Kathir had waited with his mom till his anni returned
He had already fed her lunch and given her medication
Mullai nalla ponnu la Lakshmi amma said
Kathir simply smiled
Ellarum avanga avanga edathula nallavanga thaan ma he said
Soon Dhanam arrived
The happiness in Dhanam's face was palpable
There was a spring to her step..she was obviously happy
Kathir looked at his mom anxious to see if she would be upset with his anni..do the same to his anni as what she did to Mullai
But she looked spent
Athai saapteengala Dhanam smiled
Ahn kuduthutten anni..mathiraiyum kuduthutten
Nee Dhanam..
Naan angaye saaptutten..sorry athai..chinna thatha paarthathula konjam neram porathu theriyaama irunthutten
Parava ille Dhanam..nee poi rest edu..naanum konjam thoongaren
She lay down and closed her eyes only for her mind to be filled with visions of a much younger Mullai at her house
Always full of laughter and good cheer
Athai she would squeal and come running to hug her around the waist
She would show off one or the other trophy she had won in school
Jeeva would be shaking hands with her and jumping in joy with her
But Kathir would stand grumpy and would be ok only after he had won at something and had waved the trophy in front of her eyes
In fact when everything was better and the 2 families had been close they had even indulged in discussions of Mullai marrying into this family
Pandian her husband had said it with Jeeva in his mind she knew..it had never been verbalised but..she knew..even Parvathy felt that way
Parvathy..her friend..her confidant
Lakshmi missed her terribly
But she was also miffed ..everything had been fine between the 2 families
Financially both families sailed in the same boat
Trouble had hit when they had arranged Moorthy's marriage with Malli..Murugan and Parvathy's elder daughter
But she had eloped on the day of the wedding
And that had left the relationship permanently damaged
Words had been spoken..curses rained
After so many years Lakshmi understood the mother in Parvathy that made her defend her daughter..appeal on her behalf
Back then Lakshmi had been blinded by fury
But now she got it
And despite all that she had been nasty with Mullai who was only holding out the olive branch
And the old lady smiled..fondness for her niece washing over her
She was a sweet girl then and she was a sweet woman now she could see
And with these mellow thoughts she drifted off to sleep
The next day as planned the 4 youngsters met at the amusement park
Moorthy was surprised when both Jeeva and Kathir wanted to take off on a saturday..
Anne please ne they had chorused and Moorthy had little defense against that
He laughed
Ponga da poi enjoy pannunga he had said
Kanna overhearing this said
Anne naan college mudichathum kadaikku vanthudaren..enakku naalaikku half a day thaan..mathiya saappaadu kooda kadaikku anuppichudunga he said
Dei unakkenda intha velai Jeeva said
Amaam..anne neengalum maamaa vum kadai paarunga..delivery kku oru naal time kelunga..sunday naanum Jeeva annanum athe mudikkarom Kathir said
Ada oru naal kadaikku ponaa enna ippo..athellam illenne naan kadaikku varuven Kanna said
Kathir smiled
Settai jaasthi aavuthu unakku..anne naalaikku enna pandreengalo illiyo munthiri moottaiya olichu vaiyunga Kathir said
And everyone laughed
Kanna tried to look peeved but even he couldn't hold out for long and joined in the laughter
The next morning when maamaa got to know this he started his monologue
Enna Moorthy rendu payaluvalum sernthu leave ah..enna vishayam
Etho friends oda velia ponumnu kettaanga
Friend ah friendi ah maamaa guffawed
Maamaa pazhaiya joke athukku ippudi sirichu vara customer ah thorathaatheenga Moorthy smiled
Maamaa promptly frowned and said
Ennaiya ottarthu irukkattum naan ketta kelvikku bathil sollu
Maamaa appudiye friendi ah iruntha enna..
Oh appo thambinga kathal nu vanthu ninna nee senju veppa appudi thaane
Amaam..Nichayamaa..Jeeva ku yerkanave vayasu aaguthu..kalyaanathukku paarkka aarambikkanum thaan..appudi aarambikka munna keppen..avan manasula enna irukkunnu..avan sonna nichayama nadathi kuduppen..verenna velai enakku Moorthy smiled
Kumaresan maamaa looked at him for some time obviously contemplating if he should reveal what he suspected
Moorthy knew his maamaa well
Enna maamaa..ennatha sollalaamaa vendaamaa nnu maraikkareenga Moorthy challenged
Jeeva va appappo oru ponnoda paarkkaren Moorthy
Yenga maamaa
Icecream kadaila..koil la nu
Yaaraachum friend ah irukkumo
Ore friend thaanaa Jeeva ku maamaa challenged
Ponnu yaaru theriyumaa maamaa
Namma vaniga sanga thalaivar Janarthanan ponnu
Moorthy actually stood up in shock
Enna maamaa soldreenga..avar villangam pudichavar maamaa
Hmmm
Moorthy sat brooding
Kumaresan kept glancing at him to try and gauge what he was thinking
At the theme park
Jeeva and Meena stood talking waiting for Kathir and Mullai to arrive
Namma porom thaane sonna Jeeva Meena said sulking
Yen dee..namma rendu per vanthaalum inga thaniyaa va irukka porom
Mpppcchhhh..po Jeeva
Enna dee prachanai
Enakku Mullai ya pudikkale
Innum avala nee paarkkave ille
Athukkullaye avvalavu veruppu..paartha yosichu paaru she said naan namma rendu per mattum thaniyaannu yosichen
Ippudiye evvalavu naalaikku..22 vayasaaga poguthu unakku..un veettula kalyana pechu eduppaanga..ippove en family la ovvorutharaa meet panna thaane..
Athellam seri..Mullai ya ethukku meet pannanum
Yen maamaa ponnu dee..avalum family thaan
Romba thaan thaangara po she said
Naan bhayanthen Meena..antha ponnu enna suthi varaa theriyum..eppudi soldrathunnu yosichen..azhuthu emotional aagi appudi ellam panna eppudi manage pandrathunnu..aanaa 4-5 naal munna nammala paarthu..2 naal eduthu thanna thaane aasuvaasa paduthi kittu..romba ethaarthaama eduthu kitta..valanthutta..enakku therinja chinna ponnu illennu purinjuthu..oru chance kudu..unakkum pudikkum..rendu perum ore vayasu thaane
Enakku yerkanave pudichavanga friends nu neraiya per irukkaanga..puthusa yaar arimugamum thevai ille
Enakkaaga Meena please he said
And she smiled then
Try pandren she said
Kathir had informed Mullai that he would pick her up from the temple near her house
Mullai stood waiting at the temple
But when he came to pick her up she was shocked
Ada Kathiru she said
Enna
Smart ah irukka she said honestly
Athu innikku thaan theriyutha he smirked
Amaam Innikku thaan kulichu irukka polaye romba naal kazhichu..athaan palichunnu theriyuthu she giggled
Settai hmm..kaatha pudichu thiruginaa theriyum
Physical violence for no Kathiru..Mullai paavam she said
Unakku paavam paarthaa enakku thaan 6 maasam paavam pudikkum..he chuckled
Romba thaan edu vandiya she said plonking herself behind him
Starting the vehicle he asked eppudi kadaikku podara athe lungi baniyan la varuven yosichayo he asked
Naan ethuvume yosikkala..aanaa intha pant shirt la summa tucker ah irukka
Varungaala anni ya meet panna poren..konjam sumaaraavaachum poganum la..muthal abhipraayam nalla irukka he smiled
When a silence prevailed he realised that he had let his tongue run loose and kicked himself
In the rearview he saw her plainly looking at the passing by sights as they rode past them
Sorry Mullai
She smiled then
Vidu Kathiru
Hmm nee enna pannalaamnu irukka
Etha pathi
Life la generala
Kalyanam ippothaikku antha mana nelamaila ille
Seri padichu irukka athu veenaagaama ethaachum pannanumnu yosikkalayaa
Athu sammanthamaa ille aanaa intha tanjavur art kelvi pattu irukkiya
Amaam kelvi pattu irukken..Neraiya nagai kadaila ellam perusu perusaa maatti irukkum
Ahn athe thaan..college appo Trichy la Kathukitten ..ippo athu order kudutha panni kudukkaren
Oh sooper Mullai
Hmm
Appakku en Kalyana selavu oru bhaaramaa irukka koodathu ille athaan
Kathir was impressed
Semma Mullai nee
College first year appo kathukitten..Second year lernthu order eduthu senju kudukkaren..Appo lernthe sethu vechu irukken vantha kaasellam..ippo kitta thatta athu mattume bank la oru 5 laksham kitta irukku she prattled
Kathir was getting uncomfortable
Hey ivvalavu ellam ellar kittayum sollaathe he said
Appa amma ku kooda theriyathu aanaa un kitta solla thonichu
Somehow Kathir felt happy hearing that
Appo sollu kekka romba urchaagamaa irukku
Rendu periya order kaila irukku..mudikka sila maasam aagum..mazhai varakulla mudikkanum
Mudicha athu mattume 10 laksham varum..aanaa velai neraiya..onnu hotel ku innonnu Trichy la oru javuli kadaikku ..vera vera size la avanga ella floors kum..kitta thatta 50 piece pannanum
panakkaari thaan po nee..Kathir said
Ille Kathiru en Kalyanathappo selavukkunnu appa kitta antha account la irukkara ellathayum kuduthuduven..gold naane intha anju varushathula maasam oru savaran nu coins ah vaangi irukken ..athuve ore 50 savaran irukku ..
Kathir could sense something
He stopped the vehicle at a juice shop
Oru juice kudikkalaamaa konjam veyyil ah irukku
Hmm seri..enakkum konjam thaagam thaan
Oyaama pesittu vantha thondai varalaathaa he smiled
Romba mokka podarena she asked
Mokkaiyaa..podi..summa appudi irukku kekka..23 vayasula romba nalla vishayam..yosikkave perumaiyaa irukku he smiled
Varaiya pudikkum athaan kathu kitten athulla ippudi oru income ellam yosikkala her smile faltered
Enna aachu Mullai..yen ivvalavu serious ah irukka..
Un kitta solla enna..kanna moodi Jeeva maamaa nu fix aayitten..athu naala appa amma kittaye iruppomnu oru aaruthal..aanaa ippo enga entha mathiri aaloda onnum theriyale
Un nalla manasukku oru amsamaana paiyan thaan kedaippaan unakku Kathir said with a surety
Kedaicha seri thaan..kalyanam mudinjum athu ithunnu demands ellam illaama irukkanum..enakke ellaathayum senjutta..avangalukkunnu vayasaana kaalathukku irukkanum la..appaavaala evvalavu naal thaniyaa uzhaikka mudiyum..eppudiyaachum innum 2 varusham oru 50 laksham varai appa account la pottutta antha interest vechu appa amma manage pannikkuvaanga ...
Yen Mullai naanga inga thaan irukkom..
Mullai just smiled
Ethukku mothamaa..naan irukken..nee kalyanam panni vera oor poi athai maamaa inga thaniya iruntha naan poi paarkkaren pothuma he said
Her smile actually widened
Enakku avanga kavalai mattum thaan
Yen Mullai Maamaa kku enna oru 55 vayasu irukkumaa
58 Kathiru
Thedamah thaane irukkaaru..
Hmm udambukku ellam oru prachanaiyum ille
Appo yen mill ellam moodinaaru..
Kadanukku velai mudichu kuduthu yaarum kaasa kudukka maattengaraanga..izhuthu adikkaraanga
Hmm appo athe seri sei
Eppudi Kathiru
Yosi enna pannalaamnu..athu thaan nerantharam..izhuthu pudichu innum oru 7-8 varusham milla laaba garamaa nadathittu nalla velaikku kai maathi kooda vidalaam...
Inime mudiyuma
Yen mudiyathu..ellam mudiyum
Hmm she said looking lost
Mullai nee business kanakku vazhakku paarkkara antha padippu thaane padicha
Amaam Kathiru
Mothalla appa kooda ukkanthu books seri paaru..appuram collection naan maamaa kku help pandren
Ahn seri Kathiru..time irukkuma unakku
Entha edam evvalavu varanum oru list therinja yen delivery oda serthu pannalaam
Mullai looked clearer now
Vaa anga wait pannuvaanga he said and they left
At the amusement park
Meena was rather distant with Mullai in the beginning
But just 2 rides in they hit it off big time
Both daredevils they thoroughly enjoyed the wild rides and even wanted to go a second time on a few while the guys sat it out
They were excited and grinning like 2 Cheshire cats
Jeeva felt happy with Meena
When they had a moment alone
Meena smiled..sathiyamaa romba try panna ellam avasiya padala..Mullai is very easy to be with..good fun
La..nalla ponnu
Kathirum semma..nee sonnathu vechu seriyaana orangutan ah iruppaaru yosichen..ille seriyaana nakkal pudichavaru..nalla fun thaan avaroda Meena grinned
They had a lovely time in all the smaller rides and kept the roller coaster for the end
Uncharacteristically Mullai was a little hesitant and looked a little scared while standing in line
Enna aachu dee Kathir asked
Matha ella rides ok but ithu mattum konjam allu enakku
Po vendaam na vaa namma anga bench la ukkaaralaam
Ponum aanaa bhayam Mullai whispered
Sutham he smacked his forehead
By then it was their turn to sit
Enna he asked
Eru she said
They sat while the operator clicked the locks shut and double checked it
Mullai sat her hands clasping the bar in front of her
Kathir sensing her nervousness placed his hand on hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze..
Mullai turned her palm around and held his hands intertwining her fingers with his
And the ride started and the air was filled with an eerie silence which in just mere seconds was replaced by loud excited shrieks
At the shop
Dhanam came bearing lunch
She served Moorthy and Kumaresan maamaa and managed the shop while they ate
After lunch
Enna maamaa yosanaiya irukkeenga
Ille maamaa oru vishayam sonnaaru
And he updated Dhanam
She looked pensive
Enna yosikkara Dhanam
Mullai maamaa
Mullai ku enna
Jeeva mela aasai valarthu vechu irukka ..paavam chinna ponnu..manasu nogaama eduthu sollanum maamaa
Moorthy knew she had a point
Naan sonna purinjukkum Mullai Moorthy said but he was a little emotional too
Seri maamaa athu oru prachanai..athe manage pannalaam..intha sammantham nadakkumaa maamaa
Appudi ketta enna solla
Seri ippudi kekkaren ..Jeeva manasu padi Kalyanam pannanumna enna pannanum
Hmm ithe thaan maamaa sonnathulernthu yosikkaren
Dhanam sat thinking too
Jeeva ku oru thani varumaanam erpaduthi kudukkanum Dhanam
Dhanam's face fell but this was an eventuality they had always realised ..so no use fretting she thought to herself
Pannunga maamaa..avan kittaye pesi oru mudivedunga she smiled
Hmm ippo thaan konjam nimmathiya irukku Dhanam Moorthy smiled
Dhanam also smiled..konjam munnadi senju irukkanum..aanaa parava ille ippo udane pannalaam..oru 6 maasathula Kathirukkum yosikkanum maamaa
Kumaresan maamaa laughed his usual laugh
And in the middle of it his eyes welled up
Ippudi kudumbathukkaaga yosikkara ungalukku poi oru kozhanthai illiye he sniffled
Porakkum maamaa ..kavalaiye padaatheenga Dhanam smiled
Nambikkai vidale la athu pothum..maamaa smiled
Ada en kozhantha unga baniyan eeram pandra naal varum Dhanam laughed
And Moorthy and Maamaa joined in
At the amusement park
Kanda shashthi kavasam avvalavu kathi soldra Kathir chuckled
Mullai looked sheepish
Meena was equally rattled
In fact she looked decidedly green
Jeeva maamaa..oru lemon soda salt and sweet vaangungalen Mullai said
When Jeeva came back she made Meena sit and asked her to take small sips..
Meena was thankful for any reprieve
And 15 mts later felt decidedly better
The men began ribbing them mercilessly again
And the girls being good sports joined them in their laughter