A Sunflower's Tale

~ Chapter - 5 ~

It was early in the morning when they reached there and they didn't wait long but just went in to meet the person named Gayathri who had contacted Mullai and she was a Tamilian too. The ambience of the ashram was very much alive even at those early hours of the day. There were elderly people having their morning walk and little children playing around, accompanied by the birds merrily chirping along with them. They made their way straight asking for Gayathri and they were made to wait in front of the office room there. For every tick of the clock Mullai's face turned more whitish and Kathir kept tapping on her profusely sweating palms, gesturing to her to be a little patient- they had at least come to the place her sister breathed last and that itself was something so huge a breakthrough for the mystery they had carried within them for these two years.

They were called in and Gayathri gave them a warm smile greeting them to have a seat. As they settled down opposite her, she stretched front holding Mullai's hands for a few seconds, "I am sorry ma... ungaluku idhu evalo kashtama irukum nu puriyuthu...", a tear rolled down her cheeks but she pulled up a small smile while she was asked, "sir yaaru nu therinjukalaama...". Mullai turned towards Kathir, she would have happily called him her fiance if things had gone the way she had wanted it to be, the day before. Her subconscious smirked at the irony saying, "When has things ever gone the way you wanted?". Seeing her turned into a statue, Kathir replied courteously, "we have been family friends for several years... and naanga sendhu thaan business panrom...". Mullai looked away from him, while her heart screamed, "Is that all that I am to you?".

Gayathri nodded at him, passing him a smile back and looked into Mullai, "Kalai unga pera thavira unga family pathi onnume sonnathu illa... athu thaan we couldn't find you for all these months... Ungaluku idhu keka romba kashtama irukum nu theriyum but I have to say them all to you... avunga uyiruku poradura nelama la thaan enga staff oruthanga avunga road la kedakuratha paathaanga... avunga sethutaanga nu nenachu thaan hospital kondu ponaanga but she was alive... she was hospitalized for three months... external injuries laam cure aayiruchu but her trauma didn't let her be in peace... accident nu thaan it was filed but avungaluku annaiku kalyanam nadandhuruku... her husband had cheated her and left her on the road after he had hit her in his car himself...".

Gayathri couldn't look into Mullai who was having her heart cut into pieces for every word she uttered, she gazed at the table top, "she had insulted him years back... athuku pali vaanga he had made her fall for him and then... ippa she is no more... idhu ellam ungaluku theriyama irundha kooda avunga engaiyo uyiroda irukaanga nu neenga sandhoshama irunthurukalaam... aana she left a valuable possession behind her... for you Mullai...", Mullai shook her head immediately, "akka ve illanu aana piragu enaku ethuvum venaam... my most valuable possession was she herself...", she cried out loud saying that. Kathir held her hand tightly and shushed her to listen to what Gayathri had to say.

Gayathri stood up from her chair saying, "athu ennanu therinja piragu I don't think you would say that... please come this way...", she made her way out the room, with Kathir and Mullai behind, following her trail. Kathir held onto Mullai's hand and she onto him, either of their state was no less panicking than the other. They went into a dormitory where little kids, half of them asleep and half awake, filled the room. There were three staff members moving around the room taking care of the needs of the little ones who did nothing but flash heartening smiles at Gayathri as she moved past them. They were all of age ranging from one to four years and a few older ones waved at Kathir-Mullai too. Their lips automatically formed a deep felt smile looking into those freshly bud little faces.

Gayathri had stopped in front of a bed and they both drowned in those welcoming waves joined her a few seconds later. One look at the bed, Mullai crunched towards Kathir holding his upper arm though her legs turned jelly already, he took a few breaths and held her palms on him tightly too. There was no mistaking what they felt when they had a glimpse of the sleeping figure of the baby girl who would be about a year old. She had exactly all of Kalai's features. Mullai and Kathir realised they were crying only when their eyes clouded up with tears and obscured their vision. They wiped it away immediately and their eyes never moved away from the angel peacefully sleeping on the bed.