First week of August - 2019
The day of the friend's wedding came and Mullai was feeling restless all day. Jeeva was trying to take an effort and why is she feeling uneasy instead of being happy? After months of been neglected, she grew more and more despondent. She is not able to come in terms with this version of Jeeva yet. She wanted to put aside those thoughts and just get away with this day.
While she went to get ready, Kathir entered the home to collect some receipts, oblivious to the plans of Jeeva. He saw his Anni making strands of flowers and he sat down and helped her.
"Anni, nengaley than katanuma? Vangikalam illa? Adhu ilama ethana poo katuvenga thaniya?"
"Vela jasthi da. Ipo paaru elavaku poo katitomnu. Nee vera pramadhama katti iruka. Kalyanam aana, un pondatiku neeyey poo katti kudukalam", joked Dhanam.
"Mullaiyum Jeeva'um inaiku kalyanathuku poranga illa. Avaluku kata aramichean. Apadiyey irukaradhu elam sethu katti vechudalamnu than. Ilana Mullayum nanum sendhu than epovum katuvom", Dhanam continued not seeing Kathir's sudden change in reaction.
Kathir had an unsettling feeling in the stomach. At the same time, Mullai came to living area all decked up in a parrot green saree.
When she came out and saw Kathir, she gave a wide smile. She had been uneasy all day and seeing him calmed her down a bit. However, she did not fail to notice Kathir having an unimpressed scowl on his face.
Dhanam gave flower strands to Mullai to keep and went inside to put the remaining in the fridge. Mullai saw curiosity was dripping from his face and was struggling to ask her something.
"Enna achu Kathiru? En apadi pakara? Indha podavai nalalaya?", Mullai asked naively.
Kathir wanted to make sure Mullai did not have any issue going out with Jeeva. He was frustrated as he struggled to find the right words. At the end he took a deep breath and muttered with great difficulty
"Indha pudavai unaku nala iruku Mulla. Pathu poitu va" and walked away trying to put an end to his misery of reading her mind.
Kathir has been working nonstop for 3 hours in the shop unloading goods into the storeroom behind the shop. Sweat drops blinded his vision and his lungs struggled against his chest. Anything he could do to distract him from thinking about Mullai.
Kumaresan mama noticed him stressed and called out
"Enna da achu unaku?"
"Onum illa Mama", he said almost instantly, which made Kumaresan mama worry more.
"Konjam kuda okarama velai senjutu iruka. Naan pathutu thana irukean. Un mugam pura kavalaiya vera iruku? "
"Enaku enna kavalai?. Elarum sandhosama thana irukanga. Sandhosama than velila poranga, enaku enna kavalai", he grunted throwing the towel around his neck away onto a nearby sack. Saying that he collapsed onto a sack nearby and closed his eyes. He was not sure why he felt so pathetic but he could not help it. He did not even know why Mullai going out with Jeeva was making him queasy.
Kumarasan mama was about to ask more question, when Moorthy called out to Kathir from the shop.
"Dei Jeeva, Mullai ponna vandi accident ayiducham. Naan poi pathutu vandhudarean"
"Anney! Enna achu?"
"Onum perusa ilanu sonanga. Namba Devi mess owner pathu irukar pola. Avar than call pannar."
"Nanaum vareane. Irunga"
Kathir and Moorthy rushed to the spot. Jeeva had a small bruise in his hand, while Mullai had some injury on her head and hand. She was still bleeding.
Moorthy panicked and took them to the hospital asking Kathir to stay back and bring the bike to the repair shop. While he waited on the spot, he gathered information that an assistant of Janarthan had done this.
Later that night, he informed this to Jeeva
"Anne, Janarthanan aalu than vandiya thali vitu irukanga."
"Enna da solra?. Venumnu idichanganu sonna anney bayapidumnu, naney vizhutenu than sonean. Mullaya kutitu porapo vera ipadi ayiduchu", Jeeva felt more guilty that his love for Meena still had ripple effects. Meena was still trying to call him and he had a gut feeling, this accident had something to do with those phone calls.
"Avana chumma vida kudadhu. Andha aalu solli than idhu elam panangalanu theriyala. Avana adikama vida matean", Kathir anger was increasing every passing minute.
"Thevai ilama prachanai panadha da. Enna prachanainu enaku puriyudhu da. Adhu Mee.."
Jeeva stopped seeing Mullai walk over.
"Marundhu potiya pa?. Ipo Vali yepadi iruku?", Jeeva asked Mullai
"Potean Mama. Mathirai potadhala, ipo vali perusa illa. Kitchen la saamanam elam edhutu vechutu thunga vendiyadhu than"
"Seri pa.". He turned to Kathir "Onum prachanai illa. Naan pathukarean. Neum poi thungu da" and he left the place.
Mullai saw Kathir standing there without uttering a word to her. He has not even asked about her, after they came back from the hospital which was little odd.
"Kathiru. Naan onnu kekata?"
When Kathir looked at her without saying anything, she continued
"Vanigar sanga thalaivarkum ungalukum edavadhu prachanaiya?"
She saw Kathir visibly shudder a second
"Illa. Anaiku Kanna'na adichar. Inaiku avar aalu than engala thali vitarnu solradha ketean. Enaku puriyala. Neeyavadhu en kita solalam illa?"
Kathir had composed by then. He cannot say the entire truth. Also did not want to leave her hanging as well.
"Kadaila konjam prachanai. Nee adhai elam potu kolapikadha. Andha aala chumma vita, romba porar. Iruku avarku", clenching his teeth
Kathir was seething and could not stand there any longer. He assessed Mullai's appearance. She had a bandage over her head and there were bruises over her elbow and bandage over there too. There were few more scratches on her face too.
"Nee paathiram elam onum eduuthu vekka venam. Mathirai potu iruka, sikiram thungu" and started walking away. Mullai placed her hand on his shoulder and stopped him
"Kathiru, adi thadinu yerangidadha"
"Eii...andha aalu panadhuku, Enna chumma iruka solriya?", he shouted and she visibly jerked.
"Amam. Poi elarayum adi. Unaku rowdy thanam panradhu thavira vera velai illa paaru?", she was angry that he is ready to create a fight and make the issue even bigger.
"Naan rowdy than ma. Kaatan than. Enaku ipadi than iruka theriyum", Kathi was in no mood to back off. He knew he was lashing out all his anger on her, but seeing her with those bruises has made him mad and he is not able to think rationally.
"Amam poi elarayum adi. Badhilku avar kadaiya edavadhu panuvar. Aparam avar aala vechu adutha nama veetla ulavangala adipar. En? Adicha unna matum chumma viduvara?", Words chocked in anger that something bad could happen to Kathir. Why is it hard for him to realize that?
Seeing her tears aggravated Kathir more. "Unaku ipadi adi patuku iruku. Idha pathutu enala chumma elam iruka mudiyadhu"
She knew it was wrong of him to do that but a muscle in her chest clenched at this. This was the first time somebody wanted to defend her. However, she was scared about Jana hurting Kathir. She has seen how unruly person he was and wantedly causing an accident panicked her more for his well-being.
"Adhu illa. Avar selvaku aana allu. Nee vambuku poi, unnai edavadhu panita?", she put forward her worst fear.
"Venam Kathiru. Prachani panadha. Chumma irundhaley, avar ipadi adi thadila yerangarar. Avar kita prachanai panna, unna enna panuvarnu enaku bayama iruku"
Her tears and concern moved Kathir.
"Eii. Modhala azharadhu niruthu. Enaku onum agadhu. Bayapadadha. Kanna thoda modhala. Edayum yosichu kolapikadha"
When she looked at him with teary eyes, those eyes pierced him more. Letting out a deep groan, he added,
"Seri. Andha aala, naan onum panna matean. Bayapadama poi thungu". He did not leave and his gaze just lingered on her. Stepping in closer, he extended his hand and brushed the bandage on her head with his thumb. His eyes burnt into hers and she shivered a little.
"Aana, Idhuku avan kandipa oru naal badhil solanum." Pulling back his hand, he walked away without turning back at her.
Kathir spent a sleepless night going over the happenings. He wanted to storm into Jana house and confront him but Mullai's teary eyes stopped him from doing that.
After 2 days, while returning from a delivery he saw Sedhu, who was the reason behind the accident. He could not control himself, parked the bike and ran to him. He started beating him blues without giving him a chance to speak.
"Andha Janarthanan solli thana accident panna? Badhil sollu"
"Avar ponnu kuda inum unga annan pesararnu kovathula than apadi panna sonar. Enaku onum theriyadhu. Adikadha"
Kathir did not realize Jeeva was still in contact with Meena. He wondered why his brother never spoke to him about it. No matter what, he should not have hurt Mullai, who was not even responsible for any of this.
"Andha aalu, enna nenachutu irukan? Modhala en thambi, ipo annen. Seri ponna pogudhu vita, ipo enga veetku ponunga mela kai vekara alavuku poiyachu. Ipovum nanga pathutu chumma irupomnu nenachingala?"
"Inga paru, un anni'a adikaradhu enga nokam illa. Theriyama nadandhadhu adhu", Sedhu tried to reason afraid of being trashed again.
"Anniya? Dei enga anni'ya enna da panenga?", Kathir panicked if Jana had planned more to cause trouble to his family. His grip on the man went little loose.
The confused Sedhu asked "Jeeva annanum, avan samsaramunu nenachean. Apo un Anna kuda ponadhu avan pondati ilaya? Enna manichudu, sathiyama unga Anna thaniya varuvanu nenachu than vandhean. Kadasi nimisathila yosikama idichutean"
A realization dawned on Kathir. He was referring to Mullai as his anni. It was like a cold water suddenly thrown on him. He sat on the ground unable to stop his beating heart. Sethu took this as his chance and ran away from him.
All this while, Kathir had conveniently choose to ignore the fact Mullai was Jeeva's wife. He has seen her unhappy and done all the things to keep her happy. Slowly he started seeing her as the long lost friend and the cousin he was attached to. All the things that he was going through emotionally suddenly made so much sense to him. He felt the ground shaking below him and his head was throbbing. He held his head and bend on the road. How did he not see it before? Damn!
He was in love. He was in love with Mullai. He was in love with his brother's wife!!
Present – Pandian house
Everyone gathered around in living area. Jeeva did not go to shop after his brother stormed out this morning. He waited all day to talk to him and make him understand.
"Anney..", he hesitantly started
"Nee solradhuku munadi naan solidarean. Karaikudi'la nama inoru kadaiku nelam vanginadhu unaku theriyum. Andha velai ipo aramika porom. Nee anga poi irundhu, katada velai elam pathuko", Moorthy stated which confused Jeeva. At the same time, he was happy his brother finally spoke to him after months.
"Serine. Naan pathukarean.", Jeeva replied basking in happiness.
Moorthy wanted to keep Jeeva away from Meena and thought time will make him realize his stupidity. Moorthy continued "Konja nalaiku anga thanga vendiyadhu kuda varalam. Inga kadai pathi yosika venam, ipodhaiku nanga pathukarom"
Kathir stood there watching his brothers and understood the intention behind sending away Jeeva away from Kunnakudi.
Jeeva on the other hand, was not sure on how to ask about his decision about Meena when Moorthy continued
"Aparam Jeeva, Mullaiyayum kuda kutitu po. Rendu perum, anga konja naal thaniya irunga. Apo than pesi prachanai seri panna mudiyum. Puriyudha?"
Jeeva was at loss of words. He has never spoke against his brother nor questioned him what he asked him do. He put forward his wish and his brother purposefully ignored him and his feeling. He stood rooted feeling helpless and powerless when he heard Kathir step in
"Anney. Naan Karaikudi kadai velaiya pathukarean. Jeeva anney, ingayey irukatum. "