An unusual love story

May be?

Although Abhi and Samyu teased each other about having a baby, they were a little worried for Mithra so they kept giving each other excuses to push it. This was one area that they were not sure how to tell the other. It wasn't because they were shy but it was because they were not sure of their own feelings. Meanwhile Samyu took Abhi's advice and started working on her music. She was also quite good at writing lyrics so she reached out to some of her, musically inclined, friends and they decided to collaborated. Other than playback singing there was a rather new industry for independent music now that they wanted to explore.

Samyu felt at ease when she was at the recording theatre collaborating with like minded people. Abhi had an ear for good music but could not sing to save his life. Mithu was more of a natural dancer than a singer. She was continuing to learn keyboard from Godson but also started to learn classical dancing that she enjoyed. Mithu had also grown very fond of Samyu's parents, who she addressed as thatha paati. Although they loved the little girl as their own, they did hope for Samyu and Abhi to have their own child. Samyu's mom tried to bring up the topic with her a couple of times but she was quick to change the topic.

One weekend Samyu and Abhi were busy with work so Mithu was sent to stay with thatha and paati, who agreed to take her to her classes etc. Mithu thoroughly enjoyed the pampering. After dance class she returned for Paati to have made her favorite pineapple juice and pazhampori. While she was enjoying the piping hot pazhampori, paati brought up the topic, "Mithu kutty unakku thaniya irukka bore adikkaliya maa? Unakku oru kutti thambiyo thangaiyo vendaama?" Mithu had not thought about it but when Paati mentioned it, it seemed like an interesting proposal. She munched on her snack saying, "Naan adha pathi yosikkave illai paati aana oru kutty paapa irundha nalla thaan irukkum le?" Paati switched off the gas, now that she had Mithu's attention, and said, "Nee unnoda daddy kittayum Samyu kitteyu kelu. Nee ketta thaan avanga badhil solluvaanga seriya?" Mithu smiled and nodded, "Ok paati. Pazhampori sooper but ippo stomach full. Naan pakkathu veetu Neha kooda poi konja neram veladittu varattuma?" Patti gently pinched Mithu's cheek and kissed it before grabbing her empty plate and said, "Seri but one hour thaan ok? Unakku homework vera irukku mudikka." Mithu cleaned up and ran next door.

Neha was about the same age as Mithra and she had a little brother. Neha's uncle had bought her a doll house with which the girls enjoyed playing. As they were playing Neha's brother kept coming in and grabbing stuff from them which irritated Neha. She yelled, "Amma indha Nikhil engala disturb panninde irukaan maa. Please avana pidinga." She then shut her room door saying, "Ivan yen thaan porandhaano nu irukku. Naan mattum irundha podhu evvalo jolly ya irundhudhu theriyuma? Ennoda mummy daddy naan kettadhu ellam vaangi kuduppaanga. Naanga weekend aana theatre la movie paaka povom. Ippo Ivan porandha aparam avana paathukkave seriya irukku mummy kum daddy kum. Enakku sila time thonum avanga rendu perum thambi ya thaan romba love pannaraanga nu. En mela love e illai. Mithra nee unga Daddy kitteyum Pudhu mummy kitteyum paapa venum nu mattum kekkadhe seriya? Aparam avanga Unna love e panna maatanga. Nee thaane sonne Unna home lerndhu adopt panninaanga nu? Suppose angeye thirumba kondu poi vittanga na?" Mithra was shocked to hear all this.

What if they do have a baby and send Mithra away? What if her Daddy would love the new baby more and ignore her? The thought of all this happening scared he so much so that she decided she was not going to bring it up at all. She even started doing a silent prayer every night that she should never have a little sibling ever. For a girl who was always ready to have a "girl talk" with Samyu or look into her Dad's eye and clear the simplest of her doubts, for some reason, did not even want to talk about it. May be, deep inside she felt guilty. May be, deep inside she felt she was being selfish.

Brinda Subramanian