Mullai proved that she was a super efficient homemaker
By 6 in the morning she was bathed and fresh
There always was a nice big kolam outside the house
By the time Kathir woke up at 6:30 she had tea ready for him and hot water mixed for him to bathe
She hung up a towel and a brief and a vest for him ready to use
Once he came out she had breakfast piping hot and ready
She gave him another tea but in a much smaller cup
Just something hot to wash the breakfast down
This was like a schedule that worked seamlessly as if on clockwork everyday
Kathir was actually very impressed
Even the first day he had come back home to be swept off his feet
She had single handedly sorted out all the bags and boxes
He left the house that morning but came back to a home in the evening
Ellathayum eduthu vachuttiya
Hmm amaam maamaa
Grinder mattum thookka mudiyale..athe 2 perum serthu thookki vekkalaamaa
Iru naan paarkkaren..ennaala mudiyalenna neeyum sernthu thooku
But Kathir managed quite easily
Paarthu muthugu pudikka poguthu
Pudicha nee sudi thanni vechu othadam kudu
Athukku muthugellam pudikka venaam summave kudukkaren she smiled
Gas connection Naalaikku vanthudum..
Hmm seri
And this routine had continued
Lunch was always ready at 1 pm sharp
The first couple days she brought lunch to the site
But then he stopped it
Naane veettukku varen he had said
On days he was late she reheated the gravies and the veggies
For Kathir who was used to Dhanam's cooking for a very long time hers was very new and refreshing
He complimented her saying this
But loved how she sportingly said aaru maasam ithaye saappitta thirumba poi anni samayal soopernu thonum
He knew it was partly true
Athu mattum ille
Enakkunnu yaarum soodellam panni pottathu ille he said
Inime naan suda suda podaren..ungalukku sooda aavi parakka saappida pudikkumnu enakku thaan theriyume ..she said
He stopped talking for some time after that
Ethayum marakkale maamaa she whispered
He snapped out of his reverie and smiled
Nalla theriyuthu he said
Enna theriyuthu she challenged with a cute smile
Elllame thaan paarthu paarthu pandra..thuni ellam gama gamma nnu manakkuthe..
Pudichutha maamaa
Romba he smiled
YouTube la oru video paarthen..athulla romba veyyil la udal uzhaippu pottu uzhaikkaravangaloda thuni ippudi thocha fresh ah nalla manamaa irukkum saayamum pogaathunnu athaan try pandren
Hmm saayam ippo theriyathu aanaa nalla vaasam ah irukku
They bantered easily
A month rolled by
But soon Kathir realised Mullai must be very bored at home
She hardly went out anywhere
He started noticing it first when she stopped making efforts with her appearances
She wore a very messy looking saree that was carelessly draped ..hair was almost always finger combed and tied up in an unappealing bun
He understood her
Back in Kunnakudi she was always with people
But here she was all alone
Nobody to tell her she looked beautiful when she did make an attempt
The next day he bought flowers for her
Market vazhiya vanthen poo fresh ah irunthuchu athaan vaangittu vanthen he said
Oh seri..nejamaave fresh ah irukku and she turned around to place it in the fridge
Enna pandra
Fridge la vecha thaane naalaikku saami padathukku poda vaadaama irukkum she smiled
Saami padathukka..yen unakku poo vaikka pudikkaathaa
Ithu enakka
Ille pakkathu veetula eppovum enna sight adichuttu nikkume antha ponnukku he smirked
Mullai realised that he was pulling her legs but against his expectation she was not too thrilled
Enna thideernu
Sonnene fresh ah irunthuchu athaan
Ippove veikkanuma she asked
Kathir was a little surprised..he thought she would be happy..but she was anything but
Inga vanthathulernthu ore velai velai nnu irukka..anga eppo veettukku vanthaalum palichunnu iruppa..inga othaila veettukkullaye irukkarthunaalayo ennavo enneramum oru kondaiya suthi kittu ennai vazhiya ukkanthu irukka..athaan
Oh seri seri..puriyuthu
When he saw her in the next 15 mts she looked all freshly bathed..saree neatly draped..face washed and fresh..hair combed into a neat single braid ..the flowers he bought adorning her hair ..
She looked delectable
Azhaga irukka..he said walking upto her and tracing her jawline with his finger
Daily ippudi fresh ah iru dee..paarkka evvalavu azhaga irukku he smiled
But he was not prepared for the way her face clouded over
He couldn't understand it
He searched her face
Enna aachu
She tried smiling and walking away
But he couldn't let her..not after seeing that expression of acute hurt in her face
Un kitta pesi kittu irukken he said
Enna maamaa
Yen ippo un mugam maarichu
Onnum ille maama
Poi
She stood silent
Enakku ippo theriyanum
Something changed in her
Enna theriyanum..hmm ..enna theriyanum..
amaam.. neeyum naanum mattum irukkum pothu un munnadi nalla dress panni nikka bhayamaa irukku
Nerukkathukku aasai pattunnu nee kuthi kaamichutta athe ennaala thaanga mudiyaathu
Unne mattume manasule nenaichu aasaiya un kitta vanthatha evvalavu kevalamaa yosichutta
Kathir was not willing to eat the humble pie
Nee panna velai appudi he retorted
Tho paaru..athigham pesaatha..nee soldra la naan un girlfriend ah iruntha pothu panna thappa thaan solli kaamikkarannu..athey thappa ippo un pondaatti ya panna kondruvennu..naan mattum un girlfriend ah iruntha pothu thaane un kitta aasaiya vanthen..athukkappuram unne thirumbi kooda paarkkale la..appuram yen kocha paduthina..she challenged
He felt effectively cornered
Appove enna pathi ippudi thaan yosichayo
Ille nichayama ille he said immediately
Poi she spat
Naan athukku aasai pattu thaan ponennu..atheppudi ethana per kooda..enga vena poi irukkalaam unakku prachanai ille..athaane sonna
She removed the flowers and gave them back to him
Asingamaa irukku enakku..naan thaan thappu pannen..illennu sollale..nee kuthi kuthi kaamikkara..athuvum thappu ille..en arivukku ettaama ille..aanaa manasu valikkuthe she said very very angry tears threatening to roll down any moment now
Mullai athu naan..
Venaam..enakku entha velakkamum venaam..ippovum enna..nee seevi singaarichu nillu sonna nikkaren..ethuvum prachanai ille..ippo intha poo kooda enakkaaga vaangittu vanthu irukka..naan vechu thaane aaganum..kudu she said snatching it again from his hands and messily re-placing it in her hair squishing the flowers
Poova en dee kasakkara he asked with a smile attempting a truce
Inga uyirulla ennaiye ellaarumaa kasakkareenga athu pathi kavalai pada yaarum ille
Mullai unne innoru aambalai oda en kannaala paarthen..nee ennaiyum avanaiyum compare panni naan evvalavu mattam nu sonnatha en kaathaala ketten..
Enna ketta sollu..appudi enna ketta
Amaam sonnen..kunnakudi laye en vaazhkai mudinjudumnu sonnen..kai kooda pudikka maattaan..Ashok naa kalyaname pannaama pulla kuduppaannu sonnenaa she asked
Ey..enna asingama pesara Kathir yelled
So..nnneee..nnaaaaaa she yelled back enunciating each syllable
Kathir remained silent
Mullai was blinded by fury by then
She held him by the collar of his tee and repeated Sonnenaa sollu..she said
Athe vera poi friend naalum innoruthanga kitta sollunvaangalaa..purinjuthu he said very nonchalantly
Appo naan bayanthathu seri thaan..enna pathi appudi thaan yosikkara ..hmm seri..ippo enna nee varum pothu naan seevi singaarichu nikkanum..avvalavu thaane..inime appudiye pandren..Pothuma santhoshama ..saappida vaa
She said and walked into the kitchen
Every nerve in his body urged him to follow her but he knew he had hurt her very badly
He decided at that moment that he would make efforts
She brought the things out
And sat serving his plate not waiting for him to sit down
He sat down not wanting to aggravate the situation further
He noticed that the omelettes that she usually made for dinner was missing
The split second he waited after she ladled the kuzhambu she realised
But didn't have the mood to offer an explanation
For the second course she usually asked him if he wanted a repeat of sambhar or rasam..sometimes he would decline both
But today none of that
She served a good amount of rice and served rasam without pausing to check his choice
He looked at her and realised that she was only physically there
Saying nothing he ate
Nee sappidalayaa he asked
It didn't seem like she had heard
He decided against pushing it
He ate and took his plate with him to be washed
Usually she didn't allow that
When he came back she had put everything back
He went looking for her and found her curled up on their bed
He made a plate for her
On a whim he decided to make an omelette for her
He cut the onion and chilly broke 2 eggs..mixed in the salt and pepper and made a nice fluffy omelette
He took the plate to her
Mullai
—-
Mullai unnai thaan
—-
He placed the plate on the night stand and holding her arm made her sit up
Sitting next to her he handed the plate to her
Kovatha yen saappaadu mela kaamikkanum..saappidu
—-
He took some rice and went to feed her but she looked away
He stood up and standing in front of her took another mouthful to feed her
She again turned away
With a sigh he placed the plate on the night stand and lay down on his side of the bed after washing his hands
Mullai sat eyeing the omelette on her plate
She slowly reached out and ate the food
Saappitten she said in a small voice
When he didn't respond
She went and sat on the floor on his side of the bed
He looked at her
Omelette nalla irunthuchu..thanks she said trying to smile at him by way of a truce
He got up and sat down next to her his back leaning on the bed legs stretched
She sat facing him
He stretched his hand out to her
Inga va he said
She sat looking very doleful
He waited with outstretched hands
She eventually settled perpendicular to him on his right and rested her head on his left shoulder
Kathir threw his arms around her
They sat in the same position in silence and in a while went to sleep as well
Around midnight Kathir woke up first
He looked at her..looking all serene..deep in sleep..a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips
He smiled then
I love you Mullai he whispered before kissing her on her forehead and settled back to sleep
They woke up the next morning in the same position
He was awake and waiting for her to rise and shine
When she finally stirred from her sleep she was disoriented at first
She looked all flustered
Appudiye thoongittoma she said in a very husky morning voice
Hmm nalla thoongittom
She smiled and settled back comfortably
Mullai
Hmm
Sorry
She looked at him
Enakku en melaiye kovam he continued
Puriyale
He kept quiet
She looked pained
Nee kettu nejamaave athu mattum thaane seyyala athaan athu oru kaaranamonnu yosichutten
Athellam ille
He smiled
Nee ethaiyo maraikkara enakku theriyum
She stared at him
Naan athukku sollale..entha aambalaikku dee oru devathai mathiri irukkara ponnu kittakka vantha pudikkathu..evvalavu santhoshama irukkum theriyuma..aarambicha nippaatta mudiyathonnu bhayanthu thaan othungi ponen..
Yen maamaa ithellam pesikittu
Pesarthu un Theeran he said
She smiled then a sunny smile
Puriyuthu puriyaama ille..
Enna dee puriyuthu
She simply snuggled upto him
Sorry dee etho kovathula
Enakku thembu ille Maamaa..she surrendered
Innime paarthu pesaren..nejamaa sorry
Hmm vidunga
Nethu poo kooda inga thaniya veettukkullaye irunthu bore adichu poiduchu nnu thaan
Ippo puriyuthu maamaa
Unna kalyanam panni en kooda koottittu vantha un vaazhkai tharatha uyarthanumnu thaan kanavu kanden..aanaa nee..veettu velai senju kittu naaladaivula velaikkaari mathiriye aayittu vantha enakku porukkala..nee annikku sonnathu unmai aagartha en kan munnadi paarkkara mathiri irukku..
Ennathu maamaa
Enna kalyanam panni kitta un vaazhkai onnum illaama mudinjudumnu he said
Maamaa sollitteenga la pothum ..vaanga velaiya paarkkalaam
Mullai got up
Koil ku polaamaa Kathir offered
Ippova
Hmm amaam
Hmm polaame
Seri appo kelambu
She offered her hand for him to get up
He held it and got up
Naan poi Kelambaren
That day they assumed full responsibility for their marriage and took a step forward in the right direction