AN: - This story takes a different track from the serial after Vetri goes to jail. In this case, Vetri is convicted for killing someone for defense. So, he gets only a maximum 2 year sentence. This story is about how the years apart have shaped both Abi and Vetri and what happens when they meet a few years after that day in court. As the title says, in this story both Vetri and Abi have a profession connected to law. Let's see where this takes me.
This chapter is about Abi's decisions. Story starts right after Vetri confesses in court that he killed Bhavani and surrenders the murder weapon.
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Abi hears Vetri's confession and is stunned. She is just looking at him without any other movement. SN too is zapped and collapses to his chair. All of the family are in shock. Paramu and Radha look surprised but are happy. The whole court is silent for a few moments and everyone is focussed on Vetri. Darshan too hears this and is surprised. He collects himself quickly and pulls aside the public prosecutor.
Judge: Mr. PP! Ungalukku ethavathu sollanuma?
PP: Your honor! Oru 15 nimisham discussion time kodukka vendukiren.
The judge offers him the time and walks out to his chamber. Darshan, gets the PP and SN out of the court and discusses something. The three of them meet the judge. Then, all of them walk back into the court. Darshan has convinced the PP to ask for a shorter sentence.
Judge: Intha vazhakkil, puthumaiyaga kutram sattappattavare than thavarai othukkondullar. Ithu oru tharkappukkaga seitha kolai! Thittamittal kolai illai! Kolai seyyappatta nabarukku kutram sattappattavar meethum avar nanbar meethum mun virotham irunthirukkirathu! Avargal vakkuvathathin pothu kolai nadanthullathu. Enave, police matrum PPyin parinthuraippadi, kutram sattappattavarukku 2 aandu sirai thandanai vithikkiren.
Vetri looks at Nandhini but refuses to look at anyone else. He is taken by the police. Abi is still stunned and doesn't move. Her mother who is crying is hugging Abi. Aranganathan (RR, from now on) comes to Abi.
RR: Naanthan sonnenemma! Avan nambikkai drogam pannuvannu! Nee than avanai romba nambina! Sari! Ellarum vanga veetukku polam.
Vetri's family leaves and Abi is still sitting there. SN comes there after official formalities are over. He finally manages to take Abi to his car. He then calls Nandhini's phone.
SN: Nandhini! Naan Abiya kootittu poren! Nee ava things ellathayum pack panni anuppidariya?
Nan: Chitappa! Sari! Nalaikku kondu varen Ava unga koodaye irukkattum. Inga vantha avalukku manasukku kashtama than irukkum. Ippo ava udambu than mukkiyam!
SN and Padma enter the house with Abi.
Surya: Naan kelvipatten chitappa! Antha drogi ippadi pannuvannu enakku munname theriyum. Neenga ellarum than avanai nambineenga! Avanai ellam thookila pottirukkanum.
Var: Athu mattuma? En thambi Darshana venamnu sonneenga illai! Innikku paarunga! Avan thaan intha kolaikaranoda mugathiraiya kizhichan. Ozhunga avanai kattiruntha intha kashtam vanthirukkuma? Illai Sakthiyayavathu kalyanam pannirukkalam. Ivaru sonna mappillai ellam venamnu thooki potta illai? Unga mappillai nalla avalukku kariya poosittaru! Ippo pathathukku vayathula pullai vera!
Pad: Varsha! Ennama ithu? Avale kashtathula irukka! Rendu uyir. Ava kaathu pada ippadi pesathe!
She takes Abi to her room and makes Deepthi sit with her. Abi is still silent and mechanically eats what Periamma feeds her. SN walks in .
Per: Ilaiyavare! Ippadi agiduche naam Abi vazhkai? Mappillai en ippadi panninaru?
SN: Anni! Theriyalai Anni! Ennalayum namba mudiyalai! Ippo ethuvum pesi avalai nogadikkatheenga! Ava thoongi ezhuthunkkattum Appuram enna panrathunnu yosikkalam. Deepthi! Nee innikku Abi kooda thoongumma!
Pad: Illainga! Naan kooda irukken. Avalukku rathiri ethavathu venumna naan iruntha than sariya irukkum.
Abi is still silent and does her work mechanically. She eats dinner when Padma prompts her and goes to the washroom and comes back. When Padma turns off the light, Abi lies down. After some time, exhaustion takes over and Abi goes to sleep. Next morning, Abi comes down to the dining area and her mother brings her coffee. Abi goes to vomit smelling the coffee.
Per: Avalukku anga tea kudichu pazhakkam agiduchu! Naan inji pottu tea konduvaren Padma!
Abi drinks her tea and has breakfast. Nandhini comes into the house with Abi's bag.
Pad: Vamma Nandhini!
Nan: Chitthi! Ava porul ellam kondu vanthen. Abi! Eppadi irukke?
Abi looks at her blankly.
Pad: Nethikku Vetri sonnathukku appuram ava pesave illaimma! Engalukku ore kavalaiya irukku. Avungappa ezhunthu vanthathum pesi pakkarennu sonnaru!
Nan: Naan enna solrathunne theriyalai Chithi! Avalai pathukkunga! Naan konja naal kazhichu vanthu pakkaren.
She leaves. Surya and Varsha come down and see Nandhini leaving.
Sur: Inthamma enga inga vantha? Abiya avunga veetukku thirumba sevagam panna kooptittu ponala?
Pad: Dei! Ennada ithu? Nethikku Chitappa avalai Abiyoda things eduthuttu vasa sonnaru! Athai koduthuttu poga vantha!
Sur: Ethukku chithi? Avunga veetulenthu en kondu vantheenga? Angaye erichu poda sollavendiyathu thane? Nammalala vangi kodukka mudiyatha? Inimel avan sambanthapatta nyabagam ethuvume avalukku koodathu!
Var: Athellam saringa! Ava vayathula irukkara kuzhanthai? Athu avan varisu thane?
Sur: Athuvum than ethukku? Innum time agalainna pesama kalaichuda sollunga!
Varsha, Padma and Periamma, all three shout at him! Abi finally looks up at Surya and puts a hand on her stomach. She looks around disturbed, then sees her bag, takes it and goes up.
Per: Ennada pechu ithu? Ithellam paavam da! Namma veetula oru kuzhanthai thavazhathannu engikittu irukkom. Ippadi enda pesara?
Var: Ennanga ithu? Avan eppadi vena pottum. Kuzhanthai ennanga pannichu? Ippadi pesatheenga.
Pad: Surya! Unnai kenji kettukkaren! Inimel ippadi pesathe! Ava un vazhikku varama pathukkaren! Intha mathiri pesi ava manasa nogadikkathe. Varsha! Neeyum thanma!
Var: Illai athai! Etho athangathula nethikku sollitten! Naan inimel solla matten athai! Enna irunthalum Abi enakku thangai than! Neenga kavalai padatheenga!
Sur: Ennavo pannunga ellarum! Kaalam poora avan kuzhanthai avalukku avan drogatha nyabaga paduthikitte irukkum. Athukku than sonnen! Athukkaga ellam naan chumma irukka matten. Avanai pathi pesi ava manasai mathathan poren.
SN: Surya! Intha pechai vidu! Oru rendu moonu naal pogattum. Appuram ennanu yosikkalam.
Abi goes into her room and starts putting away her things. She opens the locked cupboard to keep her certificates and other documents. She files them and tries to close the cupboard, but could not. A black cloth is hanging in between. Abi tries to fold it properly and sees that it's Vetri's jeans pants she had cut off for treating his gunshot wound. She caresses the cut she made and a small tremor goes through her body. Slowly, one by one, these tremors become bigger and bigger and then tears start pouring out of her eyes. She starts crying uncontrollably and a wounded cry comes out of her throat. Padma hears this and rushes in and SN follows her. They see her leaning on the open cupboard and holding a pair of jeans pants and crying. Padma hugs Abi and SN helps Padma make them both sit on the bed. SN is about to say something and Padma shushes him and caresses Abi's back. Abi calms down slowly and falls asleep on Padma's lap.
Abi wakes up after a few hours and feels her head throbbing. She turns on the other side and feels momentary loss to find the bed otherwise empty. She then realises that it's her father's house and slowly everything rushes back. Tears come down again and she closes her eyes leaning on the head board. Padma walks in softly and sees that Abi is awake.
Pad: Abimma! Poi bathroom poittu moonji kazhuvittu vaa! Juice kondu vanthirukken. Romba neram thanni kudikkama thalai valikkum.
Abi comes back from the bathroom and the juice reminds her of the time she treated Vetri in the same room. Tears prick the back of her eyes. She drinks the juice.
A: Appa engamma? Ellarum sappteengala?
Pad: Naan, periamma, Appa moonu perum unakkaga wait panromda! Nee keezha variya? illai ingaye kondu varattuma?
A: Illaimma! Naan keezha varen!
She goes down and they all eat silently. SN goes up with Abi to her room.
SN: Abimma! Marunthu sapptiya? Intha! Solluma! Eppadi irukka?
A: (sighs) puriyalaippa! Eppadi feel panrenne puriyalai! Ithellam oru kanavu! Itho ezhunthuduven! Ezhunthathum vetri kooda ethavathu sandai poduvennu than thonuthuppa! (cries)
SN hugs her and says soothing words.
SN: Kannama! Azhuthudu da! Manasula irukkara vali konjam poruthukka mudiyum. Rendu moonu naal ethuvum yosikkathe. Ozhunga sappidu! Eppo thookam varutho thoongu! Appuram enna panrathunnu yosikkalam. Ippo naan vena inga irunthu velai seyyattuma?
A: Appa! Sorryppa! Ennala than neenga intha case edutheenga! Ungalukku ippadi agiduchu!
SN: Illaima! Ithula un thappu enna irukku. Naan innamum nee avar kolai pannalainnu nambinathu sari thannu thonuthu! Avaru yaarukkagavo intha pazhi ethukittu irukkaru!
A: Appa! Venampa! Intha pechai edukkatheenga! Naan enakkaga illainnalum kuzhanthaikkaga yosikkanum. Innikku ennamo thookam thookama varuthu! Naan konja neram thoongaren.
SN: Sarimma! Appo naan velilaye velai seyyaren. Ethavathu venumna koopidu.
Abi wakes up around 5 pm and goes out of the room after freshening up. She hears sound from Varsha and Surya's room and hears her name taken.
Sur: Abikkitta naan pesaren. Naan solrathu sarinnu ava othuppa! Ippo intha nilamaila avalukku intha kuzhanthai thevaiya? Athuvum antha kolaikaranoda kozhanthai! Already kolikaran pondatti ivalai ellarum pesuvanga! Athai kooda divorce vangi sari pannidalam. Kuzhanthai! Venave venam Varsha.
Var: Ennanga ithu? Athukkaga kuzhanthai azhikkalama? Athu periya paavam! Erkanave enna paavam pannomo namakku illai! Antha kolaikaranukku ithonnu ninaichathu kuzhanthai undagiduchu! Ithula intha paavam veraya?
Sur: Athukkaga avan pullaiyai pethu namma veetula valakka solriya? Enakku avan kozhanthai valaruthunnu ninaichale pathikkittu varuthu.
Var: Namma veetu kuzhanthainnu ninaichukkunga! En avan kuzhanthainnu ninaikkareenga?
Sur: Enga ponalum antha kuzhanthaiyai kolaikaran kuzhanthainnu thane solluvanga? Vera eppadi solluvanga? Judge veetu kuzhanthainna solluvanga? Chitappa perayum illai nethikku mothama azhichuttan? Venam venamnu evlo sonnen! Intha Abi kettala? Illai chitappa than kettaara? Ippo enna achu? Kolaikaran kuzhanthaiyai namma vettula vechu valakkanum. Ithu vera!
Abi recoils listening to this and walks back to her room. She is in deep thought and takes her laptop and does some research.
Next morning after breakfast, Abi says that she wants to talk to everyone.
A: Appa! Naan enna panrathunnu mudiveduthutten.
SN: Abi! avasarappattu mudivedukkathemma! Athuvum emotional statele ethuvum yosikkathe.
A: Illaippa! Naan UPSC exam ezhutha poren!
Per: Appadinna ennamma?
A: Athu IAS, IPSnnu agarathukku. Naan IAS kku exam ezhuthi agaporen. Enakku porakkara kozhanthai oru IAS officeroda kozhanthainnu per vanganum. Athoda, ennala mudinja alavukku ellarukkum nallathu seyyanum. Athukkaga naan intha mudivukku vanthirukken.
SN: Romba santhoshamda! Nee ippadi yosikkarathai kekka romba perumaiya irukku! Sari! Ethavathu coaching class visarichu vechirukkiya illai naan visarikkattuma?
A: Appa! Naan inga padikka porathillai! Naan veliyurla poi padikka poren. Inga iruntha enakku manasu nimmathiya irukkathu! Naan ithaiyellm vittutu vera oorukku poi padikka poren. Angeye exam ezhuthavum poren.
Per: Ennada ippadi solra? Ippo vera nee masama irukka! Nee eppadi samalippa? Padma! Neeyum Varshavum inga samalinga! Naan venna Abi kooda irukken.
A: Illai periamma! Inimel naan ethayum thaniya senju pazhakkika poren. Ithu naan thernthedutha vazhkai! Naan than ithai samalikkanum. Naan pathukkaren. Neenga yaarum vara venam. Naan Hyderabad pogapporen.
SN: Abimma! Yosichu mudivedu da! Avasarappadathe. Nee venumna chennaila irunthu padi da! Oru avasaramna naanga iruppom.
A: Illaippa! Naan inimel orutharai sarnthu irukka koodathunnu mudivu eduthirukken. Innikku naan oru koloikaran pondatti. En kozhanthai oru kolaikaran kozhanthai! Athu ennodave irukkattum. Enakkum en kozhanthaikkum oru nalla adaiyalatha uruvakkittu naan varen. Unga veetu ponnu IAS officer perumaiya solla vechittu varenpa. Ungalukku naan ippo porathu manasukku kashtama irukkum. Ana ennai pathi kavalai padatheenga! Naan ennaiyum kuzhanthaiyayum kattayam nalla pathuppen.
SN: Sarimma! Hyderabadla engamma poppora? Veedu pakka vendama? Kudithanathukku saman ellam venum. Ticket vangittiya first?
A: Athellam periya vishayam illaippa! Naan ticket vangiyachu! Anga airbnbla oru veedu pathirukken! Ennoda US friends sila peru irukkanga! Anga poi mathathu ellam naan pathukkaren. Neenga kavalaippadatheenga. Naan anga poi en puthu phone number anupparen. Ethavathunna koopidaren.
Sur: Ippo ethukku Abi intha avasara padara? Antha Vetriya vidamattennu ithe mathiri than pidivatham pidiche! Athu ethula mudinjathunnu paathiya? Avan oru kolaikaraannu avane othukittan.
A: Naan ippavum solren Vetri kolai pannala! Ithu vera yaaraiyo kappatha thappai othikittaru. Vetri panna thappu en nambikkaikku drogam pannathu than. Kolai illai! Namnbikkai drogam apdingarathu enakku pazhagi pochu anna! Appavum neengalum Vetri mela poi case potteenga! Ungalai nambi intha veetukku vanthen! Appo Sakthiya kalyanam pannanumnu mirattineenga! Ippo Vetriyoda drogam! Naan perusa nambura ellarum ippadi nadanthukkaranga! Athanala naan inimel ennai mattumthan namba poren. Naan nalaikku kilambaren.
Pad: Kannamma! Ivlo seekiram poganumada? Oru rendu naal kazhichu poda!
A: Illaima! Enakku inga iruntha nadanthathai pathi than nyabagam varuthu! Ovvoru idathulayum Vetriyoda nyabagam than irukku. Evlo seekiram puthusa oru idathukku poreno avlo enakku nallathu. Naan ungakitta kattayam adikkadi pesuven. Naan IAS clear pannittu inga vanthu paappen. Athu varaikkum konjam wait pannunga! Naan velinattukku padikka poirukkennu ninaichukkunga!
Next morning Abi takes leave from everyone at home and asks them not to come to see her off in the bus stand. She takes a bus to Chennai and goes to the Central Railway Station. There, she finds her train to Hyderabad and takes her seat. When the train is just leaving the station, a woman of her age comes running and climbs and sits next to her. The new lady (NL) quickly takes a shawl out of her bag and covers herself from head to waist and keeps checking out of the window. NL turns to Abi when the train crosses Villivakkam.
NL: Intha train Arakkonathula nikkuma?
A: Nikkathu. Next Sulurupettai than! 6 manikku pogum.
NL: Appada! Nalla velai! En peru Viji! Unga peru?
To be continued.
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