Anbum Aranum Udaiththaayin

Suya Mariyadhai

As soon as Mullai saw Dhanam's name displayed, a strange feeling that something bad is going to happen consumed her. Even before she could answer her, she heard Dhanam voice boom in the other end

"Indha kudumbatha pirika pakariya Mulla?"

"Akka! Naan en apadi nenaika porean? Enna achu?", she answers sounding nervous.

"Akka akka nu kuptadhu elam poi akita Mulla!", Dhanam sounded frustrated at the other end.

Mullai stares straight ahead, scared of what Dhanam is about to say.

Dhanam pauses for a second

"Indha kudumbam pudikum, inga irukaravanga nala irukanumnu than nee nenaikaranu ithana naal nenachutu irukean. Nee ipadi panuvenu naan nenaikala"

Mullai takes a deep breath while Dhanam continues

"Illa indha veetuku vandha podhumnu, anna illana thambinu poitiya?"

"Akka!" she fights back her tears just so she can hang up but Dhanam is in no mood to end the call.

"Nee indha veetla than vazhanumnu naanum aasai patean. Jeeva vittu pogadhanu sonnapo elam inga iruka matenu poitu, ipo Kathira kalyanam panitu inga varanumnu nenacha enna artham Mulla? ", Dhanam's words chocked in anger and frustration

Mullai took a sharp intake of air as Dhanam's words were creating a coil that wrapped around her heart and squeezed it. Involuntarily tears pooled up her eyes. She knew Dhanam was not malicious and did crazy stuff for her family. But this went beyond that. She was not only insulting her but insulting her own brother-in-law.

"Konjamavadhu yosichiya Mulla? Jeeva pinnadi mama mama nu suthitu ipo Kathir pinadi sutharanu oorla pesa matangala? Varushaya annan thambi valachu podaranu pesa matangala? Indha asingam elam namba kudumbathuku thevaiya sollu? ", Dhanam vexed out without realizing the bitterness her words were causing.

A cold shiver ran through Mullai's body. Anger flared through Mullai. The words Dhanam used were so disgusting that it was unfathomable. Tears ran through her cheeks and she bit her own lips hard, trying not to let her emotions show on her voice.

"Nee enna samadhanam sonalum, idhu elam nadaimuraiku othu varadhu. Apadi nadakudhunu oru pechuku vechukita kuda, indha veetla yepadi vazhva? Jeeva pondatiya irundha adhey veetla, ipo kathir pondatiya yepadi vazhva mudiyum unala?"

"AKKA! Idhuku mela oru varthai pesadhenga!" Mullai yelled.

Dhanam flinched, not expecting such an angry cry to come from such a passive women. She thinks this was the first time she ever heard Mullai raise her voice.

"Unga mela neraya mariyadhai vechu irukean. Sondha akka va than ithana varusham pathu irukean. Adhukaga matum than nenga sonadhuku amadiya irukean. Adhukunu nenga ennai enna asinga padutinalum ketutu chumma iruka solrengala?", Mullai asked wiping away the fresh angry tears the fell on her cheeks.  

Mullai realized Dhanam was surprised at the other end. She had never spoken to her like this before. She had always listened to whatever Moorthy or Dhanam has said until now, even when Dhanam did things that hurt her. Keeping quiet or being passive wasn't her character anymore.

"Thappu panadhu elam Jeeva mama'vum nengalum!", Mullai said trying hard not to stoop low to humiliate Dhanam as she did to her.

"Naan enna thappu panenu ipadi pesarenga?", she said raising her voice so she can make Dhanam know she was not going to sit quiet for her humiliation.

Dhanam realized she went overboard in anger in the need to protect her family and immediately softened her tone

"Mulla, nee enna thappa purinjukita. Unna thangachiya nanum nenaikaradhala than solrean. Nee kasta patadhu elam podhum. Idhuku mela kasta pada kudadhunu than solrean"