The Arranged Marriage

Part 27

After bidding a farewell to everyone, they started their "not too long" drive to Coimbatore. It usually took about an hour and a half, during daytime to get from point A to point B but one had to drive a bit carefully after dusk since the street were not lit as well. Achchu decided to drive and give his dad a break. He and his dad occupied the front seats which Sivu and her mother-in-law too the backseat. Sivu seems a little quiet so her mother-in-law, patted her hand. Sivu looked up at her with a feeble smile. Her MIL, Vijayam, smiled and said, "Ellarayum vittuttu varadhukku konjam kashtama irukku allava? Ithara naal inge naraya per kooda irundhu CBE la unakku mazha penju onja madiri irukkum. Namma 4 per thaan" and she patted her hand again. Sivu smiled and said, "appidi ellam illai amma. Unga koodayum 4 naal thaan irukka porom adhukku aparam naanga rendu per mattum thaane." Achchu glanced at her from the mirror. He had never heard her speak like this before. Then he focused on the road again.

The car was quiet again a in a few minutes both his parents had dozed off. Sivu was resting her head on the window and looking out at the dark roads, lost in though. Achchu glanced at her a couple of times and then cleared his throat and said, "Oii ennachu unakku? Ennadhu romba nerama yosikkarey?" She looked and just said, "Chmmmm.... Onnum illai." He smiled at her in a "are you sure" look and she gave him a big smile and a blink. The he asked, "radio podattuma? Paatu Kekariya?" She quickly replied, "Illai vendam. Paavam Appavum Ammavum sheenichu thoongara. Ezhupaadengo." He nodded in agreement.

It was almost 8pm when they reached home. While the men grabbed the luggage from the trunk, the women quickly went in to unlock the door. Vijayam told, "Sivakaami, nee poi moonji alambeendu swamikku velakethidu maa. Naan poi namakku ellarullum rathrikku paruppu kanjiyum, nendhram pazhamum edukkaren. Innikki karthala, uchakki ellam nayara chapattachu. Ippo rathri patni (hunger) ya thoonganda nu thaan kanji. Unga rendu perukkum upma pannattuma?" Sivu replied, "Illaima ellarum kanjiye kudikalaam. Naan 4 manikku thaan chaapten adhunaala pasiye illai. Irungo ivarkitta oru vaarthai kettukaren." Just then Achchu entered and said, "Amma kanji enakkum ok.". Sivu quickly washed her face and fixed her saree and bindi. Then she lit the lamp in the Swamy room and mumbled her usual prayers while prostrating. Then she carried the chandanam to everyone. When she got to Achchu, he bent down and looked at her, indicating her to put it on for him. She smiled and did what he wanted.

After all of them finished drinking the kanji, Sivu helped her MIL clean the dishes and the kitchen. Achchu noticed that Sivu was walking a little slower than usual, almost as though she was dragging herself. When Sivu went to the bedroom to retire to bed, Achchu was sitting on the bed reading a book. He looked up and smiled at her. She smiled back and said, "Naan sikirama poi kuluchittu vandhu paduthukaren. Oru madiriya irukku. Vandi la vera romba neram ukkandhu vandom illiya" and she grabbed a towel and clothes and went into the bathroom. Achchu was still reading when she stepped out of the bathroom but he had switched off the lights and just had his night light on. She laid down next to him and said, "Thalai valikkardhu. Naan thoongattuma?" His heart literally stopped hearing that. "ayayo ennachu maa? Udambu seri illiya?" She smiled and replied back saying, "Adhellam onnum illai. Rendu naala romba velai jaasthi, thookam vera seri illadhadhu thaan. Mathapadi onnum illai." He gently rubbed her forehead and said, "Seri nee kanna mudikko. Naan thadavi tharen. Light off panidaren" and he turned off the light and gently rubbed her forhead. In just a few minutes he heard tiny snores from her indicating she had slept already. That's how tired she was. He kissed her forehead and she pushed herself closer to him, still asleep.

He woke up in the middle of the night hearing her wince in pain. He opened his eyes and whispered, "Ennachu maa?" and she mumbled, "Kaal valikkardhu" still sleeping. He slowly sat up and moved towards her feet. He lifted her saree and noticed swelling in her feet. He slowly picked on foot, place it on his lap and gently massaged it. She winced again but this was in relief. He pressed on foot for a few minutes and then picked the other one. That's when she woke up and realized what was happening. She quickly sat up and gasped, "Enna paneendu irukken? Neenga ennoda kaal a amikki vidalaam. Ayo vidungo." He was hurt by her statement, "Yen ma naan unakku kaal amikki vida koodaadha?" Tears started flowing down her cheek, "neenga ennoda periava, ennoda kaal thoda pdadhu. Yen ippidi pannarel?" He quickly held her close to his chest and said, "shhhh.... Idhukku poi yaaravudhu azhuvaala? Unakku kaal valikardhu, veengeendu irukku, adhunaala thaan naan amikki vitten. Enakku nee panna maatiya? Idhellam pazhaya panjangam. Azhadha maa." She grabbed his shirt to pull herself closer to him. He kissed her forehead and she brought her lips close to him which he kissed and said, "Seri nee thoongu" and patted her head gently. In the middle of the night she placed her feet between his legs for pressure and both fell fast asleep.

Sivu woke up to the sound of voices in the backyard. She slowly opened her eyes and jumped out of bed, "Ayayo, ippidi velichama irukke" then she looked at the wall clock and jumped out of bed, "8 maniya! Ayo che ippidi thoongi poitene. Ivar vera enna ezhuppave illai." She smacked her head and ran into the bathroom to shower, brush etc. When she sheepishly walked into the kitchen, Vijayam smiled at her and said, "Vaa kondhe. Nanna thoonginiya? Kaal vali eppidi irukku? Achchu chonaan romba kashta pattiyame?" Sivu quickly started stirring the sambar and replied embarrassingly, "Ippo seri ayiduthu. Enna ezhupeerkalame. Neengale thaniya ella kaaryamum paninel." She smiled and said, "Naan enge thaniya panninen? Appa sambar ku ulli uruchu thandha. Aparam kaapi kuduchuttu newspaper vaangindu vandha. Kaarthale tiffin ku rendu perum vaazha ellai pichindu varennu kola pakkathukku (backyard) poitu kadhai pesindu irukka." Just then Achchu returned to the kitchen with the banana leaves, smiled at her and immediately looked at her feet. Swelling had gone so he smiled satisfied.
Vijayam continued, "inniki venpongal, sambar, chutney paneerken. Kozhandaigal irukele nu konjam chakkara pongal um panninen. Unakku pidikkyum illayo?" Sivu smiled and said, "ellame enakku pidichadhu thaan. Neenga ellam vandhu ukkarungo naan velmbaren." Father in law, Narayanan, just walked in. He had his veshti tied up and a towel wrapped around his forehead. He was holding a basket. Walking in, he said, "Vijayam, indha mangai, keeraiyum irukku. Tiffin chaapatta aparam thenga uruchu tharen. Unnoda special manga kootaan, keerai mashiyal um vachu nalla velichennai (coconut oil) la kaachina pappadam vechudu. Romba naal aachu." Vijayam nodded but Sivu smiled seeing how he appreciated her cooking so whole heartedly.

Sivu laid out the banana leaf for all of them and started serving. Vijayam said, "Neeyum vaa ukkaru. Chendhu chaapadalam." Sivu ran into the kitchen to bring water for everyone and they all sat together and ate. This was new to Sivu because, in her house, the men ate first. Narayanan finished eating first so he said, "kondhey Sivakaami, ippo naan unga ellarukkum oru first class kaapi pottu kondu varen. Nee taste paaru. Ennoda kaapi thaan best theriyumo?" Sivu tried to hurry up and eat. She said, "Ayyo irungo naan pottu kondu varen." Just when she was about to get up, Vijayam held her hand asking her to sit down. "Unakku oru kadhai chollaren kelu. Enakku kalyanam aanappo 15 vayasu ivarukku 22. Enakku ivara pidikalai, pesave maaten, ivara paarka kooda maaten. Oru naaliki ennoda maamiyar maamanaar oru kalyanathukaaga veli oorukku poirundha. Anniki thaan enna ivar kooda sagajama pesavekkardhukku kaapi pottu thandha. Nannave illai. Aana naan anikki avara paathu mudhal vaati sirichen. Appo cholluvar naan unakku daily kaapi pottu tharen nee enkooda sagajama irukkiya nu. Anniki arambichadhu. Aana ippo first class aa kaapi poda kathundoota. Neeye paaru." Sivu was amazed. The men in her house never stepped into the kitchen even to get a glass of water. She quickly cleared up all the banana leaves. She came back to see Achchu helping his mom clear everything up and Sivu smiled in pride. She was extremely grateful for what she was witnessing.

Achchu smiled at her and then walked up and directed her towards the front porch. He asked her to sit on the easy chair, which she did. There was an easy chair in her house which had always been only for the men of the house. Achchu then grabbed the moda (a round furniture that is usually used either as a chair or a table) and placed it next to her. Just then he heard his father from inside so he went it only to walk back with two glasses of kaapi. Sivu smiled and took a sip. It was indeed the best filter coffee she had tasted. She took a peek inside to compliment him but the view just melted her heart. Narayana and Vijayam were sitting next to each other with their coffee glasses lost in some conversation. They were laughing their hearts out. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seem. Now she understood where Achchu was getting it from. She realized that a son raised right will treat his woman right.

Brinda Subramanian