When Red and Blue make Purple

Emotional bonding

Sarawathi sighed. She looked up at Shankar and touched his cheeks fondly and said, "Sollaren pa. Inniki indha bharatha ellam erakki vekkanam pola irukku. Hmm.... Murthy kitta kalyana pecha eduthappo Avan Saroja va pathi enga kitta sonaan. Thaatha romba kova patta. Unakku chinna vayasulerndhu Seetha thaan nu solli thaane da valarthom. Adhu eppidi nee innoru ponna aasai poduve nu kettu romba thittina. Murthy aala onnume pesa mudile. Avasara avasarama adutha muhurtha naal paathu kalyanatha nadathinom. Murthy ku Appa va edhirthu pesa dheiriyam illai. Seetha ku thaaliya katti kadamaikku kudumban nadathinaan. Enakku therinjudhu avanum sadhoshama illai Seetha vum sandhoshama illainu aana ennala enna panna mudiyum? Poga poga seri ayidum nu nenachom. 4 maasathula Seetha pregnant aana. Engalukku ellam romba sandosham aana Murthy ku Calcutta la law college la admission kedachudhu. Appo ellam Naanum veguli ya irundhen. Avanukku Nejama ve ange kedachidhu nu nenachen. Ippo yosikkum podhu thaan thonardhu Avan venumne ange ponaan nu. Garbini pondaati ya inge vittutu Avan Calcutta ponaan. Avalukku letter kooda ezhudha maatan. Enakku ezhudheetu orey oru vaarthai Seetha va udamba paathukka sollu nu ezhudhuvaan. Paavam Seetha, romba sangada paduval. Aval letter potaalum adhukku badhil varadhu. Poga poga Aval purunjunduta Murthy ku ava mela perusha aasai illai nu. Seemandham kooda pannalai Chumma vala kaapu mattum paninom. Avan appovum varalai. Oru naal rathiri idi yum mazhaiyuma irundhappo avalukku vali vandhudhu. Appo ellam aathula thaan prasavam paarpa. Romba valila thudicha. Kaarthala 7 manikku thanga katti maadiri nee porandhe" she smiled touching his cheeks but tears were fighting to stay within Shankar's eyes. Ahalya was already sniffling and wiping her tears.

Saraswathi ran her fingers through Shankar's hair fondly and continued, "unga Appa ku telegram anupinom. Avan kittendhu onnum badhil varalai. Seetha ku dhideernu joram vandhudhu. Ratham um poinde irundhudhu. Enna panniyum adhu nikkalai. Pathavudhu naal rathiri kozhandai azhardhe nu naan vandhu paathen paavam Seetha poita. Ponnu ponna dhukkathula 6 maasathula Raji yum TB vandhu engala vittutu poita. Adhu TB ya vida Seetha pona dhukkam thaan adhigam. Aparam Murthy vandhaan. Unga thatha Avan kitta orey oru vaarthai thaan chonaar. Un pondaati oda saavukku nee thaan karanam. Innime naan unakku Appa vum illai nee enakku pullaiyum illai. Ennoda peran ennoda Seetha oda kozhandhai. Adha unnala maatha mudiyadhu. Murthy manasu kashta pattan aana enna prayojanam? Oru varshathulla Calcutta la Avan Saroja va kalyanam paneendan. Engalukku pathrigai post la vandhudhu. Unakku 5 vayasagara varaikkum enga kooda irundhe. Murthy varshathula rendu vaati varuvan Unna paarka aana hotel la thaan thanguvan. Aparam Unna school la chekkanum nu kooteendu ponaan aana school leave vitta enga kitta anupiduvan. Nee appidiye Seethe madiri. Ava gonam appidiye unakku vandhirukku."

Now Shankar could not control his emotions. He laid his head on his grandmother's lap and started weeping. His whole body was trembling. Ahalya's heart broke seeing him like that. She had never seen a grown man crying like a baby. She saw him in his most vulnerable state. Her heart melted for him. She wanted to hold him and tell him that it was okay but she let him be. After a while, Shankar slowly got up and excused himself. He slowly stepped out and took the stair to the top floor. None of them saw him for hours. Finally Ahalya decided to make some coffee.

She slowly went up the stairs. She found him in the study. He was sitting at his desk writing something. She cleared her throat and said, "Kaapi kondu vandhirukken." He turned around and smiled. It was very clear to her that he was hiding his emotions behind the smile. He said, "Naane vandhiruppene. Unakku edhukku Sramam?" She replied, "Aeeiii... sramam onnum illai. Indhaango chooda irukku." She handed over the tumbler to him and sat down on the chair. She then looked at him kindly and said, "Neengal eppidi irukkel? Enakku kavaliya irundhudhu. Adhunaala thaan Naane inge vandhen." He smiled and said, "Naan eppidi irukken nu enakke therila. Ithana varsham idhellam yen enkitta sollale nu varuthapadardha? Enga Appa va nenachu kova padardha? Enga amma va nenachu vedhana padardha nu orey kozhappama irukku. Oru pakkam naan porandhirukkalena enga amma uyiroda irundhirupaalo nu thonardhu." Ahalya quickly came next to him, "Ayo Neenga ippidi ellam romba yosikkadhengo. Unga mela oru thappum illai. Indha ulgathula ellarukkum oru kadhai irukkum. Ippo enna pathi yosichu paarungo? Enakku ennoda Appa Amma yaaru ne theriyardhu. Ennoda thaatha vum paati yum nejamave ennoda sondha thaatha paati thaana nu kooda theriyadhu. Aana avala maadiri anba vera yaaralayum enna valatheerka mudiyadhu. Adhe madiri unga mela alavu kadandha anbu vachundu irukara va ethana per irukka paarungo?" She paused to look at him. Then hesitantly, she looked down and said, "Naanum."

That very moment Shankar looked up at her and held her hand. Her heart skipped a beat but she let him hold her hands. They both sat there speaking no words but their heart heard what they meant to say to each other.

Brinda Subramanian