playing with the baby who was trying to grab his nose.

"I remember when Anand was this young. Just like her, he was naughty. You all were naughty" said Vishnu.

Vasudev looked at his elder brother and then asked, "Is being a father, hard?"

"Its the hardest job you will ever be doing, and its the best thing that you will ever do", said Vishnu.

Vasudev ran his hand over the baby's forehead and kissed her.

***

Two days later

Vishnu picked up a call from Shanmukhan master. "Maashe, whats the matter?" he asked him.

"Vishnu, I know its pretty early for saying this but... your family and Kalarikkal has caused a lot of trouble and someone had come up with a solution. If your family and Kalarikkal enter into a matrimonial alliance, it will lead to better situation for the rest of the village. We were thinking if Vasudev and Kalarikkal Gowri got married...", said Shanmukhan master hesitantly.

Vishnu felt a thrill of joy. The only person who could have suggested this must have been Vasudev. He felt proud of his brother for stepping up. "Tell me who's arm I will have to twist to make that happen and I will do that", said Vishnu.

"What! You are onboard with it?" asked Shanmukhan master.

"I think its high time that we bring a stop to this", said Vishnu.

"I will see what I can do from here, but you push it through your family", said Shanmukhan.

Vishnu kept the call and went into Anand's room which was kept as such since his death. Vishnu looked around his belongings, filled with sadness and he said, "Anand, I will do everything in my power to save your child".

A moment later he heard the car and then he heard Vasudev enter the room. He looked at him and saw the sadness and the pain in his eyes.

"You are here?" asked Vasudev.

"Yes, I was missing him so much", said Vishnu.

Vasudev stepped up to him and Vishnu could see the pain of loss pooling in his eyes and he embraced him. Vasudev hugged him tightly and let out a sigh, a sigh of loss, as sigh of everything that he was going to sacrifice for Anand.

Vasudev hugged him tightly and said, "Anand will be with us forever. Everything is going to be alright, Deva. Its going to be just fine."

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                            THE END

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