The Lion and the Rose

Chapter 76

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Hey lovelies,

It's a double update. If you haven't read Chapter 75, read it before you continue further.

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Siva

If everything ended well. Why am I still feeling heavy?

Raj drives my car as I'm in no state to drive. My right hand hurts where the devil has punched me and mentally I need some time too. Rudhran sat next to Raj and Ashwi and I sat on the back. Ashwi leaned on my shoulder and I caressed her hair. She leaned forward and took her bag kept in the centre console.

"Phone avan thoki podalai ya?" She asks me, unlocking her mobile. (Didn't he throw my phone away?)

"Illa, lift floor la irunthathu," I answered her and got my things from Raj. I delete the video message in the chat with Ashwika but close my eyes when she plays it. (It was lying on the lift flow.)

I look at her but her face is unreadable. She deleted the video from our chat and her gallery. "Veetla irunthu neriya missed calls iruku," she calls back to her mother and tells her that she was abducted by the devil and rescued by us. "Amma please. Naan ipo safe ah iruken romba safe ah iruken," She looks at me. "But please enakku konjam thaniya irukanum... Seri" She gives me the phone. (There are a lot of missed calls from my parents. Amma please, I'm safe now, in fact I'm very safe. But I need some space, please understand. Okay.)

"Hello aunty, Ashwi safe ah enga kooda iruka," I convey to her even before she talks. (Ashwi is safe with me.)

"Neenga avala pathirama pathupenga nu theriyum. Aana ava romba low ah iruka konjam pathukonga," She says on the other end. (I know that you will take care of her safely. But she is feeling very low, please handle her properly.)

"Kandipa aunty," I held Ashwika's hand. (Sure, aunty.)

"Neenga avaluku panrathu ellam eppadi thanks solrathu nu therila pa," Her voice is strained. (I don't know how to thank you for everything you are doing for her.)

"Ashwi kaaga panama naan vera yaaru kaaga panna poren?" I replied to her and we shared our goodbyes before disconnecting the call. (If it's not for Ashwi, who else am I going to care for?)

We entered the hotel and Raj drops Ashwika, Rudhran and me at the lobby before he leaves to park the car. We walk into the lobby and stop when Dad and Dharma mama walk opposite to us.

"Ashwi, ippo thalavali eppadi da iruku?" Dharma mama asks her and she looks at me. (Ashwi, how is your head ache?)

"Ipo paravala pa," She smiles at him hesitantly. (I'm feeling better, now.)

"Neenga ellam enga poonenga event mudinjathu?" Dad asks me and Rudhran. Samarth shakes his signalling that he hadn't said anything. (Where did you both leave after the event?)

"Appa, Enga friend Mathew irukan la avan wife Jeni theriyum ah?" Rudhran asks him and my dad looks at me shocked. (Appa, did you know our friend Mathew's wife Jeni?)

"Antha ponnu ku enna aachu?" He seems worried and now I can feel how much I must have troubled him. (What happened to her?)

"Avanga coma la irunthu vanthachu pa. Aathan paaka poonom." I go and hug my dnd and he hugs me back, patting my back. I cry on his shoulders but something still feels broken inside me. He consoles me along with Dharma mama, Rudhran and Ashwika. (She is out of coma and we went to meet her.)