Anbum Aranum Udaiththaayin

Alosanai

"Amma kita samadham venumnu kekariya, illa kalyanam panna porenu solriya?", Lakshmi asked teasingly but noticed Kathir tense to her words and jerk a little letting go of her hand.

"Dei chumma than da sonean. Nee unakunu mudhal morai en kita edho kekara. Samadham ilanu vera soluvena?"

Kathir smiled weakly. Though she does not know the girl was Mullai and hasn't approved his marriage to Mullai, her words soothed him a little.

"Avala romba kadhalikiriya da?", she asked caressing his hair smoothening it.

"Romba ma", he said wholeheartedly.

"Nala iru da. Epavum sandhosama sirichutu iru", she said and kissed his forehead. She leaned back and noticed how weary he looked. He has thinned a lot and had dark eyes indicating his sleepless nights.

"Unaku romba velai da. Unna nee gananichukaradhey illa. Unna pathuka oruthi vandha than seriya irukum", Lakshmi amma said knowing how hectic his days where since he started looking at Karaikudi unit.

"Amma, adhu elam perusa velai illa. Naan nala than irukean", Kathir smiled and took Lakshmi amma's hand in his again.

"Ennai naan nala than gavanichukarean. Kavalai padadhenga", Kathir said and Lakshmi amma looked unconvinced.

"Ponnu yarunu nenga kekalayey", tried to change the topic back to Mullai.

Lakshmi gave a knowing smile at him "Nee solalayey da adha"

"Amma...", Kathir hesitated, hoping his mother does not get him wrong like others at his house.

"En da? Amma kita Mullai'ya than kadhalikarenu solla bayapadariya?"

"Ma! Ungaluku yepadi?", Kathir was shocked beyond words and looked at Kanna to see if he had spilled the beans. However, Kanna had a surprised expression as well.

"Oh indha periya manusanukum therinju iruku pola?", Lakshmi asked in a mocking tone.

"Anne onum solala. Naan en arivu theramaiyil kandu pidichean", Kanna was lifting his imaginary collar. Kanna shut his mouth seeing the stare from both.

Kathir paused a minute before he asked "Ungaluku yepadi ma theriyum? Anni sonangala?"

He immediately regretted asking, seeing Lakshmi amma face shrink.

"Enala onum mudiyama oru orama okandu irukean than. Adhukunu idha kuda solla thonalaya da? Enaku than kadasiya theriyudhu pola", Lakshmi said upset evident in her voice.

"Ayo en ma ipadi solrenga? Apadi illa ma. Unga kita solalamnu than vandhean. Aana anaiku solla mudiyama pochu. ", Kathir bend his face in guilt, understanding the mistake he made by not informing her first.

"Naan un amma da. Nee solalanalum un manasula enna irukunu enaku puriyum", she said trying to ease her son, though she was hurt a little.

"Anaiku grahapravesathula unga rendu periyum pathean.Avalava madiku vara venamnu adhati solra, avalum kekara. Nee yaru melayum ivalavu urimai yedutu naan pathadhu illa da"

Kathir smiled widely seeing how his mother read him like a book, though he tried to act discrete the other day.

"Amma, ungaluku idhula edavum varutham ilayey?", Kathir asked hesitantly wanting to make sure her mother was ok with their relationship whole heartedly.

"Sandhegam vandha anaiku un mela romba kovam vandhuchu. Yepadi ipadi mudivu yeduthenu. Unna kuptu kandikalamnu kuda nenachean", Lakshmi started and Kathir face fell a little.