Roja - The Continuation

1. The Chit-Chats

Arjun was in no mood to leave for work today.

Arjun: Please Gulfie! Onne onnu kuden.

Roja: Ayyo Sir, paiyana pakathula vechikitu ipdi pesringa? Ippo neenga oru appa so konjam poruppoda
irunga. Innum vilayatu pulla maari panringa.

Arjun pulled her towards him, not minding her instructions while Roja struggled to remove herself from
his grip.

Arjun: Unkita matum thana Rose naan vilayada mudiyum. Appa illa, thatha aanalum naan unkita ipdi than pesuven! Seri come on come on time achu sikiram kudu.

He said leaning forward. Roja looked at her son who was sleeping peacefully on bed; glared at Arjun and finally gave a small peck on his cheek.

Arjun: Habbada! Court la kuda easy ah pesi jeichidalam
pola aana madam kita oru kiss vanga evlo pesa vendi iruku.

Roja pushes him playfully, removing herself from his hold.

Arjun: Seri time achu naan kilamburen.
He kissed his sleeping son and Roja on their foreheads and bid her goodbye. As he was about to leave,

Roja: Sir oru nimisham.

She went up to him, held his chin down and wiped her lipstick mark on his cheek with her sari. Arjun gave his signature naughty wink and left.

Next day.

Kalpana Ma was busy adoring and playing with her grandson.

Prathap: Kalpana, evlo neram than neeye en perana
konjuva? Enkita kudu.

Kalpana: Haan unga perana? Avan enakum peran than, sola pona pera pasangaluku thatha vida paati ya than pudikum. Illa da pattu kutty?

The baby nodded almost agreeing with his grandma. Prathap: Illa illa en peranuku thatha va than pudikum. Apdi thana da en chella kutty?

While Kalpana & Prathap argued whom their grandson
loved more Annapoorani paati made an entrance taking
the child from Kalpana's lap.

Paati: Neenga rendu per solrathum thappu! En kollu peranuku enna than romba pudikum. Enna da en thangam un kollupaati correct ah sonena?

Jr.Arjun smiled playfully seeing all this.

Ashwin: Aama enna neenga? Aal aaluku pattu, chellam, thangam nu kooptutu irukinga? En anna paiyanuku oru
nalla pera vekanum nu yarukum thonalaya?

Pooja: Aama la papa porantha sandhoshathula yarum pera pathi yosikave illa.

Roja comes from the kitchen with a smile hearing all the discussion.

Roja: Ippo achum niyabagam vandhuche! Ashwin: Anni naane oru super stylish aana pera unga paiyanuku veikuren.

Pooja: Appo naan enna vedikai pakanuma? Naan than name select panuven.

Ashwin: Un selection pathi enaku theriyatha? Un thambi ku Bujji nu nee thana per vecha? Nalla iruku un
selection.

Everybody laughed at his remark and Pooja punched his arm.

Kalpana: En peranuku naan than per select panuven. En appan Murugan per maari oru dheivigamana pera veikalam.

Prathap: Unga appa per Murugana? Solave illa! Kalpana: Enga naan kumbudra en kadavul Murugan ah sonenga.

Prathap laughed.

Prathap: Intha kalathuku etha mari veipiya, atha vitutu appa peru chithappa peru nu solitu iruka.

Kalpana: Athai parunga unga pullaiya. Kadavulaye kindal
panraru.

Paati: Dei enda en marumagala ipdi keli panra? Ava sonathula enna thappu? Marumagale nee seriya than soliruka. Naanum atha than ninachen.

Arjun comes down from the staircase poking Balu's shoulders, who was eavesdropping the entire conversation along with Yaso. He proceeds to stand next to Roja who greeted him with a smile.

Arjun: Enna kalailaye oru panjayathu?
Roja: Namma pullaiku enna per veikalam nu discuss panitu irukanga sir.

Arjun: Discuss ah? Patha etho sanda podra mari la iruku. Athuvum namma veetlaye sanda podrathuku nu eluthi vecha idam intha hall thana, inga ellarum discussion panranga na ore aacharyam ala iruku!

Kalpana: Dei naanga enda sanda poda porom? En peran vandha neram ella prechanayum dhoosi maari paranthu pochu.

Arjun: Seri enna pera choose panni irukinga?

Everybody started yelling different names out, making Rojun supress a laugh.

Arjun: Seri seri amaithi amaithi! Ipdi ellarum kathuna enaku onnume puriya matainguthu. Onnu panalam, ellarum avanga select panna name ah oru chit la eluthunga. Atha oru bowl la potu en paiyanaiye eduka veipom. Avan kaila matra chit than avan peru. Ok va?

Everybody nodded in agreement.
Paati, Kalapana, Prathap, Ashwin, Pooja all wrote down their favourite names and put them in the bowl. Yaso and Balu too wrote a name each and was about to put them. Just then Arjun caught Balu's hand.

Arjun: Ungala naan ezhutha solave illaye.
Balu: Illa pa nee thana elarayum ezhuthi poda sonna athan nangalum...

Arjun: En pulla nalla irukanum nu ninaikuravangala matum than ezhutha sonen. Neengalum unga wife um antha list la illa.

Yaso: Arjun pothum romba over ah panatha. Yow naan appove sone venam nu ketiya? Intha kudumbam eppo namala onna pathuruku? Vaaya! Malar Kaushik,
neengalum vanga. Inga vedika paka onnum illa!

Malar: Amma nee po ma, naanga thambi papa ku name select panni kuduthutu than varuvom.

Yaso tore the chits of Balu & hers and dragged Balu upstairs.

Malar & Kaushik each wrote a name and put it in the bowl. Arjun pulled their cheeks and thanked them.

Arjun: Sumathi Amma, neenga matum en anga nikuringa? Vanga unga chit ah yum ulla podunga.

Sumathi: Thambi naana? Naan edhuku pa?

Roja: Sumathi Aunty, neengalum intha kudumbathula oru aal than. Atha vida naanga nalla irukanum nu mansara ninaikura aal neenga. Neenga illama epdi? Vanga vandhu chit la per ezhudhi podunga.

Arjun hands her a chit and a pen.

Kalpana: Sumathi akka spelling mistake illama ezhuthunga. Illana pona vati mari "Maadi ku varavum" pathila "Madiku varavum" nu ezhuthi en maanatha vanguna maari ayidum.

Rojun remembered that terrace moment and shared a shy smile.

Paati: Ithu enna pudhu kadha?

Kalpana hit her forehead.

Kalpana: Athu onnum illa atha, chumma chumma.

Sumathi amma wrote her option and placed it in the bowl.

Arjun: Seri ippo naanum Roja vum enga choice ah eluthi podrom.

Arjun wrote the name, showed the chit and whispered toRoja.

Arjun: Enna Gulfie ok va?
Roja: Ok Sir!

He smiled, rolled the chit and put it in the bowl.

Arjun: Seri appo ellaraum unga choice ah eluthi potutinga. Ini en paiyan avan pera avane choose panuvan. Enna da Jr.Arjun ready ah?

He signalled his son who looked at him wide-eyed while resting on his kollupaati's lap. Arjun took the bowl, shook it well and took it near his son. Just then a voice interrupted,

"Naan illama neenga name ah select paniduvingala?"

Everybody turned towards the door.

Arjun: Deepa!!!

To be continued...