When Our Paths crossed..

The Storm(Continued)...

"Our market value dropped. The respect the board members had on me and this institution shattered.

Adhellam vidu, because of you I couldn't face my own sisters. Avanga rendu perum than enakku ellame. Nee pesitu ponadhu appuram, do you know what people spoke of Nisha. Avalukku enna da avasiyam idellam kekanumnu? Had it been someone else, they would have killed me with words. Aana Malini, enna nambuna. Because of that, we couldn't give healing time to the family and married SAM and Nisha off in a hurry as if they were at fault. No body was in a mood to enjoy first wedding at the house.

"Eppa paathalum athai athai nu DEVI pinnadi thana suthuva. What did you do to her? Idho inga nikkarale, you know what she had to undergo. Azhudhe padhi sethuta. Suici...

"Podhum!" Mrs.Arunachalam spoke for the first time.

Everyone was quiet. It was way more hurtful than expected. Memories of that day flashed in front of every eye in the living room. An act out of impulse shattered many people's life. Well, even though the society had a major role to play in the misery that Nisha and Shivani had to undergo, Ashwin had to take the major share of blame.

You might feel that this wasn't a big deal and Ashwin didn't deserve so much wrath from his family. But unfortunately, it is a big deal even today. We all are trained to match the expectation of the society irrespective of that being right or wrong.

Nisha chose SAM over ASHWIN for love but the world branded her as an opportunist who left Ashwin and shifted to SAM for the better career success that he held. It took only days for people to forget this and jump to a new one, but the scar that was created took longer than usual to heal. 

While ASHWIN denied marrying SHIVANI considering her young age, the world happily broke her stating that she didn't qualify his standards of good looks. And who is the WORLD here? It US. Just all of us. 

Ashwin's whimper grew louder. "Machan..Dei..Ashwin" Rakshan and SAM tried to console him. While Nisha wiped her tears, Mrs. Arunachalam watched Mrs. Maran move towards Shivani and take her in her embrace. Shivani's tears were equally uncontrollable.

"Nee poi than aaganum Ashwin. I promised Devi that I will give Shivani to a good man. And that is not you. Ella problems ku nee than Karanam. Nee mattum than Karanam" he declared.

"Illa nga. Avan mattum Karanam illa. Even you are equally at fault" Mrs. Arunachalam spoke for the first time taking everybody's attention.

"enna solra??"

"7 years back, You were already aware that Ashwin was not interested in marrying Shivani. Nan solradhu seri thane?" she asked and for a moment Mr.Arunachalam was caught off guard. Everybody looked at him. Indeed he warned Rakshan from taking any action against the engagement but how come his wife knew about it? He wasn't sure.

"Unga amaidhi than en kelvi kku badhil ah?? You knew he wasn't interested. Had you acknowledged it then and there, this wouldn't have occurred.

"Oh! Appo un paiyan pannadhu thappu illa. Avanukku nalla life amiyanum nu nenachadhu than thappu. Illa? Therinjum summa irundhadhu nala than ella problems illa??" Mr.Arunachalam directed his anger towards his wife.

"Idhuvum oru Karanam thanga. You accept it or not. Ellathukkum Karanam Ashwin mattum illa. Neengalum than. Yen nan kooda than"

"You never cared about anything other than business. It was your first priority now and always. I never bothered you about this. I learnt to compromise and adjust. That was my first mistake. I didn't teach my kids to compromise like that. That was my second mistake.