"You coming inside to worship, Madhav?" Yashoda asks as Madhav halts the car outside the mandhir in Munnar.
"No, I'm good." Madhav shakes his head.
"He lost all the hope he had in god after the jet incident." Shree whispers adjusting the pink kurta she was wearing. "And by god, I mean gods from all religions. He simply stopped believing in Them."
"So he's not coming with us?" Yashoda asks.
"Wrong!" Madhav says unbuckling his seat belt. "I'm coming in for Shree."
"Hooray!" Madhu exclaims from the front seat.
"But we better make it quick, since you have a checkup in an hour, Shree." Madhav says.
"I know, baby." Shree says pinching his cheeks.
"After the check up drop me at the Munnar bus halt. I'm going to my friend's house in Thodupuzha. I'm staying over at her house for a few days." Yashoda says. "I haven't seen her after Madhav's wedding - I mean the wedding that happened in 2017!!!"
"Don't worry Ma!" Shree consoles. "We'll drop you at her house."
"And on the way home can we get ice cream?" Madhu asks.
"No!" Madhav and Shree both exclaim to her disappointment.
* * * * *
They walked inside the mandhir, Shree was struck the divine beauty of the mandhir, she walked in listening to the sound of his own bare feet slipping across the cool stone floor which was decorated by little lamps fluttering, running in parallel lines, running perpendicular to the steps that led to the entrance of the temple, and breathing deeply in the familiar smell of incense and lamp oil, feeling the comforting atmosphere of the old stone walls.
Madhav follows Shree, Madhu and Yashoda as they walk around the temple premises.
"Mumma! Nanna! Look that's a parroty!" Madhu exclaims excitedly. pointing towards the parrot-fortune teller who was seated under the big banyan tree. The insects sang as the winds whispered into the air around them. Madhu noticed the leaves of the tree dropped lazily onto the soil.
"That's a parrot fortune teller, baby." Shree says.
"WHOA!" Madhu wonders amuse. "What do they do?"
"They have a stack of cards, and the parrot will draw a lucky card for your name to tell your fortune." Yashoda says.
"Mumma, I wanna try!" Madhu exclaims.
"But kannamma, it's all fake!" Madhav says. "It's all based on hoax and is just as fake as astrology itself! A bird turning over cards? How entertaining! How absolutely mindless and ridiculous!"
"I wanna try it, Nanna!" Madhu replies looking at him. "Please?"
Madhav sighs as Madhu looks up at him with her big brown eyes.
"Fine. But this is the first and the last time!" Madhav says. Madhu jumps up and down excitedly running towards the tree dragging Madhav.
Under the big banyan tree, an old lady was seated, dressed in a green sari chewing on betel. She had a white cloth spread out before her, with a deck of card and a cage that had a green parrot.
"Can you ask the parrot to take a card for me?" Madhu asks excitedly sitting down under the tree.
The old lady laughs. "Sure child, what's your name?"
"Madhushree Ramakrishna-Prasad."
The old lady opens the cage and the parrot waddles outside towards the card deck. "Pick one card for Madhushree Ramakrishna-Prasad."
The parrot squawks and topples the card deck and starts to spread out the cards. The parrot squawks again and picks with it's beak and walks towards the old lady. The old lady takes card and turns it towards Madhu and everyone.
"The parrot has picked the card with the picture of Goddess Parvati!"
"Your daughter, is blessed with the courage and the bravery of Goddess Parvati! She may be little, but she oozes with so much bravery for her age. There's nothing that will frighten this brave little wonder."
"Except cockroaches." Madhav whispers to Shree.
"Take one for my Mumma!" Madhu adds excitedly as the old lady stacks the card deck. "Her name is Shree Ramakrishna!"
"Shree Prasad Ramakrishna!" Shree corrects.
"Pick one card for Shree Ramakrishna-Prasad."
The parrot squawks and topples the card deck and starts to spread out the cards. The parrot squawks again and picks with it's beak and walks towards the old lady. The old lady takes card and turns it towards Shree and everyone.
"Shree Prasad, my dear, the parrot picked this card with the Tridevi: Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati. You are blessed with ample courage, wisdom and fortune! You blessed your maternal home and your husband's home with plenty of good fortune, unity and happiness!"
"I'll have to agree on that!" Yashoda exclaims. "She is the person who united our broken family. Happiness came in soon after she entered our home as Madhav's wife. Why don't you pick a card for my son Madhav Ramakrishna?"
"Seriously Ma, there's no need for-"
"Don't stop her, hun." Shree says holding his arm.
The old lady stacks the card deck.
"Pick one card for Madhav Ramakrishna."
The parrot squawks and topples the card deck and starts to spread out the cards. The parrot squawks again and picks with it's beak and walks towards the old lady. The old lady takes card and turns it towards everyone.
"My dear boy, the parrot picked this card with Lord Ram in it!" She says excitedly. "Your father loves you the most as compared to his other children. You are a faithful husband to your wife without a doubt! A wise and admired leader."
"Well I can agree that my father loves me a lot and I might be a good CEO." He adds. "I may not be the perfect husband for my wife, but I wouldn't dare to betray her."
"There's more!" The old lady adds. "You are the vanquisher of all evil that surrounds you, and there's nothing you would do to protect your loved ones."
"Hmm, that has a lot of grey area." Madhav says crossing his arms.
"I said what I had to say." The old lady shrugged and started to arrange the card deck. "Do you want my parrot to draw a card for you and your wife?"
"No."
"YES!" Madhu exclaims.
"Pick one card for Madhav Ramakrishna and Shree Prasad Ramakrishna."
The parrot squawks and topples the card deck and starts to spread out the cards. The parrot squawks again and picks with it's beak and walks towards the old lady. The old lady takes card and turns it towards everyone.
"Lord Rama and Sita!" The old lady exclaims. "The love you have for each other is immeasurable and you both support each other in ways that cannot be explained! But life has been challenging for both of you. There have been so many problems in your wedded life - but both of your tried to stick together."
"Too generic!" Madhav retorts. "That's the profile for any happily wedded couple!"
"Shree has spent most of her wedded life in your absence - her love for you has never reduced one ounce. Madhav, you missed the birth of your first child, let alone did you even know your wife was pregnant! She probably lived away from you during that time! There was also a period of exile in your lives - both of you found love and happiness in the middle of the forest. Now, tell me, Mr. Ramakrishna does all that still sound too generic?"
"No! No, it's doesn't!" Shree says surprised. "Most of the things you said were indeed true!"
Madhav rolls his eyes.
"Please tell me more!" Shree insists.
"No! That's enough! You are getting late for the checkup!" Madhav says as he keeps a 2000 rupee note near the parrot's cage. He holds Shree's arm firmly - but tenderly, and pulls her away with him.
* * * * *
Shree hums to herself as she looks out towards the garden at the breezy twilight hours.
Shree's arms wrapped around his back to caress his muscles. Gently tracing his fingers on her belly, he lowered his lips to her neck.
"Did you put Madhu to sleep?" Shree asks and he nods.
Shree moved closer to run her hand over the warm, broad and protective chest. Wrapping his arm around her, he looked at her with tenderness that melted her heart.
He was breathing too close toher, and his breath, his heartbeats, his warmth, were all too captivating forher to let go. His eyes shone brightly as he inched closer to her, and his breath tickled her skin.
He held her rosy cheek.
"I love you chellam." Madhav said as he tucked a piece of her stray hair behind her ear while her face shines like the moon on those bright and full nights.
Shree blushed as he brought his lips towards hers and she closed her eyes passionately.
Little by little and so gently, he pulled her towards himself and their lips touched. She sighed dreamily as his lips wrapped hers in a warm, passionate embrace.
Madhav's hand explores the soft thick waves of her hair while Shree grows crimson in his arms.
Shree groans in annoyance hearing the landline phone ring.
"I'll go get that." Madhav whispers as he caresses her face before running inside.
Shree walks inside just as Madhav finishes talking on the phone. Lightning flashed and a shuddering cold wind blew past.
"It's Ma's friend in Thodupuzha. Apparently she's not well and they had to take her to the hospital. She had a mild heart attack, it seems." Madhav says, sitting on the wooden armchair.
"Oh no!" Shree says as she comes beside him.
"I told them that I will come to see her first thing in the morning."
"You don't have to wait till morning! You can go right away!" Shree suggests, to which he shakes his head.
"Go, Madhav!" I cried. "Clearly, she's in need of your presence. Go for my
peace of mind."
"She has her friend with her. Ma isn't alone." Madhav adds firmly. "We'll go see her in the morning."
"True that she has her friend, but you are her son! You should be with her, by her side! Please go and be there for her!"
But, infuriatingly, Madhav didn't move. "I promised that I'd guard you and Madhu. No matter what happens, I can't leave you alone, especially when you are nearing your delivery date."
"I can take care of myself and I don't need you to be there and look after me!" Shree exclaims in agitation.
"I never meant that, Chellam." Madhav sighs. "It doesn't feel right to leave you and go somewhere else!"
"You aren't going somewhere else, Madhav! You are going to see your own mother who's unwell and hospitalised!" Shree exclaims furiously.
Madhav shakes his head and closes his eyes as he lies back on the armchair
Shree sighs, crazed with worry and driven insane.
"Perhaps you would have gone if she was your real birth mother." Shree mutters to herself and notices Madhav looking taken aback.
"You know that I treat her the same way I would treat my birth mother!" Madhav exclaims loudly.
"Then why are you still here?" Shree demanded rudely. "If you meant what you said and if you respect her the same as your birth mother, then tell me why are you still here, leaning comfortably on this armchair?"
Madhav huffed in defeat, getting up from the armchair. "Alright! I'll go! I'll ask the watchman to check on you time to time!"
Madhav hugs her. "Promise me, that you'll be safe and to answer all my calls in the first few rings. If you miss any of my calls, I will fucking kill you, Chellam."
Shree nods.
"I'm sorry if I said anything wrong. I am so so worried about her." Shree says softly burying her face on his chest.
"It's alright, Chellam." He breathes in the scent of her hair.
"Please be careful, Chellam. I'll be back really soon." He says and keeps a firm hand on her stomach. "And these two little angels better not come out when I'm not here!"
Shree smiles and presses a kiss to his cheek.
To be continued....
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