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It's early in the morning and the shaft of sunlight peeked through the puffy clouds, showering the people of the Earth with brightness.
Inside the fort, Shalini was sleeping in starfish position while Samar woke up from his soldier position, realising that it's time.
He stretched his body and hearing Shalini's snores made him think "over ah koratta vidrale...kaalaila koovura kozhi oda sound ah minjuruva polarku"
"Hey Shalini, elunthuru...aaru mani airuchu" he said.
"Hmmm" she crumpled the neatly arranged bedsheet during her sleep.
"Office porathuku munnadi nee park ku poga venama? Get up Shalini"
"You shut up" she closed her ears.
"Unna...."
He splashed some water on her face using the bottle cap.
"Hey!" she instantly woke up.
"Iniya kaalai vanakkam" he wished her with a salute.
"Ithuku onnum korachal illa, whatsapp message mari solra" she said while rubbing her eyes.
"Mothalla itha vechu un mogatha thodachiko" he passed his handkerchief and she wiped her face with it.
Resting her chin on her palm, she took at least 2 mins to relax as a sign of waking up from deep sleep.
"Enaku unna mari gym la workout pannanum nu iruku"
"Enna dhideernu? Nee than park la jogging poviye"
"1:30AM ku thoongiyum nee ivalo seekrama mulichathuku reason gym thana? Athan solren"
"Athu mattum illa. Enaku pidikatha alarm tone ah 6:15 ku vechen, atha ketura kudathu ndra bayathula 6:00 ke mulichuten" he said while cracking his knuckles.
"How alert!" she patted his shoulder.
"Naa odane poganum, enaku workout time 6:30" he said.
"Hmm, anyways happy birthday" she wished him with an embrace.
"Thank you Shalini jiiii" he stretched the word just like she does.
After some time they freshened up and he dropped her to the park on his way home by car.
Stepping inside his house, he saw Sahana passing a surprised look at him.
"Ai, happy birthday da!" she hugged him sideways.
"Thanks, but ithuvaraikum 1000 vaati wish pannita. Salichu pochu di" he complained funnily.
"Athellam advance wishes da thambi. Nee enga poiruntha? Kaalaila elunthu paatha kanum?" she asked.
"Nethu night nee seekrama thoongita...antha nerathula Shalini call panna, so anga ponen"
"Oh, enna surprise panna ava?" her excitement was reflected in her eyes.
"First she seemed anxious, then I realised that she fooled me in order to surprise me with her fort. School days pathi pesina aprum I slept with her the whole night inside that fort" he silently told her with a simper.
"Ooh la laa! Protection use panningala?" she was on some other assumption, but he silenced her.
"Ada chi! Antha alavukku ellam pogala di, we were in our limits. Appadiye panratha irunthalum motta maadi laya pannuvanga?" he scolded her in a hushed tone.
"'I slept with her' ku athan pa artham...unna kalaaika oru chance kudutha paru, nandri" she folded her hands.
"Unakunu oruthan sikkamala poiduvan? Appo iruku di unaku" he said in a vengeful tone.
"Po da, poi seekram exercise pannu. Illati treadmill la unna vizha vechuruven" she threatened.
"Illati mattum nee atha seiyamala iruka? Athuve oru exercise ah enaku amanju pochu"
He then worked out at his home gym. Ever since he had the dream of becoming an actor, he was health conscious; fitness is his middle name and he would never skip exercising even for a day.
After getting drenched in a cool shower, he was spruced up in a yellow shirt and dark blue jeans gifted by Sahana. He rolled up his sleeves and ruffled his hair to look more stylish.
"Happy birthday da" Madhavi fed him a spoon of paal payasam (milk kheer) which melted in his mouth.
"Hmmmm....chithappa ku extra bowl vechutinga la?" he asked in anticipation.
"Avaruku sweet mela avalo aasai illa da *chuckles*. Bayapadatha, ithu unaku than"
"Athuku illa chithi, summa therinjuka than keten"
Samar's POV:
Ahh! Chithi's yummy paal payasam after six months was a refreshing start of the day. Not only in cooking, chithi amuses me in so many ways, for instance she became financially independent with the grocery business she currently owns.
Chithappa wished me and asked that I should return his wish with any tasty meal tomorrow, as we youngsters will spend time in Say Pizza hotel this evening.
Lakshu would never let me go without streaking the sacred ash and vermillion on my forehead. This time, she tied a thread of protection in my hand. Whether or not I believe in these traditions, I definitely believe in Lakshu for my welfare.
My friends, I mean the ad agency gifted me a bouquet. I dropped the news of rejoining the silver screen soon, making their emotions mixed as expected.
People who never knew me as an actor before, started to recognise my potential after watching my TV commercials. In my Instagram and Twitter profile, I received many messages regarding Iyarkai Seetram and En Raanuva Raaniye (my big films). I didn't care for some negative reviews, as my satisfation totally relied upon the acknowledgement my films earned.
Having attained this much of attention from public is due to my advertisement teams. I wholeheartedly wanted to show my gratitude by still continuing to do ad commercials, but not on a daily basis as I'll be busy in big screen.
I attended a budget meeting and looked back at the bloopers for my SUV car commercial. Enna than naa nalla nadikaren nu nariya peru sonnalum, bloopers ah oru alavu illama pannuven.
After some hours the sun disappeared from the sky, giving in the shade of twilight and positive vibes.
We all stepped out of home and visited Ayyapan Temple. The delicious tamarind rice we receive as a prasatham is one of the main reasons why this place is my favourite.
Then I reached Say Pizza hotel with Sahana, thereby spotting Shalini with Lekha in a table. Seems like they just now came here.
Lekha wished me as we perched on the adjacent seats. Wah, a private dining is something special.
"Madhu varalaya Shalini?" Sahana asked.
"Illa Sahana, avaluku busy schedule iruku" she replied.
"Paravala, innoru naal vara sollikalam" I convinced.
"Hmm. Lekha nee eppadi iruka? I'm Sahana"
"I'm fine Sahana, nice meeting you both"
"Aprum, internship eppadi poguthu Lekha?" I asked.
"All fine bro. Intha week la internship mudinjurum...I've learnt a lot of makeup and hairstyling techniques" she smiled.
"Super. Unaku oru extra pizza and dessert kedaikum, as I owe you big time for helping me" as promised, I owed her.
"Ayyo athellam thevai illa bro, that's my duty." as Lekha stated, Shalini held her hand; it was cute to see the sisters bonding with each other.
"You deserve it Lekha, nee kandipa sapdanum" Sahana gave those puppy eyes to melt her into saying yes, and that happened.
Following the next 20 mins, our orders arrived: Paneer makhani pizza, veg fortune pizza and a farmhouse pizza combined with 3 Sprite soft drinks.
"Bro, Shalini pathi oru vishayam neenga kandipa therinjukanum. Her old name."
Shalini immediately choked when having water, signalling Lekha to shut up.
I entwined my leg with Shalini's under the table; this was easy because we were sitting opposite to each other *hehe*.
She pleaded me to free her leg. Naa easy ah vida maten nu therinjum kenjura paru, antha innocence iruke...
"Nee ivaluku bayapadama sollu...naan than irukene" I assured Lekha.
"Ava porantha appo 'Thangapazham' nu oru peyara summa vechanga, but finalise pannala. Since this name was so old, it was changed to 'Shalini'" Lekha smirked and sipped some sprite.
The pizza was about to pop up from our mouths, but I and Sahana controlled the cackle to digest the pizza as its taste shouldn't go waste.
"For your information, enga amma oda amma oda ammammammamma ku vecha peyaru than 'Thangapazham'" Shalini told, funnily grimacing at Lekha.
"Iva mattum pona jenmathula poranthu iruntha intha peyara solli than kuptrupanga" I laughed with them, and Shalini snatched her leg from my custody.
"Sam ku ethachu pazhaya peyaru irunthu irukalam la Shalini? Ivana kalaaika mudiyala nu varutha padra" Sahana added fuel to the fire.
"Ivana appadi than kalaaikanum nu illaye...maruvesha matter ah izhuthu vitta pothum" Shalini replied and winked at me. Nenichen da!
"Enna maruvesham bro?" Lekha asked.
"Naa solren. Burkha/scarf and sunglasses. Ithil ethu sirappu?" Sahana gave an option, over ah therila!
"Burkha va thooki veesunga bro...ungaloda second disguise than paravala" Lekha replied with a chuckle.
"Enniku un akka kalaaika start pannalo, atha annike oru app la vithuten" I informed her, it's the truth guys.
"Antha naatkal than nyabagam varuthu. Lekha, ivan maruvesham topic than namma friendship oda one of the foundation..." Shalini said, sticking her tongue at me.
"Too late, but ippo un pazhaya peyara antha list la serthukiten. Ithu namma love oda foundation, dear Thangapazham" I sipped some sprite and winked at her.
I was on the train of thought whether I should address her old name to pull her leg.
Nah! Calling her as Shalini is my strong suit *mwah*.
Lastly, we ordered some desserts and snacks like chocolate mousse and French Fries.
"Lekha, nethiku amma ethana manikku Coimbatore la irunthu vanthanga?" Shalini asked her.
"NHAI toll gate la athiga traffic nala late ah than vanthanga..."
Sahana and I let out a snorty laugh as we remembered something associated with NHAI.
"Unaku 'National Highways Authority of India' nyabagam iruka Sam?"
"Hahaha...munnadi athoda short form ah thappa pronounce pannuvome. NHAI to naai (dog)"
A hum of hearty laugh spread among us as we chitchatted a little and devoured the food with love and peace.
Best birthday indeed, half of which was due to my Thunichalkari.
~POV ends~
A couple of days later,
Samar, after taking a shower was dusting his guitar he bought for a romantic song from his movie En Raanuva Raniye.
"Antha song movie la illa nalum, evalo memories ithula iruku nu enaku mattum than theriyum..." he remembered the good old days with his movie team.
His ears noticed some panicking door knocks.
Opening the door, he found Rajan in anxiety.
"Ennachu chithaps uh?"
"Itha paru da" he showed the newspaper headline on the cinema section:
FORMER ACTOR SAMAR ENGAGED IN AN AFFAIR? PICTURES SPEAK A THOUSAND WORDS
He took a step back and kept his hand over his mouth, sitting down in complete speechlessness as it showed pictures of them in the public without any disguise.
"Shalini phone pannala da?" Rajan was worried.
"Therila chithappa...silent mode la vechuten nala kekala" he picked his phone from the nightstand only to notice 33 missed calls from his colleagues/friends.
"Ippo ippadi airuche da...Shalini itha paathu irupala?"
"Pakala nalum ava office la itha pathi than kepanga chithappa. Ennala than ellame" he did a head palm.
Meanwhile,
Krishnan grew furious over ShaMar's affair news in the newspaper.
"Ithuku than oru actor oda pazhakam vechuka kudathu nu, avala aniku inga kootitu vanthen. Paru, phone mela phone varuthu..."
The atmosphere was gloomy as her family dropped their heads down.
"Inime naa porumaiya iruka maten. Antha Samar ah naa kandipa kelvi kepen, he is answerable for all this!" he lowered his eyebrows.
"Venam Krishnan, namma ponnu ithula involve airuka. Porumaiya than deal pannanum" Purnima tried to calm his nerves.
"Can't you see she's been exposed to public? Antha vethanai enaku athigama iruku..." he had some BP tablets in the process.
"Athukaga Samar thappanavan illanga" her statement made everyone surprised.
"Unaku eppadi theriyum?"
"Theriyum. Avan Shalini mela appadi oru paasam vechurkan. Nethu avan chithi ah meet pannen" she let out a sigh.
TBC
Will Shalini unite with her family? How will Samar handle this situation? Keep reading to find out!