Pookal Pookum Tharunam

ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

March 10, 2019

Ajay

Oru sunday athuvuma nimmathiya irukka vudrangala

I sulk at my phone ringing continuously showing "Amma". I sit straight and attend the phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Thoongit irunthiya da?" I hear my mom's voice from the other end.

"Ama ma.. " I wipe my eyes and sit leaning on the headboard.

"Enna da mani 10 aaguthu innum thoongit irukka?"

"Maa innaik Sunday thane?"

"Hmm Sreedevi enna panra?"

I walk outside my room and see her cleaning the kitchen after her morning cooking. It would be Sreedevi's breakfast and lunch every Sunday while I cook the dinner. Sreedevi also cooks very well. Though,her dishes tastes different from mine, they are really good and homely.

"Deii irukkiya da?"

"Haan haan.. Sreedevi inga thaa irukka.. Kitchen clean pannit irukka"

Sreedevi's stops in her action and turns her head towards me. She looks at me questioningly and I mouth 'amma' at her.

"Hmm ava kitta kudu"

I give my phone to her and she stare at it hesitantly.

"Pesu" I whisper. She nods her head and keep the phone to her ear.

"Hello aunty?" My mom says something to her. She chuckles nervously and says "Sorry Athai".

Sreedevi speaks to my mom for 58 seconds and give the phone back to me.

"Hello ma" I walk to the balcony while Sreedevi resumes her work.

"Ajay.. Naanum romba naal ah kekuren.. Epo thaan da naa en pera pasangala paaka mudiyum?"

I fist my hand to control my anger. As I have been brought up a boy who respects elders, I cannot yell at this woman. As a mother she has struggled a lot, from giving me birth to bringing me up in the right manner, and thus I have huge respect for her.

But I dont really like her. If I am living a like this, the only reason for it is this woman. The last I lived happily was when I was with Abirami, my ex. Abirami was my college mate and friend. We liked each other and one day we confessed. I loved her so much and everything around me felt heavenly when I was with her.

I was completely a different person from whom I am now. I had a lot of friends, I used to party around with them and I was madly in love with her who meant the world to me. I thought she was my soulmate and I would be with her until my last breath.

But Everything turned upside down, when she ditched me saying some silly reasons. I was completely broken. I couldn't easily trust anyone from then. I started believing every people in life are temporary and there is no forever.

But I didn't realise how happy my mom was when I broke up with Abirami. My mom wasn't that happy when I was with Abirami as she is from a different caste and from a lower middle class family. I used to notice my mom's unhappy face whenever I brought Abi home. Abi used to worry that my mom disliked her and I used to console her that I would solve it. But the truth is I didn't actually tried to convince my mom. I was planning to settle after the age of 25 and thought to convince her at that time.

Abirami had pressure from her parents and also the fact that my mom was unhappy with her might have made her take that decision. Ever since she broke up with me, I lived like a zombie for one year, even now I am living like that. One year later, my mom started pressuring me to marry. I cursed my life as I couldn't get any kind of peace. I thought of marrying a girl for my mom's sake without even thinking of that girl's dreams.

I am atleast happy that I got Sreedevi, because she is not like any other girl who would have created dramas by now. Sreedevi doesn't interfere in my life and thus I am peaceful. But every phone calls of my mom stating the above ruins my peace.

I mean.. I was living my life according to my wish, she ruined it by pestering me to marry. I married a girl for her sake so that I can be peaceful and there she is, yet again to ruin my peace wanting for a baby.

God, What sin have I commited??

"Ajay? Naa kekrathuk bhadhil sollu da" My mom's voice breaks me out of my trance.

"Maa.. Naa thaan sonnen la.. Konjam naal pogatum"

"Dei kalyanam aagi ondra varsham (one and a half years) aaguthu da... Innum ethana naal da?"

"Maa naan thaa solren la.."

"Ethukum avala hospital kootit poyi paar-"

"Maaa" I yell at her gritting my teeth "Yen problem enakka irukka koodatha? Illa ipo ethuk ipdi pesringa neenga? Naanga thaa konja naal kazhich podhum nu decide pannirkom... Sreedevik oru prechanaiyum illa... Dhayav senj ava kitta mattum intha mathirilam pesidathinga.. " I cut the call and rub my temples.

Obviously Sreedevi is not at fault for not getting pregnant. Its my fault. I have never ever had sexual intercourse with her nor with anyone. Well, I am an agmark virgin.

Then how can she get pregnant? Morever why should she get pregnant when she herself does not want to?

Does mom know any of these? No! All she thinks is that either Sreedevi has got some problem or there is some astrological problem.

It irritates me whenever she says to take her to gynaecologist. Can't men be at fault?

I walk inside the house and sit on the couch throwing the phone beside. Sreedevi who is sitting on the edge,  jerks. I look at her and mumble a sorry before burying my face in my palm.

I wipe my face with my palms and look sideways to see her staring at me. She averts her gaze to the book in her hand.  I sigh. My phone rings again.

Sreedevi and I glance at the caller ID which showed 'Reba Office'

"Hello?" I attend the call.

"Hello Ajay? Good morning"

"Good morning Reba. Whats the matter?"

"Ajay actually The next week shift of mine is collapsed. Both the weekends in this coming week is working for me. Please check on it and send a revised shift Ajay"

"Ohh I see.. I will check on it Reba"

"Thank you"

"You could have send a message Reba"

"Ohh I am so sorry did I just bring you any inconvenience Ajay?"

"No its okay. I will update you Reba"

"Thank you so much Ajay. Have a nice day"

I cut the call and tilted my head to see Sreedevi looking at me scrutinizing her eyes. I raise my eyebrows at her. She shakes her head and goes back to her reading mode. I have seen her looking at me like that whenever I speak to Reba.

Reba! Reba is working with me for the past 8 months. She is so talented and dedicated worker. She is a complete extrovert and is friendly with almost everyone in the office. She also tries to make conversations with me but I dont give in much. Reba being so understanding, does not judge me wrong. She doesn't call me unless necessary unlike Megha who used to call and message me unnecessarily that I had to block her number.

Sreedevi knows only about Reba, Devadarshini maam and Prabhakaran Sir from my office as they are the people who call me frequently for official matters and it is Sreedevi who passes me the phone when I am cooking or playing PS. But she hasnt seen them. They too don't know that I got a wife. 

If I say that I am married, they would ask for a party which I am not willing to threw.

AN :-

Hey guys, How was the chapter?

The first few chapters may be a bit slow, so please bear with me.