London Heathrow airport:
Passenger’s lounge:
Senthil (Kathir’s best friend cum business partner) concentrated on his mobile when it rang displaying Kathir’s eldest sister-in-law Devi’s name
S – Hello
D – Dei Senthil..Kathir pakkathula irukana?
S – Illa anni..book store la irukan..en ennachu unga voice la oru padatama theriyudu edavadu prachanaya?
D – Prachana nu solla mudiyadu…aana ippodaiku naan solra vishayatha Kathir kitta sollada
S – Pchh..Anni ennanu modhala sollunga
D – Avalum India thirumbi vara da..
S – Avalum na yaaru..(his face held a confused reaction until he realised who Devi was talking about..He was shocked)
S - ..Anni..nejamava solreenga..3 varusham kazhichi..ippo…ennala nambavae mudiyala..
D – Kelvi pattapo enakkum apdi than da irundudu..aana confirm ah vara..
S – Anni idhu nalla vishayam dana..ivlo naal kazhichi vara na..maybe edavadu nalladu nadaka chance irukkumo..
D – Appadi irunda enakkum sandosham dan..aana naan kelvi patta varaikum edho vela vishayama dan varanu sonnanga..aana clear ah theriyala
S – Neenga solra maadiri irunda..Kathirum avalum meet pannikradu danger..pesama edavadu thagudu thatham panni ava vandu pora varaikum Kathira ingayae thanga vaika paakata..
D – Dei dei..appadi eduvum pannidada..podhum avanga vazhkaila mathavanga panna kozhapam..enna nadakudo nadakatum..avanga sandichikitta oru mudivo illa oru aarambamo kidaikum..avanga rendu perukumae adhu dan nalladu..
S – Hmmm..neenga solradum sari dan..
D – Naan phone pannadae..oruvela avanukku vishayam therinja..Chennai vara plan eh cancel panniduvaano nu dan..apdi edhuvum nadakama paathuko..
S – OK anni..kavala padadeenga..naan paathukuren..oorukku vandu pesuren
D – Sari..pathrama vaanga da..bye
Cutting the call..Senthil sighed
S – Enna nadaka pogudo..nalladu nadanda sari
Toronto, Canada:
Anu, Mullai’s PA entered the cabin to find her 25 year old beautiful boss in black formals typing away in her laptop..hair in a bun..with thin strands tickling her cheeks now and then..which she kept tucking behind her ear..
A – Mam..unga tickets vanduduchu..innaiku 9pm flight
Mullai – Hmmm..Appa kitta airport ku car anuppa solli inform panniyacha
A – Yes mam..already done..appuram idellam neenga kilambrakukku munnadi sign panna vendiya files mam
Anu said handing over the files to Mullai..which the later read for a while and picked her pen to sign them as MULLAI KATHIRVELAN
Mullai handed over the files back to Anu and got up to leave packing her laptop
M – OK appo naan kilamburen..edavadu na udanae enna contact pannu..(she paused)..ahnn appuram..solla maranduten..enakku Chennai la famous lawyer Mr. Umapathy ah paakanum..avarkitta appointment vangidu..
A(shocked) – Lawyer Umapathy ya..?!
M – Hmmm..en any problem?
Mullai questioned raising one of her eyebrows
A – Avaru..unga..unga..
M-Yeah yeah..en HUSBAND oda lawyer..avaraedan..appointment marandudada..OK its very important
Saying so Mullai picked her jacket..car keys and walked out of the cozy office and stepped into the snowy weather
Onboard London to India flight:
Kathir was constantly refusing the drinks offered by the smitten air hostesses while a tensed Senthil kept on drinking and eating whatever came his way..he downed two shots one after the other only to choke on them..
K – Dei..paathuda..adachika pogudu..enna aachu unakku..konja nerama vae nee sari illa..edho phone vanduchu..adhula irundae nee ipadi dan irukka..edavadu prachanaya
S – Prachanaya..enna prachana..adellam onnum illayae..i am OK..OK..double OK..
He blabbered..Kathir gave him a weird look..but understood that he is hiding something..knowing him Kathir knew that he wont open up that easily..he decided to let it go for the time being 100% sure that his friend will tell him eventually
S – Enna vidra..Chennai poi nee enna panna pora adha sollu?
K – Naan enna pannuvenu unakku theriyada..pudhusa kekkura..work dan..neraya meetings irukku..rendu contract vera sign pannanum..egapatta work irukku
S – Oh..appo vela dan la..vera edhuvum illa..hmmm
K – Hmmm..Dei party kana arrangements pannitiya..Seema kitta ava eppo India varanu confirm panniko..she should be here for the party
S(screamed shocked) – Edhu..Seema vum India varala?!
K – Dei enda kathura..idiot..
He looked around nodding his head at fellow passengers who were startled by Senthil’s shout and paused realising something
K – Aama..Seema vum varala na..enna artham..vera yaar vara?
Senthil was stuck..He almost blurted out the truth not able to withstand the Kathir’s piercing eyes..but stopped himself at the last minute
S – Yaar vara..ahnn..adhu..yaar vena varuvanga..India oru sudandira naadu..yaaru venalum varalam..varamalum irukalam..ippo varalam..naalaiku varalam..illa already vandu kuda irukalam..adhellam nee enda kekura..rhomba kekkada da naan olarida poren..
He blabbered..Now Kathir was very sure that he was hiding something big from him..but still he decided to wait till Senthil was sober to make him reveal the secret..he was blabbering too much now..and they were in a public place too..So he let it go..
K – Unakku rhomba over aagiduchu..pesama thoongu
Senthil obliged sensing that he cant hold back the truth from his friend for long
Kathir and Senthil got down from their flight in Chennai airport..Kathir dropped Senthil home and drove to Pandian Villa..
Senthil freshened up and settled on his bed lost in thoughts..after much delibration he opened his phone and clicked on the contact he had never called before, for the first time and waited for the call to connect with bated breath
Toronto Pearson International Airport:
Mullai was waiting to board her flight..she was browsing her phone to kill time..her wide eyes were going through an article titled..10 WAYS TO MAKE ARRANGED MARRIAGE WORK
M – Nonsense..muttal thanama irukku..ezhudunavana sollanum
She closed the browser with a snort..and started watching some music albums..when her phone rang displaying an unknown number..She never answered unknown numbers..so she ignored..but the continuous ringing of her mobile made her mad and she attended the call just to scold the person
M – HELLO
S – Hello..Mullai
M - Yaar neenga..phone edukalana vida maateengala..thirumba thirumba disturb pannikittu
S – Oh..Aiyo sorry ma..unkitta annan number illaya ma?!..paravala ippo save panni vechi ko..
He played with words only to extend the conversation as much as possible..because he knew she may cut the call on his face once she realises who he was
M – Hello..what nonsense..yaarukku yaar annan..yaar neenga..unga number enakku edukku..
S – Naan dan ma..Senthil..en voice kuda unakku nyabagam illaya..po ma..pchh
Mullai tried to remember who Senthil was and smirked when she got his identity
M – Oh..Mr.Senthilnathan
She said sarcastically..which Senthil ignored and continued
S – Appada ippo vaachu thangachiku annan nyabagam vandudae..
M(angrily) – Ungalukku yaar en number eh kuduthadu
S – Un number vaanguradu periya vishayama ma..un purushan kitta irundu kuda vangi irukalam..naanum avanum best friends..unakku theriyada enna
M – Adhu theriyum..aana en number innum avar kitta irukudan ndradu dan sandegam..(she sighed) anyway..3 varusham kazhichi adisayama en nyabagam vandu irukku..en nu therichikalama?!
S – Adhu..Anni sonnanga nee India vara nu..adhan eppo meet pannalamnu kekka dan phone pannen..naan Pandian Villa ku adikadi varuven la appo paakalama
Mullai laughed out loud without humour..Senthil was aware that he was hitting all the wrong nerves..but he had no choice..he needed to know what was in her mind..he should be prepared if things are going to get difficult
M – Epdi..Pandian villa la..naan..nagaichuvai..ivlo nadandauku appuramum naan anda veetla kaal eduthu vaipen nu ninaikureengala
She spit out..Senthil smiled ruefully..he knew she would answer like this..afterall she didn’t even want to see her husband’s face after all that happened 3 years ago
S – Ahnn..aama la..appo unga veetla vandu paakatuma..eppo free ya iruppa nu mattum sollu..annan parandu vanduren
He tried again
M(grit her teeth) – Argh..cut the crap Senthil..naan angayum pola..Chennai la irukura varaikum naan hotel la dan thanga poren..podhuma
Senthil was shocked to the core..Why she will not be staying with her family?..what anger she had on them?..he didn’t know..
S – Oh appdiya..annan naan irukum podhu nee en ma hotel la thanganum..en veetukku vanduden
M – Podhum niruthureengala..unga friendayae naan purushan illa nu solren..appuram neenga enna annan nonnan tu..theva illa ma pesa vekkadeenga..innimae enakku call pannadeenga..enakku boarding call vandichu..good bye
Without waiting for his reply she cut the call
S – Ahnn..okay ma..have a safe journey..Chennai la paakalam..vechitta
Mullai had lied about the boarding call..talking to him opened up many uncured wounds..and unwanted memories..she knew she has to face them now when she is going back to her roots..but she was not ready yet..she had few more hours until that and she wanted to be at peace till then atleast
TBC