ஆட்டம் போட
நேரம் வந்தாச்சி
அன்ப கொடுக்க
ஆளு கெடச்சாச்சி

The whole family was present...so was mullai, kanna and abhi...

Taking few deep breaths, Kathir walked towards them, but before he could present....

His anni had started talking on a call,

"Mullai....aa vaaipe illa...edachum rumor aa dan irukum...

Am sure miss...Neenga en kita sona madiri vera yaartayum soli rumor aa spread panadinga..."

The whole family's attention got diverted onto the call....

Mullai was surprised what was his anni speaking and what the hell was the rumor they were talking about.

Even after racking her brain in a fast pace, she couldn't find anything she had done recently for any rumor mill to start, so she did the next thing that concerned her, gave him a look to see if he had any idea. But, his face showed more confusion than hers...

So, she simply sat waiting for his anni to disclose what was the so called rumour.

The whole was awaiting for Dhanam to complete her call, to fill in themselves with the conversation.

Me: enna aachu ka...ennatha Mullai aa pathi ketinga? edha rumor aa dan irukum nu soninga?

Dha: ada vera onnum illa meena, ennoda colleague dan call la...avunga sonanga nama mulla work aa resign panita nu....

Adhan....meena....She giggled.

Hearing Dhanam, abhi, kanna and kathir looked at mulla. A rumor or anything quit her this so-called teaching job could only bring one thought to their mind.

She was resuming her journalist job, and that very thought was more than enough for a very pretty smile to adorn their face.

Before they engulfed her, out of happiness, one semi-logical person of the family, put forward her concern,

"enna mulla idu...ungala pathi solranga...neenga reaction eh kudukama irukinga.... vandadu enna dan rumor nu akka sonalum, ela rumor kum oru spark irukanume...

Ipdi thidirnu ungala pathi solla enna reason, room mate apdi yaar kitayachum vera job search or resignation pathi edhum pesinigala...?"

"enna meena nee....idhu oru vishayam nu keka vera seyura...rumor ku Karanam lan kekura" she giggled.

Kathir and kanna silently giggled hearing this conversation, partly they were guiltily pitying the family for deciding their thoughts without even letting the concerned party talk, but the on the other hand the conversation was actually funny to them.

Spending the major part of the year doing serious job and surrounded by Strict and disciplined people, especially the last two quarter of the year being too much rough on them, compared to other quarters and years, the funny side took the front seat instead of the guilt and pity.

"Neenga rendu perum en da sirikiringa" asked jeeva, who was closely watching them.

" Illa, oru anni enna na rumor ku reason kekuranga, innoru anni enna na rumor ku en reason nu kekurangale adhan"

"adhuku edhuku da loosatam sirikira?" these both had almost started to get on to his nerves.

"edhu loosu...naanu.....aama aama..." was his one and only answer.

"Dei...enna da nakkal aa?" his kutty anni asked.

" Nakkal lan onnum illa, ungala ellam paatha enaku konjam paavamavum iruku,"

"En da" meena asked with scrutinized eyes..

"neengale maathi maathi pesuringale thavira enna edhu nu Mullai aa pesa vita eduku ivalo confusion"

"Oh iduku dan nee apdi nakala pesuniyakum"

"Avalaye kelunga avale idu rumor illa unma nu soliduva...

Enna mulla...ada vitutu neenga rendu perum adichikirnga...Idula enna vera loosu nu sola vendiyadhu"

"enadhu unmaya....en mulla, en ma job resign panra?

Edum prechanaya...

Yaarachum edum sonangala?

Sollu ma, naan pesuren.

Ayyo kadavule, eduku ipdi panra ma?" she continued non- stop making even abhi stare at her like an alien.

"Anni....konjam porunga...andha pullaya konjam pesa vidunga" even jeeva had reacted, making even meena and Dharshan chuckle.

"nee sollu pa...velaya resign panitiya"

Mullai nodded her head, looking at the ground.

"ayyo en mulla, enna aachu?" Dhanam started only to be stopped by Lakshmi amma this time.

"ada konjam porumaya pesa vidu Dhanam....mulla, enna ma aachu? En velaya vitutada solra"

"adhu...adhu vandu...enaku vera oru vela"

"Oh vera school aa endha school ma"

"illa anty school illa...." She was really getting anxious, she took a couple of breaths and was about to reveal about her.

But, she paused and took a glance of kathir, he shook his head in a proud yes, and gave his go-ahead sign.

Before she could reveal it, another hindrance came irritating them to the core. They both rolled their eyes at each other. (Puriyudu neenga ellarum enna paathu panringa adhane...theriyudu...but unfortunately konjam kooda better situation la reveal panlam nu oru chinna nappasa....manichudunga)

Kathir answered the call, and his face went onto his work mode.

Kat: I would report within an hour.

And hung up the call.

His brother and better half who were used to this scenario, already got the hang of how serious the matter could be.

Kat: amma, enaku konjam vela iruku...

Lak: en pa nyaythi kezhama aduvuma enna ma vela..

Kat: iruku ma...konjam mukiyamana vela....naan ipo poye aganum...

Lak: epo pa varuva..

Kat: time agum ma ...enakaga wait lan panadinga yaarum....

Kan: nee vandadum sollu nan door open pani vidren.

Kathir nodded his head.

Moo: avasiyam ipo poganuma da...

Kathir nodded his head and rushed to the Porsche...Before leaving, he did blink his eyes at her in an assuring manner, she nodded back indicating everything would be fine, which was actually noticed by meena, culminating her doubts about these two.

Meen: seri mulla, neenga sola vandinga la...enga vela kedachiruku nu.

Mul: illa vela kedaikala innum, inime dan search pananum...

She didn't want to reveal without Kathir, she didn't know how the family would respond back, so she decided to play the game safe.

Jeev: aprom en ma adukula paper pota, vela kedachitu potrukalam la...

Mul: illa adhula seekram kedachidum..

Jee: illa ma ipo lan teacher vela avalo easy aa kedaikaradhu illaye.

Mul: illa naan teaching try pana poradhu illa.

Jee: aprom?

Mul: naan kedachadum solrene...

She tried diverting the topic, jeeva and meena though got the fact that she didn't wanna reveal, didn't probe much.

Mee: evalo naal notice period ungaluku?

Mul: mass communication dane eduthitu irunden...its more of an extra-curricular stuff dan, so they are fine with me leaving immediately.

Mee: apo ungala replace staff avalo seekram kedachiduvangala?

Mul: illa illa, already jan mid aayidichu la, march April nu epdiyum final practical and theory vandirum, so adutha academic year la dan replacement papanga.

Mee: oh nice...nice...

Neenga kanna oda friend la, neenga mass communication handle panringa, whereas avan computer science la padichan..

Kan: anni, naanga same college, but different majors.

Mee: nee enna majors padicha mulla.

Mul: Journalism, English and Mass communication.

Mee: moonuma paninga?

Mul: illa Christ la apdi oru course iruku so...

Mee: right right...

Though she was casual when she heard the reply, all of a sudden something clicked her mind.

Kishore's words on how Mullai was no more seen in TV. She had shrugged that thought off, but now she could kinda connect dots hearing her bachelor degree.

She wanted to voice out her doubts, but what if she was wrong, whole family might question her, and so she kept her mouth shut.

Dhan: en mulla, nee immediate aa resign pana enga stay panuva?

Lak: en Dhanam apdi kekura?

Dhan: illa atha, ava school hostel la dan thangiruka, adan resign pana stay enga papa nu keten..

Though kanna badly wanted to invite her to her rightful house, he knew the number of question he might have to handle, and so he used the reverse psychology.

Kan: adelam ava manage panipa anni, avan born and brought up Chennai, avaluku ingaya stay panradhu kashtam?

Lak: en ma ingaya porandu valanda, naa nee um kanna um college lendu dan friends nu nenachen...

Mul: illa anty 9th lende friends.

Lak: appa amma Kunnakudi la dane veedu irukaradha sonanga...

Though it was hurtful, she tried to mask her feelings,

Mul: inga dan irundom....appa avaru padichu mudicha odane inga vantaru...Nungambakam la dan veedu irundichu...

Lak: aprom epo ma anga poninga..

Mul: anna kalyanam ku aprom.

Lak: unaku anna irukangala ma?

Mullai nodded her head, she really thought her parents might have put in a word while thinking of them as a prospective alliance or the rest family as the others for sure knew from Kathir about Vetri being her brother.

Mul: adu appa amma edum sonadhu illaya?

Lakshmi amma nodded in no.

Mul: Kishore Shwetha kalyanathula neenga pathripinga nu nenachen, Vetri anna vandirindichu.

Lak: kathir friend andha payana?

Mullai nodded her head..

Mul: inter religion nala rendu veetu appa amma othukala, aisha enga pakathu veetu ponnu dan...avunga kalyanam pani vandapo romba ragala aayidichu..

Apdi oru payane illa...ini nee matum dan engaluku ponnu nu soli

Inime inga iruka mudiyadhu apdi nu solitu appa amma resign pani angaye settle ayitanga.....

avungaluku innum anna aisha mela kovam seri agala...adunala dan unga kita solama vitrukalam.

She faked a smile.

Lak: acho sorry ma...enaku theriyama dan keten...

Seeing the silence from others, she guessed they already knew about it.

Lak: nee kavala padadha ma, unga kalyanathula....ellam seri panikalam...

She patted her cheeks lovingly.

Kan mv: amma side gap la sixer poduthe...

Meena lv: epdi da atha ipdi nasuka Mullai ku kathir oda kalyanam ku samadahama nu ketanga paaren....

Mullai passed a genuine smile, she could now understand where her man knew the word play...

His mother looked like an ace at it.

Lak: enna ma ipdi siricha naan epdi nu eduthukaradhu...samadham na....illa innum yosikanum na...

A bright smile was her reply along with the crystal clear words, "sammadham nu".

The smile for sure passed on to every person's face.

Me: ada kathir illama poitare...avaru samadamum ketrunda double damaka aayirikum.

Lak: Kathir ku sammadam nu avan Hyderabad ku avan saman eduka porathuku munnaye sonan...

"Mullai okey sonna fix panidalam nu"

Enaku avalo sandoshama iruku ipo dhan...

She said pecking mullai's forehead.

Lak: dei kanna, inime mullaya anni nu kooptu pazhagiko....

Kan lv: ellam pazhaka patadhu dane...he murmured...

Lak: enna da munumunkura...

Kan: onnum illa...

But it was heard by pair of ears adding on suspicion to Jeeva's list.

Lak: ammadi, nee un hostel aa vacate pana vera engayum hostel lan pakadha ma...

Inga nama veetlaye iruma....

Mul: illa adhu...appa amma...

Lak: avunga kita naan pesikaren ma onnum prechana illa...Nee samadham solita nu naan kathir kum unga appa amma kum phone potu solren..

And she left...

Dhan; romba sandoshama iruku mulla, jeeva kanna dan love marriage aache, enaku romba naal aasa kathir kaachum naan ponnu pathu kalyanam pani vekanum nu...

Ipo adu neraveridichu....

Kanna chortled, but he managed covering it, so did abhi.

Jeeva and Meena stood wondering if only they were over thinking or was Dhanam not connecting the dots as per them.

The whole family retired back to the room and lakshmi amma was busy conversing with mullai's parents and they were beyond measures happy knowing their daughters consent.

The dinner was a lively affair...

Lak: unga appa amma kita soliten ma...avungalum indha vaaram sani nyayriu varadha solrikanga...kathir dan phone eduka maatran...

Apdi enna velayo....

Mul: paravala busy aa irupangala irukum....

Dhan: paara ipove kathir ku support aa....

After dinner, all retired to room knowing kathir might be late...

Kanna and mullai couldn't sleep and they were waking at regular interval to check about his arrival...

The next day morning, all were assembled at the dining hall in their work clothes...

Dhar: school poga mood eh illa...

Meen: enakum work poga mood illa...oru long holiday vanda kadupa iruku....

All agreed....

Lak: kathir innuma thoonguran....avanuku inakku office poga venam....

Kan: anna innum varala....

Jee: elei enna da solra....

Lak: en da solala....ivalo nerama....

Kan: veena ungala tension aaka vemam nu dann...

Annan edo important vela vishayama Mumbai kelambaradha message matum panichu...

Lak: dei epo da varuvan...edum sonana...

Kan: illa ma...vandrum...
Annan enna chinna kolandhaya....

Jee: enaku sathyama purila...apdi IT company la enna ivalo vela nu...

CEO vida busy aa irukan...

Kan: anan vela apdi ....

Jee: dei naanum dan da oru company la Project head aa iruken....

Kan: indha vaati kathir annan varapo neeye ketru apdi enna nu...

Mee:  solitu dan avaru maru vela paaparu....vidu jeeva...namba kelambalam...kathir vandiduvaru....

Mullai joined with dhanam who was supposed to be drooped off by kanna and Abhi.

TBC...