Mullai stood frozen at the sight in front of her
The kids were clamouring around Kathir
And he stood laughing his head off trying to make the kite fly higher
The children were clapping and cheering him on
Soon it was dark
Pattam ethu Mullai asked
Nee ulle ponappo velia oruthar vithukittu ponaaru
Oh kozhanthai kanakka pattam vidareeha
Unakku solli tharattuma
Hmm innoru naal she smiled
Once downstairs the kids began getting restless
Mullai ivangala pakkathula kadaikku koottittu poittu varen
Hmm seri night chappathi sudaren..chicken eduthuttu vareengalaa
Ahn seri
The kids happily went with Kathir..happy to go out somewhere
When they got back Mullai was busy in the kitchen
She took the chicken in to be cleaned
The next one hour there was almost no sound from the kids
Mullai wondered if they had gone to the terrace again
But when she finished making dinner and came out
She saw them huddled together
Closer inspection showed they were busy making kites
Colour papers and thennan kuchis strewn all over
Kathir sat in the middle showing the kids what needs to be done step by step
It was obvious they were having a great time
Mullai sat watching them happily
Once or twice their eyes locked above the kids' bent heads
They spoke with their eyes
At one point it was too overwhelming for Mullai and she walked in to bring dinner out
The kids parents arrived
But the kids were disappointed
Akka..kozhanthaingalukkum serthu thaan chappaathi sutten ..oru oru mani neram..saappittathum naan konduttu vanthu vidaren ..jolly ah velaiyaadi kittu irukkaanga avuha kooda
Oh Kathir thambiyum vanthuttaappulaya.seri seri..naanga akka thangachinga konja neram arattai adippom
Ungalukkum chappathi seyyattumaa kka
Ada venaam Mullai
Naanga mathiyam vecha mutton kozhambu irukku idly oru eedu vechu mudichukkuvom...
Ahn seri ka
Inside the kids finished making their kites
Mullai made them have dinner
They ate with gusto
They sat and spoke for some more time
By 9:30 the kids were worn out
Kathir got up to leave them
They all hugged and kissed Mullai obviously not wanting to leave
And finally their farewells were done
The kids walked hand in hand talking among themselves
Cha padam thaan miss aayiduchu la
Amaam..aanaa akka maamaa kooda jolly ah irunthuchu
The first kid turned around and smiled at Kathir
They reached their house
The man in that family Sundar spoke with Kathir
He gleaned that the ladies were leaving back home monday morning
Anne
Sollu pa
Trichy la pasanga padam pottu irukkaanga pola ..intha cartoon mathiri..naalaikku naanum Mullaiyum koottittu pogattuma
Ada yen pa
Pasanga paavam velia poga ready aagittu veettulaye adainju irunthuttaanga..athaan..Mullaiyum engayum pogaama veettulaye irukka..naalaikku eppudiyum avala engayaachum koottittu polaam yosichen..athaan
Neenga purushan pondaatti poittu vaanga
Kathir didn't want to push it further
Serinne appo naan kelambaren
Kathiru anuppa koodaathunnu ellam onnum ille
Appo anuppunga nne
Sundar had seen how the kids had clung to Kathir by way of good bye
Seri pa koottittu poittu vaanga
Thanks ne..Mullaiyum santhosham aayiduva..naan varen
Later that night Kathir told Mullai
As expected Mullai was ecstatic
But she told him something else
Yenga..anga Kunnakudi lernthu ellarum varaangala kekkalaamaa
Naalaikku kaalai tiffin illaama 11:30 12:00 manikka lunch inga saaptuttu konjam neram pesittu ellarum padathukku polaam la she offered
Hmm nalla idea thaan iru annan kitta kekkaren
He spoke on the phone
Anna anni..Jeeva annan Meena avuha ..4 per mattum varaaha
Kanna amma kooda irukken sollittaanaam..un attachi um kooda vanthu iruppaanga pola
Oh seri vareengala ticket book pannalaam
Unakku theriyum la eppudi pannanum nu
Hmm theriyum
Seri solli kudu vaa
They sat side by side
Mullai took him through the steps
Kathir counted the number in his head
Namma 6 per pasanga 5..intha row la mothama 11 ticket book pannalaamaa he asked
9 pothum she said
Yen
Naan onnu sonna kochukka koodathu
Enna
Jeeva maamaa kkum Meena kkum thamizh padam ethaachum book pannalaamaa
Yen
She updated him of her call with Meena
Kathir sat thinking
Annan innikku mathiyam kooda sollichu..naalaikku avangalukku birthday aame
Aamaam..Mullai said
Iru
He called Jeeva and put it on speaker
Sollu da Kathiru
Thaniya irukkiya ne
Aiyo un call vanthathum thappuchom pozhaichom nu velia odi vanthutten
Yen ne
Meena ore upset..naalaikku porantha naal sonnen la..avalukku naanga thaniyaa engayaachum ponumnu aasai
Maamaa Mullai pesaren maamaa
Sorry ne speaker la irunthuchu
Parava ille da...Meena vum Mullaiyum friends thaane
Mullai explained the plan to him
Jeeva was excited
Naan midnight gift kudukkaren..kochuppaalaa theriyale..maatta he said as an afterthought
Amaam maamaa..appuram inga nalla spl lunch sappidalaam
Anne trichy vara varaikkum ellam ore padamne irukkattum..anga vanthu ticket kedaikkalannu samaalichu neenga thaniya poidunga..
Seri da
Apuram maamaa english padam 2 mani neram thaan..tamil padam interval oda 3 mani neram
Amaam ne..naanga seekkiram kelambiduvom..nee porumaiya avuha la hotel koottittu poittu veettukku ponne
Jeeva was sooper happy
He had thought to tell his brother that they will stay back in Kunnakudi so he could take Meena out alone like she wished for
But this was better he knew
Exactly at midnight he gave Meena his gift
Meena was overjoyed
Thanks Jeeva she shrieked
She loved the saree that Jeeva had chosen for her
He had bought matching accessories as well
Neeye choose panniya Jeeva she asked
Amaam dee pudichutha he asked
Romba..nalla taste Jeeva unakku she said
Yen dee unakku ethuvume vaangi kudukkaathe mathiri pesara
Appudi ille thani thaniya vaangi kuduthu irukka..ippudi match ellam pannathu ille le she said
Enakku romba naalaa aasai..innikku kadaila salesgirl help pannaanga..he said honestly
Aanaa avanga neraiya eduthu kaamichaanga athulla ithu naan thaan choose pannen..he said
Romba nalla irukku she said
Naalaikku pottukkariya he asked
Hmm pottukkaren Jeeva she smiled
Sorry dee he said loosely hugging her
Jeeva enakku un kooda iruntha santhosham thaan..thaniya engayaachum poganumnu aasai avvalavu thaan she said
Happy Birthday dee en pondaatti he said kissing her with all the love he had
The next morning Jeeva took Meena to the temple
She left wearing the saree that Jeeva had gotten her
When they got home she had a pleasant surprise waiting for her
Her parents had come home laden with gifts on her birthday
They had come to invite all of them home for lunch
Acho appa..ellarum Kaaraikudi varatha sollittom..Mullai lunch seyya aarambichu iruppa Meena said much to everyone's surprise
Her parents readily acceded as well
Maamaa intha vaarathula ennikkaachum Meena va anga kadaikku pogum pothu vittuttu night koottikka varen..appo naanum anga sappidaren Jeeva said
That was settled
The 4 of them soon left to Kaaraikudi
They reached by around 10:30
Anni, anne vaanga..vaanne vaanga Kathir invited them in
Mullai hurried out hearing voices
Vaanga ka..vaa Meena..maamaa, Jeeva maamaa ukkaarunga
Eppudi irukka Mullai..
Enakku enna ka nalla irukken
Vaanga veedu paarunga
She showed them around the house while the men talked shop
Mullai went back to the kitchen
She brought out juice for everyone to quench their thirst
Kathir went and picked up the kids ..he had already informed that they would have lunch with them
Dhanam and Meena insisted on helping Mullai cook only to find that most of the cooking was done
Only last minute frying was pending
The men used to breakfast were ravenous
Once the kids came they all sat down to eat
Rani took to Meena immediately and sat next to her
Meena was very happy
She took care to ensure that Rani ate well
Muthu was torn between Dhanam and Kathir
Seeing the other 2 boys flanking Kathir already he went and sat on Dhanam's lap smiling at her
Selvi for some strange reason took to Jeeva
Jeeva was a little flummoxed initially
But very soon was chatting nineteen to the dozen with that girl
Even Kathir and Mullai were amused
She had not been this chatty with them
Dhanam was in bliss world
They had all devoured lunch and praised Mullai and sat chatting for sometime when Moorthy said he had a small work and will be back in 20 mts
Kathir offered to drive him
Kathir was surprised to see what Moorthy was up to
They came back home
Moorthy set the contents of the bag he held on a table
Enna nne Jeeva was surprised
Ada Meena ku birthday oru cake vettanum la
Yen maamaa ithukka poneenga Meena asked
Ada amaam pa..pasanga irukkaanga
Meena happily cut the cake
They all had a piece each
Time was 1 pm
Kathir proposed they leave
They had planned to go by bus
Jeeva and Meena and Kathir and Mullai sat in 2 2 seaters
Dhanam and Moorthy sat with Muthu on the 3 seater side and the 4 other kids sat in the 3 seater in front of them
Within 10 mts of the bus starting the kids began to doze off
Mullai and Meena got up and asked the boys to go sit with Kathir and Jeeva
But selvi promptly went and sat with Jeeva
Mani made a dash for Kathir
Selvam was all too happy to sit with Mullai
And Rani with Meena
This time the kids slept on the adults' lap
They woke up only on reaching Trichy
But were nice and fresh after the nap
They reached the cinema in 3 autos
Kathir broke the news then
Jeeva anne
Sollu Kathiru
Unakku ticket message panni irukken paaru
Ahn vanthu irukku da
Neeyum Meena anniyum antha padathukku thaan poreenga..
Enga gift maamaa..Meena birthday ku
Amaam ne..Naanga kozhanthaingala animation padathukku koottittu porom
Enga ithellam Meena asked
Ada unga porantha naal neengalum thaniya enjoy pannunga Kathir smiled
Moorthy didn't think much about it but Dhanam was a little upset
Kathir sensed it
He pulled his anni aside
Anni romba yosikkaatheenga..he smiled
Arivukku puriyuthu intha manasukku thaa n she smiled
Innonnum ippoye sollidaren
Ennathu da
Avanga padam namakku oru 15 nimisham appuram aarambichu 1 mani neram kazhuchu thaan mudiyum..namma mothalla kelambiduvom
Atheppudi da
Bus la thaan anni
Kathiru
Anni
Enna da merattara
Siru pulla thanamaa nadakka koodathu..anne avuhala dinner koottittu poittu veettukku vanthuruvaaru
Dhanam took a couple minutes to process all this
But she made her peace with it and smiled
While all this was happening Moorthy managed to wheedle himself into the children's heart by giving them a free hand at the canteen
Ungalukku enna venumo vaangikkonga he had said
They had a lovely time watching the movie CoCo
Once done they left home
Dhanam and Moorthy to Kunnakudi and Kathir and Mullai to Kaaraikudi
Jeeva and Meena finished the movie and boarded a bus to Kunnakudi
But Meena was pleasantly surprised when upon alighting Jeeva rode the bike to her house
Maamaakku thaniyaa kooppittu night dinner varom sollitten..avangalum aasai pattaanga ille he said
Aiii..Thanks Jeeva Meena squealed
Her birthday had been more than picture perfect thanks to her entire family
Back in Kaaraikudi
Mullai packed the cake for the children
Kathir dropped them home
Bus la nalla thoongittaanga..aanaalum tired ah thaan iruppaanga..night tiffin saappidala he updated
Naanga paarthukkarom..romba thanks thambi..nethu cake sooper ah irunthuchu..pasangalukku ungala romba pudichu pochu..neengalum seekkiram pethukkonga the akka smiled
Kathir smiled back and left
At home
Yenga mathiyam vecha soru konjam micham aayiduchu..athana perukku senju pazhakkam illela athaan..Mutton Kozhambu fish fry ellam kooda irukku..athaiye saappida laamaa
Thaaraalamaa Kathir said
She heated everything up
Meen ippo ukkanthu varuthaiya..athu illenna enna Kathir asked
Illenga mathiyam varuthathu thaan soodu mattum pannen she said
Appudiya anga anni pannuvaanga romba varakkunnu irukkum..ithu soft ah nalla irukku
Mullai smiled
Soodu panna ennai oda oru spoon thanniyum vittu..Moodi pottu vaattinaa soft aayidum she said
Oh appudiya..nejamaa nalla irukku..he said relishing the food
Amma oda technique she said
Neeyum saapiden
Illenga parava ille
Ada he took a plate and proceeded to serve her
They both ate
Yen Mullai unakku avuha mathiri thaniya padathukku poganumnu aasai illiya Kathir asked