Chennai
Jenny opened the door for dead tired Madan leaning on the door frame.
Jenny: Finally you are home..
Madan: enna kindal ah ?
Jenny: Hey sorry.. ulla va..
Jenny: usual black coffee ? She asked once he settled on the couch.
Madan: unaku Kodi puniyam.. seekram kondu vaa ma..
Jenny chuckled, shaking her head before leaving into the kitchen.
Madan: Thank you.. he said, collecting the cup she gave him.. unaku ?
Jenny: nan ipa tha kudicha nee kudi... she said while sitting opposite to him.
Madan: ama enga antha rendu piece uh kanom..
Jenny glared at him.
Madan: ethuku ipa moraikara ?
Jenny: work panrathu ok tha.. ana athuku nu ipadi ah ?
Madan: enna ?
Jenny: una apdiya kola poran paru... she acted to straddle him.
Madan: aii coffee ma..
Jenny: unaku engala aachu nyabagam iruka ?
Madan: yen kova padra ?
Jenny: Manakatii.. Avunga rendu perum pondicherry poranga nu rendu naal munadi ah sonanga illa.
Madan: ama illa...
Jenny: ama... she pressed.
Madan: seri kovichukatha... avunga enga poi irukanga.
Jenny huffed and hit him with a pillow and he hissed as if it hurted him.
Madan: sorry enaku iruka work pressure ku ethuvum nyabagam illa.
Jenny sighed: Maaran bro oda colleague Subash ku marriage athuku poi irukanga..
Madan: ama illa.. epa ponanga ?
Jenny: ipa tha oru one hour iruku.. anga lunch ku iruka mari poi irukanga.
Madan: oh seri seri..
Jenny: nee mothala antha coffee ah kudichutu poi rest edu... eppadi irukanu paru.. lunch ready panitu call panran...
Madan just smiled at her and nodded before she left into the kitchen again.
He wondered how much their relationship had taken a turn over in the last seven months. After Tulasi had helped them in Sebastian's case they had no trouble from him. After that day everything in their relationship started changing rapidly.
Madan very well understood the meaning of her grandfather's words of him taking care of her and that gave him some confidence of taking their relationship to a next level which he was hesitating initially. Jenny seemed to be in a dilemma about the matter, he knew she heard what her grandpa had said but was not trying to understand it in the initial days. But with the passing days Jenny seemed to have known the meaning of the words as her behavior towards Madan was totally changed. Her glares towards Maya whenever she teased had changed into hidden blushes which never missed both Madan and Maya's eyes. Even her 'vanga' ' ponga' had changed to 'va' ' po' just like a person with full rights. But to Madan's misfortune, whenever he tried to speak to her about the next step, she seemed to stop him with some lame excuses. Initially Madan had been worried that she was not interested but later he understood it was her hesitation of accepting people. Madan quickly realized she liked him but her fear of losing people because of her past was the reason for her hesitation.Madan promised himself he would destroy her fears and was sincerely working on it.
Jenny: Hey nee inum polaya.. una rest eduka sona illa ?
Madan: Seri seri.. apram evening nee free na veliya polam ah ?
Jenny: enga ?
Madan: illa athu... un kita konja pesanum..
Jenny thought for a few seconds and Madan knew what she might have thought.
Madan: illa ma.. vera pesanum..
Jenny: hmm..she nodded.. enga porom ?
Madan stood up with a smile: athu surprise 5 o'clock ready iru vanthu kuptu Karan
Jenny: hmm.. lunch ?
Madan: enaku ipothaiku thookam tha ma mukiyam.. pasicha nana varen.
Jenny nodded before Madan left the house, leaving her to wonder what he was about to speak.
---
Maaran pulled over the car in front of a beach side resort and found the passenger curled up in a deep slumber. He moved forward and softly pushed back the hair on her face behind her ears.
Maaran: paapa elunthuko...
Maya: po Jenny enaku thookam varuthu..
Maaran chuckled: Jenny ah.. aii nan Maaran di..
She jerked open her eyes and rubbed it before blinking at him. Maaran chuckled again when she was looking around like a lost kid.
Maya: nama tha pondicherry kelambuno illa.. marantha poitan...
Maaran: nee Jenny nu sona apava therinjuthu.
Maya: Ama vantam ah ?
Maaran: Vanthachu vanthachu erangu ulla polam..
He got down and moved to the back seat to collect their luggages. Maya followed him and asked for her back bag, instead he gave her his which was much less in weight.
Maya: ama nan epa thoonguna ?
Maaran: athu ella 1 ½ mani neram aachu ?
Maya: Avalo neram yen thoonga Vita.. elupi irukalam illa ?
Maaran: Night ella work pana illa atha thoongatum vitan...
Maya: irunthalum elupi irukanum...
Maaran: elunthu neeya car ota pora illa la..
Maya: Enna enaku car ota theriyathunu kalaikaraiya ?
Maaran: Hey nan epa di apdi sona ?
Maya: nee apdi Sola nalum.. nan seekram car palaga tha poran..
Maaran: seri ok palagala... ama ethuku elupa sona..
Maya: pinna enna.. nee work work nu pora.. Nan college internship project nu irukan... seriya pesa kuda time kedaikarathu illa.. atha intha two days un kuda full ah spend pananum nu ninachan..
Maaran: Oru mani neram thena di thoonga athuku ivalo pecha..
He shook his head as they continued to walk towards the building through the pathway surrounded by well maintained bushes on either side.
Maya: oru mani neram da.. intha two days uh unkuda matum spend pananum.
Maaran: epadi night ella thoongamaya ?
Maya: mudinja athu pana vendiyathu tha..
Maaran sighed: Paapa.. nanum unkuda time spent pana tha kutitu vanthu irukan... athu nala tha ipa thoonga vitan pothum ah ?
Maya: athuku ithuku enna samantham ?
Maaran: hmm... night thoongama irupan nu sona illa... ready ah iru..
Maya blinked at him in disbelief while he hit the back of her head.
Maaran: romba yosikatha...
Maya: apa enanu solu ?
Maaran: Athu surprise..
Maya: solu da please.
Maaran: Nejama therinjukanum ah ?
Maya: ama..
Maaran: athu sona enaku enna kedaikum ?
Maya: enna kettalum kedaikum..
Maaran: Nejama ?
Maya: nejama...
Maaran: apa mama nu kupdu...
Maya: Haan ?
Maaran: Mama nu kupdu solaran..
Maya: nee solava theva illa poda..
She twisted her lips and walked faster making him whine and follow her.
Maaran: Apa Sola Mata ?
He asked when they were waiting in the lobby when Subash, the groom who had welcomed them before he went to get the room keys from his brother.
Maya: Sola matan.
Maaran: Anaiku Aadhav ah matum kupta ?
Maya: Avan en mama..
Maaran: hello nan tha mothala unaku mama apram tha Avan porantha..
Maya: nee mothal illaya.. kathir mama tha first..
Maaran: ithu Ella nala pesu..
Maya: nee enna vena solu.. ana kupda matan..
Maaran twisted his lips and in meantime Subash who came there sighed.
Subash: Inga vanthum ah da sandai pudipinga?
Maaran: iva tha da.
Maya: nan illa bro Ivan tha..
Maaran: aii aii.. yen di.. summa iru... he pleaded.. Dei nee mothala room keys kudu da..
Subash: athula tha da oru kutty prechana ?
Maaran: enna aachu ?
Subash: athu Sindhu oda friends uh nalaiku varatha irunthuchu ana inaika vantanga.. atha ungaluku book pani iruntha rendu room la onu avungaluku mathi kuduthutom... sorry Machan.
Maaran: sorry ella ethuku da.. vera ethachu arrange panikalam vidu..
Subash: illa da.. ella rooms book aricham..
Maya: anna oru problem uh illa.. neenga iruka room ah kudunga nanga pathukarom..
Maaran: Ama da.. Ava irukatum.. nan vena vera yarchu pasanga kuda share panikaran share.
Subash: dei Inga rendu room tha kedachuthu.. mithathu ella vera block la iruku.
Maaran: paravala da..
Maaran narrowed his eyebrows when Maya glared at him soon after he said.
Maaran: yen di moraikara ?
Subash: nee sonathu adikama irunthala nu santhosham padu.. uru peru theriyatha edathula vanthu antha pona thaniya vidran solara..
Maaran: yaru ivalava iva uruaya vithutu vanthuruva da..
Subash looked at Maya who was glowering at Maaran before he leaned towards him.
Subash: Machan adaki vasi... illana pinadi feel panuva..
Maaran frowned but failed to take in his advice: illa da.. inga illana enna nanga vera Engachu pakarom...
Maya huffed before she stomped on Maaran foot and murmured " manatha vangama va.."
She literally snatched the keys from Subash and smiled at him before leaving the lobby. Maaran stood there confused before Subash tapped on the back of his head and signaled him to follow her.
Maaran scrunched his eyes and hissed as he entered the room with the sound of a trolley hitting the bed. And from the moment everything was loud, the opening and closing of the trolley zipper, the walk towards the washroom, closing of the washroom door and even the sound of the water splashing was loud enough for him to know her annoyance. In a few minutes she walked out of the washroom in her PJ's, of course loudly shutting the door. She noticed Maaran who was sitting on the couch pouting at her but did not turn to him as she walked with loud steps to the bed. She first laid on the bed facing him but without looking at him she tried to turn the other side before he stopped her. He held her hands and tried to pull her up to sit but she refused and snatched her hands from him.
Maaran: enna paapa ?
Maya huffed before she sat up with a glare.
Maya: ipa ethuku da Inga vantha ?
Maaran: vera enna pana ?
Maya: atha adjust panikaranu sonaya poi panika.
Maaran: Apdi illa da.
Maya: pesatha kondruvan.. Avuru munadi manatha vangara... apdi enna ore room la iruntha enna una kadichu thindruvan ah ?
Maaran: illa da.. unaku uncomfortable ah irukum nu tha sona ?
Maya: nan sonan ah da ?
Maaran: Evening ready aga ella unaku kastam ah iruku illa atha...
Maya: yen veliya hall la konja neram ukara mudiyatha unala ?
Maaran sighed and held her palms in his.
Maaran: seri sorry.. theriyama apdi solitan..
Maya: un sorry ah thooki kupaila podu..
Maaran: please da..
Maya twisted her lips before she turned to the other side and laid.
Maaran walked to the other side and sat on the bed and pouted at her.
Maaran: ore room la iruka matan nu sona naala thena kovam.. nan vena ingaya paduthukaran..
He laid almost at the edge of the bed while Maya looked at him with her left eyebrows raised.
Maaran: ipa ok ?
She looked at the gap between them that was more than an arm distance and again looked at him who was pleading. She mentally sighed trying hard to control her anger but failed while he kept pouting.
Maya: nee Ella thirunthava mata da..
She turned to the other side and laid huffing.
-----
Jenny literally jumped out of the bike when Madan stopped the bike in front of a huge compound.
Jenny: Madan..
Madan blinked with a smile and nodded at her to get inside before she literally ran inside the compound. He shook his head with a hearty smile and followed her. He found her running to the little park setup in the right corner of the building where a few children were playing. Once she was near the children everyone ran to her and engulfed her in a heartwarming hug. Madan stood there watching the love showered on her by the children. He had planned this surprise for her a long time ago but with his work being packed he failed to accomplish it. She had told him a lot of times that she was missing the home she grew up in for the last seven to eight months as she could not make it up there. Finally he had managed to bring her here and the smile on her face was worth it.
Madan was settled in front of the Jesus statue which was located on the left of the park when Jenny came in search of him. Madan smiled at her and moved a little to make some room for her to sit. Jenny smiled at him wholeheartedly before sitting beside him.
Jenny: Thank you..
Madan turned to glare at her while she softly chuckled.
Jenny: Nee morachalum soluvan...
Madan: atha vidu.. nee happy ah ?
Jenny: enna kelvi ithu.. I missed them so much.
Madan: So happy?
Jenny: very much...
Madan: apa nan solala..
Jenny: enathu ?....Madan glared again... Oh sorry nee etho pesanum sona illa..
Madan: ama.. ana nee ipa happy iruka so Venda..
Jenny: ithu enna bong ah iruku.. nee thena pesanum sona ipa ipadi sona enna artham.. ipa nee solala na enaku thalaya vedichum..
Madan: Seri ma seri iru..
Jenny: solu ..
Madan: Soluvan ana kovichuka mata illa ?
Jenny's face fell and sat looking down at her nails.
Jenny: vera etho pesanum nu thena kutitu vanthinga ?
Madan huffed: ipa ethuku mariyatha kuduthu?
Jenny: onu illa solu..
Madan: don't worry, vera tha pesanum...
Jenny: Ethachu problem ah yen thayangara ?
Madan: illa office la puthusa project start pani irukanga nu sona illa ?
Jenny: athuku thena day and night ah alanjutu iruka ?
Madan: ama.. antha project vishiyam ah enna..
Jenny: shoo.. ipa Sola poraiya illaya ?
Madan: Enna Bangalore ku transfer panitanga..
He said out in a rush in fear how Jenny would react and just like he feared she turned silent looking away from him. The silence privileged for a few minutes before Jenny squealed and Madan found someone closing her eyes. The teenage girl who stood behind them signaled him not to speak which he did.
Jenny: Hey yaru...
She touched the fingers that were closing her eyes and smiled in realization but was quick to hide it.
Jenny: hey yaru pa athu...
The girl signaled at Madan and he cleared his throat.
Madan: neeya kandu pudipayan..
Jenny: ayoo enaku therilaya.. Neeya solu ? She said with a playful smile.
" Kandu pudi Jen.."
Jenny: yaru ithu... she acted to think but pouted... Therilaya.
" Ayoo po Jen.." the girl seemed upset and let go of her.
Jenny: Hey Anvi... she got up to hug her but the girl moved back pouting.
Anvi: nee po Jen enkita pesatha.. enna marantha illa..
Jenny smiled as she held the girl's palms in her left and caressed her face with right.
Jenny: nan epadi en thanga kutty ah marapan..
Anvi: apram yen therila sona ?
Jenny: nan suma vilayandan.. unkuda nan vilayadama vera yaru vilayaduva... solu..
Anvi: nejama ?
Jenny: Nejama tha..
Anvi: apa ok..
She quickly gave her a tight warm hug.
Anvi: seri Jen ithu yaru ?
Jenny: ithu.. she side eyed Madan but did not directly look at him.
Madan: Hi nan Madan..
Anvi: hi neenga tha Madan illa.. photo la pathu irukan.. atha engayo patha mari irukanu ninachan.. Thank you so much Madan.. en Jen ah patharama pathukarathuku..
Madan looked at Jenny and was still looking away but eyeing him occasionally.
Madan: that's my responsibility... nee Anvi illa ?
Anvi: ama... Anvi Evangeline..
Madan: good name..
Anvi: Thank you... Jen ungala pathi neraya soli iruka Madan.
Madan: really apdi enna sona ?
Jenny: Hey Anvi nee ivalo neram enga poi iruntha ?
Anvi: school ku tha vera enga povanga..
Jenny: apa inum nee ethuvum sapdala illa va poi sapdalam...
She pulled a confused Anvi from the place without waiting for her reply. Jenny looked back at him with a disappointed look while he pleaded at her. They spent some time at home before they rode back home in pure silence.
--
Maaran found Maya on a further corner round table scrolling through her phone. It was almost the end of the reception and the crowd had already settled with just a few guests and family members. He sighed, he had been trying to speak to her but all his answers were one word showing that she was upset. When he approached her she huffed and tried to move but he was quick to grab her and pull her away.
Maaran: enna di un prechana ?
Maya: epa nama Inga irunthu kelambarom..
Maaran: Mathiyam thena un kuda time spend pananu sona ipa ipadi solara ?
Maya: ipa mind illa..
Maaran: Ipa enna Avan kita vera room ketathu thena un prechana... atha reason sonana apram enna ?
Maya: enna ku entha prechanayum illa.. kalaila marriage mudinjathu nama kelambarom avalo tha..
Maaran: Yazh.. yen di Adam pudikara.. un kuda irukanum nu tha di nan ivalo arrange Pani irukan..ana nee oru chinna room matter ku sandai podra..
Maya: Enna kupta ?
Maaran: Haan ?
Maya: enna nu kupta ?
Maaran: Yazh..
Maya: enna pudusa ?
Maaran: Athu apdiya flow la vanthuruchu...
Maya: hm.. nala iruku.. she smiled.
Maaran: apada apa kovam poirucha ?
Maya: oru alavuku.. etho arrangement nu sonanya athu enna ?
Maaran: athu sona balance kovam uh poirum ah ?
Maya: athu nee pani irukaratha poruthu.. apdi enna pani iruka ?
Maaran: atha sonan ah surprise nu...
Maya: Ap..
Before she could speak he pulled her to him with his hands around her shoulders and placed a palm on her mouth.
Maaran: ethuvum kekatha... pesama va..
He dragged her out of the place and started walking to the back side of the resort.
Maya: enga da porom..
She asked as she gripped his hands as they walked through the dark, if there was something that she would fear it was darkness.
Maaran: pesama va solara...
Maya heard the sound of waves and guessed they were at the private beach of the resort. But in fact the actual surprise was not the beach, but instead the setup on the shore. There was a tent set up at a safe distance from the sea, lit up with lights just like their first dinner night. A fire camp was set up in front of the tent and a mat was spread on the side with an ice box on it while some music was playing in the background. Maya was really surprised to find the arrangements as it was romantic and she doubted him to do it. She turned to find him in surprise and frowned in confusion. She hit on his forearm and brought him out of his trance.
Maya: nee thana da arrange pana apram neeya ipadi surprise agara ?
Maaran: athu illla..
Maya: enna ?
Maaran: nan camp fire matum tha soli iruntha.. tent Subash pana Vela pola.
Maya sighed dramatically: avalo periya room ka alapara pana.. tent va arrange Pani iruka pora.. vanthu thola..
She chided him in a fake anger and dragged him to the mat and settled on it. Maaran took a gulfi from the ice box and forwarded it to her before he took one to himself. She laid on the shoulders with her arm around his forearm while the other one was busy munching the gulfi. After a minute of fiddling with her gulfi she snatched the one from his arm and gave her his.
Maaran: rendu onu tha di
Maya: paravala..
She again laid on his shoulders and started munching while he shook his head in disbelief.
Maya: sorry..
Maaran: ethuku
He looked down to his shoulders to find her still looking down and caressed the hair on her face before she lifted her head up to look at him.
Maya: rendu naal happy ah spend panalam nu solitu.. oru chinna room matter la theva ilama full day waste panitan.
Maaran: ithuku ellam ah sorry soluvanga.. nanum un kita thanya pesi irukanum.
Maya smiled before kissing his cheeks and placing her chin on his arms to look at him. A tint of blush painted on his cheeks as she kept staring at him.
Maaran: Yen di ipadi pakara ?
Maya lifted herself a little and kissed his cheeks.
Maaran: Happy ?
Maya: romba.. Nee ena tha kiruku thanam panalum.. enala romba neram un kita kova pada mudila.. intha mari ethachu pani kovthara..
Maaran chuckled as he pulled her a little closer with the hold on his shoulders.
Maaran: athu intha maman oda talent..
Maya: nan una mama nu solava illaya ?
Maaran: Sola vepan..
Maya: intha jenmathula nadakathu..
Maaran: challenge?
Maya: Challenge?
Maaran nodded before she noticed Maya staring at him once again.
Maya smiled as she ruffled the hair that fell on his forehead. She traced down her index finger from his temple to his chin. She once again kissed both his cheeks and Maaran found the intensity in her eyes.
Maaran held her wrist to stop her and looked into her eyes that held a new found intensity of love. He knew where this was leading and he did not want it to happen at least not now. He cleared his throat and tried to move back a little but she was quick to pull him to her with his collar.
Maaran: paapa time aachu nama polam... he said without looking at her.
Maya: time ella agala.. mothala enna pathu pesu...
Maaran: illa late aachu kelambalam..
Maya frowned in confusion with his behavior, he was hesitating even to look at her. This was not the first time that they had ended up in this situation but everytime they did he had an excuse. Initially when he was hesitating, she never bothered but now after one and half years of relationship, his hesitation bothered her. She had started worrying about his behavior but did not want to acknowledge it. But today she had started losing her patience still she did not want to ponder on it without knowing his side.
Maya: Maara unaku enna tha da problem ?
Maaran: ethuvum illaya ?
Maya: Illa etho iruku... intha ondra varushathula.. nama intha mari situation la irukathum first illa.. nee ipadi hesitate pandrathu first time illa..
Maaran: nan ethuvum. Panala..
Maya: Nejama solu.. nee hesitate panala nu.. for God sake.. Avan Avan friend nu solitu ena enavo panitu sutharan da... nama apdi ilaya.. it's decided that we are forever.. apram yen thayangara.. initially ok I can understand.. ana ipa one and half years mela aachu.. I am fed up with this.. nee oru oru time uh velagi pora apa... en mela ethachu thapa nu... purila enaku.. apdi nan ethachu thapu panran na atha thayavu senju solu..
Maaran sighed and cupped her face before wiping the tear drop from the corner of her eyes that she did not realize.
Maaran: Sorry paapa.. ana nee yosikara mari ella ethuvum illa paapa.. you are in no mistake.. nanum ethum ninachu panala... but whatever you expect, let it happen when it happens... let's not force it..
Maya: nan ketathuku ithu pathil illa ?
Maaran: Please da purinjuko.. just give me some time
Maya stared at him and sighed before removing his hold on her cheeks. She noticed Maaran following her when she stood up and started walking towards the resort.
When she returned back from the washroom after refreshing she did not find Maaran in the bedroom, instead found him on the couch in the small living room. She shook her head disbelief before she bought his a pillow and blanket to cover him and left to the bedroom.
*****
Hi dearssss chapter epadi irukunu solunga..
Both the couple have something to clear between them, so keep waiting for the clearing.
And what do you guess about Anvi Evangeline ? Keep guessing till Feb or March 2024 😉
Do vote and share if you like and comment your suggestions.