The rest of the family saw the bike riding classes as fun and a nice opportunity to rib Kathir and Mullai
They did not know that it actually took their relationship to an abstract next level..all the yesteryear memories that had resurfaced because of this was too powerful..it was like a reunion of sorts which only forged them closer..much much closer emotionally than they had ever been
While outside their room they were at the receiving end of a lot of jokes..inside their room they felt a certain awkwardness..they both felt drawn to each other but didn't really understand how to express it..
And then something happened..something really nasty..
Kanna got arrested..he had sent photos of a some girl with a boy to a lot of people and as a result of that her impending marriage had been cancelled
This nasty incident effectively burst this awkward bubble and helped them settle down back in their comfort zone..but they grew decidedly soft on each other and there was a certain coyness, an open flirting that this incident set off between them
So one afternoon the ladies and Kanna were sitting having their normal chat when there was a knock on the door..a few policemen came in and arrested Kanna..
The whole household was in shock..the brothers were informed and they rushed to the police station..but unfortunately they were neither able to bring Kanna back home that night nor were they able to get any info on the complainant or the nature of complaint...
The men had come home feeling defeated..wretched that Kanna was standing just a feet away from them but they were not allowed to talk to him..and evidently he had been hit..
Kathir was sitting trying to console his anni who was completely broken..
But soon needing some solace himself he went to his lady who was in his safe haven..their room..
Inside KM's room
Mullai stood looking at Kathir who had just entered their room..trying to gauge just by looking at him how bad it really was
Mullai : yenga naalaikku Kanna vanthuduvan ille..she asked a tremor in her voice
Kathir who couldn't trust himself to speak..just hmmed and hawed and shook his head..
Mullai : romba bayanthu irukkaano
Kathir again just nodded his head yes
Mullai : neenga avan kitta pesineengalaa?
Kathir : vidala (his voice sounded broken)
Mullai looked at him..she was unable to see him like this..
Mullai : adippaangala (she had to ask..she had to know)
But that question broke Kathir...the tears he had controlled till then now flowed freely down his face
Mullai stood in front of him ..her hand of its own accord reached out to wipe those tears and stopped midway..
But Kathir needing that comfort held her wrist..was she pulled closer..did she close the distance between them..or was it him..not important..but he was in her arms..his body shaking..he was by now crying uncontrollably..
Mullai was terrified...she had seen him cry before..but this time it was different..all the other times it had been tears of hurt, anger, sadness..but this time it was tears of fear..acute and abject fear..helplessness..complete and utter helplessness..and to be honest Mullai was terrified..she was depending on him to set everything right..she had been confident..but this broken man crying like a child in her arms scared her...
She stood there patting his back...gently shushing in his ears...repeatedly whispering thaf all will be alright...and it took a while but he calmed down..only a bit..but even that was an improvement..
She gently disengaged herself..patted his face dry with her pallu..she lef him by his arm and seated him on the cot
Mullai : naan itho varen..athu varaikkum azhuga koodathu..she told him trying to muster a smile for his sake
She went to the kitchen and made him a strong cup of tea..she also made 2 thin dosas..
She took them to the room
It was not easy convincing him to eat..but she coaxed him and somehow managed to feed him..
Kathir : nee
Mullai : etho appappo tea kudichathu..pasikkala..neenga saapdunga
Kathir : pothum..
Mullai : innikku naal pochu..aana naalaikku Kannana koottittu varanum..athukku evvalavu alaiyanum..enga ellam theriyale..athaan athukku thembu venum ille..athukku thaan..rusikko pasikko ille..
How could he argue with that..he obediently opened his mouth for her to feed him
Once he finished she gave him some water and then the tea..
It was strong..hit him in all the right nerves and he looked decidedly better...
Mullai kept the plate and cup in the kitchen and came back to see him sitting in the same position..
Mullai : (gently placing his hands on her shoulder) konjam thoongareengala..she asked him
Kathir nodding his head took her hands and guided her to sit next to him..
He simply lowered his head on to her lap..
Mullai stopped him..
She got up and sat at one end of the bed so he could lie down and stretch himself comfortably...
She extended her hands to him and he willingly took it and lied down head on her lap..
He slowly started talking...
Kathir : enakkum Kannanukkum 4 vayasu vithyaasam
Mullai : hmm
Kathir : naan thaan avana thenamum school ku konduttu poi koottittu varuven..
Mullai : theriyum..
Kathir : school la enna prachanaiya irunthaalum..en kitta thaan odi varuvaan..naan thaan samaathaanam paduthuven
Mullai : hmmm
Kathir : oru vaatti school pasangaloda velaiyaadum pothu keezha vizhunthu adi pattu...ore ratham..naan thaan thookkikittu principle room ku odinen..en sattai muzhukka avan ratham..he said swiping away at that blood from his shirt now
Mullai : hmm
Kathir : romba bayanthutten
Mullai : appo neengalum chinna paiyan..
Kathir : innikkum..athe mathri thaan azhuthukittu ninnan..aana ennala kitta poi avanukku aaruthal solla kooda mudiyale..
Mullai : hmm
Kathir : touching his face and shoulders..inga ellam ratham katti kanni poi irunthuchu..ethaala adichaangannu theriyale..
Mullai could not even hmmm for that..how long would she be able to manage..she had taken her husbands side when he slapped Meena's father for assaulting Kanna..that was when they were still aloof with each other..she had fought with Moorthy when he hit Kanna during the bathroom issue..and now to know random people had hit him..she tried to control the sob that threatened to escape her throat...
Kathir : onnum panna mudiyaama ninnen.. en kaiyaalaagatha thanatha nenaichu asingama irukku
The tears again and he was beating himself
Mullai slowly ran her fingers through his hair..the other hand was rubbing him gently down the length of his back..the action soothed him
Mullai : naalaikku enna panna poreenga
Kathir : onnume puriyale
Mullai : ethavathu yosikkanum ille..kuruttam pokkula poga mudiyathu ille...(just using widely used phrases with no intention to disrespect different abilities)
Kathir : theriyalaye..yaaru complaint pannaanga solla maattengaraanga..kunnakudi station la enakku konjam per theriyum aana ithu Kaaraikudi station..athaan prachanai
Mullai : ivangala vittu anga pesa solla mudiyaatha
Kathir : athuvum kettutten mudiyale
Mullai: appo vera enna pannalaam
Kathir : college ku vena polaam..anga yaaraavathu kannanukku uthavi seyya munvara maattaanga?
Mullai : hmm..kannanoda friends theriyuma ungalukku
Kathir : ahn theriyum..
Mullai : appo avanga kitta pesi paarunga..ethavathu kedaikkum
They kept speaking with her continuously running her had through his hair and he slowly drifted to sleep..she willingly sat there..
Uncomfortable it definitely was..but she would sit like this for days for this childlike man sleeping on her lap to be peaceful..
She slowly drifted off to sleep herself leaning her head on the wall..
The wife sat there as the mother while the husband lay there as the child...A magical moment that only the room stood witness to...
A couple of hours later he woke up..he lay there feeling completely disoriented..but only for a moment..the memories of the previous night came rushing and he looked up to see her sitting in that uncomfortable position sleeping..
He got up slowly so as to not wake her up..
He placed a pillow on the other side where she normally placed her head..
He gently lifted her and laid her down taking care not to wake her up..
The moment she was in that position she assumed the fetal position that is always conducive to a good sleep and resumed..
He stood looking at her...momentarily distracted from the immediate problem..last night he had uncharacteristically reached out for help and support..he did not regret it..it had felt natural..he had been comfortable standing there weeping like a child in her arms..heck he could do that only with her he realised..it had also felt natural lying on her lap baring his all..he liked how she had allowed him to vent but also had carefully steered his thoughts to think out a solution..
Feeling rejuvenated he went to freshen himself up and with his brother Jeeva went out with a resolve to come back only with Kanna..
Moorthy went to the station to ensure he was atleast well fed..pasi thaanga maattaan kannan..and all his paternal instincts urged him to atleast take care of that..the beautiful soul that he is he ensured there was food for everyone in that station..policemen and other accused alike..
Around 11 am..Meena and Mullai sat trying to pacify Dhanam when the call came..to Mullai's phone..it was Kathir
Mullai : ahn sollunga
Kathir : thappu pannavana pudichu police la oppadaichuttom..kannana release pannittaanga..innum konja nerathula koottittu vanthuduvom..
Dhanam had been left so shattered..The mother in her so completely devastated that Moorthy had had to suppress his fears and take care of Dhanam as well..reassure her..unfortunately she had not had much to give in this situation..her maternal emotions had completely taken over..
Jeeva did not have enough confidence in his chosen partner to offer him any solace in this situation..he had not seen her fight for Kanna with the neighbors as valiantly as the other 2 ladies...so he had chosen to spend the night outside the police station..the physical proximity to his arrested brother was the only solace he opted for...
But Kathir..had reached out to his wife..the usually strong unwavering man was at his vulnerable worst..comfortably so..he had drawn a lot of strength from her..hence while it did not occur to the 2 other men to keep the household informed..it only occured to Kathir..his wife had not only shared his grief she had also solutionised with him..so the moment there was an update..a positive one at that he called her to tell her
Kanna came back and everyone had been happy..
But he was still thoroughly shaken..so was Dhanam...they had still not come out of it completely...
That night in their room Kathir sat waiting for his wife..
When some time passed and she still had not come in..he started having doubts..had he left her uncomfortable with his openness yesterday..had he disturbed her..was that why she was avoiding the room..
Just when he could take it no longer..Mullai came in
Mullai : enga thookkam varutha
Kathir : illiye yen
Mullai : ille anga kitchen la innum konjam velai irukku..athaan neenga wait panni kittu iruppeengalennu solla vanthen..
Kathir : oh seri..he wanted to tell her to hell with all that work..
She paused at the doorway
Mullai : thookkam varalenna neenga anga vareengala..enna nadanthuchunnu sollunga..kettukitte velaiya mudichuduven
Kathir smiled and followed her to the kitchen happily
No words spoken she made him a hot lemon tea...
He took it from her..sipping slowly from it he retold to her the detailed non- abbreviated version of all the events leading up to Kanna's release
She listened happily
Mullai : soopernga..enakku munnadiye theriyum..neenga nichayam kannava koottittu vanthuduveengannu
Kathir : unakku thaan thanks sollanum..
Mullai ; yen naan enna pannen
Kathir : nethu nee mattum enakku nambikkai thara mathiri pesalanna..naan odainjunpoiniruppen..thanks
Mullai : neenga azhuthathu enakku thaangala..ovvoru vaattiyum naan azhumpothu ennavo pannuthu solluveenga ille..athoda artham nethu thaan enakkj purinjuthu..
Kathir smiled at her a warm smile so full of affection..
Kathir : aanaalum unakku thookkam vantha pothu ezhuppi irukkalaam..oru night fulla appudiya ukkanthu iruppa..muthugu ennathukku aarathu..
Mullai : oru naalla onnum aagathu..athu ..vanthu..athu kaarthale eppudi paduthen..athu enakku nyaabagam ille..
Kathir: naan ezhunthathum unne padukka vechen..thookki intha pakkama thiruppi padukka vechutten..athu appudi ukkanthukitte..paarkave kashtama irunthuchu..athaan..
Mullai : ivvalavu nadanthu irukku naan enthirikkave illiya..
Kathir : (lauged) nethu full ah nee seriya saapadla..innikkavathu saaptiya..
Mullai : ahn saaptenga..
Kathir : apple ethavathu cut pannattuma..
Mullai : ille venaam..vayaru mutta saapten..velai mudinjuthu..thoongalaama?
They went to sleep 2 happy souls that night