"Mithra stop, please don't run, listen to me stop" cried Sivaangi running behind her three year old toddler, trying to stop her from running into moving traffic, while trying to hold on to her other child.
"Mithra, please ma nillu, vandi varudhu odadha" she continued shouting helplessly.
"Nethra, please stay here, don't move let me go get her" said Sivaangi to her other daughter, left her alone there and ran behind Mithra who was about to step down from the foot path into the moving traffic.
Just when she thought she was too late, few good Samaritans who were waiting at the end of the foot path for the walking signal to turn green so that they can cross, stopped Mithra, carried her and brought her to her mother who was almost in tears now.
She thanked them wholeheartedly and brought her to Nethra who was obediently standing in the same place where her mother had left her.
"I can't believe I gave birth to both of you at the same time, why can't you be like your twin Mitthu? Why did you have to run into the moving traffic like that" asked Sivaangi trying to suppress her frustration.
"I think I saw Appa on the other side of the road, that is why I ran towards him without realizing the moving traffic, sorry ma" replied Mithra hugging her mom trying to console
"Oh god! not this again, how many times should I have to tell you girls, you both have only Amma. Please stop seeing your father in every single grown up. " said Sivaangi
Both the girls face immediately changed sad.
"Purinjuko ma, big girls thaane rendu perum, he is in India and he doesn't even know you both exist so please stop running behind random strangers calling them Appa" she added trying to convince them
"Idhellaam unga paati eh sollanum, movie pathoma, vaaya moodikittu ponomaanu illama, theva illadha introduction kuduthukittu" sighed Sivaangi in frustration
"She didn't introduce Appa to us via his movies or albums, the other day Mithra asked Paati why you are having some random actor's picture as your wall paper and for that Paati replied saying that he is our father" said Nethra, the matured one coming to her grand mother's rescue.
"Seri de, en mistake thaan ellaame podhuma, ippo solren, he is not your father, you don't have a father and this is the last time I should be hearing anything regarding your father" screeched Sivaangi in frustration when she was stopped by a voice.
"Sivaangi ma" came his voice from behind freezing her inner core but before she could react, Mithra who was facing him forcefully removed herself from Sivaangi's grip, ran and hugged the stranger's legs with her squeaky squeal "Ayi Ashwineyyy"
Nethra, the matured twin too squealed in the same amount of happiness looking at the stranger.
Ashwin completely bent himself to the height of the 3 year old and looked at her face and then looked at the face of the other who was equally excited but shy hence was peeping from behind her mother's leg.
They both were perfect photo copy of each other but that was not what astonished him, without the pig tails they will exactly look like the picture of the three year old Ashwin that is hanging in his ancestral home.
That few moments was enough for Sivaangi to compose herself. She immediately dragged Mithra from his hand hold forcibly, took the hand of Nethra in her other and started walking towards her block.
"Sivaangi nillu please" pleaded Ashwin running behind her
"Ashwin idhu India illa, Singapore, naan oru kaththu kathinena, neighborhood police varum, apporam mariyaadhai poidum, please leave us alone" hissed Sivaangi between her teeth.
"Please please, just one minute, I know I don't deserve that, but please I am begging you, oru one minute kudu" he continued pleading her easily matching her pace ignoring her warning.
But the girls unable to match their mother's pace, also not able to comprehend the tension between her mother and the stranger started crying badly.
Sivaangi immediately got down on her knees to console her daughters not taking any steps to stop the tears flowing down her eyes. Ashwin lifted both of them at ease and like a magical switch flipped both of them stopped crying.
"Naan andha pathway bench la wait panren, compose your self and come please, just few minutes that is all I ask of you please" he said and started walking towards the bench
The housing development apartment Sivaangi stays has multiple blocks and pathway connecting to each other. All the pathways are adorned with trees and small sitting areas below, so that people can relax themselves in fresh air.
Ashwin sat down in one of the sitting area, both Nethra and Mithra sat on either side of him, Mithra boldly looking at him face to face trying to memorize every single aspect of him, meanwhile Nethra was looking at her toes silently
"Unga peru enna?" asked Ashwin trying to initiate conversation.
"I will tell Ashwineyy, I am Mithra and she is Nethra, we are identical twins still I am the younger one and she is the elder one by a minute" replied Mithra non stop like a real kutty pattas reminding him of some one he very well knew. His eyes automatically lifted up and saw that small frame sitting few meters away in another bench.
"Neenga pesa maatengala?" he asked looking at Nethra.
"I want to go to Sivaangi ma, she is alone and sad, can I please?" asked Nethra with hesitation and fear in her eyes
"Poma, poi unga ammavayum inga kootitu variya?" he asked back
Nethra immediately jumped down from her seat and replied "I will try Ashwineyy, no promises" and ran towards her mother.
Ashwin could see her talking with her mother silently meanwhile the cracker bomb who was sitting next to him continued chatting non stop
"Ashwineyy, do you like sweets? I love sweets especially pancakes, waffles, ice creams, gulob jamun, hmmmm.. "
"Pudikkum ma, aama neenga rendu perum tamizh pesa maatengala?" he asked back
"Theyyum Ashwineyy, little little, we can understand very well as paati, thaatha and amma converse with us in Tamil only, but in the day care and in N1 (Nursery 1) they speak only in english and we got used to it, Nethra will speak better compared to me, but I can't , amma semma thitte... thitra..." she struggled to find the word and started thinking for it with her index finger on her chin.
"thittuvaanga?" Ashwin helped her with a knowing smile
"Yeah, right " she replied pointing her finger at him.
By now Nethra brought her mother as promised and made her sit next to Ashwin and sat on her lap.
"Neeyum, mithravum play area la poi vilayadunga, in this play area only, don't go anywhere else away from my eyesight and also Mithra no hanging upside from the rails of the slide" said Sivaangi sending them both out of ear shot
"Sollunga Ashwin, enna pesanum" asked Sivaangi much composed and calm now
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked pointing his eyes towards both of them who were happily playing in the play area now.
"Why should I tell you?" Sivaangi asked back curtly.
"They are mine, don't I deserve to know? How could you rob me of three years of their life " he asked back his voice slightly raising with disappointment making Sivaangi's blood boil.
"Enna sonnenga? 'They are mine ah?' who told you?" she asked back sarcastically in anger.
"Please Sivaangi, if your mission is to hurt me, then yeah I deserve every bit of your anger, but please in doing so don't demean yourself, look into my eyes and tell me they are not mine?" asked Ashwin looking straight into her face
Sivaangi turned her face and looked at her kids not responding to him.
"How is Mika?" asked Sivaangi wanting to hurt him but ending up hurting herself in the process.
"How do I know? isn't she your twin sister? after you left... " he paused when she starred at him with a murderous look.
"After we got separated, she tried coming back into my life, but I couldn't accept her, so she left, last I heard through grapevine few months back is that she is working in Milan" replied Ashwin
"hmm.. she is the cleverer one of us, a strategic chess player, intelligent, result oriented, not an emotional fool like me, happy to know at least she is living the life she had dreamt off" sighed Sivaangi
Ashwin stayed silent without replying anything
"Okay ippo enna venum Ashwin ungalukku?" asked Sivaangi looking into his eyes
"I want to be part of my daughters' lives" replied Ashwin in a strong non- negotiable tone
"Not possible, we are not married, so I am not in anyway obligated to even give you visitation rights" replied Sivaangi in the same tone
"Our life is finally sailing smooth after a huge storm, please don't do anything to spoil that Ashwin I beg of you" pleaded Sivaangi
"I am sorry Sivaangi, if I had not known at all, then it would have been a different, but knowing that I have two daughters, how do you think I will let it slide? I don't want to take this legally but if that is your wish, then know that I will not hesitate" replied Ashwin curtly with no compassion or sympathy. He knows if he shows any sign of weakness he will fail in his argument, so he made his heart a stone and talked straight with her.
Sivaangi's eyes filled with tears, her mouth trembled in dismay, being a foreigner in a foreign country, in a music teacher and RJ's salary she knew she can not fight one of the biggest star of Tamil cinema industry.
Unable to see her suffering Ashwin's hand automatically raised to console her, but she got up immediately
"I need some time to think Ashwin" she said
"I have a month long shoot in Singapore, I am staying at the MBS (Marina bay sands), you can call me anytime to set up a meet. Endha block la nee stay pannitu irukka?" asked Ashwin
Meanwhile both the kids came running towards her
"Block 311 D, Ashwineyy, 12 th floor, adho andha chedi theriyudhu paaru balcony la, adhudhaan enga veedu" replied Mithra before Sivaangi could say anything.
"Thanks da chella kutty" replied Ashwin lifting her and planting a kiss on her cheek, he saw Nethra looking at him with expectation filled eyes. He immediately lifted her too and kissed her.
Sivaangi's eyes started filling again seeing that sight. The sight she had been yearning to see, the sight she thought she would never get to see is now happening but she was not able to enjoy it whole heartedly.
Ashwin dropped both of them down, took out his mobile and asked her
"Number sollu"
"Mudiayaadhu, edhukku?" she asked back.
Ashwin took the mobile from her hand, showed it in front of her shocked face and unlocked it at ease. He then dialed his number, gave himself a missed call and also saved his number in her mobile as 'Ashwineyy'.
"Onnum illa meeting details anuparthuku thats all" he said giving her back the mobile
She looked at him in shock seeing the way his number was saved
"Ara adikku irundhutu nee dhaan vaaikku vaai Ashwineyy-nu koopta paatha, ippo en ponnugalum appadi dhaan koopdudhunga so adhaan appadiye save panniten" he explained with a smirk
He carried both of them to the convenience store (like 7/11) that was there part of the housing block and got both of them bunch of chocolates and ice creams getting "Yaaysss" from both of them.
"Ayo ivalo sugar saapta, they won't sleep" intervened Sivaangi
"Night rendu manikku blue berry pie senju thara solli saaptadhellaam marandhuduchu pola" he replied in a teasing tone.
But understanding her concern he turned towards the kids and requested them to eat only one per day and they both agreed happily.
After that Ashwin left them both with a promise that he will visit them regularly getting a death stare from their mother.
Sivaangi came home with both kids to be welcomed by her confused parents.
Sivaangi had initially left the house to take the kids to their singing class, so as per schedule they should be back only an hour later, but seeing them back so soon confused her parents.
"Paati, thaatha, do you know who we met today?" screamed Mithra while Nethra too sat next to her grandfather with excited face
"Yaara da kanna?" asked her grandfather
"Ashiwineyyyyy" she replied in a sing a song voice exactly like that of her mother's shocking both the parents
They both looked at Sivaangi, but she went into her room silently and closed the door.
The moment she was alone she jumped onto the bed and started crying her heart out.
All she could hear now was his last words four years back
"I can never live with you or love you Sivaangi, please get out of my house and my life" screamed Ashwin slamming the door on her face.
Her mind automatically started rewinding to instances that happened years earlier when they first met.
Authors' note:
This is the prologue for a new story I have in mind. Please note that I won't be continuing this until Label-less bond is done.
Then why did I write this now?
To get all your opinions. I want to know whether you guys like the story plot and will be interested to explore more?
This is a very complicated story line that I have in my mind, so I want to really know if you guys will be interested in reading this kind of plots so that I can spend enough time in spinning the story.
Unlike label-less bond which is overall a light hearted story, this will be a mixture of all human emotions.
If I get enough votes and comments supporting the story line I will continue else feel free to let me know, I will drop this
Love.
DV