As the baby left, a small emptiness engulfed the hall...

Lamma: Enna Ulla koteetu po kathir...

He wheeled her to the bed and helped her settle in the cot.

K: Amma..edum venuma..light anaikatuma..

Lamma: edum venam..anachuru..

K: serima...paduthukonga... She noded...

He switched off the light and moved over to the kitchen...and shortly returned back to the hall

Meanwhile Mullai awaited him.....

He saw her sitting near the pillar in the same place..

he sat near her..a little close by..than usual...

Then he handed over a tumbler of milk....

K: Indha kudi...

M: ennanga idhu....

K: Paal dhaan...vaangi kudi

She gets the tumbler...and is surprised..

M: ennanga neenga eduthutu vandhurukeenga...enakagava...

K: ammam...unaku kudutha ...appo unakudhaane...

M: ean nga ...Paal lam

K: ei..chumma kelvi kekama...kudi...

Ellathayum pathu pathu pandra... Una naan dhaane pathukanum..

M: she felt so emotional...despite a small deed...it felt so special...his care and gesture

Oh appudiii ..

K: ammam apdiiii dhaan...

M: eanga neenga kudikala....irunga ungaluku eduthutu varean

K:konjam ukkaru...enaku edhum vendam...venumna eduthutu vandhuruka matena..

M: adhukillanga.....konjam kudingalean

K: edhu idhulerndhu... Idhuvae pathi tumbler dhaan irukku...

Summa kudi..

M: eanga fruits edum eduthutu Vara...

He cut her short...

K: adhellam vendam..pesama ukkaru

She finishes the milk like a good girl she is!!

A few seconds of eyelock and then some silence....

K: thookam varalaya.....

M: illanga...ungalukku thookam varudha...

K: mhmmmm..illa... Ulla poi paduka vendi Thane...rest edukalam illa..

M: illa paravalla..nga... ipdi konja neram pesitu irukalam...Avanga ellam varatum

K: Nalla irukilla....

M: ethunga...

K: ipdi pesitu irukaradhu..

M: ammam....irukadha pinna...she gave a naughty smile...

He concurred....

He couldn't just keep looking at her...her face seemed to glow in the moonlight that painted strokes on her face and body from the grilled ceiling at the top.

She looked like an edited sketch with color splash over her body...

He blinked.. to soak in what he saw....

Those black stripes...they made her look like a beautiful mare!!

A small edit attempt... not a perfect one.....but helps imagine

He was closeby and her looks were piercing...

M: ennanga apdi pakareeya...

K: he didn't reply....instead... He let out a deep breath and reached for her hand...

He slowly pulled her right hand which was placed on her knees...

Held hers with his right hand and clasped her palm tight...locking her thumb with his.

She was surprised but heeded to his act.

She felt blood rush over her face and goose bumps all over her...

His hand was rough but the hold was firm and warm...she loved the feel and basked in it....

He then gently caressed her fingers all the while, looking just at her palm.

Her fingers were tender and soft just as she was..💗

He felt adrenaline rush.... right from the moment he held her palm...

As it started....he couldn't muster up...to look at her eyes....

While he fondled her fingers with his...much to his surprise....she responded too....

She grasped his fingers and caressed them..

It was unexpected and he felt moored..as she took over....a sudden jerk within...

Right at that moment....he looked at her eyes inadvertently....

All he could see was an overflowing abundance of love!!

The eyes were brimming with happiness and the lips adorned a cute smile...

He revered the moment and was amidst a flood of emotions.

K: athu... idhu.... Pidichirukka....

M: Pidikamala...ungalukku

K: rombha....☺️

As they were soaked in the melody of the moment.... A sudden noise was heard in the back yard.....

Mullai quickly turned to look away....and tried to move forward....

As she loosened the grip, he held her tight....

M: eanga..andha....satham...

K: paravalla...irukatum....

M: she was confused about the sound...but was happy to be persistently latched with him.

K: he was never distracted... Looked determined....

He then let out a smirk...

Un viral lam evlo mrithuvavum menmayavum iruku.............

Ean virala paru... evlo karadu moradu iruku hmmm....

Before he finished...

M: irukatum...adhunala enna....

Enaku idhama iruku....

K: he wore a mocking smile... Enaku kashtama irukku...

M: Eanga ean ipdi nenakareeya.....

Adhu apdi irukuna ..adhula naan unga uzhaipayum anbayum pakaraen....

Azhagu n garathu verum veli thotrama matum irukanumnu illeengale...

K: he smiles broader...... Unaku pesa solli tharanuma Enna...

M: iyyo...pesanumnu...edho lam sollalanga..ean manasula Enna iruko adha dhaan sonnean...

K: idha nee solli than therinjukanumnu illa....

She smiled....

M: ipdi ungaloda neraya neram pesitu iruka time kekdaikumnu nenaikavae illa.... nga

Ammam... athai sollumbodhu ean sangada pateenga....enaku ungala pathi neraya ketu therinjukanumnu irundhuchu...

Ungalukku pidichathu lam Enna ennanu therinjukave mudila...

Appo appo theriyaradhudhaan... Ungalta keta enakae theriyadhunu solluveeha... Pinna nan enna pannuvean

K: yei adhukunu Amma ipdi solluvanganu nenaikala....

M: adhunala ennanga...naan dhaane...

K: nee than irundha....analuuuuum... adhu.....

Oru maari sangadammmmmmaaaa.....he he

Amma...adhellam therinju vechutu enna Panna pora...

M: enaku ungala pathi ellam therinjirukanumnu ndra asai dhaan....

Mithavanga vandhu edhavadhu sollumbodhu... adhu erkanavae enaku theriyum....apdingaradhum...

ungala pathi ellam enaku theriyum garadhum oru vidhamanana unarvu....

apoo perumaya irukum... Oru urimai thara feeling....adhu epdi soldrathu....

K: ivlo azhaga soleetu...epdi soldrathunu soldra paaru...☺️

Pidichirukku....idhu enaku romba pidichiruku...

M: edhu..solla kashta padaratha...

K: ei...illa...adha unarchi...andha urimai...😍

They both loved looking into their eyes....that served extra doses of love always when looked out for...

After a few drenchy moments.. he moved forward a bit to sit comfortably...

That's when she noticed the stripes appearing in his face...

she had no clue it appeared all over her...all this while...

She gawked at him and felt he looked like a beautiful striped equine...

A small edit attempt...one more.. not a perfect one again..but helps imagine

M: she let it out...aloud.... Azhaga irukeeya.. she tilted her headed and gazed at him...

K: he felt diffident..... ei summa iru...

But within him...he never knew how happy he was, to hear it from her...

She had never told this to him...unless it was a reciprocation and always felt that was by the virtue of her politeness...

He smiled and blushed hard.... They were sitting close by.... Over time...

They never realized...how the distance between them reduced without moving an inch, advertently.😜

The aura seemed to be heated up as they realized their closeness face to face..with the eyelock ON.

M: matean...nan ean chumma irukanum...

K: edhu... Indha dhadiyoda irukara mogama...

M: ean adhukenna....adhu oru thani azhagu... gambeeram...

She held him firm to let him know her thoughts about him were heart felt....

Ungalukku ean Indha sandhegam...

Evalo oruthi edho sonnanu....neenga edhum karpanai pannikadheenga....

K: cha cha adhellam illa... Enaka...dhaan apdi thoni......

M: appo adha mathikonga...neenga evlo azhaguna...

K: evlooo...

M: avloooooooooooo....

K: idhum bucket alava.......

M: ha ha... Illa...

ean manasalavu....💞

She held his hand with her left hand....her right hand was his captive there.

Chumma apdi sollatheeha...

K: seri.. seri...kochukadha...

thalaivi sonna thalaivan vazhimozhiya vendithaan..

They chortled out together...!!

TBC.