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Chapter 10

       [Utopia] (n.); an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.
                           

" Finally, " Nina dramatically moans as she sat on the sofa after coming from the shop.
" You are acting as if you were the one who was busy since morning, " I muttered as I place the bags on the table.
" Shut up, I have a headache," Nina whispered as she massage her head.
" What did you girls bring?" Amma asked as she entered the hall along with my two Chachis.
" I brought perfumes for Anaya, Hoor, Amarah, Yasmin and myself," Nina answered.
" Nina, you didn't need to buy perfumes for Anaya, Hoor and Yasmin," Seher Chachi said while Meher Chachi agreed to say a similar thing.
" Well, Khush already brought it and the shop doesn't refund so... they have to use it, " Nina shrugged her shoulders and then showed the perfumes to Amma and Chachis.
" Why is the house so silence?" I asked.
" Your Papa took the children somewhere he used to play during his childhood. Because he noticed these children using phones all day and wanted them to go out and play," Amma answered.
Then Seher Chachi answered,
" Mohid took Ma to one of her friend's places... I don't know where my girls are?"
" They went to the nearby shop to buy some ingredients. You were sleeping that's why they told me when they left," Seher Chachi nodded after hearing Meher Chachi.
" Why the house is so quiet?" Khush asked as he and Luv entered the house y were parking the car.
" Everyone went out," Nina answered and gestured to Amma to massage her head.
" It's so strange the house is silent otherwise there are noises," Luv commented as he and Khush sat with us.
" Nina, I want a glass of water," Luv ordered Nina making her look at Amma who immediately looked at me.
" Asha, there is lemonade in the fridge. Go and bring for everyone," Amma talked in Tamil which was unintentional as Amma used to talk in Tamil with us.
" Luv asked Nina," I objected and got annoyed by the discrimination.
" She is having a headache," Amma gave a smile which meant for me to do it or the consequences are not good.
" Okay," I muttered and went to the kitchen ignoring Nina's wicked smile.
As I entered the kitchen, I could still hear Nina whining sound talking to Amma and Amma replying to her in a baby tone which she used to talk with us when we were children. Eventually, that tone stop when my brothers and I grew up but the tone still stay with Nina, after all, she is still a child in her eyes.
I could see my friends' mothers behave differently with their sons simply because of their gender. I used to be happy as Amma and Papa had never been different between me and my brothers. But with Nina, they have always been different and I used to be more jealous than I thought it was last child privilege. Then I found out the truth behind their overprotectiveness and over-affection towards Nina.
I waited until I arrive in India to confront Amma and Papa about it. And ask them why they never told me or my brothers.
~~~~~~~~~~~FlashBack~~~~~~~~~

After I arrived home from the airport, I finally got the time to speak as Nina is taking a bath. That would take an hour, sufficient time for me to confront Amma and Papa.
"Amma and Papa, I wanted to talk to you," I spoke as I entered their room.
" It's about Nina, right? Seher told us that Disha asked her the same thing and told her Yasmin didn't... Did you talk to Nina? Did she tell you the name of the monster?" Papa spoke immediately looking desperate to know the name which mirrored Amma's expression.
"I did try to speak but Nina doesn't want to talk. It's the same with Yasmin as well. I had never seen them this stubborn," I spoke with a low voice in the hope Nina won't hear. Amma and Papas' faces showed defended expressions after hearing me. They expected Nina to tell me the name.
" What happened after the night?" I asked with a heavy sound as it was heartbreaking to see Amma and Papa. And the discussion of the topic is really overwhelming that I had difficulty finding words. Luckily, I drank the potion which made Astra fall asleep and made me a human temporarily.
" We went to the hospital first because my colleague told me, it's best to have a recorded document before going to the police... Thank god, I listened to him otherwise the police process this thing slowly back to those times. It was the hospital that informed the police," Papa paused to drink water so he couldn't cry as his voice get deeper as he spoke.
" The policeman in charge of this, he wasn't a nice man. He was corrupt to his core, he asked for bribes so he can capture the monster... Before that, he questions Nina and started to make her feel it's her fault. Back at the time, I didn't have much connection like now so I couldn't do much but tolerate it. And hope the monster is captured," Amma holds Papa's shoulder as he couldn't continue to speak as we all were sobbing at this point.
" The case was quickly closed as Nina never told the name and the police didn't bother working on it... We were indirectly told that they have more important things to do. Except for that policeman, other police people were sympathetic and apologetic but they can't go against their superior," Amma spoke this time and after hearing her my blood boiled to the extent I almost saw red.
" Why didn't he find the rapist?" I asked holding my breath.
" Truth be told, we think he found him but protect him since he was corrupted so money would sufficiently make him quiet,"  Amma spat in anger.
" It's never late to fight for justice," I spoke up but Amma shook her head and muttered.
" Nina didn't allow it the last time we tried to do it. She doesn't want to go through it again and we can't force her, Asha," Amma spoke full of guilt.
" She is the only one who will be affected the most," Papa commented.
" Papa, we have connections that we can use and maybe can leave Nina aside from these matters," I pointed out.
" Do you have any suspects?" I asked eagerly.
"Since that night, I saw everyone suspicious and I couldn't stop questioning myself if this person hurt Nina. After the case was closed, I work hard to build a strong connection with influential people. I made a name for myself that no one would ever think of hurting me or you all," Papa shared his feeling and I understood the reason why he was a workaholic or why he was strict with Luv and Khush on building connections through them.
" Papa, did you become an alcoholic because of what happened to Nina?" I asked warily hoping he won't get hurt but he was.
" I kept blaming myself after all, as a father it's my responsibility to protect my family... I started drinking to numb the pain and I didn't realise how addicted I became... After coming out of the club, I notice a girl crying and I went to ask why are you crying. She got scared and shouted 'you are drunk, mama told me to stay away from drunk people. They are bad,' ... After that incident, I stopped drinking and took help," Papa answered and I turned to look at Amma who didn't speak much.
" How were you handling this, Amma?" I asked making her sigh and answer,
" There were times I didn't know what I was doing... I had to look after Nina more than before and that cause you and the boys jealous. The three of you would always complain and said, ' You love Nina more than us,'. It wasn't easy handling four children and then Mohan started to drink. I tried to talk but he didn't listen... He would stay out until midnight and I was fed up with his behaviour that I didn't bother to talk unless it was important. All this time, I had to be strong and behave as normally as before. Thank god, Mohan stopped drinking and started to concentrate on raising you four. That was when I felt relief, I found the support that I wanted from Mohan,"
" I am sorry, I gave you two hard times," Amma and Papa shook their head.
" You were a child and you behave as a normal child would," Amma spoke in Tamil for the first time during our discussion.
" Why didn't you tell me or Luv and Khush about it?" I asked.
" When Nina was ten, she made us promise we won't tell you three. We couldn't say no to her," Papa answer
~~~~~~~~~~FlashBack Ends~~~~~~

" Asha, bring lemonade for your Papa and the children," Amma's voice brought me back to the present.
" Okay, Amma," I answered and I quickly went to the hall carrying a tray of lemonade for everyone.

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This chapter is dictated to Asha and Nina's childhood. I hope this summarised how they were brought up by their parents.