"You are leaving so soon?" asked Ravi.

"Yes, I cannot wait any longer, 15 years is more than enough," replied Rajiv.

"Alright Acha. I will take care of the house until you come back. And I will also talk to Paaru about the wedding date," said Ravi.

Rajiv hugged him and said, "You are a wonderful son".

They quickly went upstairs and Ravi helped Rajiv pack. While they were taking things out of the cupboard to pack, Rajiv took out the pistol and looked at the sheen of the gun metal.

Apprehensively, Ravi asked, "Do you really need it, Acha?"

"Most probably yes, but I can't carry it in the flight to Delhi," he said and kept the pistol in the box and kept it back safely into the cupboard. When he turned around he was looking at a disturbed Ravi.

"What's the matter?" asked Rajiv.

"I am slowly realizing the whole gravity of the situation and I can't help feeling scared for you," he said.

"Ravi, your mother was in the midst of all this for 15 years for all our sake. Do you think I won't step into it to get her out?" asked Rajiv.

Ravi looked at the brave face of his father and said, "Of course not."

They quickly gather everything necessary for the trip and went downstairs.

"Where are you going with all this luggage?" asked Gomati.

"I have to go urgently to Delhi. Please inform Abhi and Kiran that I will be back in a few days," he said to her and Padmanabhan and quickly left with Ravi who drove him to the airport.

Before going to the terminal, Rajiv told Ravi, "I haven't informed your mother yet about this trip. Tell her I will call when something is decided."

"Amma will be upset," said Ravi.

"So handle the situation," said Rajiv who gave Ravi a hug and left with the suitcase.

While inside the plane, Rajiv was indeed nervous about what's going to happen next. Mafia business is dangerous, if you are at the receiving end of it. After Ravi and Abhi's birth, the pregnancy of Kiran had come as a surprise for Rajiv and Leena. They were struggling financially at that time, because Leena could no longer work. But even at home, taking care of a toddler and a baby while pregnant was taxing on her. Rajiv was working two jobs to support the family and didn't even have Sundays to himself. Leena felt alone most of the time because of his absence and having the company of only the kids while running after them the whole day, it felt like life had gone beyond her control. The financial burden was also weighing heavily on her mind, so one night when Rajiv came from work, exhausted. She sat with him while he had dinner, looking at his youthfulness leaving him under the burden of responsibilities.

"Rajiv, I have something to say to you..." she said hesitantly.

Rajiv looked inquisitively at her, she never asked his permission to say anything to him.

"I wanted to ask Pappa for some help," she said.

"What kind of help?" asked Rajiv.

"We need money, can't we ask him for some?" she asked.

Rajiv angrily got up, leaving his food uneaten on the table.

"What the hell, Leena! Do you think I could not provide for you and the kids?" he asked gruffly.

"Rajiv... we need help and you can't deny that," she said. "Its not because you can't provide, but it breaks my heart to see you try so hard. And I am tired and exhausted the whole day, I don't think I can handle the stress any more. My father has already forgiven us, if we ask his help, then surely he will help us," she said.

"Then you ask him, I do not have any part in it," said Rajiv and he washed his hands and went off to sleep.

Leena knew that she had hurt his pride by asking her father's help. But she could not even bare to see him spend days working from one job to next. On the other hand, Rajiv also felt jealousy and resentment that after the birth of his kids, his parents never reached out to him, while Leena's father had forgiven them when he came to know that she was pregnant. The following morning, Rajiv left for office without speaking much to her. But that did not deter Leena, she hesitantly dialed her father, "Pappa, how are you?" she asked.

"I am fine, whats going on with you," Mathew answered, but his voice was stiff. Though he had forgiven Leena, he still could not bring himself to fully accept his daughter who left him for a boy.

"Pappa, I am pregnant again," she replied.

"What!" happiness seeping into his voice. He came from a large family and had many brothers and sisters and he had wanted to have lots of children. But after Leena's birth, within a few years his beloved wife passed away and the ongoing threat to Leena's life never let him think of a second marriage or more kids. So when he heard that she was having her third child, he was beaming with joy.

"Yes, I am. I am sick and tired Pappa and overwhelmed," cried Leena.

"Why? Where is Rajiv?" asked Mathew.

"He works two jobs to support us, he doesn't even get time to sleep. How can I ask him to help around," said Leena and Mathew could feel her exhaustion through the phone.

"I will do the needful," he said to her.

There was no news from him for the next two days and even Leena thought that he would be too busy. On the third day, there was a knock at her door in the mid morning, after Rajiv had left for his office. She opened to find her tall, broad-shouldered, dark and handsome father standing outside with a few luggage.

"Pappa!" screamed Leena and ran into his arms. Mathew wanted to hug his daughter tightly, but seeing her full belly, he gently hugged her and kissed her forehead. He lovingly brushed off the few strands of her hair that had fallen onto her forehead, wishing that Leena's mother was there to take care of her in such a critical time.

"Pappa, you came!" she said in between tears.

"Of course, I had to. Sorry mole, I could not come fast enough, I had to do everything secretly so that no one knew that I was here," he said with tears falling from his eyes. This was the first time he had seen her since she got married.

"Come in Pappa, meet your grandsons," said Leena, pulling him into the house. She took him to the next room and there on the floormat, Ravi was playing with blocks and Abhi was lying on a baby bed. Mathew kept his bags on the ground and took the children in his arms and showered them with kisses. "I am your grandfather," he kept repeating to them, his heart filled with immense joy.

"Pappa, you play with them, I will get the lunch ready for you," she said to him.

"You know how to cook?" asked Mathew in surprise.

"Of course Pappa. Both Rajiv and I know how to cook," she replied.

Mathew kept the kids on a bed nearby and said, "Let me cook something for you. If your mother were here, she would have made sweets and snacks for you. But now I am here, so I will cook food. I came yesterday night, so I had plenty of time to rest, now step back and let your father handle it."

It was late in the evening when Rajiv came home from his second job, as soon as Leena opened the door, he grabbed her and kissed her full on her lips. then he held her face as she tried to gain her composure and said, "You are glowing today, what happened?"

She quickly pushed his hands away and said, "Pappa is here" and looked at Mathew sitting at the dining table with Ravi on his knee and Abhi on the high chair. Mathew had quickly averted his eyes when Rajiv kissed Leena. 

When Rajiv saw Mathew, he was mortified! He had only talked to his father-in-law on rare occasions over phone and had never seen him in real life. He remembered all the stories about him told by Leena, about a ruthless liquor baron, and he was kissing his daughter in front of him! Rajiv felt like a teenage boy caught in bed with his girlfriend by her father!

"Namaskaram," said Rajiv with folded hands. He went to Mathew and touched his feet.

"What are you doing?" asked Mathew in shock.

"Pappa, forgive me. I married your daughter without your knowledge," said Rajiv.

"You have already apologized for that, and I have forgiven you for that. All I have to say is that I respect you as a man. You did not walk away from your responsibilities and I am happy that you are my son-in-law," said Mathew.
Rajiv felt a weight off his chest.
"Sit down, mone. Let's have dinner, you must be hungry," said Mathew.

They sat down and began eating and Rajiv said, "Leena, today's food is fantastic. How did you manage this?"
Leena laughed and said, "Pappa made it."
"My father used to own shaap (toddy parlor) and when I was young, I used to help him in cooking," said Mathew.
"Pappa, this is too good," replied Rajiv.
"Thank you. By the way, I wanted to talk to you about something important," said Mathew. 
After dinner when Leena and the kids were asleep, Mathew called Rajiv to the balcony of their flat. He lit a cigarette and offered one to Rajiv.
"I don't smoke, Pappa," Rajiv shook his head.
"Good. Rajiv..." Mathew looked afar, at the Mumbai nightlife.
Rajiv felt the tension in the cool night air.
"I have brought up Leena in a very particular manner. She is innocent in many ways, but one thing she doesn't lack is courage. I hope you are like that," said Mathew.
"What's the matter, Pappa?" asked Rajiv.
"A car will come downstairs to take us to a place in a few minutes. We will go there and meet a few people, a few dangerous people. Are you up for it?" asked Mathew.
Rajiv was a bit scared, but he said, "Yes, Pappa."
"Then get ready. By the way, do not wake up Leena, she knows exactly where we are going," instructed Mathew.
Rajiv went to the bedroom and changed into casual clothes and kissed Leena who was asleep and came out to find Mathew loading a clip into his pistol, scaring Rajiv, who masked it before Mathew his expression.
Mathew kept the pistol in his back pocket and they both left the flat and went downstairs to an suv and got inside.
"Rajiv, we are going to meet, for the lack of a better word, a Don. His name is Inder bhai. He is actually a malayali, but came here a few decades back and became an underworld Don. His actual name is Thazhekottu Indran. I got to know him during a brief liquor ban. He helped me get alcohol across state lines. I had left that kind of work a long time back when Leena was born, but had maintained a close contact with him."
"Why are we going to meet him now?" asked Rajiv.
"When I was getting ready to come to Bombay, I got to know that Sebastian had sent some of his men to find Leena in here. If there are people looking for her, then Indran is the best option to find them," said Mathew.
They drove in silence for a few minutes until they reached a warehouse next to a slum. The air was thick with the salty smell of the sea, refuse and petrol. A dirty looking man who was standing near a gate smoking a beedi came up to them.
"Inder bhai se milna hai," said Mathew. (I want to meet Inder)
"Naam kya bolun?" asked the man. (What name should i give?)
"Bolo ke Pala se Mathew aaya hai," said Mathew. (Tell him Mathew from Pala is here)
The man went in and came back after a few minutes and directed them to go inside. It was a dark concrete path inside the warehouse compound. The occasional yellow light cast an eerie glow, at times bringing men who were hiding in the shadows into view. They were armed and the night was deadly silent except for the occasional shuffling of their feet as they followed them in the shadows. When they reached the end of the path, a man who emerged from the shadows pulled up a shutter, the sound of metal sending shivers through Rajiv. Mathew confidently walked into the dark room, followed by Rajiv. At the far end of the room, six men were sitting around a table where a game of rummy was going on under the light of a lone bulb, hanging low from the dark ceiling.

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Sorry for the late update guys, had lots of work. 

Hopefully will be able to wind up the novel soon. 

Thanks for reading

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