Silent Whispers

Chapter 17: The Shrink

"Don't worry," Shyam said, over the phone one late evening in Delhi. "Everything will be our favour."

Despite the lateness of the hour, he was still in his office,  impatiently listening to the complaints of his client –an aging  socialite named Mrs. Rao– while glancing occasionally at a tolerantly  seated Anjali.

If Shyam had known the over-cautious Mrs. Rao was going to call when she was in the room, he would have turned his phone off without a thought. But alas, his luck wasn't so good!

"Okay then Mrs. Rao," he said, his tone ringing with finality. "I will see you next week. Take care."

"What was the big deal that Mrs. Rao couldn't wait until tomorrow morning to call?" Anjali asked, as soon he hung up.

"It's the usual panic before a hearing... she thought I didn't know how to handle a divorce case."

A line appeared on Anjali's forehead. "Divorce? I thought you were criminal lawyer..."

"I am. But that doesn't forbid me from taking on a domestic case."

"But why do you want to take it? It's in Mumbai, right?"

Shyam didn't know what to say. While it was true that he was dedicating more time than what was strictly needed for one tiny little case, he had no idea why he felt an unnecessary pull towards it.

Or at least, he thought he didn't.

"Is it personal?" she asked, watching his face closely.

"Not really," he muttered, debating whether he should finally acknowledge his reasons.

"Then?"

Shyam watched her look back at him with curiosity. Perhaps it was her innocent interest wanting to know or his own soured mood craving to speak, but what ever it was, it drove him to spill one the hardest truths of his life.

"My parents separated when I was twelve."

She was surprised. Clearly, she knew nothing about his family, though sixteen years ago, that was all anyone ever talked about.

"It was messy," he continued, in a detached voice. "My father used all of his influence to make sure my mother looked like the offender. Of course he succeeded, and all we had left at the end was bad press and zero income."

Anjali gasped.

"So ever since then," he pressed on, wanting to finish as quickly as humanely possible. "I try to fight for what's right. I couldn't help my mother then, but maybe I can help Mrs. Rao now.... Even if I have to spend more time flying back and forth than in the actual courtroom."

Anjali didn't reply. It appeared, like everyone, she too had no words  for the trauma his family went through. Shyam wasn't surprised – he was  long used to the stares he got.

"It's fine," he said, when the silence began to pinch uncomfortably. "Mrs. Rao has good evidence, so it should be-" 

The room was suddenly plunged into darkness, blinding them both. Anjali yelped in alarm, as Shyam wildly looked around, trying to adjust to the abrupt change.

"What's happening?!" Anjali called, panicked.

He vaguely heard her pushing back the chair, as she stood up. "Don't move," he warned. "You will get hurt."

"B-but why did the lights go out?!"

Shyam didn't hear her. He frantically looked for his phone, hoping that it was indeed on his desk where he last left it.