Mullai found it very difficult to even open her eyes . Each cell of her body was aching and she didn't want to come out of the soft plunging cushion of the bed and the coy quilt, that kept her warm inside the chillness of the air conditioned room . With great difficulty she managed to get up from and popped her head out from the sheet lazily and immediately blinked not remembering where she was sleeping .
For a minute she got confused as to where she was !!
This wasn't her hostel ,
Nor the hospital ,
Nor her home / room !!;
Reality struck her minutes later and she immediately sprang upright , sitting in the bed and looked around .
Looked around for him !!!
Nope ,
The room was empty ,
He wasn't there !!
And the clock showed up it was almost 10:00 am in the morning !!
Her big eyes widened more with shock on seeing the time .
Never ever she had slept this late in her lifetime .
Gosh !!!
She exclaimed ...kadavullaae ,mani pathaakuguthu . Naan paatuku ipadi adichu potta maathri thoongitenaae !
Awanga enga ? Kaanooom _ she once again swept her eyes looking for him .
Author : Raathri antha pechu pesina? Ipo ennathuku awana thedura !
Slowly the happenings of last night came to her mind .
First and foremost being ,
Him lying down on the plain floor without a sheet or pillow !!!
Mullai couldn't digest that fact at all nor she could believe her eyes _ she just didn't expect him to do so .
She knew how comfortable and sophisticated his bed would be !!
Not to forget the spaciousness _ they had slept together in it !!!
But now _
He just lay on the ground asking her to take up the bed .
How was that even possible for him ?
For a person who was nurtured in silk and satin right from his birth till date !!!
Once e saw him lying so , she forgot all her anger ,but picked on him again for doing so .
Mullai : Yenge ...
He didn't reply nor open her eyes !! Just remained still as stone !!!
(Author : Aanaa Oona ,intha vootukaaranga kovatha kaaturenu , sellai maathri maaridratha enga kathukittangalooo !!
Adutha vaati ipadi panna , kalla thooki kaalayaae podanum 😡😡😡😬😬😬)
She was irritated as well as perplexed in that gesture of his .
The soft angel like side of hers had dissapeared and she behaved as a typical wife , leaving aside all the indifferences .
Mullai : ungala than koopidren ? Kaathulaae vilaatha maathri paduthu erukinga !
Kathir : .......!
Mullai : Ninge inum thoongalanu enaku theriyum !
Kathir : ........!
Mullai : Ipo yen ipadi verum tharaila padukringa ?
Ungalku ithelaam palakam erukaathunu enaku theriyum !
Kathir : .......!
Mullai : Yenge .....ipadi aluchaatiyam panringa !
( Author : Ithunga designaae ithan pola pappa ! Nee kandukaama , vaaiku vanthatha pesu ! )
Mullai : kadavullaae ,ipo vaaya thoranthu yethachum pesaporingala ,illa naan unga pecha meeri keela poi en palaya room la thoongava ?
That last line of hers had an impact .
The statue stirred a little and looked in her direction .
He calmly said ,
Kathir : Time ipo almost midnight . Ground floor la yellam maathiyaachu .Antha room ipo anga illa .
Matha yella roomlayum aalunga erukaanga !
Nee enga poi , yaar kitta solli thoonga pora ?
Naan than innaiku inga paddu _ naalaiku naan vera yerpaadu panrenu sonnen la ?
Then what is the issue !
Mullai : What is the issue va ? Ipo ninge panrathu than issue ;
Kathir : Naan ennama pannen...he said and immediately corrected himself , sorry sorry ,nee enna enaku amma va ! Unnaiya amma nu solliten !
Sorry for that ;
His sad sarcasm hit her hard.
She retaliated with her favourite word .
Mullai : Manaangatti !
He didn't speak for a minute then slowly said ,
Kathir : Manaangatti ! Claypot !....he asked her softly , manaangattiya kolaiya than aasai nu sonna nambuviya ?
Mullai : somehow that tone of his brought her tears _ but how far all of this is true ? She didn't answer him in words but nodded sideways .
The colour in his face slowly faded .
Taking a deep breath he calmed himself and said ,
Kathir : Sari ini unnaiya disturb pannala.
Pesama paduthu thoongu !
Her face fell in that tone and voice of his .
She was battling her ownself _ one half that shamelessly yearned for him and another half that ruthlessly stood against him and purposely hurted him in extreme agony .
Agony that had suddenly creeped in her once she had entered this room .
Their intimate moments of that rainy night was driving her crazy !!!
Still she asked him ,
Mullai : ninge thoongalaiyaae ?
Kathir : Hm....ipo paduthu kanna moodi erunthavana , thirumbi thirumbi koopitathu yaaru ?
Mullai : Athan Naanum kekren ?
Kathir : Ennanu ?
Mullai : Anga yen poi paduthinga ?
He immediately asked back without hesitating even for a second ,
Kathir : Apo anga vanthu un kooda ......he gulped it , I mean un pakathulla paduthukava ?
Mullai s body jerked at that question of his .
Wrath spread throughout her at that thought !!
To keep her shameless body under check she replied curtly ,
Mullai : illa ...
Kathir : Apo pesama paduthu thoongu !
Mullai : Athukaaga yen verum tharaila padukringa ?
Kathir : purila ...room eh vitta poida va ?
Mullai : mv : Acho ....room eh vitutu 0 iwanha poita , iwangala kannaala kooda paaka mudiyaathaae !
Ilala ....
Kathir : Then what ?
Mullai : Antha ....anga sofa laam padukalaam la ?
She said and immediately bit her tongue .It was where everything started ... how she forgot that !!
She got tensed suddenly but calmed herself on reminding that he didn't remember anything .
Kathir : angayum nee variya !
Mullai : Amaadi ! She pressed her chest in with both her hands that grabbed his attention .
His eyes rested hungrily on her abundance below the neck .
Even in the dim yellow hue of the night lamp it was well seen .
Before she could notice it well ,he turned away .
Mullai :.apadi illa ...ipdi tharaila bedsheet kooda illam ,thalaiyanai kooda vachukaama ....she felt uncomfortable to sleep on the brand new bed whilst he was lying just on the ground .
But she wasn't willing to share the bed at any cost too .
She asked to swap places ...in a quiet tone .
Her angry voice was gone now .
Mullai : Naan venumna tharaila paduthukren . Ninge inga padunga !
He didn't budge nor accept her proposal .
Instead he said ,
Kathir : Oru thappu panna _ onu ,athuku parigaram thedanum ...illa athukuriya thandanaiya anupavikanum !!
Intha one year ah naan unnaiya romba mosama nadathiruken .
Vaarthaiyaala kaayapaduthi eruken _ Athunaala thana nee ,keela oru chinna guest room , A/C ya kooda potukaama , bed la kooda padukaama ,intha maathri tharaila paduthu thoonhina ?
Almost a full year !
Am I right ?
Mullai was shocked at his words .
How come he knew all this ?
She hadn't even told anyone .,.how did he find it out ?
Mullai : ungalku epadi athu theriyum ?
Kathir : hmm....a sad smile crossed his face . Ithu mattum illa , saapadu kooda ....yeno thano nu thana saapta ?
Mullai : ...athu ..
..athu vanthu .....she couldn't continue in her angry tone anymore .
An uncomfortable ball churned up her stomach .
He continued ,
Kathir : Thappu sencha naan yentha kutra unarchiyum illama , inga yega boogamaa vaalnthruken .
Aana nee ?
Unaku enna thalaiyelutha !
Mullai : .....!
Kathir : See Mullai , ipo naan ipadi floor la padukrathu ,nee ipo kovama pesinathukaaga illa !.
I had already decided to undergo my punishment ;
Unnaala ennaiya thandika mudiyaala _
Enaku Avlo nalla manasellaam kedaiyaathu _ Thappu senchathu yaara erunthalum ,thandanai anupavichu than aaganum !!
Fine ?
Mullai : illa ....vanthu. , Her voice wasn't even audible to her own self itself ,
Kathir : Nee ulla vantha odanae ithelaam sollanumnu than vanthen .. but .....well ....he paused for sometime .
Mullai felt really bad now _ for having yelling at him ,
She didn't expect this from him !!!
But still , what is the point of forgiving him nor punishing him .
Everything is over now _ she felt that wave of dissapppointment rush through her .
Her past experience of one year in this house as his namesake wife along with the frequent phone calls between Pragya and Kathir , along with the fact that she was here merely to enact as his wife for his grandfather ' sake , didn't allow her to even imagine that there is a second chance awaiting straight in front of her .
Whilst she thought on these lines , Kathir felt healing her wounds were of utmost importance rather than stalking her in name of Love .
He didn't want to try any short cuts nor cheap tricks to win her heart !!!
( Author : Adei , Miruthan naalaae kedi thanamum , fraudum thanda !!!
Nee vanthu awan design eh maathiputtiyaae !🤦🤷🤷)
Kathir : Nee yetho tension la pesina _ athu naala than naan onum explain panna mudila . Intha bed ,unakaaga order panninathu _ it's not for me !!
Anga ......anga .... he couldn't complete his sentence .
Enaku anga yentha urimaiyum illai !!
Athu enaku nallavaae theriyum .....he said in a pained voice which Mullai mistook very easily .
Nope she wasn't angry over him like before .
His words were genuine ofcourse _ he meant it .
But , whilst he said in the meaning that he didn't deserve her ,she mistook it that he claimed he is not her man anymore .
Maybe he is just feeling bad for the way he treated her the past year .
Mullai : Naan antha maathri yosikala ...enaku onum athu prechanaiyaavum irunthathu illa !
Kathir : Enaala apadi atha vida mudiyaathu .
Un alavuku yenaku perunthanmai illa !
Mullai : tchu .....athan naanae onum nenaikalanu solrenla !
Pinna yaarukaaga ninge ipadi pannanum ,
Kathir: For me !
For my own consience that's killing me !
He said in a metallic voice yet magestically .
Nee inga erunthaalum ,illatiyum itha than naan senchrupen!
So itha pottu kolapikaama ,thoongu !
Sitting on the bare ground with his elbows slightly propped up for support he said this looking straight into her eyes.
Ofcourse in a defeated tone !!!
Yet there wasn't an inch of change in his magestic attitude _ he accepted his fault and declared that he needs to punished for it in such a gracefull manner that she looked at him in awe .
The royality with which he carried himself even when defeated again reminded her of a wounded lion !!!
Not that all animals in the forest are weaker than the Lion ,
Nor the Lion isn't the most powerful of the carnivores in the wild ,
Yet ,it's being named as the King of the Jungle _ just because of its grace and attitude it carries along .
She felt he too had inherited that same quality .
She couldn't help falling in for this grace of him _ he still possessed his attitude _ but that looked damn attractive now !!!
He was still arrogant _ an arrogance that didn't spare his ownself : in a strange manner she was attracted to this quality of his too !!!
She couldn't speak against him after that !!!
With a sigh ,she lay down in her bed .
Once she did so , he slumped down to the bare ground .. and closed his eyes .
She didn't know whether he slept or not . But she didn't get an ounce of sleep .
She could bear to see him like this , sleeping on the ground .
But there's wasn't any movement from him after that .
She lay looking at him itself thinking about how much painful it would be to sleep without a pillow nor mattress .
Mullai : MV : Ipadi kattan tharaila padutha , kaluthu vallikaatha . Kai kaalelaam jillitu pogaatha . Iwanga yen ipadi pottu thanaiya varuthikranga .
Thappu _ mannipunu ,ithelaam ipo yethuku ?
Sonnalum kekka maatengranga .
Ithu enna vithamana murattu pidivaatham ?
Ellathulaiyumaae iwanga solratha than kekkanuma ?
Yaarachum thanathaanae ipadi kasta paduthikuvaangala !!!
Rendu vaarthai koovama pesiten _ odanae ipadiya pannuvaanga ?
Oru vaarthai sathama pesama , kaatuthanama kathama ....ponnunga maathri aluthu pulambaama , oru manushaanala tholviya vellipadutha mudiyuma ?
Kambeeram kullaiyaama .....thappa othukra intha gunam than unmaiyana aanamai !
Chillrathanam illa ...!
She realised he was a true man !
Not just one with money and sheer attitude .
There was a genuinity in him _ though he possessed pride .
She had to accept it !
She stared him for long .
And didn't know when she dozzed to sleep .
Inbetwn once she shivered heavily in the chillness of AC and cropped herself in halfsleep when she felt a warm fabric being wrapped over her .
Unable to open her eyes or think more sleep had engulfed her .
And now she had woken up _ this late !!
The quilt !
The silky softness of it _ it must have been him who must have tucked it in for her !
Her heart melted but mind alerted !!
Time struck past 10:00 now ,
Hurriedly she got ready and changed into a simple saree from her small luggage and came down .
The dining was being shifted to another end of the ground floor .
With Naramada am Saraswathi engrossed in some discussion with their brother Sadha , it was Uma who was in the kitchen along with the assistance of Meena .
On seeing her enter , Meena rushed to her and hugged her with pure happiness ..
She enquired about Murugan and Parvathi in sign language to Mullai .
Parvathi was still at hospital and she was to come inbetwn and go back .
On seeing her ,Uma smiled warmly ,
Uma : Vaa Kannu ,nalla rest yeduthiya ? Yen ivlo vellanai yenthricha ....neram kallichu vanthu yelupalaamnu erunthen.
Mullai : acho chithi, mani pathu . Ivlo neramlaam naan thoonginatae illa . Innaiku than ....she said in an apologising tone .
Meena too nodded her head .
Uma : Ada ....vidu , summa oru naalu asathila thoonginathukelaam school pulla maathri kaaranam sollitu .
Kaapiya ...tea ya illa ,paal ah ?
Mullai : Coffee chithi ! Mullai had never felt uncomfortable with Uma .
She sipped in the coffee she gave and slowly enquired about him .
Mullai : Pasangalaam yelunthacha chithi ?
Uma : Yaaru athungala ? Athungalaam thani thani veetla la erunthalae ,yenthirkrathu kastam .Ipo yellaam onu koodiduchunga .....Yenga yenthirkrathu ?
Nethi Raathri vantha odanae ,yellam room ku adichukichunha ..antha sandaiyae oru manineram poochu .
Apuram samaathanam aagi , thirumba yellam oraae room la koothadixhutu kaalaila than kanna mooduchunga !
Inimel than yella vanarangalum onu ona vanthu Namma usura yedukum !
Mullai : Oh ! She said in a small voice , reminded of his words about his cousins and his care for her siblings .
Maybe that is why he was so particular and arranged a separate room for her siblings ?
Something turned inside her _ at the same time ,her eyes drifted to the cooked breakfast .
A simple menu for the elders and a non veg dish alone .
For him ? Wasn't it his soup time ?
Even without her knowledge she got reminded of his stomach and turned around to ask Meena in sign language .
The answer she received was not convincing .
Not allowing her to think more ,Uma barged in again with all praise for her sister and brother .
Uma : Aana Kannu ,undra thambi thanga katti than poo .
Intha chinna kutti Mithra _ athuvum than evlo samarthu ?
Kaalangkaarthalaiyaae rendum vanthu , kaapiya kudichutu , ungalku help venuma chithinu kekuthunga ?
Athai Kum kondu poi kaala saapada koduthutu than athunga room kaae pochunga .
Nalla puruppa valarthu erukanga , Parvathi akka !
Mullai : Haan ...enna chithi ? Ama....apadi than ,chinna vaayasulla erunthaae ...she blabbered something with all her thoughts still lingering in what Meena had conveyed .
Slowly she asked ,
Mullai : Awanga kelambitaangala chithi ?
Uma : Ama ma , kaalailayae puthu site ki poitu ,scans ku porenu sollitu than ponnaan .
Mullai : Rendu naala awangalku nalla alaichal ....she stopped in the curious look of Uma .
Naan pothuva sonnen chithi !
Uma : mv : Nee pothuva sonna ,yendi ma ennaiya inum chithinu koopidra !!
Ada athu enaku theriyaatha Kannu !
Summa oruthavangala pathi akkaraiya kekka koodaathunu sattam kittam eruka enna !
Athelaam naanga onum nenaika maatoom .
Unga amma ppa , athai ,mama , apuram chinnathunga thavira yellarukum therincha vishyam thana ?
Viddu .,.
Mullai : Athilla chithi .....ithu ..ithu ,ipo ....vanthu mani 11:30 aaga poguthu .
Innerathuku Ramesh anna varuvaarae _ soup illati yethachum light ah korika ,kudikanu koduthu anupuven .
Athan keten .....Anna inum varalaya Meena ?
She finally asked unable to control her tongue .
Meena s face immediately fell .
Uma looked thoughtfull and as she was about to ask Meena , Sadha s voice was heard calling Uma .
Uma rushed to attend her husband whilst Meena conveyed her agony through sign language .
Mullai was again confused _ Why ?
Her sign meant one thing alone _ he doesn't eat properly .
Why ?
Unable to hold on her inquisitiveness she cleared the place with the excuse of visiting her siblings ' room and came up .
But because entering their room ,she called up Ramesh and asked directly .
Mullai : Anna , naan Mulla pesuren . Meena solrathu unmaiya ?
Ramesh : Mullaima ....his voice too broke once he heard Mullai come directly to the point .
Naan ennanu solluven ma . Ivlo naalu appa ku odambu mudiyaama ninge aaspathrilayae kedanthingalaaenu than sollama erunthen !
Irunthalum namma Aiyya romba mosam ma ,
Mullai : Hmm...
Ramesh : Enakae manasu kekkala .
Onum saapudrathu kedaiyaathu .Kaalila oru tumbler kanchi ma .
Naduvulla oru kaapi .Apuram ....vera yethuvum illa .
Moor sooru ,rasam sooru ....illati thirumba kanchi ...ipdi than saapuduvaaru .
Sonna kekurathu illa _ aluchaatiyam panraaru .
Naanum poi poi kepen .... yethuvum vendaamnu solluvaaru ,
Veetla senchu kondu poi kodutha .... ennaiya saapda solliduvaaru !
Yen yethukunu onum purila .....
Mullai sat with a thud on the bed !
His words echoed of previous night echoed in again !
Mullai : mv : Kadavullaae ...ithuvum thanai thaanae varuthikrathuthana ?
Tharaila thoongina maathri , saapdalaiyum panraangala ? Ithu enna muratu pidivaatham ? Evlo naala ?
Ramesh : Haan ninge ooruku poona konja naalaiku nalla than erunthaaru .
Apuram than ....konja konjama koranchu ,ipo suthama nallathu saapdrathae ninnu pochu !
Nalla vella ma , ninge oorula erunthu seekirama vanthutinga !
He spoke with confidence that his master would be back to normal since his lady has arrived .
He didn't know _its going to get tougher !
Mullai didn't want to dissappoint him . Instead she spoke few assertive words and cut the call .
She thought for long and was in a dilemma as to whether call him itself and ask about it .
But she didn't have answers for the questions he would ask _
Somewhere she felt it will end up like last night only .
Not knowing what to do she entered her siblings room only to get astonished at the luxury of it and the expensive gadgets he had bought for the kids ' studies .
Both Mithra and Hari who were really studying came running to her with excitement and staged a mini exhibition about the things their Mama had bought for them .
Hari : Akka inga paaru , computer ,mama enakaaga than itha set pannaru .
Apuram itha paaru ....naan night laam doubt kepen , Maths laam nalla workout pannuvenu itha vaangi koduthaaru !
Mithra : Intha library paaruka .... full ah English books ,Mama oda collection _ ellamae enakunu koduthutaaru theriyuma .
Hari : Puthu phone ka ! But padika ,pesa mattum than use panna mudiyum . Mathathelaam locked !
Amma kitta permission vaangitu than ,Mama koduthaaru .
Mitha : Akka ...inga vaayen ,intha room eh soopera erukula ?
Oru pakkam Pink ! Antha pakkam Yellow ! Enakum Harikum pidicha colour la wall paintings paaren .
Wardrobe full ah dresses kaa ....paaren ,Mama super la ka ?
Hari : Ithulla enna doubt ,Mama nejama super la ka . Cinema hero maathri erukaaru ....pesuraaru ,nadanthukraaru !
Mama
Mama
Mama ...
Mama !
They spoke nothing but only about their mama .
Mullai shut her ears and rushed back to her room .
Aandava ...iwanga yen ipadi vathaikranga ?
Mama ..mama nu intha chinna pullainga paithiyam pudichu alaiyuthunga _
Iwar nenajamae iwangaluku mama illainu therincha _ enna aagum ?
Odanchu pogaathunga ?
Iwanhala yaar ithelaam ketathu ?
Oru varshama kedanthenaae ithae veetla ....iwangaluku pondati ya , apo enga ponaaraam intha Mama ?
Cha ...
Ithulla ,saapdama thanna thaanae pattini pottu enna saathika poraraam ?
Ithelaam yen ?
She bursted out into an angry cry and called him off straight away ,
He picked her call in the first ring itself ,
Mullai : Yenga ....Yenge ipdilaam panringa ?
Naanga ungala ketooma ? Aama enga kitta kaasu illa than_ en appavuku uthavi panathu ninge than!
Athuku .....naan enna sevagam panniyaachum antha kadana theerkren , aana yen ipadi intha chinna pullainga mayaki vachrukinga ?
Naalaiku ithelaam nirantharam illainu theriya varum bothu athunga manasu kasta padaathu ?
Yen athelaam vaangi koduthinga ?
Inum ....inum ....room la enaaka yen avlo vaangi vachrukinga ?
Naan ketena ?
Ungala than kekren !Kettutu erukingala illaiya ,
She wanted to ask him something but opened up yelling at him uncontrolable.
He seemed to composed ,
And asked ,
Kathir : Kettutu than eruken sollu !
Mullai : Ennatha solla ! Athunga roomkulla ponna thalla suthuthu .
Ithelaam enga vasathiku rombavae jaasthi .
Vendaam ....
Kathir :.....
..
Mullai : Haan ... apuram ,inonu mukkiyama kekanum ;
Kathir : Sollu ,
Mullai : Yethukunga unga vathaya kaaya podringa ?
Sariya saapidaama ....nallatha saapdama ,verum ventha soorum - kanjiyum yen kudikringa ?
Kathir : Uyir vaala athu mattm pothumnu nenachu thana neeyum oru varshama atha mattum saapita ?
Mullai : ......! Hell shocked she cried silently , then not showing it to him said in a stern voice ,
Naanum ningalum onna ?
Naan saatharana veetu yella ponnu _ ungalala pondatiya nenachu kooda paaka mudiyaathu oru ponnu ,
Summaarana ponnu ! Naan apadi than valarnthen .
Ninhe apadiya ?.
Raja veetu ilawarasan aachae ! Ungalku enna sir thalaiyeluthu ?
Ithelaam panni ninge yaara samathanam panna poringa ?
Illa ithelaam pannina ,unga thappu sariyaagumnu yaar sonnathu ?
Ithelaam pannina yelaam palaya maathri maariduma ?
Sollunga .,...ungala than kekren !
She bursted out and screeched on the top of her voice losing all the patience she possessed ..
She was too emotionally shaken !
So was he !
But he didn't yell back at her nor spoke nonstop like her ,
Instead his pain came out in a mere sentence which gripped her heart and ripped her soul !
Kathir : Yendi ,Setha paamba adikra ?
THANDANAIYUM ...VENTHANAIYUM !