வாழ்க்கை எனும்
வானத்திலே மனசு எனும்
மேகத்திலே ஆசை எனும்
மழையினிலே எனை சொட்ட
சொட்ட நனைத்தாயே

Sorting out her work schedule, she sat scrolling down the headlines in her phone.

She should have zoned out in her phone, for she didn't notice kathir gazing at her. She didn't know how many minutes or hours had been gazing at her.

There was something different in his gaze, that made her blush unknowingly.

Her blush made him give out a cheerful smile on his face.

For a second, forgetting their breakup, he was happy he could make this chirpy talkative cat blush, only he could make her blush with a mere gaze.

That very feel made him ebb with pride.

Fate was jealous of their lovely moments, as a phone call came as their uninvited guest.

It was from Madhan.

Mad; hey mulla...enna aachu..nee 15 days work from home keta nu sonanga...

Mul: aama....adu kathir ku mudila la...

Mad: adhaanala with a teasy glint.

Mul: avan inga irukaradhu dan yaarukum theriyadhe..

Mad; seri...aduku...

Mul: adhan naan avan bandage edukara vara kooda irundu...

Mad: ohoooo...

And a giggle followed.

Mul: tchhh...en da ilikira...

Mad: onnum illaye....onnume illaaa....

Mul: madhannnn....in a irriated tone....

Mad: poomaa pooo...poi un aala gavani...

Seeing where the conversation was going, she moved away from Kathir.

Mul: hey enna ularara...en aala...

Mad: ohoooo innum illa nu vera soluviya...

Mul: unaku than theriyum lan ellame....nee dan irundiye annaiku...

Mad: aaman annaikum irunden....innaikum naan dane ellam paakuren...

Mul: hey enna pesura nee..

Mad: don't fool yourself...avalo dhan naan soluven..

Mul: olaradhaa...madhan....naan theliva iruken..enna nee veena confuse panadha...

Mad: enna manangati theliva iruka....solu keppom...

Mul: we are just friends..

Mad: poi....verum poi..

Mul: epdi solra...

Mad: avan verum friend aa irunda or even better anna oda bestie or bestie oda anna va matum irunda nee kathir ku shoulder la bullet nu sonadhum nee thudichu poi un kannula thanni vandirukadhu...

Nee apdi anga kootitu poga soliruka maata...

Anga 4 hours avan senior vara veraikum wait paniruka mata..

Avanukaga 15 days work from home eduthuruka maata...

Summa scene podadha just friends manangati nu solitu...

Enna ma unnoda sathame kaanum...

Irukingala...

He heard the ting tone denoting the phone cut.

She went and sat near kathir, may be her face gave away her confused thoughts.

Kat: hey mulla enna aachu..

Mul: umhmmm..onnum illa...

Kat: seri kelambu...irutta pogudu...

Mul: illa ingaye iruken...

Kat: edhu inga irukiya....with wide eyes....Veladadha kelambu..

Mul: naan onnum veladla...

Kat: innaiku inga irunda naalaiku epdi work panuva...

Mul: work from home dane..

Kat: edhu...hey...eduku veenaa...

Mul: mooch....edhum soladha kadhir...nee inga ipdi iruka...kooda yaarume illa....naan epdi nimadhiya vela paapen nu nencha nee...

Adhan enna pathi nee nenachada...

Kat: heey naan apdi mean panla...enaku bullet padradhu pudusu lan illa mulla...nee unnecessary aa stress panikama veetuku kelambu...

Mul; naan iduku kooda arugatha illathava nu nenaikuriya kathir..

Kat: heyyy loosu enna pesura nee...idhula arugatha lan enga irundu varudu...

Mul: anaiku nee enna akkarai la investigative journalism continue panadha nu sonen...aana naan adha thappa vera paarvai la paathen...

Annaiku un akkaraya purinjika theriyathavaluku...

Innaiku un mela akkara pada arugadha illa nu sollama solara la..

Kat: hey...apdi lan edum illa di....God....mulla...

Naan enna soli...puriya ...

Mul: venam kathir....naan un edathula irundalum may be ipdi dan react panirupeno ennamo...

Kat: naan adha lan manasula vachu solala ma...

That ma rekindled her heart..

Kat: nambu di...

You are just thinking too much vera edume illa....

Unaku nikkanuma...nillu...daralama nillu...enna pathukoo...

Happy?

Mul: apdi venda veruppa lan yaarum sola venaam...

Kat: adiye...oru manushan ipdi sonna apdi solra...apdi sonna ipdi solra...enna madiri oru paavam enna panum..

Mul: edhu paavam aa yaaru nee?

Kat: aama...paaru naan dan bandage lan potu ukandiruken ICU la...with all equipments.

Mul: Paaa...Oscar venumoo sir ku...nadigar thilagam thothuruvaru sir...konjam korachikonga...

Kathir smiled.

Kat: aama madhan eduku kooptan...

Mul: chumma unna pathi keka..

Kat: aduku dan nadula 1 km dooram poi pesiniyakum...he murmured in low but audible voice.

Mul: was he jealous? She wondered...

Like really, jealous of madhan...

Does that mean she is still in his heart or that she means something to him..

She really didn't have answer to any of it.

Mul: avan confidential aa oru work related sonan nothing serious...

She lied thoroughly, why she herself didn't know..

Kathir nodded his head..

That's when the patient and the attender food was served...One small bite into the food, the food was too bland ..

She could just understand how pathetic the patient food would be, if this is the attender food.

But, she had no other go other than forcing him for food.

Mul: kathir, dinner sapdu..

Kat; enaku venaam...it ll be too bland...

Mul: sapdama epdi solra...

Kat: nee dan army hospital food first time sapdaren naan illa...this is my third admission...

Mul: what the...

Kat: complete panidu...he giggled..Idelam usual mulla....see am all fit and fine...

Mul: apolam nee thaniya irundirupa la..

Kat: haan...prabhakaran sir yaarachum oruthara poduvaru kooda...

Avar matum dan theriyum enna pathi veetla theriyadhu nu...adhan....

He smiled.

Adhan solren enaku idu venaam...drips podu la...adu podum...

Mul: nooo...nee sapte aganum..

And she took the soup spoon near his lips...

Kathir nodded his head in a no..

Mul: azhichaatiyam panama sapdu...I will make something and bring tomorrow..

Kat: madam idu nama ooru private hospital illa, army hospital, outside food lan allowed illa...

Mul: seri 3 days dane...aprom veetuku vandu daily unaku enna pudikumo naan panren...

Ipo saapdu...

Please enakaga...

She didn't know if it was her offer or her please, that did the work. He opened his mouth.

Kat: kudu naane kudikiren...

Mul: un kai..

Kat: left hand ku edum illa..

Mul; IV line iruku...gammunu kudi...

And she fed him the whole soup and Kichdi...

She saw him remove the IV lines, when she came back returning the food plates..

Mul; hey kathir....enna panra...

Kat: washroom poren...adhan IV remove panen...

Mul: aana...

Kat: hey padharadha....idu lan am used to...

He left but not before patting her cheeks.

The nurse came to give the next round of medicines, and advised him to go for sleep.

Mul: Good night kathir...night edum valikudu mudila na koopdu..

Kat; seri pa...nee um thoongu...Good night...

And he closed his tired eyes for a good sleep..

The feel of having someone with us to take care when we are sick was something he had been missing for so long after he left his family.

Now, seeing her look after him so well, his eyes glazed up.

The homesickness left him in a jiff and he went to a deep sleep looking at her..

She too slept after staring at him for how long, after he slept in the medicine effect.

She saw him twisting and moaning a bit may be in pain, once or twice, but he stopped after couple of seconds, and she was relieved.

The next day morning,

When he woke up, he saw her all ready..

May be she was leaving as he was fine, he thought...

Kat: seri mulla, velaiku kelambu..

Mul: oru mura sona kekanum kathir...naan un kooda than iruka poren...

Kat: illa engayo poga ready aa irundiye adhan...

Mul: room ku poi freshen up ayitu bag eduthitu varen...adha sola than vanden..

Kat: seri poitu vaa...thaniya pogadha...

He rang the call for the guards stationed outside.

Kat: Shiv, inko chodkar, vaapas lekar aayiye... (Shiv, drop her and bring her back)

G1: ji saab..(Yes sir)

Mul: hey adulan avasiyam illa...

Kat: nee sonapo naan keten la...so same applies to you...

Mul: okey...and she left promising to come back within max of couple of hours.

Within an hour, he sat with a forlorn look fixed to the entrance.

But, Singh sir and Prabhakaran sir had arrived by then.

Seeing Mullai missing, he guessed why his favorite boy was sitting with his eyes glued to the door.

Prab: engala edur parkala pola...

Kat: cha cha apdi lan illa sir...

Prab: nambiten pa...naan un vayasa kadandu dan pa vanden...

Singh: kya huva...kiska raah dekh rahe ho captain (What happened....whom are you awaiting)

By then his surgeon had come, saving him partly.

Sur: you are recovering in a good pace, we will shift you to ward now...If everything goes in same pace, we can discharge you by tomorrow evening.

Kat: thanks doctor.

Doc: your wife isn't around.

He heard a giggle from his senior.

Singh: kathir isn't married, whom are you telling as wife doctor?

Doc: yesterday....

Kat: she isn't my wife..

Doc: she didn't tell a no yesterday.

Another giggle followed, but also "his cousin" from one of his senior and the doctor scooted away, giving orders for shifting to ward.

Sin: vo aapki cousin ayi thi...(your that cousin came)

He nodded his head.

Before he could, utter anything....she came rushing in, uttering a couple of sorry and a laptop bag and a luggage bag.

Mul: sorry da....konjam late aachu...doctor vanditu poitaru la...sorry...

Kat; onnum illa...

Mul: enter panradhukula avalo checking bag aa inga...Podum da saamy nu ayidichu...nee okey dane doctor enna sonaru...

That's when she heard a throat clearing sound, and she turned her head to see his two seniors over there.

She let out a small smile.

Sing: ye bori bisthar ke saath kyun aay ho (why have you come all packed up)

Mul: I will be with him, till his bandages are removed that's why...she explained.

The two senior officers simply let out a known smile.

A smile which had reasons kathir could very well derive.

That's when a nurse entered.

Nur: captain, I will give you a sponge bath, before shifting to ward.

Kathir nodded his head.

The nurse helped him out of the patient scrub shirt.

Till then, she was all fine. But seeing the nurse, give an appreciative glance and an additional admiring stare, she turned all red in jealousy.

She was a sight to watch for kathir.

Seeing her all riled up, and jealous.

He smirked.

She angrily stared at him, before opening her mouth.

Mul: sister..

Nur: yes...

Mul: I will do the sponge bath, could you please make the paper ready for shifting, she asked with gritted teeth.

Not waiting for an answer, she took the vessel and sponge from her hand, giving out a stern smile.

The smile lasted only till she was out of the door, the jealous hidden lover inside her made her entry...

Mul: siripu varudu la unaku...haan...siripu varudha...

Telling so, she kept the hot water sponge directly on his neck...

Kat: valikudu di..he said stopping her with his IV line...Madam ku ennama porama varudu...

Mul: porama ya enaka...please...

Kat: keela vizhundalum meesay la mannu otta koodadhu adhane.....he laughed aloud...

Singh: pakka sirf cousin hei na Prabhakar ? (for sure only a cousin right Prabhakar)

He nodded his head teasingly.

That's when their presence was even noted by the love birds or ex love birds..

They both had an embarrassed smile on their face.

Sing: take care...

Prab: nala paathuko ma mulla...

And he left throwing a wink in kathir's direction.

How he wished he didn't share a friendly bond with these two senior outside work, atleast he would have been spared from the teasing smirk and smiles.

Mul: thappa nenachirupangala kathir...

Kathir gave her a look, but maintained silence,

How he wished to tell " ellam correct aa dan nenachirupanga"

Kat: avunga rendu perum outside work, enna oru family aa oru brother aa treat panuvanga...so chill...

Mullai nodded her head..

Kat: madam, apdiye nikaradha udesama illa, sponge bath pani viduvingala...

Mul: haan panren...

She had taken the work of giving a sponge bath, all brave but now the thought made jitters pave way into her heart.

His well-toned body was unknowingly making her hand shiver, and her hand's caress on his body was making his heart flutter.

At the end of the sponge bath, both of them flushed pink.

The temperature within the room raised, but thinking of their current relationship status, they tried coming back to normal, though a small sapling of love had already rebloomed big.

During the hospital stay, he was asleep most hours apart from a couple of hours in the morning, noon and night, and she spent her time in article writing. His seniors did call up enquiring his health, but ended the call with how they knew he would have taken care of nicely by his family, his cousin.

Feeding him food and giving him sponge bath was something she never let him or anyone do to him except her, not even Shukla ji when he came to give his dresses and things

Though at the end of the moments, they would go back to repeating to themself ' he/ she considers me only a friend, nothing less nothing more"

Finally, he was being discharged today, one of his blood culture result had delayed thus prolonging his stay to the next day morning.

His wounds needed to be dressed daily and she made sure, she learnt them the proper way, for his wounds needed to be tended right.

She kept her bag and others stuffs loaded into the jeep and hopped on to his house.

The entrance once again greeted her, just that she was not a bit hesitant about her stay in this house.

When he was about to enter the house, she stopped him and rushed inside...

To where she could get some mustard, salt and red chillies handy...

And she rounded him with that,

Mul: thuppu kathir...

Kat: enna idu mooda nambika...

Mul: irunditu potum..

Kat: enaku idula lan nambika illa mulla...

Mul: enaku iruku...thuppa sonna thuppu...

Kat: sonna keka maata...

Repeating "thu, thu, thu" for name sake, he entered after she warded off all the evil eyes as per her.

TBC...