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Purnima revealed about her encounter with Madhavi the previous day to her family.
Flashback-
Purnima visited Madhavi's new grocery store as it is getting some reach.
"Neenga Shalini oda amma la?" Madhavi recognised her.
"Aama, neenga?"
"Naa Samar oda chithi Madhavi"
"Oh...ungaloda konjam thaniya pesalama?" Purnima curiously asked.
"Kandipa" she then called Sahana to manage the store for a while.
They were on a deep conversation about Shalini's life choices.
"Neenga yen police officer job ah choose panninga? Intha city safe ah irukanum ndra akkarai la thana? Athe mari than Shalini ku music la akkarai iruku. Salary mattum yosika kudathu, athula aarvam irukanum, appo than antha velai seiyura oru artham irukum.
One good news. Shalini puthu music album create pannirka. Nanga oru song ketom, avalo inimaiya irunthuchu. Seriously, ava kaila pala vitthai vechurka.
Unga ponna romba nalla valathu irukinga, Sahana mari than ava enakum. But avala neenga support pannala nu varuthama iruku. She needs her family back, athu onnu than ava eangura"
Madhavi's remarks about Shalini hit Purnima with immense guilt for not understanding her own daughter.
"Engaluku onnum ava passion mela ethirpu illa. Oru vayasu ponna ava oru choice ah create pannitu aprum workplace la kashta patta engalala thaangika mudiyathu. Athu nala than en husband avala family business la serthu vidratha sonnaru, so that she would be safe and secure in our hands. Antha point of view la nanga fine arts oda scope ah purinjukama thappa pesitom" Purnima said with a sigh.
"Unga opinion thappu illa, aana avala neenga nambirkanum. Thairiyama irunthu ella kashtathayum chinna vayasulaye kadanthu oru willpower avaluku iruku. Kettathula oru nallathu nu paatha, ungaloda ethirpa veche ava sontha kaal la ninnuta" Madhavi relaxed Purnima's pain by stating the bright side.
"Avala avale prove pannita. Btw, Samar avala love panraru nu kelvi patten...enaku athu than..." she revealed the fact that had been troubling her.
"*chuckles* Samar avala thaangu thaangu nu thaanguran. For instance ava periods time appo oru sanitary napkin vangi kuduthu avaluku extra caring ah irunthan; ithellam Shalini solli than enake therinjuthu. Ava violin vaasicha rasikaran, avalukaga samayal pannuvan, sogama iruntha sirika veppan. Aagamotham ava career ah support panrathu avan than" Madhavi's pride on Samar's gestures was growing in leaps and bounds.
"Aachiriyama iruku, naa itha avarkita ethirpakave illa. Aana Samar oru actor, Shalini oda engeyachu velila pona..."
"Avanga safe ah than irupanga. Avan oru celebrity ah irukalam, innoru pakkam avanum sarasari manushan thana? I guarantee you, avan irukura varaikum Shalini pathi neenga kavalaiye pada vendam"
As Madhavi held her hand, Purnima expressed
"Shalini ku neenga kudutha care, avaluku oru family ah neenga irunthathu, ellathukume oru nandri sonna pathaathu. Avala nenichu varutha padatha naal eh illa, ippo neenga ithellam sollum bothu enaku nimmathiya iruku"
•End of flashback•
"Shalini happy ah irukrathu thana namakku mukkiyam? She is happy with him" Purnima said in between her little tears.
"Aama Pa. Naa Samar bro oda personal ah interact pannirken, he's awesome...and funny too" Lekha chuckled.
"Hmm. Avan solli thana laptop la irunthu antha CCTV footage eduthu anupina...enaku theriyum ma" Krishnan said in a low tone.
"Athu nala avaluku nariya chances kedaikum Pa, namma avaloda theramai ah appo purinjukave illa" Shiva said.
"Ippo ava oru independent album eh pannita. Now it's clear who is more successful among us" Rekha mused and walked inside her room.
"Pasangala valathu avangaluku nallathu kettathu solrathu than namma kadamaiye thavira, avanga life 'appadi than irukanum, ippadi than irukanum' nu mudivu panra rights nammala vittu poiruchu. Avanga oru vayasuku vanthuta edukura choices correct ah irukum, unless they know what they are capable of" Purnima concluded.
Krishnan removed his spectacles and slumped against the sofa, dumbfounded by the conversation. He peered into his family photo hung on the wall which was captured before the "family business" ruckus took place. Purnima looking at her phone home screen which had Shalini's childhood picture, landed her in extreme speechlessness.
6 years back, Shiva used to be loving and caring towards Shalini like how Vikram is. Now that she's not present here and his mother explained everything, a bout of guilt stroke him as he is missing her.
Despite Lekha casually communicates with Shalini nowadays, the fact that the latter didn't confront her misbehaviour and gradually accepting her made her even more guilty.
Rekha was totally stuck due to her rigidity in considering Shalini as her competitor. She didn't know how to react properly.
*•*•*•*•*
Sahana brought a distraught Shalini home as there were gossips of her on the way to her office.
Samar looked at her state and walked towards her. "Shalini, I'm so sorry...naa romba careless ah irunthuten"
"Don't blame yourself, ippo itha solve panra vazhiya papom" she grasped his hand strongly.
"Inga ivala kootitu varathukulla pothum nu airuchu...public ku arive illa, kelvi ketu ketu kodayuranga. Pavam iva" Sahana expressed her annoyance.
"Avanga keka than seivanga Saha. Ippo kavalai ennana Shalini oda family than..." he locked the door and sighed.
The next hour, an anxious silence filled the atmosphere. Shalini fiddling her top's long sleeve, Samar rubbing his palms, Sahana resting on Rajan's shoulder and Lakshmi folding the clothes.
Samar broke the silence and said "Naa oru mudivu pannirken Shalini. But unaku keka kashtama irukum..."
Sahana instantly woke up and sat erect, clearing her throat.
"Hmm...ennathu?"
"*sighs* Namma intha relationship ah mudichukalam."
She and the rest of the members gaped at his unexpected statement.
"Dei theliva oru mudivu sollu da, velayadatha" Lakshmi said after dropping a cloth down the floor.
"I'm serious Lakshu. Ennala than iva news la vanthurka. Media kita naa explanation kuduka ready ah iruken"
"Nanum media ku answer panna virumbaren Samar"
"Hey, avan etho muttal thanama pesaran. Neeyum avana support panriya?" Sahana hit her arm.
"Ithula enna thappu iruku? Career vida namma life la ethuvum perusu illa..."
"Ivalo naal rendu perum love and career ah balance panningale. Athukaga urava mudikanum nu enna avasiyam?" Rajan confronted.
"Enga career than mukkiyam uncle. Engala force pannathinga please" she requested having no other way.
"Force pannala, practical ah yosikka solren"
"Ithu ungaluku practical ah therilaya chithappa?"
"Un kita pesi saathika mudiyathu da. Shalini, neeyachu purinjupa nenichen ma" Rajan groaned in disappointment.
"Rajan, avane nonthu poirukan. Nee vera yen da thittura..." Lakshmi calmed him down.
"Konjam eduthu sollu Ma avanuku, un peran thana. Career oh love oh, namma peaceful ah vaazhurathu than mukkiyam" Rajan vented out his annoyance.
"DING DONG" the sound of the doorbell created tension for them.
"Amma kadai la irunthu vanthutangalo?" Sahana doubted.
"Iru naa pakaren..."
Samar stood up and looked through the peephole. He paved way for Shalini's parents and Shiva to enter inside.
Shalini's heart began palpitating rapidly because she assumed that they were going to blame Samar.
Shalini's parents and Rajan & Lakshmi greeted each other with mixed emotions.
"Mr.Rajan, ungala aniku mariyatha korava pesinathuku enna mannichurunga. En ponnu ellame thappana mudivu than eduthuruka nu nenichu avala seriya purinjukama poiten"
Shalini shedded a single tear from her eyes, unable to believe what's going on including Samar, who glanced at Krishnan.
"Athellam paravala sir. Neenga ivalo thooram purinjukitathu periya vishayam" Rajan said in contentment.
"Athu mattum illa. Naa nariya thappu panniten Shalini vishayathula, athuku parigarama..."
"Yen Pa izhukaringa?" Shiva whined and turned to Rajan.
"Uncle, Appa amma ku avanga relationship la entha objection um illa. Samar ah pathi nanga nariya therinjuka virumbarom."
Lakshmi and Rajan grin at each other and then look at ShaMar in an anticipation to reconsider their decision.
"Finally, amma appa pakkam green signal vanthuruchu. But enga relationship ippo sikkal la iruke...atha eppadi solrathu?" Shalini was stuck in a cataclysm of profound joy and deep hesitation.
TBC
What do you think will happen next? Keep guessing!
PS:- PART TWO RELEASING TOMORROW ✌️