That day dawned in as usual for Mullai .

She didn't know it was his parents' ANIVERSARY date until Uma had called her .

As by routine she cooked the required menu for him along with the assistance of Ramesh' s wife and a simple meal for herself .

This was something decided again by Mullai herself once they started living together under the same roof ,after all the hustle _ bustle customs of the newly weds were over and all the relations had left .

Meena , Ramesh' s wife was a good cook by nature and was experienced in all cuisines . She was trained under Uma in Chennai .
So Uma had asked her to shift along with Ramesh to cook and help Mullai at Trichy .
There were one more helper and a gardener who looked after the outside chores of RANGAN PALACE .

But  Mullai who by now had no other work in that big house was bored to the core . As well she didn't want to be a dumb load riding on his back . She knew he worked as hell . He was not looking after business at Trichy but also overseas and Chennai . Just that he stayed here itself long .
So instead of staying idle in that big bungalow ,she had decided to do some work and live there . Something like a job _
So Mullai took up the work of  cooking three meals for him _ 
Uma helped her with  his regular menu and Meena had conveyed the pattern of dining at Chennai .
It was quite different from Mullai s home .

The typical British breakfast which started with toast and fresh brewed beans coffee , followed by a heavy breakfast with bacon and sausages , eggs ,baked beans with some bread ; alternating with either North Indian or South Indian cuisines were totally alien to the middle class life of Mullai .

She was used to the typical idli/ dosa sambar or poori/ chapathi one at a time in a day .

Three cuisines plattered on the dining table and the luxury of choosing either cuisine as per his choice was something strange to Mullai .

But she kept quiet after knowing it was the customary for the whole family even at Chennai home also .

(Authoru: Ahaan ..Dhoraiku vayatha nerapa yethachum saapta aagaathoo ? Variety kekuthu unaku variety ?
Naana eruntha soothula vestha vachrupen 🙄🙄🙄)

As well ,Uma had asked her not to bother about it .
Kathir was brought up that way in his boarding Anglo Indian convent that he was more used to a mix of Continental / British  kitchen rather than the Typical South Indian one .

The  menus prepared for lunch too were different for her intially .

Roasted chicken pie , hamburgers , steak , minced meat and onion , sea foods , black puddings and roasted vegetables were again strange to her .
Pulses and grains too lined up the table .
Ofcourse  the Typical Tamil lunch was a must daily but the choice was left to him !!!

And  everything was calculated in calories and balanced in  energy .

His food habits were somewhat methodical and alien to the otherwise big tongued Mullai .

She was carefree when it came to food though she was slightly on the plumpy side .

As well the menu by itself in that household  looked extravagant _ for her atleast .

But,

Mullai made it a point to work and eat her own bread .
Cooking came with ease for her _ she learnt it from Meena and prepared it ten times tastier than her .

But Kathir was totally ignorant of all this . He didn't know that it was Mullai who was cooking him all the courses of his meal .
He thought that the cook was Meena .
More than that ,he was totally ignorant of the fact that Mullai cooked a simple meal for herself and didn't touch even a morsel that was prepared for for the household.
It wasn't his fault after all .
He dined all alone in the morning to break his fast .
Lunch was sent to office by Ramesh .
Supper was almost always in the garden with Mullai drinking him in looks alone from her special hideout ( which he had no idea about )
Dinner too was the same with the small difference _ he knew it was Mullai who arranges his table daily for dinner as Meena leaves at 5 in the evening .
It was that time alone they happened to meet one another on and off .
But , then ....he had been the kind master always .
Never ever he had touched his plate without enquiring whether she had her dinner .
She too used to reply a polite yes and move on after serving it once .

And usually he would be at his dinner table sharp at 7:30 _ 8 :00 pm .

Until that day !!!

  
Uma had called her earlier that morning and informed

Uma : Mullai Kannu ,nalla erukiya ?

Mullai : Eruken chithi . Anga yellarum epadi erukaanga . Chithappa ?

Uma : Haan ...Kothavaranga nalla eruku !

Mullai : Enathu ?

Uma : Hi .hi ...chithappa than kannu , tongueu slip aagiduchu . Atha vidu , oru mukkiyamana vishyam solla than koopiten.

Mullai : Sollunga chithi ,

Uma : Innaiku Anne _ Anni ku thithi ma ....her voice suddenly dropped low .

Mullai s thoughts immediately drifted towards him ... towards that small little toddler Kathir .

Mullai : hm....she too said in a low voice , awanga .... awangaluku nyabagam...

Uma : Erukum ma ! Varsha varsham yentha oorula , yentha naatula erunthalum , padithuraiku poi thithi koduthruvaan .
Innaiku kaalamabara anga Trichy la  "Amma mandapathullaiyaae " koduthurenu , unga chithappa kitta nethaae sonnanae ma !

That was news to Mullai .

How will she know what all he converses to the family when they are living a floor apart .

She played safe ,

Mullai : Ah...athu ...ama chithi . Enaku than nyabagam illa pola !

Uma : Haan .. athuku than naan koopiten .
Inaiku awan valakam pola Kowchi samaikaatha .

Mullai : athu , naan seyyala chithi ,aana awanga ? As far as she remembered not a morsel slid down his throat without some nonveg dish .
As well she didn't know what to do then .
Awanga ketta ....she dragged when Uma continued,

Uma : Inaiku 'oru vella' viratham ma . Yethulla epadiyoo , Kathir ithulla mattum namma valakatha maarama pannuvaan ..
Innaiku mulluka onum saapida maataan.
"Ayer " kitta thithi koduthu vanthu saapda maatan .
Raathri mattum , oru vellai mulu saapaadu .
Athan ....neeyae senchru .
Meena ku pechu varaatiyum ,video call la , saigai bhaashaila ennavo solluva . Enaku than sariya puriyaathu .
Athan ....
Saaintharam than varuvaan ma .
Intha varsham than naangalaam varavendaamnu sir order potrukaarae ..athan ,manasu kekala enaku .
Inga Namma ella factory , kadainu , vellai seyyura yellathulakum namma yedathulla than saapaadu !!
Aana ,intha pullai.....anga thaniya erukaanae , saapiduvaano ennavoonu ....
...enaku oru maathri erunthucha....

She didn't complete her sentence when Mullai said it without her knowledge ,

Mullai :Athan naan kooda eruken la chithi .
Naan paathukren . Saapdama enga poovaanga .

Uma : En Thangam !
Endra purushan panna orae nalla kaariyam ,endra annan paiyyanku unnaiya katti vachathu than .
Ithu pothum ma ....awana innoru amma maathri paathukoo .
Naan vachren !

Since Uma cut her call , Mullai s heart was heavily aching .

Someburden pressed her hard .

For sometime she was thinking of that little boy who might have been expecting his parents to return back with from abroad with packets and packets of toys and toffees !!

But ..

Alas _ what an irony it must be when they themselves were being brought in packages .

Shhhrrrrppppp !

Mullai teared a little .

Then she mustered herself and did some odd jobs but with her whole mind being occupied with him and his thoughts alone .

These 6 months she had trained herself hard and stayed immune to his thoughts and totally lived as a stranger in that household.

But today she was out of her control .

Her mind and heart were constantly wavering in and around him itself .

So ,

He remembers as well as sticks to culture atleast for his parents ' aniversary .

It was then she remembered that he didn't even sip his coffee in the morning .

The tray returned as it is !!

Ramesh came home in the afternoon with the news of not wanting lunch for his master .

He had ofcourse gone to the river banks of Cauvery to pay his respect and duties .

Mullai too didn't feel like eating .

That evening after Meena left she started cooking for him .

Cooked for him putting in all the love ,pity and mercy she held for him .

She always had the habit of maintaining the pooja room neat and clean ..

That day once again she cleaned the potraits of her in-laws  and threaded flowers from their garden .

Organising them neatly ,she lit the oil lamps before them and all the idols and offered her prayers as well .

Though she had never bothered to dress herself specially for him in this 6 months ,that evening she wore a soft light yellow linen silk saree with silver grey blouse , pinned a strand of Mullai flowers as usual , kept a streak of Kumkum on her forehead and ,

And was waiting .

Was waiting for him .

Her heart was ebbing unusually with mercy and affection for him .

But ,

Until night he didn't return .

That scared her .

What happened to him ?

Is he purposely awoiding her today ?

He doesn't want to see her on this day ?

Maybe he wants to spend the day in the company of someone who can give him comfort and needed warmth ?

Instantly Pragya sprang to her mind with bitterness .

Maybe he has finished off his one meal there at her house ?

Now she was irritated with a sort of jealousy !!!

It was past 11 pm in the night !!!

What else she could think of ?

Where else could have he gone ?

Poor girl _ it didn't even strike her that Pragya was somewhere in Singaara Chennai .

As well she didn't know that Kathir had asked Kailesh and Pragya not to come to Trichy until one year .

She was waiting in the sofa itself when the unique horn of his car flowed in her ears .

For the first time in that 6 months she rushed as hell running along the corridor towards the main door to receive him .

It had already started to dristle big by then.

In the faint yellow of the night lamps she could see him get down from his seat and handing over his car key to the security and walk straight into the hall .

She hadn't expected that.

As far as she knew it was Ramesh who dropped him .

But today ?

She stood not knowing what to do as he had already seen her and was walking towards her .

He was almost drenched well in the rain ,with his shirt sticking on as a second skin and hair dishevelled .

Wait ,

Did he sway as he walked ?

For sure she noticed his gait was staggering to one side .

There was some difference seen in his attitude as well .

By now he had neared her .

Mullai : MV : Enachu iwangalku . Inaikunu paathu iwlo late ah varanga . Chithi sonanganu wait pannoomnj solluvoom ah ? Amma appa thithi nu sonna enna solluvaaro . Unnaiya yaaru wait panna sonathunu thittuvaaro ?

She was in her own confusion when he almost bumped into her straight away .

She too was in her thoughts of her own when he who staggered badly dashed her down along with him falling over her .

Mullai : Uff ....aiyo amma .... Her foot  slipped along with his and she fell backwards and in the fear of falling down her hand tightly clenched his shirt along with his arm pulling him over .
mmaa.....vallikuthu ....she groaned with pain , it was then she noticed the weight of him all over her.
It was fear that came up to mind first . Something else too ...but not knowing what was different about him ,she said softly...irutulla sariya therilanga . Ivlo late aanathu naala than kaathukittu erunthen.
Athuvum illama ...inaiku than ... vanthu chithi sonnanga ,she stopped not getting any response from him .

What was that peculiar odour ?

It wasn't his cologne for sure. ..

With his face almost tucked in along her neck , it was then she realised his arms were wrapped around her waist securing her from not being hurt directly on the ground .

She shifted a little and said ..

Mullai : yenge... when she heard him say ,

Kathir : Sorry sister !

Mullai : she flinched involuntarily ...sister ah ! She exclaimed aloud that brought him to his senses somewhat .he said again ,

Kathir : siiisss ....

Mullai : Enathu ?

Kathir : Sorry sister ....naan sariya paakala ....illala sariya nadakala ...ilala ..I think sariya paakala ...illa sariya nadakalaiya ?

He started as a statement and ended with an  interogation .

There wasn't arrogance in that talk ... instead why does his voice stammer this much and why the hell does he address her as sister ,

Mullai instantly knew it !!

Damn !!

He was drunk !!

Drunk as hell to address her so ,

Kathir : Sis......his mouth was closed by a soft palm .

Kathir didn't know where he was now .

All he knew was he drove back from the club after a couple of shots .

Somehow he landed up in Rangan palace.

The security came running in noticing the car at the end of the street .

And then he walked in ,

Then landed up falling on a pile of soft fluffy cotton stuff,

Nope !

He felt he knocked down someone _ and on realising that the person was falling down he had wrapped his hands around to prevent her from falling .

Then all he knew was he was lying on the top of that soft silky stuff that now wriggled beneath him .

The good boy inside him instantly realised that it was a girl and he asked her apology !!

Why was he stopped again from asking a sorry' ?

When he thought hard ,an angry voice snarled in,

Mullai : Mooch ! Naan enna sister ah ?
Kuduchurukingala ?
Kudichu than erukinga _ ! Chu .....naan kooda naan than valukki vilunthu , ungalaiyum yeluthen nenachen.
Paatha .....ninhe kudichutu vantu thadumaari vilunthu vachrukinga !
She spoke nonstop that he rubbed his again and again to see her properly ,she continued ...innaiku kudichathae thappu , ivlo late ah vanthathu thappu ...athavida pudichu keela thalli vitutu .... sorry sister aam !
She threw a strict look at him fearlessly and asked again , sisteram la ?
Sollunga ...naan ungalku sister ah ?
Hmm....naan yaaru ?

She asked him in that perfect motherly strict tone that he obeyed as sincerely as mommy s quiet little boy .

She asked again ,

Mullai : Kekren la !

Kathir : Ama ...illa !

Mullai : Enna ama ? Kudichutu olaral vera .

He by now rubbed his face on the whole multiple times and took a keen look on her.

Then answered with a sheepish grin .

Mullai : Enna illa _ ama ?

Kathir : I am drunk : athuku ama !

He dutifully replied ,

Mullai : Ohoo._ apo yethuku illa ?
somehow she casted away all the barriers she had been armouring around her this 6 months and was arguing him as like any other normal wife who gets irritated on seeing a clumsy ,messy drunk husband .

Kathir : Ninge Sister illa _ athuku illa ! He said with a wide grin typical of a drunkard.

She hit her forehead ,..

Mullai : kallikaalam . Ningalaam ... sister illaiyaam periya kandupidippu !
Chu ....

Kathir : Innonu kooda kandupidichuruken ...he said with another grin ,

Mullai : En neram ...athu enna puthu kandupippu ?

Kathir : Ninge Mrs.Kathir !

He laughed out heartily .

The sky brightened for a second with a flashing lightening followed by thunder .

In that light ,she found it very difficult as to say whether it was his teeth or the lightening that was bright .

Messy as ever with that forelocks of his dishevelled in the rain , almost clinging onto the whole of her body ,with one hand still around her waist and another supporting the ground he smiled at her that she found him extremely handsome then .

With his word Mrs Kathir evoking a strange warmth and wrath in every fibre of her body she inched forward with trembling lips ,ran her fingers through his forelocks and arranged them meticulously .
His face was still wet in rain .
She pulled the dry edge of her pallu and softly wiped away the droplets off his face .

It thundered once again as hell .

She shuddered heavily and took shelter in his chest unaware that of hugging him tight hiding her face amongst the thick curls of his chest .

He once again smiled and laughed heartily .

His grip around her waist tightened.

காருண்யமும் கந்தர்வ கண்ணனும் !!!