melancholy

A misinterpretation....

Mullai was a total wreck that day, regret was eating away at her heart... In the process of wanting a baby so badly, she had lost her husband; her best friend, her confidante and her lover... Salty tears slid down her cheeks as she sobbed, her face hidden in her hands... A small, cruel voice inside her taunted; Was it worth it? She sobbed even more at that question... All his assertions about her had been true, except one... The due date, so consumed had she been by the fact that he must remember the date on his own that not once did it cross her mind that it was all right for her to remind him... Not once had she paused and thought about how he would have felt about this...

All this time, Kathir had been so patient with her, so forbearing and she had shunned him at every turn... So much was her guilt that the thought of facing him made her feel ashamed... She hurridly wiped her tears when she saw Anandhi come in... "Mullai.... Mehendi podra aunty vanthirkanga... Va neeyum potukko" she said, "Ennakku company kudu" Mullai wasn't in the mood at all, but for Anandhi's sake, she went along with her... Thankfully, the hall was milling with people and so Mullai didn't have to talk much, she just smiled and nodded at the right time, her mind was churning with thoughts about Kathir...

****

It was the day before the wedding, Jolly, Thor, Kathir along with a few men from the estate were once again near the rubber plantation... In preparation for the feast, some goats were bought and left to gaze in the patch of grass nearby and Jolly was worried... "Wrong timing Anna" he told Kathir... The plantation led downwards to a thick forest... "Kavala padatha Jolly, strong aana electric fence irrukku, silae edathulae sevru elupirukanga" he said patting him on the back and Jolly shook his head forebodingly.. "Anage parrungae" he pointed to a number of sturdy trees that were growing beyond the walls and the fences...

"Ippo ennae athukku?" asked Kathir, looking around... "Athodae branches... Ellamae inthae side um thonguthu... Leopards are expert climbers... Easy ah antha marathae erri intha side vara mudiyum" he said direly.... And Kathir felt fear grip his stomach... His mouth went dry... So that is how, the big cat had been getting inside enclosed spaces... All this while he had been feeling secure because of this measly fence.. A fat lot of good it did!!! "Anna... Namma tranquilizer guns odae shooters eh vara sollanom... Bait use pannie, adhae easy ah pudichirlam" he said talking about it as though they were discussing using bait and going for fishing...

"Ponae thadava sonnamaari.. Surplus kills pannuthu.. It's not killing for hunger.. It's killing for the thrill" said Jolly, whistling sharply for Thor to heel... "Ennada sollura? Nenju padapada nu irrukku" said Kathir, clutching his chest... "Kalaynam mudiyattum... Aduthae velaiyae ithudhan na... Full form le erangirlam... Thor namma kude irrukkan... Iruvathu kilometer thoorathulae, antha siruthai yeh mopam pudichu ennakku alert pannuvan" said Jolly proudly and Kathir couldn't fathom how Thor could do that...

This was such a miserable, fucked up week... Anandhi's parents leaving, his showdown with Mullai yesterday and now this bloody, terrifying leopard... At the thought of his wife, Kathir's chest squeezed painfully as he remembered her tearful face but a burst of anger made it vanish... He was sick and tired of her mulish behavior.... He was so sapped of energy in trying to break down this shield that she had around her that he was finally giving up... Enough is enough... He was going to give her a taste of her own medicine and ignore her completely...

****

The day of the wedding, dawned crisp and clear... The sun cast a rosy hue on the morning sky.... Mullai helped Anandhi get ready, because of restrictions, they couldn't book a beautician at the last minute, but it was okay, YouTube came to the rescue and soon Anandhi was looking resplendent in an gorgeous onion pink silk saree, unlike most brides who looked as if they were a walking jewelry shop, she was wearing minimal jewelry and that somehow enhanced her beauty...