Soon after lunch, the men went up to the porch. Chaami mami took the easy chair, Mukundan's dad Raman took the chair and the two boys sat on the floor leaning against the wall. The women got busy with cleaning up. A few minutes later the guys heard the sound of the anklets. Ahalya came with the beetle leaves, nuts and the bottle of chunambu. Chaami mama smiled at her saying, "Haan inga tha maa kondhe. Naan paathukaren. Nee poi paati ku edhavudhu venuma nu paaru." Ahalya smiled and nodded saying, "O seri thatha." Then she gave Shankar a quick glance and whispered, "Naan aparama varen" which took him by surprise. He straightened up his back and gulped with a smile. He caught Mukundan staring at him so he looked away.
Chaami mama interrupted the moment by asking him, "Shankara nee enna pannarai? Padikkariya illai velaikku poriya? Appa Amma ellam enge irukka?" Shankar straightened up again and said, "IIT Madras la ippo final year. Adhunaala thaan vara mudinjudhu. Illaina engalukku leave e kedakkadhu. Idhu mudichu oru chinna business start pannalaam nu irukken. Proposal ellam kooda ready panniyachu. Degree kai ku vardhukku thaan wait pannaren. Appa Calcutta la high court Magistrate. Amma illai chithi thaan. Oru thambi irukkan. Avanum Calcutta la paduchundu irukaan. Thatha paati kooda Madras la irukken" he finished. Raman added, "Nalla kozhandai. Namma Mukundan oda best friend. Avan indha grama velakku onnum kandutuu illai. Adhu naala thaan kooteendu vandhom." Chaami smiled and offered the folded beetle leaf to Shankar which he refused, "Irukattum enakku pazhakkam illai." Chaami laughed.
After a while, the sumptuous lunch brought about a yawn in most of them. The women had already occupied a room to rest so the men walked in leaving Shankar and Mukundan at the pouch. Chaami called out for Ahalya, "Kondhe enakkum Ramanukkum andha pai onnu virikariya? Idhuppa konjam chaaikyattum." Ahalya laid out the mats for them to rest. She slowly walked to the porch to find Shankar sitting by himself humming an old Hindi song. Mukundan had fallen asleep too. Shankar became conscious when he heard the sound of the anklets. When she saw Mukundan asleep, she bit her tongue and walked slowly. Shankar saw her actions and couldn't help smiling. He nodded his head and looked down, rubbing the back of his head. Ahalya whispered, "Shhh... inge paarungo? Ungalukku thookam varaliya?" He looked and her and whispered, "Enakku afternoon la thoongara pazhakkam illai." She looked excited and whispered back, "Ayoo enakkum. Inge vaango." Shankar looked at the snoring Mukundan and got up to walk towards Ahalya. She walked outside the door asking him to follow her. She then closed the door and sighed.
She quickly cleared her voice and said, "Namma ethara neram thaan soharyama (whisper) peshardhu? Adhukku thaan ungala inge koopten." He looked confused, "Soharyama? Appidi na?" She smacked her forehead and said, "Ayyo ungalukku namma baashai theriyadha? Whisper ku enna cholluvel?" He smiled and said, "oh ragasiyama va?" She placed her finger on her chin as though she was thinking and repeated, "oh neengal ragasiyam nu cholluvela? Seri seri." He couldn't help admiring her cuteness. Then he smirked and said, "Parava illiye unakku English ellam theriyardhe?" She gasped, looking offended. She stopped walking, placed her hands on her hips and frowned at him, "Naan 10th class la topper aakum theriyuma? I can speak, read and write very well in English" and she frowned. He immediately brought his hands together and bent down saying, "Ayo sorry, sorry, sorry." She instantly smiled back saying, "Parava illai. Ungalukku theriyadhe naan ethara smart nu. Ungaloda Engineering degree ellam naan ippidi clear pannuven theriyumam?" she said, snapping her fingers. He raised his eyebrows, smiled and nodded. Trying to control his laughter, he bit his lower lips and said, "Ok Madam point noted." They both chuckled.
She then asked him, "Neengal idhu thaan mudhal tharam oru gramathukku varen nu Radhu chonna, appidiya?" He nodded in affirmation. "Hmmm.... Appo naaliki kaarthala vegam kulichu ready aaganum. Bhagavathiya aanai la vachundu aathangaraikku kootinudu povaa. Jandai ellam irukkum. Naalelerndhu 4 naal appidi irukkum. Kovil la naan thaan kolam poduven. Pinna sayangaalam naangal ellam kolaatam aaduvom. Enakku namma ooru Bhagavathy ya romba pidikkum." Then she stopped and looked at his eyes saying, "Ungalukku onnu theriyuma? Ennoda Appa Amma aarunu enakku theriyadhu. Orukka paati kitte kettappo indha Bhagavathy thaan ennoda Appa Amma nu chonna. Adhu sathyam alla nu nekku theriyum aana adhukku aparam naan kekkave illai. Paati ku paavam enna sangadamo. Adhu naala thaane enkittendhu maraikara?" Shankar's heart broke into a million pieces hearing that. There was something about this girl that touched his heart deeply. They were lost in each other's eyes momentarily but she quickly smiled and looked away.
"Seri seri vaango aathukku polaam. Ava ellam ezhundhirundhu iruppa. Ungalukku murukku pudikkumo? Naanum paatiyum kaimurukku panni vachirom, tharen. Neengal kaapi kudipela?" He smiled and nodded, "Illai enakku andha habit illai." She giggled and imitated him saying, "Enakkum adha "habit" illai. Same pinch". Then she skipped back to the house with him following her, not too far behind.
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Brinda Subramanian
YOU ARE READING
When Red and Blue make Purple
FanfictionThis is a story of Ahalya Keshavan and Shankar Krishnamurthy. Both of them grew up in very different environments but life brings them together. Ahalya is calm outside but is red as fire within while Shankar seems like an arrogant no nonsense type o...
