Nyaabagam Varuthe

Oru Kuzhappam..

Kathir stood looking at his wife..yet another dimension to her revealed today...ideally he shouldnt be surprised...her mental tenacity had been evident to him ever since he woke up at the hospital..in front of him she always maintained a stoic front..but he now knew how difficult it must have been for her..she was just 23 years of age...definitely not old enough to have to face such responsibilities..an age where she should be carefree..doused in love, happiness..

But this physical strength was new...oh they had learnt this sport together when they were young..but he didn't know she had continued or was this good..truth be told he could still see her adept moves in slow motion...the final moment..her stick pointing to his chest...a mark of her victory...that fiery look in her eyes...sheer sportsman spirit..a rejoicing of her win...and then her eyes locking with his...he could only guess what she saw there..for hers immediately softened...the look he could well recognise...the look of love that he had been on the receiving end the last 1 odd month..

But he also recognised the fiery look in her eyes before their eyes locked...the same look she would have whenever they locked horns before...even before the wedding talks began...he had then thought it was hate...but now he feared he could have been mistaken...maybe it was a game they played some sort of a wierd duel that had no name...but a game played by 2 players who harboured no real ill feelings towards each other...he realised it now...

He never hated Mullai..the thought hit him like a ton of bricks that the impact left him reeling..and somehow it became important for him to know if what she had for him was hatred...a tiny voice from inside his head told him the past didn't matter..

Mullai for her part stood transfixed by the look in his eyes...that deep penetrating look that seemed keen to read her soul..

Mullai : appo yen nalla aadikkittu irunthavaru thotheenga she whispered..

Kathir: athaan sonnene oru nodi idaritten...

Mullai : ppchh summa sollatheenga...ungalukku ethuvum thadukkala..paavam paarthu vittu kudutheeyalo...

Kathir : naan idarinen sonnathu kal thadukki ille..unnoda intha azhagula mayangi...

Mullai's breath hitched...

Mullai: ada summa sollatheenga...puzhithilayum vervailayum sandai pottukittu irukkom...

Kathir : appudiyum azhaga irukkiye dee Kannukutty..he whispered in her ears...

After that all she could do was stand stupefied as he sauntered off jauntily like he had won an olympic medal..

Later that evening

The family sat drinking their evening tea..

Dhanam asked Mullai to give Saadhana her milk...

But for some strange reason Saadhana wouldn't go to Mullai...

Mullai was very upset and Kathir not wanting to see her like this called Saadhana to come to him..

The little girl came readily enough..

Kathir : yen paal venaam soldreenga

Saadhana simply pouted..

Kathir: naan kudukkattuma

The baby nodded an yes..

He took the bottle from Dhanam and proceeded to remove the cap

Kathir: annikku mathiri ah hum kudikkalaamaa...periya paappaa mathiri

Saadhana smiled like an angel nodding her head...

Kathir proceeded to feed her the milk directly one small sip at a time..