It's Complicated

Twenty Four

Ashwin groaned, reaching around his night stand for his mobile. He had woken to it ringing loudly, an annoying occurrence at 6 in the morning. It was an unknown number so he'd declined, but whoever it was had sent call after call.

"Hello? Yaaru neenga?" he asked with a hint of irritation.

"Ashwin? Hello?"

He shifted up at the familiar voice.

"Sivaangi ma? Enna achu?"

Ashwin was immediately concerned. This was not her number, and she should be on a plane back home right now.

"Appada, finally phone edutha! Ennoda mobile charge pochu, athunala Prakash anna phone la call pandren."

"Oh ithu Prakash number ah? Seri, ippo ethukku call? All okay?"

She sighed.

"All not okay. Due to technical issues our flight to Chennai got delayed to the evening. Amma left on an earlier flight, I was supposed to go with Prakash anna. Now we're both stuck at the airport, whole day yenna pandrathu nu theriyala."

"Aiyo enna ma soldra? Anga full day eppadi irrupa?"

"Theriyala Ashwin, I'm so annoyed."

"Hm I would tell you to go sightsee the city, but we already did that."

He heard her giggle.

"True. Coimbatore la enna pakkanumo... already pathuten."

His lips curved into a smile, memories of their dreamy day floating through his head.

"Athu seri, Prakash ku phone ah kuddu."

He heard the line shuffle.

"Good morning Ashwin, nethu shooting la pathom, inniku phone la kaddalai ah?" said Prakash jokingly.

"Dei enna da ithu, paavam neenga. Delayed flights are the worst."

"Aama macha, romba gaanda irruku. Wife vera lunch ku mutton biryani ready pannuva when I get back to Chennai, ippo ellam bussu nu poiduchu."

"Aiyo..."

Ashwin paused an idea forming in his head. He blurted it out without much thought.

"Neenga vena en veetuku vanthu lunch saptu konjam rest edututhu kelumbunga. I live very close to the airport, it will be convenient."

"Hey ethukku bro, we will manage here."

"Enna, you will just sit around for a whole day?"

"Vendam da, don't worry about us we can wait here."

"Illa, please vanga. Na aasai ah kopuduren."

"Apdiya? Seri da... varom. Nee ivlo kupudum bothu eppadi no soldrathu."

"Great! Okay one second ava kitta phone kudduka mudiyuma?"

Prakash handed the phone over.

"Ashwin, what's up?"

"Ma, neeyum Prakash vanthu en veetulu saptu ponga. I would feel bad letting you sit around all day when I'm so close."

"Apdiya? Unga family la irrupanga la?"

"Hm, yeah. It'll be fine, we can all eat together."

"Super, I can meet your parents at last!"

He felt a pang, wondering if he had rushed into something dumb.

"Seri nee first anga breakfast saptu refresh pannu. Aprom oru 1 or 2 ku vanga senthu sapturalam."

"Okay Ashwiney! See you then."