At 10:30 pm
Naveen, Aadhira and Grace are awaiting Anjana's arrival. Naveen gets worried as she does not turn up.
Grace: Naveen, try calling her.
Naveen: Both of us tried ma, she is not picking up the call.
Aadhira gets worried and holds Naveen's arm. Suddenly, they hear the sound of the gate opening and rush to the entrance. Anjana enters and looks at them calmly.
Aadhira: What happened Anju? All okay right?
Anjana hung her head down. They get perturbed seeing her reaction. She immediately brings a wide smile to her face.
Anjana (hugs Aadhira): All okay !
Grace and Naveen sigh in relief.
Aadhira: What did Piyush say?
Anjana: He didn't say anything, he was already feeling guilty for bringing Amaran yesterday so.. he did not say anything about us.
Naveen: (sighs in relief) Thank god..
Grace does the cross sign in relief and the four go inside. They have dinner happily and decide to avoid talking about Amaran hereafter.
Aadhira: Anna, can we go on a boat ride?
Naveen: Why do you want to go on a boat ride suddenly?
Aadhira: Just felt like going on one. After a very long time, we four are happily talking to each other, shouldn't we celebrate that? Right ma?
Grace (teases): That's right, but Aadhira where do you get such ideas from?
Anjana and Naveen giggle over Grace's comment.
Aadhira (raises her brow): Laugh as much as you can, you will see what I am going to do in the future.
Anjana (curiously): What?
Aadhira: First of all, I will only conduct Anna's marriage, I will only take care of the expenses.
Grace coughs making the duo laugh again.
Naveen: Hmm, next?
Aadhira (staring at Grace): We will conduct your marriage in a... boat!
Naveen & Anjana: Eh? Boat?
Aadhira (facepalms): Sorry sorry, ship. Wait, Isn't that a cruise? Okay, whatever.
Grace: Anjana, Naveen listen to me, please don't listen to this girl and spoil your marriage.
Aadhira (whines): Amma!
Grace: Then? What is this ship, cruise and all. Have you seen anyone marry like that?
Aadhira: Let's create the trend ma!
Anjana laughs at her antics.
Aadhira: Anju, you too?!
Anjana: Sorry. (continues laughing)
Naveen: Okay, okay.. we'll talk about all of that after two years.. now eat peacefully.
Grace: That is right, there's so much to achieve.. so stop day-dreaming (looks at Aadhira).
Aadhira rolls her eyes as she nods her head.
Anjana: Aunty, I'm planning to look for a hostel or an individual house..
Grace: Why? Aren't you comfortable here Anjana?
Anjana: Ayo aunty, nothing like that.. I can't stay here for long before marriage right.. that is why..
Grace: Are you scared about what our neighbours are going to talk?
Anjana nods her head in disappointment.
Grace: Anjana, I have been in this colony for more than ten to twelve years.. Moreover I came here as a divorcee not even as a spinster, do you think they wouldn't have gossiped about me then?
Naveen and Aadhira lift their heads to look at Grace.
Grace: I didn't care about them then, neither do I care now.. so you do not have to stay in some hostel. Just stay in our house. That's it.
Naveen and Aadhira clap their hands enthusiastically like five-year olds.
Aadhira (pulling Grace's cheek): That's my mummy !
Grace: Hmm.. enough. Is that fine with you Anjana?
Anjana nods her head unable to disagree to her words. They finish eating and head to their rooms.
_________________________________
Resting on his study table, Naveen dialed Thamizh's number.
Thamizh: Yeah Naveen?
Naveen: Hey, can you send those photos we took today? The rough copies?
Thamizh: Now?
Naveen hears a beeping sound from Thamizh's side.
Naveen: What is it? Your watch ah?
Thamizh: Huh.. yeah.
Naveen: I don't know when you and Anjana are going to leave this habit (chuckles).
Thamizh laughs.
Naveen: Yeah, send it to me by mail.
Thamizh: Okay..
Naveen: Thanks Thamizh, good night.
Thamizh: Good night.
They end the call. Anjana comes out from the washroom wiping her face and sees Naveen thinking deeply. Naveen turns behind and looks at her.
Naveen: So, did madam's anger vanish finally?
Anjana: When was I even angry at you?
Naveen: You weren't?!
Anjana: Yeah! (shrugging her shoulders)
Naveen goes near her and holds her face making her eyes widen and eyebrows lift in shock.
Naveen: Then, why didn't you tell me? Huh?
Anjana (keeping a straight face): Take your hands off.
Naveen takes his hands off obediently.
Anjana (sincerely): Your mother has a lot of trust on us, so don't break that. Behave yourself.
Naveen sits near her making a poker face.
Naveen: Okay Ms.Journalist!
Anjana widens her eyes in surprise.
Anjana (exclaims): What??
Naveen: What..?
Anjana: Naveen..? Are you saying that..?
Naveen: I didn't say anything. (shrugging his shoulders)
Anjana (pleading): Please, tell me what it is..
Naveen stretches out to take a letter from his table and places it on her hand. Anjana reads the letter and hugs him in happiness.
Anjana: Naveen! I can't believe this!
Naveen (teases): Someone asked me to behave, just few seconds ago.
She breaks the hug and hits his shoulder playfully.
Anjana: My dream job, in an acclaimed firm!
Naveen feels elated seeing her happy face.
Naveen: You're happy right?
Anjana: What question is this? Obviously !! But.. I didn't apply for this.. did you?
Naveen: Turn the cover.
She turns the cover and sees something written on it.
"With love, Thamizh and Aadhira"
Naveen: They were the ones who applied for you.
Anjana blinks her eyes in glee letting a delightful tear cross her left eye.
Naveen: Ayy, someone's getting emotional!
She rests her head on his chest affectionately.
Anjana (in her mind): I'm getting all my lost happiness and moral support through unexpected people in life. All those lonely days and nights in my childhood have turned to be nothing now with this man and his family around me. Is this what love feels like? (pause) Maybe.
Ma, Pa, Indhra you are not missing to see this right?
Naveen caresses her hair and asks her to sleep, keeping the letter safely inside his half-used diary. She lies down on the bed as he sits on the study table again. He takes his phone and checks the mail with an attachment from Thamizh. He finds it of no use and closes the mail.
Anjana: What are you doing?
Naveen: Checking the pictures I took today...
Anjana: Even I wanted to ask you about it.. was it really a suicide..?
Naveen: I think so.. that is what even the police said.. and since he has written a suicide note, it is quite evident.
Anjana: But why would he commit suicide suddenly?
Naveen: (sighs) I have no idea Anju...
Anjana (curiously): I can't believe his chapter is closed over just one night.
Naveen: Yeah... but Anju... let's not think about him anymore. He got what he deserved. For all that he has done to you and our family... this is very less, in my opinion. I know it is difficult to forget this in one day... but as soon as we can, we must erase his memories from our minds.
Anjana: Yeah... (falling asleep). I will...
Naveen looks at her falling asleep and increases the speed of the fan. He sits back again to observe the pictures he took. Most of them were shaken as he took them in a hurry. He remembered the scattered papers with footprints and thinks that it might be because of Amaran walking in the dark, unaware of what he stepping on.
For over an hour, he analyses the pictures he took. He zooms into another picture and finds few files, a cupboard and few plates and knives inside the cupboard. He starts recalling the things the Vishal said. He remembers tripping over few wires in the room. Closing his eyes, he rests his head on his arms thinking about the events.
Naveen (in his mind): The room had a ceiling fan... his eyes would have got used to the darkness in a few minutes... his way of walking was fishy... 11 pm... that sound... tall building...
Naveen opens his eyes wide open. He gets a flash of an event from his past.
FLASHBACK
When Naveen was a 7 year old,
Grace watches Naveen in fear standing on top of their building's water tank, scared to get down.
Grace (shouts): Why did you go up there, Naveen?!
Naveen continues to cry as she asks him to get down. Amaran comes to the place.
Grace (turns to Amaran): Amaran, look at him! Get him down please!
Amaran (unaffected): Me?! No way!
Grace: What are you talking?
Amaran: Haven't you taught your son how to behave? Is this how he gets on top of tanks?
Grace: He is just a child Amaran! Please, get him down please!
Amaran: I'm not climbing the tank for him!
Grace held Amaran by his collar and pushed him to the brink of the compound of the terrace.
Grace: Aren't you his father? Can't you do this for him at least? Bring my son down, now!
Amaran slowly looks down at the road and starts feels dizzy.
Amaran (uneasily): Grace, take your hand... (chokes)
Grace: Huh, you are getting scared right? What would a seven year old like him do?
A neighbour gets Naveen down from the tank. Grace tightens her grip on Amaran's collar.
Amaran: Gr..a..ce... (he starts getting a panic attack)
Amaran gets a panic attack and gets admitted in the hospital.
Doctor: He has Acrophobia.
Grace: ...that means?
Doctor: Grace, your husband has a fear of heights.
Grace (anxiously): Oh...
Doctor: Make sure this does not happen again.. okay?
Grace: Okay doctor.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Naveen: When he had many other sources in the room to commit suicide, why did he jump from the window? The thing that he fears the most...
Naveen gets dumbstruck on recalling the past and goes to Grace's room. He sees Grace and Aadhira sleeping peacefully, turns to the wall to Indhra's photo.
Naveen (in his mind): Indhra... maybe I was not meant to finish your story, but... I want to know the end of it.
THE END