UNMAIYUM ..ULLAMUM

He pressed into her palm tightly as if a man who is about to fall from a cliff , would hold onto a climber with the last minute hope of escaping life.

His head dizzed .

She felt as if being pulled towards one side .

His grip tightened that her palm was almost crushed within his .

Sensing him dizzing along she pulled in a chair nearby and made him sit .

His hand still hadn't left hers .

The old man slowly fluttered open his eyes and instantly brightened as he saw his grandson .

Ranganathan : Saami vanthutiya . Yepo vantha ? Pappa nalla erukiya .

Kathir didn't speak _ all of a sudden he had become too emotional .

His playfulness had dissapeared .

Instead Mullai spoke on his behalf ,

Mullai : Nalla erukoom thaatha . Ninge epadi erukinga . Ipo thodarnthu pesina ,moochu vida siramama erukum la .

Ranganathan : Ath...

Mullai : Aduthu ninge enna kekka poringanu theriyum . .appa thana ?
Nalla erukaanga thaatha .

Periyanayagi : Ward ku maathiyaacha ma .
Yen than Aandavan namma kudumathuku mattum ivlo kastam kodukranoo ?

Kathir s frame jerked at her words _ his thoughts lingered in the information given by Kailesh and Pragya .

What if these people get to know about being targeted by goons !

He didn't speak _ instead eased his chest .

It was Mullai who again spoke , on a positive note to ease off the tension .

Mullai : Sothanai koduthaalum kai vidalaiyaae paati .
Anaiku mattum iwanga , flight la varama yen car la varanum .
Athuvum correct ah appa accident aana yeduthukaae correct ah la vanthrukaanga . Apuram iwanga mattum , nodi kooda veenakaama , vegama vanthu hospital la serthu ,antha artharaathirilayum doctor eh varavalachu , ellam pannati ,appa yenna aagirupaaroo !!
Amma solli solli theerkuraanga !
Kadavula namalla kaivida maatanga paati !
Thaathavum nalla padiya surgery eh cross panniduvaanga paarunga !

Periyanayagi : En Thangam ! Chinna kolanthainaalum ,enna arivaarthama pesura !
Un vaaku apadidiya ballikatum ma .
Yenga ...papa solratha ketingala ,

Ranganathan didn't speak much . Instead he raised a thumbs up and smiled slowly .

Then looked at his grandson ,

Ranganathan : Arumaiyana ponnu da un pondati !
Intha kolanthai manasu koonama nadanthu koo !

Kathir immediately looked up in a hurt tone .

That pondati did have an impact !

Again he felt his loss .

How will he open his mouth and say that she wasn't anymore .

An awkward silence followed .

He still hadn't realised her palm was in his clutch.

Periyanayagi too acknowledged it .

Periyanayagi : Illaiya pinna . Naan paartha odanae nenachen . Unaku iwa than correct eh erupaanu ..
Hmm.... Lakshmi eh thirupi paatha maathri erunthuchu ,

This time he visibly shook his body .

Where did he fail ?

How come he was totally blinded for a year .

And what is the use of brooding over it now .

There was an array of emotions surging through both of them .

Kathir : Shh...thaatha , alatikaama rest yedunganu sonna , summa engala pathiyae pesitu erukinga .
Iwala nerla paaka kootitu varalanu kochukitinga .
Ipo than kootitu vanthaachae .Hm aasirvaatham pannunga thaatha !

Ranganathan : Besha ...rendu perum inga vaanga , Nayagi...antha thiruneer packet eh saami padathuku vachutu yeduthutu neeyum vaa, pullaingaluku viboothi poosividdu !

Again Kathir drifted into thoughts _ his grandfather addressed his wife as Nayagi .

Wasn't her name too the same _ Mullainayagi !

And his , Kathirangan !

Damn _

He couldn't stop himself from wondering at the their names !

One whole year he hadn't even bothered about it .

Hmm....

The young couple got up and together bowed down to the elderly ones and received their blessings .

They chitchatted for sometime .

The talk drifted as to when to shift Ranganathan to Trichy .

He was solid in his decision .

Ranganathan : Trichy la than porathen ...valarnthen.; Vaalnthen !
Naalu pullaingalukum anga than kalyaanam panni vachen .
En sontha mannu !
En moochu thodarnthaalum ...ninnalum , antha Cauvery karailayae nadakatum !

Kathir : Shh ...enna thaatha pechu ithu ?.
Trichy la surgery nu soninga . Fine .
Athukaaga ...ithu maathri laam Sollanthinga .
You will come out of it successfully .
Hmm...

He thought for sometime .

And suddenly said

Kathir : Thaatha , enaku mama kooda konjam work eruku . Namma businesss related work than !
Hmm.... maximum 3_4 hours ..yen thaatha , Namma inaikaae Trichy ku poita enna ?

Ranganathan ; Innaikaae vaa ?

Mullai : Enathu ?

Periyanayagi : Aapdi mudiyuma thambi ?

Each of them reacted differently not knowing why he suddenly suggested such an idea , not knowing the turmoil he was undergoing .

After spending time with the couple , Kathir consulted the chief cardiologist at the hospital ,with regard to shifting Ranganathan and the surgery .

Sadha had joined them by now and he too was for it .

In few minutes , Kailesh arrived to pick up Mullai .

When Kailesh came the couple were seen walking side by side down the veranda out of the ICU , with a decent distance between them .

They were seen conversing something within themselves .

But ,

The first word that escaped Kailesh s lips with an exclamatory expression on his face was ...

Kailesh : Oh my God ! He stopped at the place itself and observed them at a comfortable distance . His lips continued murmuring involuntarily , he is in love !

Kathir' was seen so smitten that Kailesh said it aloud .

There was an usual softness seen in Kathir s attitude towards her . She said something for which he faithfully bent his down to her ears and headed carefully . And with a assertive nod he turned around to her and replied back .As whilst speaking , a hospital attender was fast wheeling a stretcher behind them . Mullai didn't seem to notice it . But Kathir who took notice of it , immediately threw an arm around her shoulder securing her safely and gently pulled away , leaving way for the attender .
It was so causual and genuine . The hand around her shoulder was still there . And Kailesh took a deep note that Mullai didn't object it nor seemed uncomfortable in his touch . She reacted as any other girlfriend or wife would ,when their husband ' s threw a protective gesture .
The scene by itself was so serene and
natural . There was nothing awkward in their behaviour .
By this time they had resumed their talk again . She said something in a soft tone ahead for which his face and eyes bloomed warm as the early morning sun and he smiled dashingly at her. She responded immediately with a red cheeked blushed face !!!

Kailesh didn't have an ounce of doubt !!!

They looked so smitten !!

He had to try hard to bring the image of that stern yet calm faced Mullai who hurriedly left the premise of the court once the divorce was issued .

This Mullai was so different _ she was obviously ebbing with love for the man who walked beside her _ just that she didn't realise .

And Kathir !

His change over was a pleasant shocker to Kailesh .

His face had never born this warmth and softness ever before .

He had always been the furious mid noon sun _

Not this glowing soft guy _

For a second , Pragya s face came in Kailesh s thought . He felt bad as well as relieved at the same time .

Kathir had never been like this with Pragya as far as he knew .

As well now he knew why Kathir had rejected her proposal straight on face .

But ,

When did this change happen ?

All of a sudden !

That was a difficult question to answer ...

.Even after billions and billions of years since the planet has emerged ,no scientist nor research has discovered till date ; when two souls happen to fall in love with !!

Kailesh smiled to himself and neared them with a question lingering in his mind,

Have they both realised this their emotions for each other now ?

Or ....?

As he was still thinking he heard Kathir call out to him on seeing him .

Though they had met once during the reception , Mullai didn't remember Kailesh as much as Pragya .

Kathir seemed to totally forget about all the past . With other thoughts occuping his mind ,he introduced them formally once more
,

Kathir : Hi .da... Kailesh ,enna da ....angayaae ninnuta ? Naan unnai evlo nerama koopidren .
Pagal kanava ? Anything important ...he winked ,

Kailesh : Neram da ! Naan vanthatha kooda paakama nee pesitu erunthutu ,ennaiya korai solla .

Kathir : ha. Ha ..nijjama va , naan yetho serious ah na yosanaila erunthen man !

Kailesh: mv : Nee ipo than da seriousness eh vitutu , normal ah maari eruka _ he felt it was only now , Kathir had shed his hood and behaved like a man of his age . Oh ama ama , paathalae therinchuchu ! Rombavae serious ah than da eruntha !

A soft chuckle was heard _ he saw her Mullai subtly smile with a glint in her eyes . She had sensed the sarcasm in Kailesh s words .

A curiousity creeped inside him as to know what they spoke then for her to chuckle like this with a blushed cheek .

Mullai too was thinking of the same thing _ Kathir was too playfully speaking with her minutes back .

After receiving the blessings from the elderly people and after getting consent from the cardiologist to shift Ranganathan to shift that day itself ,he was back to his light hearted form .
Mullai could sense he was disturbed by something but didn't have the courage to ask him . Who knows how he will he take it ?
She was after all acting as his wife just as a payback for the help he did for her father .
What right does she hold more than that ?

Not allowing her to think more Kathir s voice barged in,

Kathir : Mullai ...he called as softly as ever that made Kailesh rise his eyebrows in suprise , he is Kailesh . My thickest buddy !

Kailesh : Hi nga ,Namma meet pannirukoom , unga reception la ...he lent his hand on impulse and then thought on how will she receive it ,

But Mullai didn't seem indifferent . She too shook his hand with a smile and said ,

Mullai : Sorry , reception nadanthu oru varsham aaguthu . Nyabagam avlova illa ...she said in a low voice ,

Kailesh : Athukenna sister ,athan ipovachum Iwan intro kuduthanae ,

Kathir just smiled at Kailesh s address as sister . He knew his friend and the deep inner meaning behind that sister .

He must be really thankful to have such a friend . Suddenly he felt all people around him were better than him .

It was only him who had been so foolish and blindfolded .

Easing off ,he turned to her ,

Kathir :Uma athai veetuku , unnaiya iwan kootitu poovan .
Naan vellai mudinchathum vanthruven .

Mullai : Hmm....vellai , she dragged ,she didn't know what it was .... but stopped midway seeing his face change all of a sudden . What was that work ? For his face to change this dark and gloomy .

Kailesh came to Kathir s help .

Kailesh : Ada ... unga veetukaar betha business man la sister , yentha vellai nu solluvaan _ ondra , rendaanu paatu paadra alavuku eruku !
Ithulla intha oor pakkamaae varama ,ninge vera iwana Trichy layaae katti pottu vachrukinga _ nanga enna panna ?

He eased off the tense situation as well instantly lightened the mood of the couple .He spoke as if he was totally innocent about their divorce that Mullai breathed relief and looked at him with a smile , whereas Kathir felt as if a bucket of honey was poured right into his ears on hearing Kailesh say that , Mullai had had him hooked all the way at Trichy not even allowing him to move away from her . He indulged in a sweet imagination of how would it be if she really always wanted him beside her 24/7 .
He forgot the simple fact that it was him who had messed up a beautiful life with this angel like woman .

Shaking away those thoughts he simply nodded his head to Mullai .

By now he knew how soft and gentle heart she possessed .

For sure ,she will scared even if she gets to know a thread of the problem

She was so kind hearted who wished good even for her worst enemies .

So he didn't want to scare her off .

Ushering one another they reached the car parking .

Kailesh drove his car up his car first near the entrance , and opened up the back door for Mullai .

When ,

Kathir opened the front door itself and ushered Mullai in , waited until she settled in her seat beside Kailesh and then closed the door .

Kailesh was really moved at Kathir s gesture .

Kathir : No unnecessary formalities man . Help ku thanda koopiten _ unnaiya driver aaka illa . Sister nu koopidra , apuram enna formality ?

Kailesh : .....! He couldn't believe his eyes at this drastic change of Kathir .

Where did his arrogance and pride dissappear ?

When did he start thinking this much and treated every one in par with him .

Kailesh pinched himself and confirmed it whilst Kathir bent down to Mullai and spoke in a low tone .

Mullai : He will take you saftely . bayapadaama poo .

Mullai : Sari nga ! She replied dutifully as ever that Kailesh looked them with amusement in his eyes .

Kailesh : MV : Inga erunthu 40 minute drive . Athiga batcham one hour , athukulla Iwan ipdi uruguraan ? Intha ponnu athukum mela , vita Prananaathanu awan kaal la vilum pola .
Iwanga rendu perum yethuku divorce pannikitaanga ?

( Author : Naan kathai sutha than thambi ! Nemba aaraichi pannama vandiya kelapu )

With a sigh he patiently waited for them to finish their mini send off and then drove her to Uma s house .

Later ,

At the office of the Commissioner ,

Kathir and Sadha were seated opposite the Commissioner ,

Com : Ninge solrathu unmai than Kathir . They are still there ...
But ,

Kathir : Private security arrange panniruken uncle.Enoda motha familykum . But for how long ? Family la eruka chinna pasangalukelaam ithu theriyaathu .
And my grandparents _ awangalukum theriyaathu !
I need to clear them off even before they take the first step .

Sadha : Mothama 24 per erukum ya
..Sadha was friends with the Commissioner , yepo yaaruku ennavagumoonu konjam otharala eruku .

Com : City layaae ninga one of the most reputed families . Business la too successful .
Enemies varathu sagajam than ...but ipo ninge solra vishyam enakae bayam kodukuthu !
Police help kandippa undu ungalku ,

Kathir : But till when uncle ? Kannuku theriyaatha yethiriya enna panna mudiyum .
Ithulla yethachum ungalala official ah action yeduka mudiyuma ?
Anyways I have filed a proper case .
I have alerted a private detective agency too uncle .
Still ....he paused , enoda family la oruthar kooda affect aaga koodaathu uncle .

Com : Sure Kathir . Don't worry ... actually I have a very brilliant young cop to work on this . Mr Vendhan !
Recent ah news la padichu erupingalaae , 25 yrs old mystery murder case eh solve pannaaru . He will of extreme help to you !

Kathir : Then ,get him at any cost uncle !

( Author : Adei ,athuvum nee thanda. Orae nerathulla epadi double act koduka vaikrathu . Wait karo ! )

Com : Kandippa . But athu ipo mudiyaathu , oru chinna sikkal .

Sadha : ennaiya sikkalu ,vikkalunu ? Sattu puttunu , awar kitta intha case eh hand over pannitu , engaluku nimathi ya kodupiya !

Com : Athu illa Sadha ! Currently he is on a break .
Honeymoon poirukaaru ! Antha case mudincha kaiyooda ,he was promoted too !
But , ipothaiku enaku en wifeum ,intha lifeum than mukkiyam _ I need a break nu sollitu kelambitaapla !

Sadha who was looking at the commissioner all this time suddenly looked at Kathir and said sarcastically ,

Sadha : Khaaki sattaiya pottavanuku kooda pondati arumai puriyuthu .
Ingayun sila per erukaangalae , devathai maathri eruka pullaiya pathivitutu .....

Kathir threw a stare at him .

Kathir : Maams ! Ipo pesa vendiyatha mattum pesuvooma ?

Sadha : Athu sari !

Com : Enna pesikringa ?

Kathir ; Inner politics uncle ! Kandukaathinga !
So we are starting uncle , unga cop vantha odanae sollunga !
I will try my level best too!

They left after chit chat with Kathir thinking of all available possibilities to safeguard his family members .

On the way back to Sadha s home , Kathir was absolutely thoughtfull .

Sadha too didn't disturb him .

In the meantime Uma had called and informed about Mullai .

She was too compatible .

Meanwhile as whilst driving , Kathir suddenly called Sadha ,

Kathir : Maams ! Shal v do like this for time being ?

Sadha : Enna Kathira ...? He had no idea of what he was thinking .
His decisions ...were unpredictable .

Kathir : Thaatha ,paatiyoda ,pesama ninge , chitti , kids nu yellarum yen Trichy ku shift aaga koodaathu !

Sadha : Enada solra ?

Kathir : For time being maams ! Untill all this hustle bustle settles down .
Business eh anga erunthaae handle pannikalaam .
And then ,yepadiyum thaatha surgery anga than !
Pasangaluku ipo holidays thana ...What you say ?

Sadha : Athu vanthu Kathira ....he hadn't even completed his sentence when the attitude prince was back in form, announcing his decision as final !

Kathir : I have decided maams . It's a better choice . Yellarum Trichy kaae varinga . Innaikaae !

Sadha blinked as usual .

But without stopping with just announcing his decision , Kathir immediately implemented it too fast and swiftly that the whole family were all set and packed to move to Trichy the next day itself .

It was almost night when Kathir and Sadha turned up at the house .

Uma and Mulli were waiting for them .

They too were informed about the new plan .

So it was decided that Mullai and Kathir were to spend the night at Sadha s home itself and return to Trichy the next morning along with the whole family .

After a tedious day and a emotional turmoil throughout the day along with the tiredness of working out solutions for each and every one of the family , Kathir was literally drained off his energy .

He hadn't had his lunch too .

From the commissioner s office he drove back to the hospital and discussed yet again with the doctors .

From there he visited his main parent office and looked after the pending files and gave instructions to his associates .

From there he called upon his uncle's and ellaborated his plan .

Then he visited two more construction sites and a had a chat with the private defective agency .

It was only after sorting out things he drove back along with Sadha to his home .

Once entering he was damn tired that he immediately went inside to refresh himself in the room , Uma had arranged for them .

Them !

Yes it was a them !

Uma wantingly did that .

As Mullai opened her mouth to object it , Uma hit the chord straight at her weakness .

Uma : Amadi , mathyathulla erunthu intha paiyyan onumae saapdalaiyaamae ? Kaalaila ennama saaptan ?

Mullai : Mathyam saapadalaiya ? Kalailayum , flight la kodutha kutti sandwich than chithi saaptanga . Apuram hospital la oru coffee .
Avlo than ....

Uma : Ipadi eruntha odambu enna aagurathu .. yerkanavae aalu yelacha maathri than erukaan .
Ennavo poo .,Amadi nee poi awana saapda koopitu vaa ma .

Uma behaved as if she had selective amnesia wrt their divorce alone .

Worried that he had been working with an empty stomach she went to call him , unable to refuse Uma .

Inside the room ,

Kathir hadn't even neared the wash room .

His head was dam aching and every fibre of his being was worn out both mentally and physically .

He was really worried .... worried for various reasons ,

His grandfather s poor health ,and his transfer to Trichy ,

The threat to his family ,

The business work ,

And something's else too that he couldn't decipher ,

He had just slumped into the sofa of the room at the entrance itself .

He was half lying in shabbily and almost half asleep in the sofa itself .

Mullai who came up to call him for dinner as well as to tell him that she will stay with Uma that night , paused on seeing him all worn out and drained .

He look damn tired obviously ,with hair tousled , eyes deep in sockets with dark circles around ,shirt unbuttoned half way through exposing the collar bones and his thinned frame , foot that were red and sore . With hands extended on either side his head rested back of the cushion facing the he ceiling upwards with eyes closed .

She thought he was fast asleep and was in a dilemma as to wake him or not .

Not wanting to disturb him she took a step forward to exit the room when his pathetic abandoned appearance stopped her .

She inched close towards him on impulse .

His dishevelled hair distracted her as ever .

Not able to overcome her own self she gently ran her fingers along his forelocks slightly backwards and eased off the frowns on his forehead .

Kathir who was in half sleep jerked a bit and then settled _ he knew this ,

This hallucination ,

His mother's divine touch that makes him calm inside out .

He was in a dizzy state and didn't want to open his eyes fearing it might disappear .

He let himself to it .

The soft palm pressed on both sides of his forehead in small circles easing off the throbbing pain and swiped out the sweat that dripped from his forehead .
She bent and blew gently and once again ran her fingers into his hair ,

When ,

Uma s voice was heard aloud from outside the room .

Uma : Mulla ...Mullamma , Kathir eh saapida vara sonna ,neeyum enga aalaa kanoom!

Her voice was heard so loud that Mullai feared he might wake up .

As well Kathir too came out of that dreamy state ,

Why is his aunt calling her here ?

As he thought ,he heard the sweet voice of his woman reply ,

Mullai : Ithoo vanthuten chithi . Orae nimisham . Vanthren.....she hurriedly said not wanting to wake him up .( Unaware of the fact that he had totally come out of the sleep )

Once again she gently blew over his forehead , wiped the sweat with her dupatta ; arranged his forelocks ,pressed onto his temporal sides to alleviate his pain and hurriedly walked away leaving him in utter shock .

Once she went out of the room , Kathir sat upright with shock running through and through within him .

So it wasn't a hallucination !

It wasn't his dream , where in his mother pacified him !

It wasn't some angel sent from abode by his mother !

He remembered the hand that he imagined to extend from his mother's potrait , which he had kept beside before sleeping .

It was HER !

HIS VERY OWN ANGEL IN FLESH AND BLOOD !

AND ,

NOT ONLY THAT ,

IN A MOST SURPRISING MANNER , EACH AND EVERY SECOND OF THAT RAINY NIGHT CAME UP TO HIS MEMORY !!!

KATHIR FROZE ON RECALLING THAT NIGHT !!

DAMN !!!

HE REALISED ,

THAT ,

HE WAS IS IN LOVE WITH MULLAI _ RIGHT FROM THAT DAY ITSELF,

SO HAD BEEN SHE !!!

BUT NOW ?

THE TRUTH HIT HARD NOW _ MISSING PIECES FELL IN PLACE ,

HE BROKE DOWN ,

" UNNAKENNA VAALUM ITHAYAMADI ,

UYIR ULLA VARAI _ NAAN UN ADIMAIYADI !!! "

THE TRUTH THAT HIS HEART EXPRESSED SHOOK HIM AS HELL .

UNMAIYUM ...ULLAMUM !