Kanmani stood glancing around the people moving in and out the paediatrician's cabin, her face blooming with a smile on seeing the little ones creating a ruckus in the waiting hall. Her palm caressed her baby bump and that moment she felt completely and incandescently happy. She raised her head to find Mullai walking towards her, with a far off look and a soulful smile. Kanmani chuckled thinking maybe true love does that to people- daydreaming about the one even with hundreds of others around them. When Mullai was closer, she called out in a teasing tone, "yennanga Mullai... kaalailaye Kathir kanava...", hearing it she felt being pulled into reality and smiled back shyly seeing the frisky smile on Kanmani's face. She shook off her comment saying, "yenga neenga vera... medicine laam vaangiten Kanmani... kelambalaama...".
When they stepped down the entrance stairs of the hospital, Mullai took out her phone to call Kathir to come pick them up. He had left as Pandian called saying he had trouble with the two-wheeler in the middle of somewhere when they entered the hospital. He had asked her to give a call once they were done, so that he would drop them back home. As Mullai was about to hit the call icon, Kanmani held her hand asking, "Mullai anga opposite la irukura coffee shop ku polama... konja neram... ungakitta pesanum naan...", Mullai's eyes wandered over Kanmani's face, her questioning eyes intrigued Mullai that she nodded at her, dumping her phone back into her bag. They walked into the shop and the ambience warmed their hearts after a tiring forenoon away from home- there is something undeniably calming about coffee shops.
The waiter scurried his way to their table near the glass window that looked out into the traffic outside, Mullai smiled back as he greeted them, ordering a coffee and when Kanmani did the same, she glared at her, changing the order to one coffee and one apple juice. Kanmani sat pouting at Mullai's strictness when it came to her diet and Mullai giggled saying, "innum moonu maasam thaan... papa vandhone evalo coffee vena kudinga...". The care that Mullai showed her unwaveringly since day one made her disappointment be replaced with a grateful smile, "sollunga Kanmani... edho pesanum nu sonnengale...". Kanmani fidgeted her fingers drawing patterns aimlessly over her clutch and Mullai rolled her eyes seeing her act weird for the first time since they met, "athu Mullai... I know how much you and Kathir love each other... neenga checkup ku doctor cabin la irukumbothu oru pathu call atleast pannirupaaru... neenga vandha piragum verum weakness thaan nu doctor sonnanganu sonna nambala avaru... unga prescription ah whatsapp la avaruku anupura varaikum he was restless... he is madly in love with you...".
Mullai cordially smiled at her and she knew how much it takes for a woman who had been only abused in her married life to say those words, "unmaiya naan Kathir ah love laam pannala... avarum thaan... friend ah irundhom kalyanam panna andha friendship oru nalla life ah tharum nu nenachom... avalo thaan... arambikurathu kulla andha kadhai mudinchuruchu... unmaiya sollanum na inni varaikum na Kathir ah andha kannotathula paathathe illa... athu love illa... en kalyana vaazhkailayum naan kaadhal ah paakala... inniku neenga thaniya sirichute nadanthu vandhatha pathapo... I saw how genuinely happy you were in life and with Kathir... adhaan idha kekanum nu thonuthu... kaadhal na enna Mulla ungala porutha varai...", Mullai before everything else just adored the woman in front of her, for how pristine and honest her words and thoughts are. She held Kanmani's hand on the table and smiled at her, making a wish to God to bless her with a love she deserves, it was cruel to let the love in her heart not have a place to call it as its home.
The word love had only one meaning for Mullai- for her it revolved around the name Kathir. She had not known love other than him, but to put it in words- it was quite a tough task, "Kanmani... kadhal ah enaku therinju vara vaarthaila adakurathu romba kashtam... solli puriyurathu illa adhu... adhu oru unarvu... romba azhaganathu... aana onnu mattum ennala solla mudiyum... ippa enkitta keteengana... naan Kathir mela vechuruka anba vida avaru adhigam ah vechurukaaru nu thaan solven... aana avara ketta naan thaan avara athigama kadhalikuren nu solluvaaru... andha puridhal thaan enna porutha vara kaadhal... adhu rendu pakathula irundhum varanum... appo one side love laam love eh illaya nu keka koodathu... namma kudumbathu mela namma friends mela vekura paasam appidi ethaiyum ethirpaarthu irukurathilla thaan... aana kalyana vaazhkai... athuku oru reality romba mukkiyam... namma kodukura love respect edho oru vagaila thiripi nammakitta vandha thaan athuku artham irukum... chinna chinna seyallaiyo oruthar oruthar mela kaatura care layo... edho onnu la athu pagira padanum... oru relationship ku longevity venum na athu mutual ah irukanum...".
