Anbum Aranum Udaiththaayin

Vethanai

First week of August 2019

Kathir was in love with Mullai! This new realization left him in haze. He needed some lone time to think straight. He went to the mandapam and sat there lost in thoughts. He could not pinpoint when and where he fell in love with Mullai. He had hated her prior to marriage or rather thought he did. All changed seeing the way she cared for everyone in the family. His heart always felt a warmth on affection she had for him. He always thought about his family and never once wished anything for himself. He knew it was wrong for him to think about Mullai like that anymore and decided to change his heart. With that determination, he stepped outside and he felt the raindrop hit his skin. The sky had been clear when he arrived here was now covered in dark clouds. The rain, which usually calms him, was doing anything but that. Rain and tears mingled on his face. Each droplet aligned on his skin as if it knew of the asperity. How did his life become this complicated?, he wondered. Once again there was an internal fight inside of him. One part was telling him that he was doing the right thing. The other craved for Mullai with everything he had. It was a game between his head and heart.

His whole life has been pleasing everyone else so much that he did not even know what he wanted anymore. However, he knew he did not want to go home and did not want to stay there. Therefore, he walked towards Kumaresan mama house. All the way, he kept thinking. Maybe he wanted to just forget her and focus on work as he used to. Nevertheless, in the back of his mind, he wondered if that was truly, what he wanted to do.

Kumaresan Mama who was in his own world of alcohol and love songs,  immediately sobered seeing Kathir's plight. He made Kathir sit and drink some water.

"Enna da ipadi vandhu iruka? Enna da achu?"

Kathir just kept staring between mama and the glass of alcohol. Maybe that is exactly what he needed right now. He needed to escape from reality and needed to numb the pain temporarily. He grabbed the bottle from the table and twisted the cap off. He saw Kumaresan mama staring at him, as he has not seen him drink before. He could not bring himself drinking it and threw the bottle to the wall shattering the glass to pieces.

He looked at Kumaresan mama and with teary eyes asked "Mama, ingayey night thangikityuma?"

It has been a week since his realization of love for Mullai. He has been citing reasons to avoid going home and been staying with Kumaresan Mama. He was working in shop round the clock to keep his mind occupied.

"Dei Kathiru, enna da oru varama mama veetla thangitu iruka? Inaikavadhu olunga veetuku vandhu thungara valiya paaru", Moorthy ordered his brother.

"Adhu anney...", while Kathir struggled, Moorthy panicked and turned his attention to Mama

"Enna Mama. Ungaluku manasu seri ilanu solli, avan 2 naal thangarenu solitu ipo veetuku vara yosikarean. Ungala mathiri saraku kiraku kuduthutengala?"

"Ayoo dei. Avan adhu elam thoda kuda illa. En mela en da sandhega padara? Un thambi uthama puthiran. Naan than avana ketukara mathiri."

Kumerasan mama understood someone in home was bothering him and didn't throb him further. However he knew Kathir could not stay with him forever. 

"Elley kathiru. Olunga inaiku vetuku pora vazhiya paaru. Naan than unna kedukarenu idhula enaku peru vera"

Kathir had no choice but to go home that night. He kept his distance from Mullai all evening. When he made sure she retired to bed, he went to thinai as sleep eluded him.

He suddenly noticed some moment and turned to see Mullai sitting close to him with concern in her eyes

"Enna achu Kathiru? Oru varama veetuku varala, moogam elam vaadi poi iruku. Kumaresan Appa ku apadi enna prachanai?"