Innum Konjam Neram: KM Episode Tags

399: Nivaarani Nee

Episode 399: August 12, 2020

Author's Note 1:

Dedicated to everyone who found the ending of the previous chapter tame. That's your disclaimer!

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Kathir parks his bike in front of the house and slumps on the handlebar. Half his body is numb and the other half is in too much pain. He sits on the bike, mustering the strength to walk up to the door and knock.

He slumps further in relief when he hears someone open the door and step outside. If it is Jeeva, he just might have the option of getting carried to his room.

Mullai's eyes flash when she realises that he has overworked himself despite her words. Her anger dissolves in an ocean of concern when she takes in the air of misery surrounding her bent out of shape husband.

Kathir feels gentle hands try to lift his hands off the handlebar and moves to sit up. Too tired to fight her touch and startled by the mixture of anger and pain in her bright eyes, he gets off the bike and lets her support him as he walks towards the door.

He turns around at the door and glances miserably at the carton strapped on to his bike. Mullai's eyes turn venomous when she realises what he is about to do. She whips around and picks up the carton in a huff. She fixes Kathir with a stare when he is about to protest and hoists the carton onto her hip. With one hand over the carton and the other holding his elbow, Mullai crosses the threshold of the house.

Leaving the carton in the storeroom, she takes him to the well and fetches water. As she is about to remove the mask from his face, Kathir stops her and washes up on his own. Her barely contained anger claws its way out at that and she stalks away to the kitchen.

She gives him a light dinner of rice, rasam and bananas. The hot rasam infuses some life into him and Kathir slowly walks to their room with a half-eaten banana in hand.

Anger and worry coursing through her, Mullai watches him until he opens the door and sighs heavily. She boils tea and watches the liquid froth and settle to compose herself. Making her mind up about what needs to be done, she plays out what-if scenarios in her head and starts gathering essentials.

Prepared to face any resistance her husband may throw her way, she enters their room with a steaming cup of tea and a large basket.

Relieved to note that he is seated on the bed despite his obvious need to sleep, Mullai feels a glimmer of hope. She hands him the cup of tea and is floored by the rush of gratitude in his eyes.

Kathir lets the tumbler warm his hands and feels the numb parts of his body come alive as tea enters his body. He watches Mullai in confusion as she checks the contents of a wire basket.

With her eyes on Kathir as he drinks his tea, Mullai removes her bangles one by one and places them on the shelf. Throwing her hair in a bun, she advances towards him with the ends of her mundhaanai tucked into her hip.

Kathir is arrested by the concern in her eyes and the determination in her stride. She stops in front of him and reaches over to the back of his collar. He jerks away out of habit and Mullai sighs.

She takes a step back unfazed and pulls out a pair of cotton gloves from the basket. She makes a show of wearing the gloves and displays them in front of him mockingly. Daring him to move away through a stern eye lock, she gets back to her position.

Kathir sits still on the bed as she reaches behind his head and places her gloved fingers on his neck. She gently starts kneading the back of his neck and Kathir finally understands what she is up to.