Tiptoeing towards love

14

Parthiban

I guess I made Mozhi way too upset, cause when we reached our home, Mozhi refused to have dinner and entered her room without greeting me good night as she usually does.

I was quite hurt by her different attitude but it was me the reason behind her change. Hence I cursed myself and went to my study room...

I fell into a deep slumber there itself and in the next morning, I was woken by the loud volume of a song blasting throughout the place. Irritated and confused, I step down the stairs, only to behold the beautiful scenario of my niece vibing to an old song that was used in the movie that we watched the past day.

My niece is in a black loose t-shirt and white shorts, her messy hair tied up in a bun as she dances and simultaneously cooks. Upon noting my gaze, she looks up and grins widely.

"Good morning mama! The security guard uncle got us chicken and I'm preparing it along with poori as the main dish! Refresh and come, mama. Let's have breakfast together," I was surprised at her normal attitude. She seemed unconvincingly gloomy with me the past day and now she's acting as though we didn't even have a conflict.

Anyways, I'm glad she is okay now.

Momentarily, I head to my room and refresh. Then decked on a red t-shirt and black pants. My Sundays are mostly with me working in my study room but having my niece here, I planned to spend some quality time with her...

I regret hurting her yesterday and I want to compensate for the same by being with her.

That's all it is.

I've no other intentions.

When I reach the dining area nearby the kitchen counter, Mozhi was still vibing to the same song by repeatedly playing it on the Bluetooth speaker. Seems like my niece has developed a liking for this song.

Smiling, I settle in one of the chairs surrounding the dining table and Mozhi brings me a plate consisting of a couple of hot pooris. She was dancing as she returns to the kitchen counter. I shake my head at her and quietly watch while she picks up the chicken curry in a bowl and approaches me.

Placing it beside the plate, she starts to sing out loud and spins, retreating to the kitchen again. Dismissing her, I start to have breakfast but was unable to swallow the food at Mozhi's imitation of the song.

She is indeed singing to me.

Vida vida vida maataen,

"I won't leave you..."

Nee thodama nan vida maataen

"Until you touch me so, I won't leave you..."

I glare at her, whereas she pauses and gives me an innocuous look. "What? It's just the lyrics of the song," she again goes on to allocate food for herself on the plate and halts the song before perching beside me.

"Mama...you know, I've got two great friends in my college!" I scrutinize her and nod admiringly. "Good, what's their name?" I ask placidly.

"Priya and Sam. The former is from Telangana and the latter is from Andhra!" She excitedly says. My eyes squint at the name Sam. A guy friend? Of course, she could have one but I'm not pleased with it.

"Sam?" I quirk my eyebrows and she begins to describe him.

"Yes! He is very fun to converse with and he smells pleasant mama..." She utter innocently while my mood becomes sore at her mention of his scent! Why would she talk about how he smells...

It's making me annoyed.

"Oh," I amuse in an uninterested manner and focus my attention on the food. But I couldn't freely gulp it down as her comment of some random guy smelling good rendered me feel unsettled.

"Mozhi..." I trail off, tentatively.

"Sollunga mama (Tell mama)" She readily listens to me and keeps her eyes strained on my face. Meanwhile, I set my view on the plate and question unhurriedly...

"How do I...smell?" As the words left my mouth, my cheeks fired up at the way it sounded too embarrassing. "Um..." I heed Mozhi's humming and then I feel her face nearing my ear, "Divine mama, you smell divine," she whispers, stimulating a chill to run down my spine. I was stunned at the reaction of my body.

Though her response was heartwarming, I was flushed at my vulnerability to ask such a question to Mozhi. Why do I care If some guy's scent attracted Mozhi? Why do I feel the urge to compare it with mine?

God, this is terrible.

Someday, she will find a guy to her liking after leaving me and If I can't even stand her appreciating a guy's scent, how will I bear it when she loves one...

"Mama, can I sleep beside you today? I had nightmares yesterday mama! It was scary," Mozhi says in a sad tone. "Pray to god and chant mantras. You will have a good night's sleep then," I assert flatly. Mozhi doesn't retort which made me tilt my head to see her. She is offering me a dumbfounded look.

Well, I wouldn't give in to her pleadings again...

"Why are you like this? If you don't want me in this house, then tell me it openly. I will stay in the hostel and won't disturb you, mama. What are you going to lose in letting me sleep in the same bed as you!?" I regard her aggrieved self calmly.

"So when do you want to shift to the hostel?" Mozhi's lips parts in shock. It is equally hard for me to let her go. But at the rate I'm getting attached to her, I'm not sure where it will lead me to...

I don't want to hurt Mozhi and don't want to torture myself either.

Mozhi's eyes pile with tears. "So that's all I'm to you? A disturbance that you were waiting to dispose of!?" She moves her half-eaten plate of food away and stares at me with a painful and saddened look.

My chest aches while I behold her in such a condition but I'm clueless as to what to do for the first ever time in my life.

"...Parava illa (It's okay).." I heed her say to herself and then she looks up at me with newfound determination.

"Say whatever you want, I will not leave you, mama! You are my husband. I may be annoying but you are to handle me for you have legally married me," I blink at her, unable to reply to her.

"Mozhi," I call her softly.

"Don't speak while eating, shhh," she places her index finger against my lips and hushes me.

And when she removes her fingers, my lips seemed to come alive. As much as I loathe my loss of self-control, I cannot deny the freshness I feel within me because of my Mozhi...

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