Gowrigaatha - A love story [Completed](The story of Gowri)

11. A hand to hold

Seventeen days after Anand's death, Vasudev went to the temple, where Shiva was the minor deity. Malathi who had been dropped off at the temple by Pranav was waiting to see if Vasudev would show up. The rain was falling in torrent as if to mirror the sadness in Vasudev's heart. He had come to perform rituals in Anand's name. Since it was a heavy downpour, the common village folk avoided going to the temple that day. Malathi was literally within five feet of him to notice that Vasudev was in front of her due to his umbrella.

"Please stop", she shouted over the din of the rain, she was holding an umbrella that hid her from others.

Vasudev looked up to her and the sadness on his face was replaced with anger.

"What do you want?" he growled at her.

"Please, I wanted to speak to you. This is important", she pleaded.

"The only reason you are standing there alive is because you are a woman. Otherwise I would murder any man in your family who stood in front of me, for killing our Anand", said Vasudev, his eyes were like daggers looking at Pranav's wife.

"Both you and I know that my husband is innocent", said Malathi.

"He must have paid someone else to do the job, this is for the dynamite case, right? Our family has nothing to do with it, but still you decided to take revenge by killing my brother", said Vasudev getting dangerously close to her, but she stood her ground fearlessly and looked into his eyes.

"We know who is responsible for the dynamite issue, and I am pretty sure that you do too. But that is beside the point, I.... we need your help", said Malathi.

"Help?" scoffed Vasudev. "What kind of help do you want from me?"

Malathi looked around to see if anyone was around, but there was no one in the temple compound as far as she could see and she said to Vasudev, "Gowri is pregnant and you know who the father is".

"What!" Vasudev stepped back in shock.

"We require your help and we could ask no one else" Malathi pleaded.

Vasudev smirked, "Why should I help? Let her bring shame to your family as an unwed mother". He turned to walk away, but Malathi got in front of him and said.

"So this is the love that you feel for your brother, is it? You know he would have given up his life for Gowri. All that you professed to love your brother are all lies, you never cared about him. You just care about your family name and respect and the feuds that you cause. They loved each other and they committed a mistake. Instead of helping your dead brother's girl, you intent to do nothing and malign her reputation. Its all the same for you, just name and respect, nothing else", said Malathi.

"Just name and respect", the words drove like a stake through Vasudev's heart. He stood for sometime in silence and said, "Give me your phone number, I will call you", he said quietly. Malathi entered her number in Vasudev's phone and left. He went home and thought for a long time and called her the next day, "What does Gowri want?" he asked her.

"Since Anand is not alive, she could not be carrying his baby. The only possible thing she could do is to get an abortion. But she needs someone to sign the documents, even though she should be able to get it without such a hassle. Because of my baby, I can't go to Cochin to help her", said Malathi.

"I will arrange for it, my friend's wife is a gynecologist who owns a clinic", said Vasudev.

"Could you meet her when she goes for it? She requires someone to be with her", said Malathi.

"Tell me the date and I will do that" Vasudev quietly replied.

He then proceed to arrange for the abortion and then next day went to Cochin to see it through.