They finally reached Coimbatore. Adi parked the car. Tara got down and looked up. It was a huge house. Adi stood beside her. He intertwined their hands.
"Let's do this Adi" she squeezed his hand.
He took her to the main door and pulled out a key
"Calling bell kooda adika maatiya"
"Adicha they'll know I'm here"
"Ada paavi solalaya"
"Thatha ku mattum therinja pothum ma. Those two don't deserve to know about our arrival"
....
Two old women came down, both had a look of surprise.
"Adi thambi neeya va pa" one woman spoke
"Radha aunty epdi irukeenga"
Adi looked genuinely happy on seeing her but that smile dropped as his eyes landed on the other woman.
"Aunty naanga thatha va pathitu vanthirom" Adi spoke sternly. Only then the two ladies turned to see Tara standing there. Radha was about to ask something but Adi dragged Tara away.
"Yaar avunga"
"Radha aunty, our neighbor. She's a sweet lady. Unlike the person next to her" he scoffed
Tara understood that woman was Adi's mother.
The staircase was surprisingly long
Tara was climbing very slowly while gripping Adi's hand.
"Ma enna aachu en ivlo tight ah pudichiruka"
"Staircase romba long ah iruku Adi. Enaku bayam"
Adi's frown turned to a smile. He held her hand tightly and helped her get to the same step he was at. Once she reached there, he asked "Thookitu pogava"
"Paaru if it was a normal staircase I would've teased you but bayama thaan iruku. Thookiko" she stretched her hands towards him like a child.
He laughed at her cuteness and lifted her up in both his arms. Her hands went around his neck for support.
"Epovum kepiye yaarachum paartha enna aagum nu. Iniki kekalaya?"
"Intha veetla yaar enna nenachalum enaku onnum ila. Thatha thaan cool nu soniye, ethuku thevai ilama worry pananum" she said and kissed his cheeks
"Ma apo nee mela iruka guest room eh eduthuko. No need to climb up and down a lot. Epdiyo thatha kooda mattum thaan time spend pana porom"
"Keela irunthalum paravala! Nee thaan irukiye thookitu poga. Next time back la eruren" she giggled
....
They reached upstairs and he slowly let her down
"Aniku office la en kooda steps la niniye ma"
"Nalla yosichu paaru, I held your shoulder apo kooda"
"Ada ama! Seri va athaan thatha room" he pointed to a room on the right
....
They entered the room and no one was there. Tara felt calm as soon as she entered. The room was very neat and there were a lot of vintage photos. Adi peeked the balcony and saw his grandfather sipping tea and watching the sky.
"Thathaaaaaa" he yelled like a kid and hugged him.
"Adi avaru tea kudikatum"
"Dei tea kudikum botha kuruka varuva" both said at the same time
Adi was surprised
His grandfather turned towards the voice. He saw Tara standing there with a warm smile that mirrored his grandson's.
"Paathute nikuran paaru. Introduce pannu ra" he asked Adi
This was a surreal feeling for him.
"Thatha meet my girl - Sithara Krishnan"
Her heart skipped multiple beats when he said that.
"Sithara meet my thatha - Venu Raj"
"Inga va ma" Venu called her
She went near them
He looked at her for a few seconds
"Na unna epdi kupdatum"
"Epdi venalum kupdunga thatha! Your wish!"
"Veetla ellarum epdi kupduvanga"
"Ivara thavira ellarum Tara nu kupduvanga thatha" she pointed to Adi
"Apo nanum Tara nu kupdren" He smiled and patted her head affectionately
He is yet to know what type of person she is, but from the first interaction he can tell that she is happy with Adi and Adi is happy with her. That's all that matters.
"Seri get out of here. Both of you haven't even washed your faces since you got here. Avaloda room kaatitu you go fresh up Adi" he hit him lightly
"Shobaaa porom porom" Adi held her hand and led her out
....
Tara noticed that he has been holding her hand a lot since they got here. She knew that he is doing partly to make sure that this moment is real and partly to calm himself because his past kept resurfacing. She knew it was not easy for him to be normal in the place that gave him many unpleasant memories.
She stopped him "Adi, you know that I'm here for you now right? Intha vaati you don't have to deal with these alone. Na iruken. Na irupen. Don't worry"
Adi teared up
"Vitratha ma"
"Maaten" she hugged him
...
Adi led her in to a room. It looked simple and beautiful.
"This is yours ma" he pointed to all the necessities and showed her the balcony
"Fresh aaitu va, naanum poren"
She nodded
....
Tara came out after a while. Adi was standing there with wet hair.
"En room kaatren va"
She hit him, went to her room and came back with a towel.
Tara made him sit and dried his hair
"Thala kulichitu dry panla na cold varum"
This woman has been making him emotional since the moment they got here. He kept trying to look into her eyes but the towel kept falling in his face. He yanked it out of the way.
"Pchhh Adi nee enna kozhandhai ah en ipdi panra" she went and picked up the towel.
He held her hand before she could dry it again.
"Enna panra nee, Kai ah vidu"
He nodded his head negatively
She put her hand down in defeat.
"Enna aachu Adi" She sat next to him
He laid his head on her shoulder
"Enaku inga iruka ella corner layum oru bitter memory iruku ma. Then suddenly you walk in here and you are making me so damn happy. Thank you sonalum pathathu"
She didn't know how to respond. She just caressed his hair wordlessly.
Venu saw this from afar. His Adi made the right choice. He was very proud.
.....