Note: words in italic from this chapter onward denotes the content in the letter.  

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The entire week has been a week of confusion as Madav tried hard to find the hidden meanings in the letters he received and with more letters coming in, he was done for the night.

The more he read the letters the more he was getting confused. Simply because there isn't anything that he finds 'meaningless' written in it. The letters were more like a diary.

He needed to breath, he needed to get out of that room, he needed fresh air. Looking out the window, the day had gone dark early due to the dark clouds that's now pouring heavily.

But he needs to go out.

Changing into his running attire, Madav started running under the heavy rain. The cold drops on him was calming his wavering mind, washing away his confusion for that moment. Unknowingly his feet took him to a nearby park, the park that has the sweetest memory of all.

Of Madav and Padmini.

She loved the rain. Everything about rain. The freshness of those cold droplets, the smell of earth, the sudden flashes of lightning, the ominous thunder. Padmini loved it all.

And he loved her.

The rain only reminded him of her. The moment during their love confession.

A slow smiled worked its way across his face looking up the pouring sky.

He continued to stroll through the park under the rain. At the far end, Madav noticed a familiar lady sitting under tree with her face buried in her palms drenching under the rain.

He cleared his throat as soon as he reached her. No responds. "Hello!" he called louder wiping off the water from his face.

She slowly looked up, a smile as quick as lightning formed on her face and instantly turned gloomy; weak.

"hmm... what happen you look so weak... Ma-dhu" Madav deliberately stressed her name because he remembered her saying to forget Madhu.

She angled an eyebrow at him and dropped her head again. Madhu was extremely weak since the last he saw her a weak ago.

"Why are you even here?" she asked.

"I didn't know you own this park" he gave a sardonic reply and took a seat next to her. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Shaking her head side to side, Madhu remained quiet for a very long time.

Madav spoke.

"So, you are not going to answer that too. Okay, then I'm going to ask you for the last time, please answer me" he pleaded.

Madhu look at him for long that he noticed she has dark circles around her eyes, her eyes has lost most of its glow. Heaving a sigh she turned back and gazed far.

She was weak, really weak.

"I know you are going to ask about the letter. Trust me, Madava there is nothing wrong in the letter but it doesn't hold any meaning anymore as much as it does then.... It shouldn't mean anything anymore. Just drop it. Leave the letter, leave everything, leave Madhu" she pushed her hair back and looked up letting the rain wet her face completely.

"Leave everything? Leave those letters?" he huffed "aren't you the one who created MADHU in the first place?" today he is determined to know everything and to put a full stop to this hide and seek game she is playing.

Shutting her eyes tight, wiping off the tears that camouflage with the rain she spoke, "that is what I'm trying to tell you. At that moment things were different, it was normal but not anymore" she cried.

"What is not normal? I need to know too, for god sake just say it"

It was getting harder for both. One wants to know and the other finds it difficult to say it.

"Life is very uncertain, Madava. What you think of having for a lifetime will be taken from you even without you knowing it at the most unexpected time and way. And when it happens all we can do is watch as it goes. Helplessly. Leaving more pain to others." she muttered tightly holding the bench for support.

Again, silence prevailed. Madav spoke.

"Life can be uncertain... but it's how we live with them in those little time we have, that is what matters the most. The memory that matters the most. Knowing that someone or something dear will be taken away from us and keep thinking about it isn't going to help..." from his peripheral view Madav notice her falling down, unconscious.

"PADMINI!!!"

He immediately rushed to her,

-*-*-*-*-

As it has been raining non-stop the nearby clinic that Madav brought Padmini had no doctor to assist them expect for one waiting patient and a receptionist. 

Thankfully the waiting patient was a doctor as well, a neurologist and he offered to do the necessary first aid for Padmini. 

"Mr. Madav, I just did the general check up. Her blood pressure is low probably she isn't taking her meals on time and she seems very weak since the last I saw her a few months ago" the doctor said after checking Padmini. 

"The last time you saw her? Have you met Padmini before?" puzzled Madav as he asked the doctor.

"Oh yes, she use to come to my clinic for medications but I don't know what happen she did not come back for the past few months and she doesn't answer any calls from my clinic too"

"Medication? For?"

*-*-*-*

"We need to talk Mr. Shekar." Madav had gone Padmini's house as soon as he was done with his conversation with the neurologist.

"I'm not interested to talk to you. You may leave" Shekar was about to close the door but Madav stepped in.

"I'm not going to leave this house until I'm done with you, Mr. Shekar"

Madav walked past Shekar into the house, looked around and waited for Shekar to join him in the living room. Sitting opposite each other, Shekar felt extremely uncomfortable sharing a space with Madav.

But Madav cared least about what Shekar feels about him and without wasting much time Madav spoke.

"Don't you think what you are doing is wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh you need explanation for everything, right? I forgot. I mean, you trying to hide Padmini from the world most of the time because of her medical condition. Isolating her in her own house all day and only letting her go out few hours a day, two days a week. And making her feel that she is helpless and a burden to everyone. Isn't that wrong?"

"Are you expecting me to go around and tell people that my daughter has some medical problem? Do you think anyone would ask her hand in marriage that too when she has crossed the marriage age? Who will give their daughter to Pankaj knowing about his sister?"

Madav was done. Hearing a father speak ill about his daughter and care less about her health was only adding fuel to the fire. Madav got up interrupting Shekar's meaningless talk.

"Which century are you living in Mr.Shekar? All that you are saying doesn't work here. And you are not even in India. This is England. No one here bothers on what is happening in your life or your kid's. How could you put people's opinion first and neglect your daughter.

Does life just means to show off to people how perfect your life is? Do you think pleasing others will make your life or your children's life great. No.

It's always starts from within. Unfortunately Mr.Shekar you have failed to understand life. Anyway, thank you for yiur time"

"Pankaj!" Madav called her brother out.

"Five minutes!" he answered back.

Padmini's mother rushed upstairs to see Pankaj had already pack Padmini's things in three luggage. "What are you doing, Pankaj?" she asked.

"Sending my sister's things to the right place, amma. Her stuff doesn't belong her anymore" he carried one of the luggage and kept near the staircase.

"What do you mean?"

Madav help Pankaj with the luggage, "Padmini will be staying with me from now on. Thank you for not taking care of her and showing how good parents you are"

"Padmini is my daughter and she have to stay here" Shekar tried to stop them.

"Correction! Padmini was your daughter but now she is my wife. Madhu Padmini is MY WIFE and we are legally married for a year now.

I hope that clears your doubt and you will not have any problem and also you don't have to face any humiliation from your so called society from here on. Good bye"

Madav and Pankaj left the house with Padmini's belongings.

"Why didn't you at least tell me about Padmini, Pankaj?" Madav asked on the way to his house.

"Mama, I did not know anything about Ma and each time I come back from break she says nothing and gives me a bundle of letters to be posted to you. Even that stopped five months ago. That's all I know"

"Where are the other letters?"

"It's with me, I'll bring it to you after this" Pankaj walked ahead as Madav slowed down his pace. 

'you could have told me about this earlier, Paddu' Madav mumbled as he walked to his house with her luggage.

*******Letter 1*******

Dear, sailor man.

To start off I'm already missing you. I know its just been three days yet it seems long.

I know you must be wondering 'why letter right?' This thought popped up when I was doing my show this morning. The topic was about letters. Many called and spoke about how romantic it is to write letters to their loved one and I find it to be interesting too. 

And thought maybe I should do it too. So, here I am. I'm going to write everything that happens in a day or maybe in a week so you will know what has been happening around in my life during your absence.

And you know what, something really weird happened to me today. I was on my way to the radio station and I don't know what happen to me suddenly I ended up somewhere else. I took the wrong route and for the next few minutes I was completely blank. Thank god I realized it soon and drove back to the station otherwise I would have been late for my show. 

Damn, this was one weird day.

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So, since we will be getting married before you go for your next deployment...... I want to make this holiday to be the best.

I know by the time you receive this letter I would have made your life extremely miserable and devastating. I'm so so so so sorry, Madava.

I hope it isn't that bad. 

I just have a small wish to start everything all over again before we get married 

I want to fall in love with you again. I want to start everything with you again. 

You know why? 

Because it's been long. I was eighteen and you were twenty then...I repeat it's been soooo long...

Madava we are getting old!!!!  Can you believe that?!!

Are you ready to start all over again? I know this sounds extremely silly but if you don't want to do this, I'm fine too. 

P.S.-Once you get this letter find me as Madhu in Olive Blue Café on Wednesday I'll be there every Wednesday.

I Love You,

Paddu <3

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~~~if I could go back & do it all over again, I WOULD~~~