No way !

Kathir declared high in a firm voice .

Sadha and Uma looked helplessly at each other .

The three of them were sitting in the guest / attenders room next to the room where Ranganathan was admitted .

Since the time he opened his eyes he had wanted to see Kathir only first and had asked him to stay beside him itself .

Even without the old man s request , Kathir seemed to have no idea of leaving his sick granddad' s side .

He was beside attending to him though a mini battalion of staff nurses were appointed to take care of Mr Ranghanathan .

The problem wasn't that .

Now the old man had enquired about Kathir s wife for which Kathir had given a befitting reply without disclosing the divorce issue .

But it didn't stop with it .

The elderly man wanted to see her .  

He was diagnosed with active block and was advised a CABG surgery once he was bit stable . The doctors had given a cut off of few months for it .

Now with that request of Ranganathan , Sadha had asked Kathir to bring Mullai to Chennai atleast for once ,to present before his old dad .

Kathir refused curtly ! !

Sadha : Kathira ....yenpa ipadi vettu onu ,thundu renda pesura .
Unaku thaatha mela evlo paasamnu nenachen,
Uyira kodukra alavuku erukunu perumaiya , Vikki kitta kooda solluvoom .

Sadha tried to act sentimentally !

Uma hit her forehead with the way Sadha enacted dramatically .

Kathir wasn't moved at all ... instead he retorted back with a more  sentimental drama than his mama .

Kathir : C'mon maams. Thaatha mela enaku illatha paasama ?
Awarkaaga naan en uyira kandipaa kodupen !

Sadha : Apuram yen intha Adam pidikara ?
Antha pullaiya kootitu vara vendiyatha thana ?
Awara Kannu mullichu kettathu athanae .

Kathir didn't speak for sometime .then he saif in a small voice ,

Kathir : Thaathakaaga ennaiya enna venumnaalum panna sollunga , panren.
But not this ,
Enaku sontham illatha.....he choked suddenly unable to continue more ,then said clearly , antha ponna enaala ipo kootitu vara mudiyaathu .
Sorry maams !

His voice was so stern .

Sadha : Yenda ipdi urumura ? Antha ponna ? Athu unaku enna paavam pannuchu !
Nalla pulla ....thaatha ku ipdi , unaiya theduraaru ma , oru nadai vanthu awara paathutu poirumaanu sonna pothum , vanthrum ...
Atha poi ...
Paavam da !

Sadha said , knowing Mullai s soft and tender heart .

He was sure that she would immediately come on knowing about the old man s ill-health .

But he didn't understand why Kathir was so adamant and refusing to bring her here .

Just for a day or so !

Kathir didn't speak again .

Sadha continued ranting ,

Sadha : Enna ,  kaalaila oru flight pudicha araimani nerathulla , Chennai ku vanthrulaam .
Appa va paathutu adutha flight layae kondu poi vitralaam .
Ithuku yen da unaku ivlo ego ?

Kathir immediately looked at Sadha with a hurt look and reddened eyes .

Kathir : Ego va ? Enaka ?
Maama .... ungalku purila .
It's not ego ...

Sadha : Apo athu mela enna kovam ?

Kathir : Damn ....awa mela enaku yentha kovamum illa.... athuvum ipo , suthama kovam illa .

Sadha: Apuram enna Kathira ?

Kathir : Kadavulaae ....mama , ninge Namma pov la mattum than yosikringa .
Naan kovapattao ....illa ego paathukitto ,awala kootitu varamaaaten sollala .

Uma : Pinna ? She asked ....Uma had been observing Kathir .

There was an obvious difference in his appearance .

As well his tone whilst speaking about Mullai .

Sadha wasn't able to understand Kathir s thought process .

But as a woman she was able to connect something that Sadha didn't know .

Uma : Vera enna Kannu , sollu ? Mothala nee yen ipdi eruka ....aalaae yelachu poi ,kannulaam ulla poi , karuvalaiyam suthi eruku .
Saapdriya illaiya ....

Kathir : Chu ....athai !

Uma : Sollu Kannu _ un manasulla enavo uruthal eruku , enkitta sollu .
Intha manushanuku yethu than vilangi eruku .

Kathir : Uff ...... thanks athai ..Enga erunthu start panrathu .... therila ....he looked outside the window pane ,
Antha ponna ....awala ,awala naan already neraiya hurt panniruken athai.
Money minded ...panathukaaga than ennaiya marriage pannikitta ,athu ithunu solliten .
Apa awa nadanthukitta vithathula apadi solliten ..but .....

Uma : ....!

Kathir : But I didn't know she will take it so seriously .
U know what ? Food ....saapada awa than cook panniruka ,but awa verum rasam satham than saapiduvalaam .
Vera yethaiyum touch kooda panna maatalaam .
Stay pannathum guest room la than ....athuku kooda A/C laam use pannala illaiyanu therila .
Kandippa athe use panniruka maata ....ipo thonuthh ....his voice came with a pain .
Then , perusa entha expectationsum illama one year eruntha .
Promise panna maathriyae divorce koduthtu poita .
Ipo ....ipo ....she is alone , staying with her friend !

Uma and Sadha looked at each other in shock.

Uma : Unaku epadi Kannu ithu theriyum ?

Kathir : Visaarichen ! He answered in one word .
I don't know whether she went to her parents place. .butt as of now ,anga eruka.
It's a safe place .

Sadha : Nee Athelaam vera panriya ?

Kathir : then ? En porupulla eruntha ponnu . Awa parents kittaiyum pogala .
So ipo enga , epadi eruka , ....safe ah poi sernthanalanu check panna vendiyathu en duty maams .

Sadha who had forgotton his father temporarily and was enthusiastically listening to Kathir was irritated when he heard Kathir say en duty .

His tongue blurted

Sadha : Vengaya duty !

Kathir : What ?

Uma : onum ila Kannu . Intha aaluku , apo apo vaai kolarum . Nee kandukaatha. She gave a stare at Sadha and encouraged Kathir to speak more .

She wanted him to open up and know what is hidden inside .

It may be of good _ who knows ?

Because they least expected that Kathir would have kept track and checked upon the whereabouts of Mullai and her safety .

So Mullai was still there somewhere in his life _ not washed out fully .

Uma didn't bother about the papers .

She believed in emotions of the heart .

She encourage Kathir to speak out ...now she was eager to know why he didn't want to bring Mullai here ,in the name of his wife.

Uma : Athan imputu thooram therinchu vachrukilla Kannu .
Oru vaati antha pappava , mama munadi kootitu vantha than enna thambi ?

Kathir : Uff ...athai ,ningalum puriyama pesuringa .
Awala thaatha paaka aasada padratha thappunu naan sollala .
Awa inga vanthu paakrathaiyum naan  object pannala .
But .....awala en wife nu ,tag pannila kootitu vara solringa ?.
Thaathavum apadi thana nenaikraaru .
That is totally wrong .
Athuvum apadi sonna , odanae awa vanthruvaanu solringa .
That s actually insulting her .
Apadi mattum koopita , athu antha ponna evlo hurt pannumnu ninge yosikalaya ?

Sadha : Enathu ....hurt ah ? Atha pathi nee solraiya...

Kathir : Maams ...he clenched his teeth and looked with a pained face .

That single line of Sadha was like stabbing the dagger right into the wound .

He had been loathing in a sort of guilty consiousness these days since he came to know about her genuine intentions .

And now , Sadha just like that pin pointed his fault again .

The mother in Uma woke up . She was able to read Kathir s mind .

Uma : yov .....ipo undra vaaya moodala , kooni oosiya vachu thachupuduven thachu !
Nee sollu Kannu ,....intha velanga manushan yethachum

Kathir : Solrathuku enna eruku athai ?
Vendaamnu solli , divorce panni anupina ponna , ipo Namma suyalaabathukaaga , thirumba en wife nu poi solli kootitu varathu romba thappu .
Namma poi koopita odanae awa varuvaanu solrathu , awala insult panra maathri eruku .
Kandippa awa offend aawa .
Ivlo naala awala pathi sariya enaku therila .
But intha food and jewellery vishaythulayae awaluku evlo self respect erukunu therinchu pochu.
Apadi patta ponna ,inum naan kasta padutha virumbala .
Sentimental ah sonna ,vara kooda seyyalaam _ aana , ennaiya porutha varai athu awalku seyyura paavam .

Uma : ....!

Sadha :...!

Kathir : Namma thaathaku odambu sari illai .
Fine !
But athuku awaluku enna thalai yeluthu ?
Awarukaaga , thirumba vanthu enoda wife nu drama podanumnu ?
Athuvum evlo naalaiku atha continue panratha uthesam!
Ithulla mukkiyama innonum eruku ....

Sadha : Enathu ?

Uma : Athu enna ?

Kathir : Awaloda future !
Sadha threw a stare .... Kathir didn't miss it . But he gave an explanation for that also ,
Ninge yethuku moraikringanu piriyuthu .
Unaku enna Avlo akkarai nu kekka varinga _ athu thana ?
Yes ...I do agree , we are divorced . I am ok with it ....his voice went unconsciously too low as he said it which Sadha and Uma noticed .
But athukaaga naan villain kedaiyaathu .
Antha ponnuku innoru life venumnla ?
She deserves better infact ....he said with absolutely truth in his and respect for Mullai .
Apadi erukum bothu , thirumba vanthu enaku wife ah act pannunu solrathu epadi sariyaagum .
Vellila erukavanga awala pathi enna solluvanga ?
Ithuku mela antha ponnoda life eh paal adikra urimai enaku illa .

Sadha : Dei ...dei ...Kathiira ,Enada periya periya vaarthai laam solra.
Inum mulusa oru maasam aagala da .
Athukulla innoru kalyaanam ah ?
Antha pullaikaa ...... odanae apadi evan vanthu kepaan , sollu ?

Kathir didn't speak for a long time .

Then he slowly said ,

Kathir : Kepaan illa ! Kettachu !
Kailesh !

Sadha : Enaaathuuuuu .........sadha almost screamed aloud on hearing Kathir say this with absolute calmness and an emotionless face .

Uma : Ithu enna puthu kathai Kannu ?
Antha paiyyan enna ketaan ......ninge pirinchu mulusa naalu vaaram mudila .
Athukulla ......awan ...awan ,......she too lost her cool now and was anger with Kailesh .
She didn't expect this . They had expected only Pragya will be at the back of Kathir but this ....
In anger she asked , enna kettan antha padupaavi ?
Awan thongachiya nee kattika ,intha pullaiya awan kattikavaa.....awana......

Kathir didn't know to name the emotion he was going through when Kailesh had hinted this to him .

But then things were different _ he just looked at it as a third person when Kailesh brought up this topic  _ he had just hinted to Kathir .

But it was the starting point when Kathir started to think that she does need a safe and secure life .

Kathir : Cha...cha...Apdilaam sollala athai .
Just hint pannan ...that he is interested nu .
Nothing serious as of now . But athuku apuram than ,naan awalukunu oru nalla , happy ana life venumnu yosika arambichen .
Athai ......he stopped abruptly ,his face displayed pain. ...for a minute ,he composed himself and continued ,
I have messed her life to the maximum .
Paavam ....nalla ponnu , awala purinchukaama neraiyavae hurt panniten .
Ponathu poyaachu .... inimelavuthu antha ponnu , nimathiya erukatum .
Thirumba poi ,en kooda va ,enoda wife ah en thaathakaaga konjam naal naddinu solli ,awala kevala padutha maaten .
Athu awala awamanam paduthurathu .
I respect her !
I can never do it at any cost .
Thaatha kitta ,vera yethachum solli samaalichukalaam .
That's it !

Kathir s word did make sense .

There was no use arguing with him anymore .

The couple knew him very well .

He convinced them that he would answer his grandfather s questions and had gone to dicuss about the further investigations with the cardiologist .

Not knowing what to do next , Sadha rang up Mullai in a jiff .

She too heard patiently whatever he said about his father ,expressed her worries and regards for the sick person but in a gentle yet firm voice refused Sadha s request .

Sadha : Amadi ...nalla erukiya . Inga appavuku ......he explained the whole of it .

Mullai was calm for sometime and spoke ,

Mullai : Thaathaku onum keduthal varaathu chithappa . Manasa pottu olapikaathinga .
Kadavul apdilaam kai vitra maataru . Nalla padiya operation laam kadanthu vanthruvaaru paarunga.
Naan saamikitta vendikren.

Sadha : Santhosham ma . Thaatha unnaiya than paakanumnu sonnaru paapa ... variya ? ...he didn't lie and straight away asked her what was in his mind .

She too didn't speak immediately .

After a long time she replied ,

Mullai : Thaathava naan paaka varathuku ninge yen chithappa ipdi kenchuringa .
Vanthu paarunu urimaiya sollunga _ Naanum awara paaka kadamai patruken.

Sadha was happy with those kind words .

But she threw the same similar bomb like her soul mate ,

Mullai : Aana .... verum Mullaiya vara sollunga ,varen.
Inimel .... awanga ....awanga....wife ah , Mrs Kathir ah naan nadika maaten .
Athu enaku than awamanam !!

The same words Kathir had said.

The same reason he had refused to bring her to Chennai .

Sadha froze !

He couldn't help but be surprised at the similarities in their thought processes .

It was painful for both of them to say so _ but still they stuck up to their decisions , which indeed was the same .

KARUTHUM ....OOTRUMAIYUM !! 

Sadha prayed to the Almighty to somehow bring the couple together once again for good .