An Aesthete - A triangle love story

Chapter 22

Hridhay

The smell of vanilla and peach wafted through my nostrils and my lips curled up into a smile, recognising Darshana. I pull her close to me by her waist and bury my face into her neck. It feels like walking up in vanilla orchids as the crook of her neck smells like a mix of our regular perfumes. I squeeze her hip as I press my lips strongly against her neck and her body trembles, reflecting the trembles on me.

"Ezhunthiru Hridhay Ezhunthiru. Ezhunthiru Hridhay Ezhunthiru. Ezhunthiru... " My body shakes more as if there is an earthquake. (Wake up Hridhay, Wake up. Wake up Hridhay, Wake up. Wake up ...)

I slowly open one eye to find my face buried in my pillow. I fully open my eyes as the trembling continues, only to realise that Darshana is trying to wake me up by pushing against the back of my shoulder. I sit up in a sudden jerk pulling the quilt close to my chest.

"Ipo ethuku ippadi ezhupunna? Amaithiya ezhupa theriyatha?" I rub the sleep off my eyes and remove the rheum. (Why did you wake me up as if the earth was shattering? Don't you know to calmly wake up?)

"Haan vitu iruntha nee antha thalakaanie ah pregnant aaki irupa." She abruptly stops with a gasp before changing the topic but I notice the mild colour raising on her cheeks. "Time ten aaguthu athan ezhupunen. Unkita neriya pesanum apuram onnu kodukanum." She pulls the quilt from my feet and I hold it from my side. (If I didn't wake you up, you would have impregnated that pillow. It's past 10 am, that's why I woke you up. Get refreshed, I need to talk to you about a lot of things and give you something.)

We have a tug of war with my quilt. I can pull her against me with more force but I don't want to do it for her own good. "Hey ulla onnum podala, di. Apuram naan pakala nee thaan kaatuna na konnuduven." I hold the quilt tight against me. (Hey, I'm not wearing anything. Then don't say that you didn't see anything but I showed you.)

Darshana releases the quilt with a scream and turns away. "Eruma maadu. Kazhutha vayasu aguthu innum kingini mingini thoongikitu. Vekam ketavaney." She kicks my leg without looking behind and I snicker a chuckle. "Seekiram refresh aagitu va." She walks out of my bedroom, closing the door behind her. (Buffalo. You are nearly thirty but still roaming naked like a three year old. Shameless fellow. Get refreshed soon and come out.)

Did she imagine anything?

I try not to laugh out loud as I get off the bed and take the towel that I left on the dressing chair to wrap the towel around my waist. I walk past the closet and enter the bathroom. I relieve myself, brush and take a very quick shower before getting dressed in a fresh pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

What does she want to talk about? Did he tell her something?

I open the bedroom door and find Darshana walking around my kitchen. I lean against the doorframe, cross my arms against my chest and watch her as she takes out an open container from the oven. She shovels the content using a spoon and a familiar smell wafts through my nose. I walk towards her as she transfers a little amount of the content from the container into a sweet bowl.

"Unaku theriyatha enaku wheat halwa pudikathu nu? Ethuku itha senju kondu vantha?" I hold her wrist and stop her from adding more. (Don't you know that I don't like wheat halwa? Why would you make and bring it for me?)

"I didn't but Selvam Anna did." She looks at me changeling and I stand there looking at her shocked, freezing in my action.

What the hell is Veda planning?

If Selvam Anna has prepared it, then it must be my mother's recipe. That's why I was able to identify the dish by its smell. I used to love everything that my mother made, especially the sweats and my top favourite is her wheat halwa recipe. After the separation, I started hating it as I started to hate a lot of things that were once my favourites.