Puthir #15

*** Sometime 3 years ago***

One morning, out of inkling, she took a test in secret and when that second pink line appeared, her body trembled with joy, because her wish came true. They might actually have their precious Kanamma and she immediately ran to their room with the kit to show him.

He as usual was a little off running behind a very active toddler in their room who refused to wear clothes and constantly pushed him away or threw around the clothes everywhere.

'Mughil...Mughil....odathe da... dei...nillu!
Mughil... ore edathele nillu da...' he couldn't believe they were actually running in circles in their room just to get him wear his shirt.

Sometimes he wonders was he a handful just like his son?
How Mullai manages him the whole day?

Then when he finally managed to get hold of that Little Firecracker and thought the war ended, he was wrong. Mughil decided to remove his diaper and placed it on Kathir's head with a mischievous grin on his cute little mouth.

'Ennake nalla venum, ungge Amma edachum engge vakiruthunu yenn kithe ketha, naa "yen thalaileh vayi"nu sollevenleh...enneku ithu theve thaan', he sighed looking at his precious naughty son.

The only good news was, he was lucky the diaper was still fresh an unsoiled but he was sure one day, he won't be this lucky.

'Ennange bike helmet puthusa iruku, engge vaangeningge?', she ran excitedly to surprise him but she was surprised with a hilarious scene in their room and she couldn't help but tease him.

'Eh..Ithu Pandian Stores Special, vere enggayum kidaikathu. 
Mughil saar kithe order pannanum, avar kuduparu...
Adarshatasaliya irunda ariya parisu unde....
aana inniki illeh, rende mani neram wait pannena anthe ariya parusu vanderum nenekiren....
appadithaaneh Mughil saar?' he told her enthusiastically, just like an advertisement, while removing the diaper from his head

His humour sense picked up since their marriage just to tease her and spiked it with sarcasm once Mughil was born. His carbon copy was challenging him more every day and sarcastic humour was the only way to handle his son in order to save his own sanity.

Mughil ran to Mullai and hugged her leg while she was trying so hard to control her laughter after hearing his comeback.

'Seri..aven un pechi thaan kepanu ore mudivode irekan...sattaiye pothu vide..mudileh..', he sat on the bed worn-out from all the running and chasing.

She managed to dress Mughil within second, he was such an obedient boy to his mother, and even she was amazed with Mughil. He then ran to his father before she could carry him and climbed on Kathir's lap before settling securely there while waiting for his mother to join them.

It was adorable when he actually said 'maa..vaa..' while patting the empty space on the bed.

'Paarda! Dei, ithulam konjum ellai meeri pothu...enne eppadi odeh vatche?... Amma kithe mattum ivlo nalleh payaneh iruke?'

'Amma paavum...rombe odeh kudathu'nu avanuku terinjirku...poleh..', she told coyly while seated beside them.

'Appeh Appa pavum illeyah da?..hm?..Amma pechi mattum thaan kepinggelo..hmm..hmm..', he nuzzled that Little Firecracker of his in the neck, making him laugh loudly. That boy is ticklish all over just like his mother.

She held her husband's arm and leaned on his shoulder lovingly while she slowly showed him the test kit while whispering,

'Appa pechi kekerathuku, innoruthuvungge innum konjum naal kalilchi varuvanggenu solleda'

It was a mere whisper but he heard her and realised there was something different in her. The way she sat, all fidgety and nervous but glowing with happiness at the same time...then he saw....the kit...and the second pink line...

'Mullai...?', he didn't know what to say..

'Kanamma Mama...'she whispered.

He couldn't move...
He couldn't function..
He didn't know what to say..
He didn't know what to feel..

Happy? Yes..
Worried? Yes..
Excited? Yes..
Scared to death? Yes!

'Mama...Mama....edachum sollu...Mama?', there was fear in her voice.

'Athu...', that was the only word uttered from his lips.

'Mama...
Pese Mama..
Nee ippadi amadiya irenda..bayama iruku...ennaku Kanamma venum!..
Nee enna sonnalum...ennaku inthe paapa venum... Kanamma venum..', there was fear coupled determination and protectiveness now in voice. Her motherly instinct kicked in.

There were tears flowing down her eyes and that brought him out of trance, did she thought he don't want the child?

'Ey...enna pesere nee?', his voice was a mixture of anger and disappointment.

Panicked she told, 'aprem..inthe maathiri amaidiya irenda..bayama irukele...yerkeneve neenge innoru kolende vendamnu vere sollikithe irendingge...'

'bayama iruku Mullai...
aana sandosamavum iruku...
ennaku enna nenekirathunu terile...
unneke edachum aayitha?...
kanamma'ku edachum ayitha?....
kolapuma irukudi...
bayama iruku...puritha?', his voice shook with fear remembering the previous experience. He didn't know about her, but for him, she comes first. No matter how painful the decision might be, he will always choose her over anything...or over anything.

'enna sonninge?' she asked him with hopeful eyes.

'bayama..', he stammered.

'illeh...enna pere sonninge.....?'she enquired again.

'Mullai...?', he wasn't sure where she was going with this

'Kanamma...
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Ippeh pesupodhe...
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Kanamma'nu sonninge...
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Unggelkum ithu ave thaan'nu thonutheleh Mama..?
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Kanamma'nu sonningge....', the joy was clear in her eyes. She got the answer she wanted. She saw it in his eyes, deep inside he wants this too.

'Athu...nee appadi...athaan...aana Mullai...', he was confused and felt selfish for wanting both Mullai and Kanamma knowing it's a gamble. A very big, dangerous gamble!

He shouldn't have agreed with her in the first place.
He should have been as stubborn as her!
He should have been more careful!
Selfish!
He was selfish!
Her safety comes first...

But!

Somewhere deep inside,
In a tiny little corner of his heart,
He hoped for a miracle.
He hoped for Kanamma...
Selfishly hoped for Kanamma!
He just couldn't shake it off him.

She saw his conflicted soul.
She saw the war raging within him..
She saw him blaming himself for this..
She saw him worried to death for her...for Kanamma...for all of them..

Holding his hand, clasping their finger together,she muttered assuringly,'Onnum avathu Mama...ithu nambe Kanamma...ungge Kanamma...ennaku onnum avathu...Nambe Maama... hmm?'

Right that moment he remembered the dream...
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The little girl in his arms...
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The musical voice calling him 'Appa..'...
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Those hopeful eyes looking back at him...
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The kiss...the single tear fell welcoming Kanamma with delight that night...

Both of them were lost in their own world thinking about Kanamma and then they heard something really special...
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Something unexpected....
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'Nnama....Paa...pa...', Mughil squirmed to Mullai's lap and placed his head on her lap facing her stomach and kissed her there.

Both of them were stunned.
Well even that's an understatement.

Mullai sat there like a statuse looking down at her son caressing her stomach and kissing it lovingly.

Kathir couldn't be happier knowing, Mughil was equally excited about Kanamma's arrival.

Both of them heard that as a sign..
It was like their prayers were answered through Mughil...
Mughil's baby words were like words of divinity..a voice from the sky..

'Avanuku terinjirkuleh...?' he affirmed with more happy tears flowing uncontrollably.

She on the other hand, couldn't believe what her son just did.
Did he really call his unborn sister?

'Mama..ippeh Mughil...?'

'Athaan nee sonnehleh..avanuku terinjirku'nu...seriya thaan solleran...', he ruffled Mughli's hair proudly before kissing his forehead.

Though Kathir was shocked and conflicted to hear she was pregnant, deep inside just like her, he was delirious as well.

Kanamma's birth was story cannot to be forgotten, from the morning sickness until the second the Little Bomb decided to make an entrance to the world, everything was a rocky road. A tense pregnancy that was, but an interesting one nonetheless.

Once during the early stages, morning sickness hit her like a brick wall where she spent 6 hours vomiting coupled with chest pains and breathing difficulties. Kathir called an ambulance and she was rushed off to hospital continuing to be sick in the ambulance on the way. She spent the night being pumped with fluids. Unfortunately, her doctor said there's nothing could be done to help ease it, so she was in for another 7 months of feeling vile practically until the day her water broke.

Apart from that, their little princess gave more complication, Mullai began bleeding and that brought another visit to the hospital and the doctors could not detect the baby's heartbeat. The worst nightmare came true and they braced themselves for the worst, as they underwent an immediate ultrasound.

Both were in tears, lost in hope but then...the miracle happened. A few minutes into the ultrasound, their doctor started yelling in excitement. They looked at the screen, and their Little Bomb hand was waving, 'I'm here, I'm here!'. That was an eventful moment and one of many nights of mini heart attacks given by their yet to be born Little Bomb.

Little did they expect that her arrival would be a grand entrance as well...

TBC

Author's Note :
What happened on the delivery day?
Catch it in the next chapter.