Ethir Parka Villai

Chapter 6

"Oh sorry ma'am I didn't realize.", Malar says apologizing to the lady in front of her.

Lakshmi shakes her head smiling softly."Aunty ne kupdu di", she says before pinching Malar's cheeks making her giggle.

Malar was surprised to see his mom was so warm and jovial.Ipdi oru maamiyar dhan ennaku venum.Malar was shocked at what she thought and shook her head to rid these evil thoughts. Sathane appale po she said to her brain.

"Ama nethu yedho sanda potingala?", Lakshmi asks Malar.

Malar nods surprised, "Ungaluku epdi theriyum?"

"Nethiku romba upset ah irundhan and he told me he regretted scolding a girl.", Lakshmi said."But he won't tell me who is that girl, so I came here to investigate but I found the girl who made my son upset.

Malar feels a little bad."Sorry aunty naan avara apdi solliruka koodadu but he was really mean to me and moreover I didn't know the reason then.Enna andha maari treat pannitu oru sorry sonna? How is that okay?", Malar pouts expressing her reasoning.

Lakshmi smiles at her cuteness before saying, "Na yenga ma unna thapu sonne, andha erumamada dhan sonnen. He is usually aloof with people he isn't close to but, he is actually clingy and such a whiny baby to people who actually know him. Kovam tappu nu vandirum but he knows how to apologize when he's wrong. Arrogant dhan, konjam ego vum undu but those are characteristics he learned the hard way in the cinema industry. Everyone human had flaws but he is my son and he is perfect to me." Lakshmi finishes what she is saying with a fond smile on her face. She looks at Malar who seemed lost as she stared at Anirudh's sleeping form.

Lakshmi shakes Malar from her reverie and smiles knowingly at her.

Malar shakes her clearing her thoughts before asking, "Aunty ungaluku coffee venuma?"

Lakshmi nods her head and both of them head to the mini kitchen. Malar makes two coffees and hands one to Lakshmi. Lakshmi takes one sip and hums in satisfaction.

"Anirudh ku indha coffee kandippa pudikum ma.", Lakshmi says.

Malar nods, "Theriyume, nan yerkanave potu kuduthiruken."

Lakshmi raises her eyebrows with a smile but doesn't say anything.

Lakshmi and Malar settle in their chairs sipping their coffee.

"Aunty neenga CWC show papingala?", Malar asks Lakshmi.

"No, I haven't seen it.", Lakshmi says.

"Then we'll watch it", Malar says before opening her laptop and putting on the show.

For the next hour, the room was filled with silent laughter and giggles as the two watched the show.

On the other side of the room, Anirudh sits up sleepily rubbing his eyes. He sees his jacket on his lap and a smile crosses his face. Malar must have done it he thinks to himself.

His eyes scan the room searching for her, and his eyes widen in surprise as he sees his mother giggling like a little girl while Malar smiles amusedly looking at the laptop.

He gets up and walks to them before calling out, "Mummy?"

Malar laughs at the childish way he calls his mom and Lakshmi looks up to see her son awake.

"Va da Ani, you should watch this show it's so funny.", Lakshmi says patting the place between her and Malar.

Malar moves and lets Anirudh sit in between. Malar suddenly finds it hard to concentrate on the screen as the entire right side of Anirudh is pressed against her and every time he moves, his hand brushed her thigh.

Anirudh on the other hand purposely sat close to her and knew how it affected her every time he moved.

Malar glares at him as she whispers, "Konjam thalli dhan ukarardhu."

He smirks, "Mudiyadu".

Ennai ya irritate panre iru di Malar thinks to herself before smirking and asking," Ama nethiku night composing nu sonne, ana unga amma told you were upset about something? Why was that?"

Anirudh closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.Yen ma ippadi yen manatha vaangura...

Anirudh forces his eyes open to see Malar looking at him with raised eyebrows, "Enna mind voice ah? Just admit it you were jealous."

Anirudh scoffs under his breath, "No way, It was just work tension."

"Workae panname epdi work tension? Nethiku orunga thane pattu kuduthe?", Malar ask him.

Anirudh glares at her.

"Unna othuke vekkama na videmata.", Malar challenges him.

Anirudh shrugs, "Paakalam."

Suddenly Lakshmi clears her throat bringing them back from their own world.

"Naan inge dhan irruken, you know I can hear everything right?", she says.

Malar flushes before pushing Anirudh away noticing that they had drifted closer during their conversation.

After spending some time together, they get ready to go back home.

Malar reaches over and hugs Lakshmi before bidding bye to Anirudh. She gets down from the car and walks into her house.

Anirudh drives back home feeling an emotion he couldn't place but it was a good feeling.

"Nalla ponnu da, ennaku pudichiruku.", Lakshmi says to her son once they were alone in the car.

"Appo nee ye vechiko", he joked avoiding looking at this mother.

"Dei na serious ah sonne.", his mother glared at him."Unnaku puduchiruka?"

Anirudh's smile dimmed, "Therilaye ma. Maybe but I am not sure I can go through it again after everything that happened."

Lakshmi gave her son a warning look, "Appo edhuku da avala velai ku sethukita? Yedhuku jealous anne? You haven't been this happy in a long time. How many times have I told you, your past is just your past, you have to leave it behind. Not everyone is the same."

"Amma but, she doesn't know anything about what happened. Everything the media said was just a story, not the full truth. What if she-", he swallows not being able to continue.

"Dei, do you really think she is the kind of person to believe everything the media says? You can't assume her reaction without telling her the truth."

Anirudh took a deep breath and kept his mouth shut not willing to talk about this any further.

His mother sighed before saying, "Neeye thalli ponu nu nenaichalum, unnale mudiyadu. Neeye purinjikuve."

On the other hand as Malar enters her home she gets a call. She picks up to hear Ayira crying on the other side.

"Aii enna di achu?", Malar asks her in a panic.

Ayira sobs unable to reply.

"Vaya thare di what happened?", Malar asks her best friend scared.

"A-a-avan t-thiruppa vandha d-di..", was all Ayira replied before crying uncontrollably.

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