The months rolled by
The baby shower functions were organised in a grand fashion for all 3 women
Dhanam's was first and Meena's was just a week later
The house reeled under the absence of the 2 women
Moorthy and Jeeva moped through the days missing their wives
They had appointed a lady to take care of Lakshmi amma during the day
Mullai's baby shower was after a fortnight from Meena's
Kathir started moping a week before the day Mullai would leave to her mom's place
He lay his head on her lap and said
Nee poitta bore uh
Naan pogaama ingaye irukkattumaa
Mudiyuma he asked getting all excited
Theriyale she mumbled
Unakkum poga vendaamaa
Vendaam
He got up
Seri vaa mela vasathiya padu
He helped her get up
Mullai was getting very uncomfortable
Maamaa
Enna ma
Muthugu ennannu theriyale romba valikkuthu
He made her lie to her side his back to him and started gently pressing her back
When he hit a particularly soar part she moaned
Enna maa romba valikkutha
Hmm ethamaa irukku
Seri appudiye un paatta pottu thoongu..naan amukkaren he said
Once her breathing steadied he hugged her from behind and slept
The next morning he stayed back in the morning after Moorthy Jeeva and Kanna left
When it was just them and Lashmi amma at home
He made her sit on a stool in the washroom..she sat with her saree on and a bare back
He gave her a gentle oil massage and splashed some nice hot water on her back to relax the muscles
Micha kuliyal mudichuttu variyaa he said
Ahn seri maamaa she said
Ukkanthe kuli kannukutty enna vazhukka poguthu
Ahn seri she said
Naan ingaye irukkattumaa he asked
Kan moodikkareengala she requested
Ethukku he took a jab
Please maamaa she whispered
Yen dee..nikkarthe unna bathirama paarthukka thaan..kan moodinaa eppudi mudiyum
Asingamaa irukku
Asingamaavaa..ennadi soldra
Amaam ippudi balloon mathiri ubbi poi irukken..paarkkave asingamaa
Ey loosu..enna ma ularara
She just sat sniffling
He made her stand up then
Enna paaru he said
He hooked a finger under her chin and pulled her face up to meet his
Her eyes were downcast
Mullai he said
And her eyelids fluttered up and her eyes met his
Enna prachanai
Romba weight pottutten..dress onnu kooda fit aagala..nadakkartha intha pakkamum antha pakkamum aadi aadi nadakkuren
Yen dee kitta thatta 12 kilo extra weight ah thenamum thookkittu nadakkara..motha weight um un vayathula thaam..centre of balance pogum thaane..konjam saanju saanju thaan nadappa
Delivery appuram seri aayidum la
Aagaama
Aagala na
Aagaatti enna
Gundaa irukkennu ennaiya pudikkaama poidumaa
Unakku enna thonuthu
Nee appudi ille theriyum..Aanaalum room la kannadi la naan full ah fit eh aagarthu ille..
Loosu..he said kissing her nose
Pesum pothu moochu muttuthu she lamented
Theriyuthu..romba kashtamaa irukka
Amaam eppoda paappaa velia varum nu irukku
Mullai vaangina pregnancy books ellam padichiyaa illiyaa
Full ah ille
Kozhanthai poranthappuram innum thookkam poi..pasi jaasthi aagi..kashtam thaan..
Ungalukku eppudi theriyum
Naan padichen full ah
She sagged against him..ippove tired aaguthu
Romba yosikkaatha..naan ethukku irukken..unakkum paappaakkum kashtam illaama paarthukkaren ..
Hmm..and she leaned against him..
kulichu mudi thangam..cold pudikka poguthu..vaa naan thechu vidaren
Naan paarthu kulikkaren..neenga velia wait pannunga please
He gave her a kiss on the forehead
And left her to do this in private like she wished
Back in their room she snuggled up to him
Kovam ille le
Ille ma nimmathiya iru..Eppo irunthu leave nee
Innum oru maasam appuram thaan
Unakku leave evvalavu naal kuduppaanga
3 maasam..mela oru 1-2 maasam loss of pay podalaam aanaa yen manager athellam vendaam solli irukkaanga..flexible ah work pandra mathiri work assign pandren..konjam light load nu solli irukkaanga
Appo athu ellam pesitta la
Hmm thideernu vali vanthu admit aganum naa kooda onnum prachanai ille..rendu per sernthu pandra mathiriye aana velai thaan enakku allot pandraanga
Oh seri seri..
And like this every little thing was falling in place
The day for Mullai's baby shower arrived
The function went fabulously
And after the function
Parvathy and Murugan gave the young couple a pleasant surprise by announcing that they would come and stay with them
Kathir was ecstatic
The elders had discussed this already and decided this was for the best
Mullai's happiness knew no bounds
Soon after Mullai's baby shower
Meena delivered a baby girl and Dhanam had a boy
Mullai went into labour 2 days before her due date and delivered a baby girl
Kathir was sitting with her holding her hands
They were back in their room
Mullai was lying her head on Kathir's laps
En kanna paarthu etho solluven sonna she asked
Sollitta pochu Kathir said fixing her with a stare..
Mullai looked mesmerised unable to look away from him
I love you he said
And she gasped
She sat up and gave him a hug
Appo naan kozhanthai kuduthuttu poga venaam she joked
Yosichen..kozhanthaikku thaai paal romba mukkiyamaame..athaan he said
Athu enna oru varusham appuram naan venaamaa
Cha cha..kozhanthaikku diaper maathanum..saappaadu ootti vidanum ..athellam irukku la
Athu oru 3-4 vayasu varaikkum thaane
Naane padikkaathavan..namma ponnu ku padippu nee thaane solli kudukkanum
Minji minji ponaa 5th varaikkum appuram avangale padichuppaanga
Enna yaaru dee paarthuppa..athukku vayase kedaiyaathu..he whispered knocking foreheads with her
She tightened the hug
I love you Theeraa..innikku nethu ille..maamaa eranthappo nee vanthu en kaiya pudicha annilernthe she said
He smiled
Naanum thaan
Hmm she said
Paappaa thoongum pothe neeyum thoongu he said making her lie down and patting her to sleep
They named their daughter Thamarai
Soon Dhanam and Meena came back witn the kids
The household went into a frenzy for the next 2 months before settling into a rhythm
Soon all the 3 ladies were complaining about weight gain
Kathir conducted zumba sessions every morning
And it soon translated to a zumba session in his studio.. morning batches on 6 days of the week ..this was an instant success too
Meena expressed an interest to conduxt these classes
And soon she was an instructor at Kathir's studio 6 days a week for an hour each day
She wanted to do it for the fun of it and she wanted to maintain her fitness as well
So when Kathir gave her a cover at the end of the month she was shocked
Kathir enna nammakulla kaasellam kuduthuttu
Ada ithu unga uzhaippu pudinga he had insisted
And that was that
Mullai had rejoined work from the 4th month
Her manager had helped her by assigning less critical projects related work to her
But from the 6th month onwards work was in full swing for her
A couple more months rolled by
On one evening when Kathir came home
The baby was crying in the hall
He rushed to the baby and lifted her up
Mullai Mullai he called out to her
As soon as he lifted the baby he knew she needed a diaper change
Achacho unga velai panni vechu irukkeengalaa athaan azhugaiyaa..
He once again called her name out
And went to their room and that's when he realised she was on a call
He mouthed a Oh sorry and raised his hands up
But she was glaring at him
Oru nimisham naan thirumba kooppidaren she said and cut the call
Ethukku ippo yen pera elam vidareenga she snapped
Ille kozhanthai hall la thaniya paduthu kittu azhuthu kittu iruntha ..athaan nee engannu kural kuduthen..call la iruppannu yosikkaama vittutten..sorry he said
Mannaangatti..kozhanthai azhutha thookki samaathaanam panna vendiyathu thaane..intha akka enga ponaanga ..avanga kitta sollittu thaan vanthen
Kathir was getting pissed with her tone
diaper maathanum nenaikkaren athaan azhuvara he said holding on to his patience
Maathunga..yen konjarthukkum velaiyaadarthukkum thaan neengalaa..intha asinga velai ellam naan thaan pannanum appudi thaane she said
Kozhanthaikku pandratha asingam
Soldra..ennavo ithu naan pannathe illaatha mathiri pesara..
Pannittaalum she started again
Mullai he yelled
She stopped short and gulped
Avvalavu thaan mariyathai..un velaiya poi paaru..athaiye kattittu azhu..po he said
Kozhanthai kudunga she said
Oru mannum thevai ille..naane sutham pannikkaren..neenga vaanga thangam
And he walked out
Mullai was sorting out an issue at work and had been spoken to badly by her manager
She made the call again having no other way though her heart was not in it
Kathir stood over the stove heating water while his daughter was bawling her eyes out
Aachu thangam aachu ma he said
Dhanam was feeding her baby..she could hear the commotion but was unable to come out
Kathir cleaned the baby and changed it into fresh diapers
And she was all happy now that she was cleaned
Very soon she started sniffling asking for food
Pasikkutha thangathukku..vaanga sappida enna paarkkalaam..he said and took her to Mullai
Kozhanthaikku pasikkuthu pola..nee feed pandriya ille naan kanji kaachattumaa
Night konjam velai irukkum innikku..ippove en feed kuduthudaren night oru 9 manikka nalla idly kudutha thoongiduvaa
Hmm seri appo kudu
He left the baby with her and left the room
But in about 15 mts there was a knock on the door
Naan thaan he said
Ahn vaanga she said
Kudichuttaalaa he asked
Hmm summa kudikkaama velaiyaadaraa..she said and to the baby she said kudinga kutty
The baby drank some while Kathir held the cup to Mullai's lips
Nee ithe kudi..he coaxed
Sorry she started
Appuramaa pesikkalaam..nimmathiya kozhanthaikku paal kudu..neeyum nalla rusichu kudi he said
She drank the Mother's horlicks that he gave her and leaned on him in her sitting position as the baby drank from her
She was tired and upset and he could see that but he was angry too
Later that night after dinner the family sat chatting ..Jeeva was yet to return from Kaaraikudi
Anne onnonna ella bathroom layum heater podanum ne Kathir started
Yenna da thideernu
Kozhanthainga diaper maathi kazhuva ovvoru vaattiyum kashtama irukkunne..ore stove la ithana perukku samayal..kozhanthaingalukku venneer nu
Enga kaalathula ellam oru veragaduppu thaan Lakshmi amma piped in
Athukku Kathir snapped
Ille pa sonnen
Ethukku ma soldreenga Kathir said in an irritated tone
Ele amma kekkarthulla enna da thappu irukku
Enna thappu irukka
Yen 10 varusham munnadi ore cycle la thaane enga 3 peraiyum ukkaara vechu enga naalum koottittu poneenga ..vaanga naalu cycle vaangi ellarum athulla polaam ..ethukku bike ..athukku petrol ellam..veen selavu
Kathiru yen pa ..saathaaranamaa pesu
Appudi thaan pesinen..ungalukkum annanukkum ithe velai..antha kaalam enga kaalam nu..diaper vaanganumna athukku oru pechu..evvalavu naal thaan kekkarthu
Venaam da ..kekkaatha ..kekkave thevai ille..ellam unakku thaan theriyum
Ille nne..enakkum theriyaathu ..theriya vara po soldren avvalavu thaan..
Yen Mullai sonnaalaa
Ille ne..
Maamaa naan onnum sollale
Ada naan kuthama kekkala pa..enna prachanai nu purinjukka thaan..ponnunga prachanai..Dhanam athukku theervu solluva athaan
Ithaan maamaa prachanai..unga Dhanathu kku mattum thaan ellam theriyum nu yen nenaikkareenga Meena piped in but with a smile to make it clear she was ribbing more than arguing
Ille anni avar innum onnum pandrathu ille athaan kashtam puriyale
Oh appudiya pa..appudi enna pa puriyale enakku Moorthy smirked
Intha heater prachanai mattum pesuvome..Pandian dress eeram pannitta maathi vittu irukkeengalaa..eeram panna thuni ya thovaichu irukkeengalaa..Kathir challenged
Avar ethukku pannanum Kathiru
Anni thayavu senju en annan kitta naan pesum pothu konjam edam kudunga he snapped
Appudi ille da..naan irukken avaru yen pannanum kekkaren
Neraiya kaasu varuthu nu ellam selavu panni agala kaal vekkarthu nallathu ille Lakshmi amma piped in
Appudi sollunga ma Moorthy added
Lakshmi amma could sense Kathir getting agitated
Meena ennaiya ulle koottittu po ma..naan inga iruntha en vaai summa irukkaathu
Venaam venaam naan poren ulle Kathir said in a rather loud voice
Yenga pothum Mullai placed her hand on his shoulder in an effort to calm him down
Ey he snapped batting her hand away..en annan kitta eppo pesanum evvalavu pesanum etha pathi pesanum nu unga ovvoruthar kittayum permission vaanganumaa he yelled
Everyone spoke at the same time and there was a babble of sounds for the next few minutes
Chai Kathir could be heard above everyone else Intha veettula oru vishayam nimmathiya pesa mudiyarthu ille ippo ellam he shouted
The baby asleep with her head on his shoulders woke up to him looking angry and shouting
Pa she said in a soft groggy voice..her first word and Kathir froze
And if that was not enough she leaned in and gave him a kiss on his cheeks..an open mouthed noiseless kiss
He looked at her with a smile but she had a very worried pout
Achacho..en lotus baby ku enna aachu..appa katha venaamaa ..vaanga naama velia walking poittu varalaam..
Pesaama main ah off pannittu chimney velakku ethi vekkalaam..antha kaalathula thaan electricity ellam kedaiyaathe he could be heard saying jauntily as he walked out
Nakkal paarthiya avanukku
Athai vere etho kovam athaan vedukkunnu pesaraaru..aanaa avar sonna vishayam nyaayam thaan..ungala padukka vekkattuma Meena said
Athaan soldraanga ille Moorthy athu ennannu paaru Lakshmi amma said
Mullai went into the room
When Kathir came back she was already lying on the bed her face to the wall
The baby was sleepy and cranky
Mullai paappaa sinungaraa..konjam venaa feed pandriya..thoongiduvaa he said
There was no response
Assuming she was asleep he tapped her but when she still didn't respond he tried to roll her around
She resisted and that's when he realised she was awake
He sat laying the baby on his lap and gently tugged her
Mullai enna aachu
Onnum ille came her feeble voice
He knew she was crying and was horrified
Ey nee mothalla enthiri
—
Unne enthirinnu sonnen
And she got up
Enna ma..office la periya prachanai ya
Romba thaan akkarai..ippo enna unga kozhanthai azhuva koodathu avvalavu thaane kudunga inga she said
Taking the baby from him she started feeding her..and as was the norm she smiled seeing how the baby had her hands cupped around her breast and sucking vigorously making a soft adorable noice
She knew any minute now and she will be asleep
Horlicks venumaa Kathir asked
Onnum venaam..
Kathir stared at her
Paappa thoongitta paaru..he ventured again
Enakku theriyaathaa..innum suck pannittu thaan irukka..
Enn vedukkunnu pesara
Neenga mattum ..naan onnume seriyaa seyyarthillela..oru naal oru 2 nimisham late aanathukku..velaiye kattittu azharennu soldreenga
Achacho appudi sollittenaa..sorry
Onnum venaam..
Athaan sorry soldren la
Neengale vechukkonga unga sorry ah..naan samaathaanam panna erinju vizhareenga..iva ennavo pa ngara mutham kudukkaraa..udane appudiye palla kaamichukittu..avala mattum koottittu walking poreenga..Mullai variyaannu oru vaattiyaachum ketteengalaa
Un velai time la ..laptop um kaiyumaa irukka..athaan
Illaattiyum ungalukku unga ponnu iruntha pothum
Petha ponnu kooda pottiyaadi
Amaam potti thaan
Appo neeyum potti pottu kittu mutham kudukka vendiyathu thaane he pulled her leg
Ponga she giggled sitting up and patting the baby to ensure her sleep continued
Romba tired ah irukka he asked caressing her face
Hmm amaam..mudi kottuthu..intha vayaru ulla eh poga maattenguthu..velaila vera pressure kooduthu..enakku mudiyale
Ellam mella mella seri aagum ..konjam porumai
Neengalum ponnu thaan ulagam nu irukkeenga she pouted
Nee mattum un ponnu..un velai avvalavu thaan
Enakku eppo dee kadaisiya mutham kodutha he challenged
She stared at him in shock
But only a second
And the next she gave a quick kiss on his cheek and said tho ippo
Yaarukku dee venum unnoda kannathula mutham..ozhunga purushana kiss pandra mathiri pannu dee he demanded
Taking the sleeping baby she placed her in her cradle
Oru 10 nimisham wait pannunga she said
And true to her words she walked in looking and smelling all fresh
And she gave him that kiss he had demanded of her
Velai ille paappaa ille..just yours..enna venum she whispered
For the next several minutes he showed her just what they had been missing ..
When she declared her love for him in the middle of it all..he whispered ithe romba miss pannen..and claimed her lips
That night they reclaimed a semblance of their life from before the baby was born
The last 8 months had been a bit of a frenzy..keeping odd hours to match the baby's sleep schedule..her job..his studio and shop work
They had as a couple managed their individual work related and collective responsibilities as parents very well
But they realised they had ignored each other and also felt ignored by the other
They needed this time together
Mullai Naalaikku morning koil polaamaa Kathir asked
Hmm polaam Theeraa..naanum neeyum mattum she whispered
He was a little shocked but didn't have the heart to deny her
The next morning they were ready..him in a crisp white dhothi and a cotton purple shirt..she stood wearing an apple green cotton saree the border of which matched his shirt
The baby lay outside on a mat..freshly bathed and in her diaper
On seeing her parents she rolled over and got into a crawling position
Mullai froze
She turned around eyes glistening
Kathir smiled theough his tears at her
10 nimisham wait pannattumaa he asked
Hmm..paappaa paavam..
namma thaan dee paavam he chuckled ..
The 10 mts he waited he had called a known auto driver to pick them up
Mullai came out with Thamarai all decked up in a cute cotton frock that had a matching headband and socks..
Auto sollitten Kathir said
Thangam thamarai koil poreengala..bathirama poittu vaanga Dhanam said
Akka Pandianum koottiittu pogattuma
Ille Mullai avana kulippaattave ille..paal kudukkanum neenga poittu vaanga she said
Lakshmi amma seeing them leave sighed happily
Innikku unga ellaarayum ukkaara vechu suthi podanum Dhanam ..Muruganukku oru phone podu she said
Kathir and Mullai stood at the temple happily praying and thanking god for all the blessings they had been showered with
Mullai opened her eyes first
The baby with her eyes open sat in Kathir's arms observing everything
When Kathir didn't open his eyes for long she patted his cheeks and said pa..pa..
Enna maa
Ma..
Amma kan thoranthuttaangalaa he asked and she nodded
Mullai was all smiles
Happily they finished their prayers and sat down and began playing with their daughter
And let's leave them their in full comprehension that they will be at loggerheads quite often but will also have their own unique ways to make up and be happy again
The end