Life took a turn for the better for Kathir and Mullai
They made conscious efforts to spend time together
Another month rolled by
One afternoon
It was around 2.30
Mullai did the normal house chores and decided to sit down with her embroidery...she also wanted to learn a new technique so she sat down with her phone to search for DIY videos on youtube..
She was just browsing and deciding which one to watch...when she heard a knock on the door..
she stood up wondering who it could be coming at this time...she saw her neighbour akka standing there
Vaanga Lalitha akka...ulle vaanga
Ille Mullai..avasaramaa vanthen..oru uthavi kettu
Enna ka sollunga
athu oorlernthu yen thangachi rendu perum vanthu irukkaanga...pasangala koottikittu...padam poganumnu aasai pattaanga...paartha 90 ml padathukkuthaan ticket kedaichuthaam...antha padam pasanga paarkka mudiyathaamille...ivugha vera ticket vaangittaaga...pasangala enga viduvomnu yosikkaama..athaan unnaala paarthukka mudiyumaannu kekka vanthen...
Oh thaaralamaa..konduttu vanthu vidunga ka
ennodathungaloda serthu 5 kozhanthainga...7 lernthu 10 vayasu...nee otha aalu manage paniduviyaa
Athellam oru prachanaiyum ille akka..
naane pala samayam thaniya enna panrathunnu theriyaama bore adichu kittu thaan irukken..neenga inga vidunga naan paarthukkaren
Ille athana kozhanthaingalla athaan yosichen
Mullai : ada neenga yen kavala padareenga...enakku kozhanthainga nna romba pidikkum..kozhanthaingalum en kitta aasaiya ottikkuvaanga..neenga vidunga..naanga jolly ah iruppom..
Mullai was really happy...
Lalitha akka was also hard pressed for choices and was quick to take her up on the offer
She quickly went home and returned back with the kids...
Romba thanks Mullai...naanga padam mudinja udane vanthudrom..ethavathu vaal thanam panna nalla naalu podu bhayappadaathe..naan unnaiya onnum solla maatten..pasangalaa Mullai romba strict..unga Pushpa teacher (a terror teacher in her kids school) mathiri..ozhunga irukkanum..she warned them and left
Mullai turned to the kids
The kids were looking at her with wide terrified eyes...they also looked sad..they were all excited to go out..they were dressed and all ready..but last minute they were told that they could not go...now they were left with a stranger who was being equated to a really terror teacher in school...they were not at all happy with how their day was progressing
One look at them Mullai gauged this..she gave them a bright smile...there were 2 girls and 3 boys..
hi kutties..unga per sollunga
The girl in the red frock said Selvi
The other in the blue skirt said her name was Rani
Mullai knew L akka's son Mani
The other 2 boys identified themselves as Muthu and Selvam
Mullai : yen peru Mullai..neenga enna enna vena koopadalaam she said..
Selvam who seemed the youngest of the lot came to her and asked..neenga adippeehala..
Mullai : kneeled to reach his height..maattene ..she said with a smile..
all the kids visibly relaxed..
Mullai : ellarum vaanga.. ulle polaam
Mullai made them sit in the hall ..quickly went into the room and took the chocolates under her pillow..she was about to leave the room when she had an idea..she took a few sheets of paper..and a few pencils
Back at the site Kathir was feeling a little tired..which was very unusual for him..he spoke to the contractor and decided to go back home..
Truth be told he wanted to spend some time with Mullai..he was drawn to her
That day was a Saturday..Sunday was the weekly off at the site
He reached home all excited to be with her
But what he saw were 5 children sitting in a row and no Mullai...Just as he stood wondering he saw Mullai coming out...
Mullai was stunned to see him here and was also quick to notice that he looked very disgruntled and not at all happy...
The children were just beginning to settle down...
She quickly made the children sit in a circle ..she first gave them each a chocolate which made them very happy...
Neenga chocolate saappittu mudinga naan ippo vanthudaren..she told the children
She went to Kathir...
Vaanga maamaa enna thideernu intha nerathula..
Konjam tired ab irunthuchu
Yen maamaa enna pannuthu..joram ethaachuma she said feeling his forehead
Athellam ille dee..verum kalaippu thaan
Nejamaa thaane
Nejamaa
Un kaiyaala oru tea kudu seri aayidum
Tho konduttu varen maamaa
Ivanga ellam yaaru Kathir said walking in
pakkathu veettu pasanga maamaa..paarthukka solli vittuttu ponaanga...athaan..
Oh seri seri Kathir said
Neenga ukkaarunga Maamaa..naan tea konduttu varen
Kathir was happy..sure he wanted to spend some time with Mullai..but he was not greatly disappointed..he loved Children
puthu edam puthu manushangannu bayam poi ippo thaan konjam theliva aayirukkaanga...she smiled
Un kooda thaniya konjam neram irukkalaam nu vantha...inga oru pattaalame irukku..he chuckled
Tired ah irukkunnu vera soldreenga..ungala disturb pannaama iruppom..neenga vena ulle padunga...
Yen un kooda irukkanum kooda thaan sonnen..athu kekkalayo he razzed her
Kettuchu..ukkaarunga tho varen
Kathir sat down with the kids...
Enna pasangalaa..ungala vittuttu appa amma veliya poittaangalaa Kathir smiled
Mani turned around and on seeing K he went and sat on his lap...
Kathir mama neenga vanthutteeyala...aiii jolly..he smiled
Mullai on her way in turned on hearing this and looked surprised
K raised his eyebrows...
She quickly nodded onnum ille and went to the kitchen
Kathir tousled the boys head..ennada mani payya...sanikezhama leave ah...jolly thaan..
amaam maama..ivunga chithi pasanga..2 naalaikku vanthu irukkaanga...
Oh appudiya
Hmm naangalum padam porathaa thaan irunthuchu..dress ellam kooda panni ready ah irunthom..ticket kedaicha padam chinna pasanga paarkkarthu illiyaam..athaan engala inga vittuttaanga
Mullai came back with the tea
Happily observing the ease with which the kid interacted with K she gave them each a paper and pencil..and explained the game of pictionary to them...
Kathir sat sipping on his tea
Tea nalla irukku Mullai he smiled
Thoongareengala maamaa konja neram she asked
Kathir maamaa pogaatheenga neengalum irunga Mani cajoled him
Nalla sooda tea kudichuttu enga thoonga he smiled..engayum pola da inga thaan irukka poren he told the young boy
Kathir intently listened as Mullai explained the game
The children were very excited...she gave them very simple words...that they could draw for their age. .
Kathir taught Mani how to break the words and draw....
Soon the children were having tremendous fun teasing each other's drawings, trying to outdo one another when it came to guessing etc.,
Selvam the youngest found it hard but Mullai was quick to help him while still encouraging him to think and participate...he came and sat on Mullai's lap and played the rest of the game from there...
The older kids Rani and Selvi then challenged K and M and gave them words to draw and make the other guess...they gave them movie names..
Mullai got the movie Raja Rani...she drew a crown and a man..K promptly guessed Raja...she then drew a lady next to the man with a question mark and he guessed Rani..
Kathir got saamy..he drew a temple and a deity inside with a ? near deity...Mullai tried vigragham...koil etc and then got it right...
This went on for a while
Mullai checked the time and realised the time was 4:40 already...time had passed quickly...
pasikkutha ungalukkellam...
Kathir and the kids nodded their heads.. Rani took a biscuit packet out...But Mullai stopped her and said...athu venaam.. naan sooda omelette pottu tharatta...the kids nodded....
Mullai had an idea..
Mullai : yenga vareengala neengalum.. oru idea irukku
Kathir who found the game very interesting was curious to know what it was that Mullai planned next..so he agreed
They all went to the Kitchen...
Mullai gave them each a small bowl...a little bit of flour and water...she got them to mix it with sugar and an egg each....
Kathir sat down with the children.. Muthu the most silent of the lot started stirring and was the first to finish mixing without any lumps...he then turned to mani and helped him...
Kathir helped Rani who had poured the water too quickly and was struggling with lumps..
Mullai busied herself with preparing the omelettes and tea for herself..
In between she also made the Kids choose a flavour..she added the flavour and a few condiments suitable to that flavour and a pinch of baking soda...and got them to whisk it well...
Ore pakkama pannanum..50 times pannunga she instructed with a smile
Kathir who had no clue where she was going with this simply followed instructions..
Mullai looked at him a wave of fondness crashing over her...Mani was now sitting near him and since he was young he was a little messy and he was touching K with the same messy hands..but K was only enjoying himself and it was apparent he had no complaints..
once the kids finished..she took the bowls from them and kept them on the slab covered to rest a few minutes...
She placed the omelettes in front of them..she had poured sauce on the omelette like a smiley, one had a butterfly, the other had a cloud..the children were very excited by this...
Kathir got one with a red heart on it...he saw it and looked at Mullai..Mullai smiled and turned a beet red..she had done this sub-consciously..she looked at him and not knowing what to say..saapidunga she whispered
She herself sat with her tea
Kathir gave a huge smile and started eating....not wanting to destroy the work of art ..he ate around it...when finally only the heart was left he took it as a whole and put it in his mouth..and made exaggerated expressions to show how tasty it was
Mullai was watching this and giggling ...
The kids were completely oblivious to this aside and relished the hot omelettes..sooper ka they chorused after licking their plates clean..
Kathir offered to take them all to wash their hands..he also took the plates despite Mullai asking him to leave it there...
when they got back to the kitchen..Mullai had placed a few things on the floor..
she made them sit down again..
They were idly thattus..
Mullai asked each of them to grease a plate...all of them did...Mani and Selvam promptly came to Kathir for help..Muthu otherwise quite was very good at all this and managed with ease..Mullai praised him openly and he beamed with joy..
She then got the kids to ladle out the batter they had whisked...once that was done she gave them nuts and tuity frootys to sprinkle on top..
She placed them in the idly cooker to cook...
she then asked all of them to go out while she cleaned the mess
She checked to see if the cakes were done and switched the stove off
when she came out there was nobody in the hall..It was 5 by now..her phone rang....she saw it was from Meena..She answered
Mullai eppudi dee irukka..
Naan nalla irukken Meena..nee
Enakkenna naan nalla thaan irukken..
Enna izhuvai
Ore bore dee inga
Yenna Thideernu
Yenga thideernu..kalyanam panni vanthathulernthe thaan
Mullai giggled..
Sirikkathe gaandaayiduven
Seri seri enna venum unakku
Oru padam poi evvalavu naalaaguthu theriyumaa
Maamaa kitta solla vendiyathu thaane
Yaaru Jeeva kittaye..avan velia thaan eli..veettula puzhuva vida kevalamaa irukkaan
Ey en dee
Pinna enna Mullai
Annikku akka senjathunnu oru kozhamba mathiyam lunch ku oru vaarthai sollaama saappittu kadaikkum kondu poittaan..
Athukkenna
Appuram naanga saappida ukkarum pothu thaan theriyuthu ore uppu kashayam
Akka oh nu oppaari..
Kadaisila onnum sollaama saappitta Jeeva va marantaanga..ellarum ivangala konjaraanga
Naan pudichu kadichu vittutten
Ey romba chinna vayasula romba paasam ah paarthu kittaanga ..athaan
Athukkunnu..
Seri vidu summa thaan..bore ah irunthuchu..phone potten
Seri seri polambaatha..purushan kitta kekka vendiya vithathula kelu..orandai izhutha onnum kedaikkathu she said
Meena giggled and hung up
Mullai went in search of the Kids and Kathir and she heard noices from the terrace
She went up and saw them flying kites