தவமின்றி

கிடைத்த வரமே
இனி வாழ்வில்
எல்லாம் சுகமே

She simply couldn't believe this moment was happening in real, that he was proposing before all of them in a way that was too romantic and cinematic. For a second, she couldn't hold back from rebuking at her own behavior, of silently tearing thinking he forgot her birthday. She for sure was a fool or love had made her fool. She couldn't bring any other reason for crying for a silly thing yesterday.

Tension was raising in the veins of kathir, Mullai seems to be as if she in her own dream world, or in her own world. He was really starting to get worried about his proposal, was it too early or too dramatic.

She should have anticipated this sometime right, if not now may be some time, for sure she should have anticipated, there was no way he was going to be content being just her lover.

She knew that right?
Kanna and Abhi were also surprised seeing Mullai stand like a statue.

Kat: babe, enna aachu...am waiting for ur reply.

He spoke quite patiently, he saw her eyes tearing up and she sniffing.

Mul: ofcourse, I would marry you...idhu enna kelvi kathir...I love you sooo much...

She pulled him up and went to her arms willingly.

He hugged her tight, planting an array of kisses over her face, his simple platinum band and the array of guests all long back forgotten. Seeing that their respective siblings have lost count of their time and surroundings, Kanna and Abhi coughed to bring them back to world.

Still in each other's embrace, they for sure were embarrassed for their PDA.

Kanna: Annae, andha ring aa ipovachum potu viduviya illa epdi..

Kanna for sure teased his brother, it was his birth right after all and he was damn sure he would not witness one more event like this in his life for this brother for sure.

Rubbing the side of his neck, Kathir held her left hand within his palm and glided the ring into her ring finger.

"Congratulations" chorused the crowd applauding and with smiles of happiness.

Mul: naan unaku...

Kat: shhhh....

Kathir took Mullai's hands and dragged her to Prabha sir and Singh.

Kat: Bless us.

And he was about to touch their blessings, they were all his family and his guide for the past 3 years.

Sing: Fauji paer nahi choothe, gale milathe hain..

(Soldiers don't fall on anyone's feet, they hug)

And instead went for a hug with kathir, and a happy handshake with Mullai.

Prabha: kaal la lan vizhadha kathir.. be happy..Sandhoshama irunga rendu perum..

And hugged them both.

The party went about in a very good pace, all of their near and dear ones for sure congratulated them. The more near ones added a hinge or tinge of tease, along with their wishes and blessing.

Once the outside crowd subsided, Kanna and Abhi walked towards them.

Kan: Vazhthukal annae...romba sandoshama iruku...Ennoda bestie adum childhood bestie lifelong en kooda iruka poranga that too as my favorite brother's wife...

I am so happy...

Abhi: sachi jeez...ab tho aap sachi mein mere jeejaji banne vale ho...am so happy...

(Really jeez...now you are really gonna be my brother in law)

Kan: hey enna nee...jeez aam la..

Ab tho jetji bolo...

(Atleast now call husband's brother)

Abhi: ohh hello ji...he will forever remain my jeejaji...

Kan: adhu..

KM: Please neenga sanda podadinga...

They both giggled seeing their timing.

Kan: ohh chorus aakum...

Kat: poda...kathir hit on his head slightly.

Once the party wrapped up, all four hopped into the jeep to reach their haven, when Kanna popped up the question.

Kan: seri epo ooruku ticket potruka...epo veetla sola pora.

Kat: December la dan off already finalize ayidiche...Mullai unaku epo oru 1 week leave kedaikum solu we ll plan and go and talk.

Mul: ennatha pathi kathir.

Kathir and Kanna looked at her as if she had grown horns.

Kan: hey ivalo neram enna amnesia vanda patient aatam enna edhu nu kekura.

All his respect of sister in law flew away in a jiff,

Mullai literally looked confused.

Kathir looked shocked to be expressed in short.

Mullai looked at kathir and Kanna confusedly.

Kan: Kalyanam pana idea iruka illaya....

Mullai stared at him.

Kan: pinna enna...edha pathi nu keta aprom...

Mul: illa kathir oda vela pathi lan solanum la...

The three let out their gush of air, they were holding up.

Kat: adhuva...naan ellame sendhe solalam nu nenachen mulla. Unna pathi, en velaya pathi. I just wanna give them enough time to adjust and process all this.

Avunga for sure, romba shocked aa irupanga enna manipangala illaya kooda therla..

Am totally worried, avunga en work aa accept pana piragu I don't wanna go and let them know naan unna love panren and stuffs.

Thapa nenaikadha mulla, but nee oru journalist would be too shocking again for them, enaku apdi avungaluku part after part shock kuduka venam nenaikuren...

Kathir saw that Mullai had went into a shock mode, after he started talking, Gosh, what went wrong now?

Kat: mulla, all okey?

She simply nodded her head, but he knew she was somehow disturbed, he didn't probe much, he kept it for later.

They all entered into the house in a celebration mode, once inside their room, he hugged her to himself

Kat: ipo sollu whats eating you up?

Mullai nodded her head in a nothing.

Kat: I know you in and out, so poi solama sollu what's troubling you.

Mullai: illa kathir..adu vandhu...

Kat: enna vandhu poi nu...sollu...

Mul: enaku innum time venum

Kat: time venuma...adhu enathuku...purila enaku...

Mul: ipo namba vishayam veetla sonna unga veetla okey soluvanga after their initial shock, en veetlayume kooda they might say okey only.

Kat: aprom enna?

Mul; aana vetri anna and aisha...

En kalyanathuku I want them with me.

Worst case, what if they reject our relationship, naanum vetri madhiri...

She started crying up.

Kat: hey babe, azhugadha...Am sorry...naan idhu lan yosikama...am really sorry.

He kissed her forehead, and patted her back.

Kat: lets wait till your parents warm up. Nama kalyanathuku easy aa vetri aisha va en friends aa kootitu vara mudiyum, but I know you would want them as ur brother.

Naan apdi yosikama poiten...

Sorry...

Mul: thanks da...she hugged him back tight...

Nee ipo un work pathi sollu, rest namala pathi konjam naal poitu solalam...

Kat: uhmmm....andha peche venam...naan already mudivu panadhu dan...am gonna say both the things together.

So, nee veena yosikadha...

Lets start trying...un appa amma seekram mellow down aganum nu...

Mul: you are the best...

Kathir chortled,

Kat: well, I need to be the best as you are one...

They went in for a tight solid liplock, relishing the deepest contours of their lips and went on to make their night even more beautiful.

The next day, they shared their idea of taking some more time before explaining about them. Though kanna was kinda pissed as a brother, she could understand as her bestie, her feelings, if not him whom, and they supported them.

Days went about, the day Kathir was to go for vacation, Mullai was expected to be sniffing and weeping, but she was all smiles, making almost all of them tease her.

Mul: avan enna war ka poran, naan kavala pada. Ooruku jolly aa iruka poran, next month vandruvan iduku naan azhudu arpadam pananumakum...

Kat: thevaya idhu lan unaku kanna...

Kan: chai great insult...seri nee sollu....neeyum dane expect panirupa anni azhudu send off panuvanga nu...

Kat: chance eh illa...ivala pathi ivalo kooda theriyadha enna...

And hugging her, kanna and abhi, he boarded the flight from Srinagar to Chennai.

He had always strictly hated send off and receival even when he was in US, so he was saved from them. On reaching home, Jeeva was the first to notice, he had forgotten, all thanks to the phone call to his girl and brother.

Jeev: dei enna da bag la domestic tag dan iruku...adum Srinagar nu...

Kathir rubbed his forehead, for not covering up his tracks.

Kat: illa annae, connection flight anga dan kedachidu, adan apdiye Srinagar suthi paathu 2 days stay panitu vanden.

Jeev: en da apo kanna va paathrukalam la...

Kat: aan pathen annae, nala dhan irukan...

Dhan: avanuku leave irundicha da unna paka...

Kat: illa anni, avane enna airport la dan paathan..

He lied effortlessly, he was partly guilty as usual for keeping his family in dark, but now he knew the days were less. His Chennai days were fun filled though at home, he enjoyed with his nephew and niece and he couldn't stop himself from imagining their offspring's, and by enjoying his mom's food.

His nights were spend talking and sexting with his dearest, it somehow reminded him of his study days when they were in their long-distance relationship.

Meanwhile, Mullai had tried her level best to mellow down her parents, somehow they were only more agitated everytime she spoke any words related to her brother and furthermore, hurted her by questioning did she still have contact with them.

Mul: en ma ethane mura dan ma naan solradhu...naan vetri aisha oda pesala nu...en ma purinjikave matra....

Par: aprom enna di innum anna ke parinju pesura...

Mul: po maa...idhunala dan naan inga varardhe ille...

She used to cut short her visit to a day max and get back to her haven. She knew she was literally living double life, but what else could she do literally.

She badly wanted to come clean, every time something or other in the same way happened. She didn't know who was better, her brother who came clean and broke ties with her parents or she who was keeping them in dark and retaining their mind peace.

She was really happy about one thing, her parents didn't trouble her with some random groom or his pictures, and she couldn't be more grateful to them.

The days without Kathir in that home, she enjoyed or rather missed terribly relishing in their memories. Months rolled by effortlessly for almost 16 months, there was not much of change in her parents. Her father had kind of mellowed down or he had stopped responding back, but his mother she was sure she didn't change.

Aren't mothers who forgive their children's mistake easily, she really wondered.

With really many months passing away, in the confides of their home, she never felt even for a moment that she was not his wife. They were literally living like one. Her occasional irregular late periods did keep them nails biting, she knew she was hurting Kathir by being selfish, but she wanted to act selfish right now.

On their professional ground, Kathir and his team were on the onset of a new team or a division which would curb any terrorist attacks on the country.

The best in the country were put across into a single team, and they were working day and night into this. Mullai had to relocate or travel to places around J & K, as there was reduction in the terrorist area of the norther and POK terrain.

During one such Investigative work, she had a small lead about a terrorist attack being planned not really in any of the usual or highly protected Terrains of the country, instead it was being planned in the least attacked south more specifically in any of pilgrimage of south India.

She knew an attack in the south is less likely, yet she didn't want to take a chance nor lead Kathir or their team to anything which could be misleading.

She did prolong her work and dug more into it, aided a local guy's help and tried gaining maximum information. She put in all her efforts, used all the latest technology she had, disguised as a local girl and tried inserting her pen recorder, at the least her audio was captured.

Once she felt at least the information is covered, she called and forced Kathir to come to her place. Though skeptical, he did come and for sure was surprised with what she had gifted, and even admonished for taking such a risk though he couldn't thank her enough.

TBC.