The Arranged Marriage

Part 7

Achchu had to work 6 days a week except the second Saturday in a month. This was the first second Saturday since they had moved into the new place and Achchu was looking forward to it. On Friday during their coffee time he said, "Maa unakku onnu theriyuma, enakku indha Saturday leave. Nee thaan innum Calcutta suthi paakaliye so ooru suthi paakalaama?" Sivu squealed in excitement. "Enna tram la kooteendu porela?" He smiled and nodded. She was overjoyed and ran to the kitchen already thinking of the following day.

Achchu had a normal day at work and as usual, left office at 5. He was thrilled about being able to finally spend an entire weekend with her. He took the usual tram and his quick walk home. As soon as he turned into his street he looked up at the large window of his house but missed the usual smiling face there. Every evening, he would catch a glimpse of her waving at him from the large window and the light in their living room would be lit. Today it seemed dark. He frowned and increased his pace. He went up the flight of stairs quickly and rang the door bell. There was no answer. He hurriedly pulled out a spare key and rushed inside. It was dark so he quickly turned on the lights saying, "Maa enge maa irukke?"

He heard a muffled cry from the bedroom. He ran in to find her curled up in a corner, holding her stomach. When he tried to go near her to check what was wrong, she said, "Enna thodadhengo. Theetu pattudum." He immediately knew what she meant. She was finding it uncomfortable to even tell him that she had her periods. During those times women were to,d that they were "impure" and "dirty" while they menstruated. They slept on the floor, had a separate plate and cup which, after using, they had to wash and keep aside. They could not touch anything around the house and no one was allowed near them. That's how Sivu had grown up. She had always struggled with irregular and heavy periods. The cramping was sometimes so bad that she would be crying silently.

Achchu saw her plight and said, "Iru maa naan ippo varen. Nee paduthukko." He came back a few minutes later and turned on the light in the bedroom. She noticed that he was holding something. He said, " indha maa idha vachukko konjam edhama irukkum" and handed her a hot water bag wrapped in a towel and then he gave her a glass of fresh hot coffee and an ibuprofen, "idhu eduthukko konjam vali kammi aagum." She smiled at him and said, "Ungalukkey maasathula oru sani kezhamai thaan leave kedakardhu adhuvum ippidi pochu." He smiled kindly and said, "adhunaala enna innoru naal polaam avvalo thaane." She then continued, "Neenga venumna park ku poitu vaango. Inge ennoda ukkandhu bore adikkum." Although she was starting to feel better she was still not herself so he decided to cheer her up.

"Nee illama naan park ku pona andha puchka wala kooda enna morachu paapan theriyuma? Engeda ennoda puchka customer nu keppan". That made her laugh and he joined her. Then he said, "Maa naan unakku story sollatuma?" Her face immediately lit up. "Enakku kadhai na romba pidikkum. Oorla naan eppovum ennoda chellama kitta kadhai kettunde iruppen. Chellamma na yaaru theriyuma? Ennoda paati? Ava thaan ennoda best friend" and her face dropped and eyes welled up, "naan chellamma va romba miss pannaren." He cleared his throat as said, "inniki enna un chellamma va nenachukko ok" and that made her giggle. He grabbed a book from his desk and showed it to her. It said Swami and friends by R.K. Narayan. Achchu opened the first page and started reading the first chapter and it was magical. Achchu's base voice had the warmth and expressions of the perfect story teller and Sivu was immediately drawn to Swami's world. After each chapter she just wanted him to continue reading and he did.

She had forgotten about her pain and her cramp and was engrossed in the story but after the third chapter Achchu had to take a break. He said, "Ippo unakku Suda Suda dosai vaathu tharen iru" and before she could say anything he handed her the little radio and said, "Nee paatu kettundu iru naan ippo varen" and smiled. She was shocked. No one had treated her this way before. He was special. She felt so many emotions but did not know what it was. She enjoyed his company. Her voice and his presence brought a sense of peace and tranquility. She had never seen any man respect a woman like she was witnessing. He was nothing like the men she had seen or even heard of. He was just in the kitchen but it felt like she missed him already. She automatically blushed but couldn't figure out why. She smiled at her thought while listening to the beautiful voice of Lata Mangeshkar's "Aaja re ab mera dil pukara".

Soon he walked in with two plates of dosas and molagapodi. Does food always taste better when someone else cooks for you? It was delicious. After eating she rinsed the plate. He brought her a hot cup of milk with turmeric before going to bed. When Sivu was about to lay on the mat, Achchu brought the mattress and laid it out for her to sleep comfortably. As usual, she dozed off in no time while he went back to reading.

Next morning, he woke her up with a filter coffee as usual and then he asked her the million dollar question, "unakku inniki lunch ku enna venum sollu?" She said, "Komala vilas lerndhu vaangindu vara porela?" Pat came his reply, "Ennadu? Komala vilas aa? Naan first class a samayal panniven theriyuma? Unakku enna venum nu mattum sollu." She was shocked, "Nejama va? Ungalukku samaikka theriyuma?" He nodded his head proudly. She thought for a second and said, "ennoda favourite ennadhu theriyuma arachu vitta vengaya sambar, urulakizhangu podimas, thenga ennai la kaachina pappadam" and she smacked her lips. He couldn't help but fall for this woman.

At lunch time he promptly served her what she wanted and she was smacking her lips and enjoying it, "Neenga ivvalo nalla samaipel nu theriyama poche" she said for which he promptly responded, "Yen? Appo dinamum ennaiye samaika soleerpiya" and they both laughed. Then she said, "naan nejamave romba kuduthu vachirukken theriyuma? Naan asa patta maadiriye Neenga 5.11 height la irukkel aparam naan aasa patta maadiriye naan pesardhellam kaadhu kuduthu kekkarel. En mela ivvalo anba irukkel. Super aa samayalum pannarel" and she glanced at him and smiled. Then she asked him, "Ungalukku unga wife eppidi irukanum nu aasapattel?" He smiled and her and said, "Indha ulagathuliye romba lucky aana aal naan thaan. Seri unakku vera enna ellam pudikkum sollu?" She looked at him with a big smile and said, "enakku poo vachukittu romba pudikkum adhuvum mallipoo romba pudikkum aana mullaiyum ok. Aparam sweets romba pidikkum. Mazhai na romba pidikkum, beach romba romba pidikkum. Ama unagalukku?" He looked at her lovingly and said, "Unakku pidichadhu ellame enakkum romba romba pidikkum." She choked at his words. There was something about his emotions that tugged deep inside her heart. She just did not understand what that was but she felt grateful for having him in her life.

Brinda Subramanian