The Lion and the Rose

Chapter 45

Ashwika

The whole night I couldn't sleep properly with whatever changes were happening to me. All these days I have been wondering why Siva is behaving like such without realising what I'm actually feeling for him. I was confused with my own feelings all these days and our performance was an eye opener.

His eyes spoke more than what he spoke in all these months. Still, I was confused thinking it's a hallucination but when they revealed it's him, my emotions were in chaos until he asked me to understand my own feelings. The emotions, the intimacy we had while performing the song has etched in my mind.

I'm in love and How could that be possible?

The moment I understood, it felt as if all my senses came alive at the same time. I wanted to tell him but at the same time I couldn't get the right words. WhenI finally said that I understood, his face, happiness and reaction was priceless. I wanted to talk clearly with him and all night went with what to talk and how to talk. I wanted to look like a woman in his eyes and I dressed up in saree.

Kadavule ponna vaati mari intha vaati ethuvum aga koodathu

First time, when I went in saree, he was in quarantine. Second time, I got an allergy and two days back, I looked like a school girl wearing a saree for an act and not as a woman.

Today, when I entered the office and while talking with others in the refreshment area before our working hours started, Moni akka invited us for her son Vikas's cartoon theme based birthday party, tomorrow.

"Aieee appo Chocolate day annikku unga paiyan school la irukka ella ponungalukkum Chocolate kodupalan," I teased her by pinching her right cheek and she gave me a terrified look. (Then your son will be giving chocolates to the girls in his school on Chocolate day.)

"Intha vayasula enna mamiyar aaki paakurathu unakku appadi enna santhosham?" She shrugs her shoulders. (Why are you very much interested in making me a mother-in-law at this tender age?)

"Enna Siva sir oru Samiyar unga amma munnadi nee aga pora mamiyar," Bavan anna throws his one liner and receives a glare from Moni akka and me.

"Athu ellam illa avaru samiyar ellam agamataru," I blurted out and everyone looked at me. (He won't become a saint.)

"Yeah exactly naan ellam irukkum pothu Siva ah samiyar aga vituduven ah?" I look at her but laugh internally as she doesn't know the truth. (When I'm here, why Siva is going to become a Saint?)

"Unnala thaan avan samiyar ah aaga poran," Puvi anna counters her and she rolls her eyes at him. (Because of you, he is going to become a saint.)

"En pulla avan maman mathiriye ponnunga kita pesanum naale thousand kilometres speed Ethir pakkama odiduvan," Unable to control myself, I snorted. (My son is like my brother, he will run for the hills when he has to talk with a girl.)

"Enna ma thangachi un siripil etho oru thimiru theriyuthu," Puvi anna enquires me. (Why am I feeling that there is an over-confidence in your laugh?)

"Athu onnum illa Machan, namma singham intha rosa poo kitta mattum sirikuthu antha thimiru thaan," Rakesh anna catches the half truth behind the reason for my giggle. (It's nothing dude, that lion is smiling only at this rose, that is the reason for her smugness.)

"Appadi ellam onnum illa neyy," I lie but my blush ditches me. (Nothing like that, bro)

"Muthala unakku inaikku proposal ethachem varutha paru, proposal enna unakku oru gift or chocolate kooda varathu," Anu akka comments and I almost open my mouth to say that I'm already but as Siva and I haven't spoken about it clearly, I stop myself. (First, wait and watch if you are getting any proposal, today. Proposal is far away, you won't even be getting a chocolate or gift.)