The wedding went well. Shankar kept looking to see if she wore the anklets but she never did. The next couple of days were busy with the post wedding hurry bury. Shankar had to get back to his routine and was eager to hear from her. He knew that Chaami mama's follow up with Shankara nethralaya was coming soon.
It had been a week since the wedding and two days since Chaami mama's follow up. Shankar heard from Saraswathi that everything had gone well and he was recovering well. One day, Shankar had returned from work and freshened up. He was sipping on the filter coffee when he noticed Ahalya enter their house with the little box in her hand. Shankar's heart started pounding. Although he had been waiting for some kind of answer from her, when the moment was here, he was petrified.
Ahalya walked in a smiled nervously when she saw him, "Ippo thaan office lerndhu vandhela?" He nodded a yes. She continued, "Kaapi kuduchaacha?" He looked at the tumbler in his hand and realized that she was as nervous as him. She was trying to bring up the topic about the anklet gradually. Then she looked down for a moment, looked around to see if Saraswathi was around. When she realized that Saraswathi was busy with he chanting, Ahalya whispered, "Unga kitta konjam thaniya pesanum, maadi ku polaama? Anje nimisham thaan."
Shankar gulped down his coffee and nodded. He gestured her to walk ahead and he followed. As soon as they reached the upstairs room Ahalya extended her hand, asking for his. Then she placed the anklet box in his palm saying, "Thappa nenachukaadhengo. Naan romba yosichu thaan indha mudivu eduthirukken. Naalikki kaarthale train la Naanum thaatha vum oorukku kelambarom. Adhunaala thaan naan ippo vandhen. Enakku golusu na romba pidikkum aana ippo naan idha unga kittendhu vaangardhu seri illai. Enakku ungala romba pudichirukku. Ippo nu illai. Ungala modhal thadavai oorule paathadhulerndhu. Appo kooda edho vayasu kolaar nu nenachunden aana ippo appidi thonalai. Pakshe ippo naan idha unga kittendhu vaanginden naa adhu thappayidum. Ungalukku samayam kedakkarche oorukku vaango, thaatha kitta pesunga, ennoda muzhu kadhaiya first therinjukungo. Adhukku aparamum ungalukku enna idhe alavu pudichirukku na Naane idha unga kittendu vaangikkaren. Adhu varaikkum indha pokkisham unga kitteye irukattum." She left the box in his palm and slowly turned around to walk away.
Shankar had been quiet until then. When she walked away he said, "Ahalya, orey oru nimisham. Unnoda kadhai edhuva venumnaalum irukattum aana enakku kalyanam nu onnu nadandha adhu un kooda thaan. Aana unakaaga naan ippo idha badhrama vachukaren aana kandippa seekirame idhu unnoda kaal la irukkum. Indha pazhaya kadhai ellam kooda unakaaga thaan. Unakku adhu romba mukkiyam nu enakku puriyardhu. Naanum paatiyum koodiya seekiram Unna ponnu kettu varom." Ahalya was teary eyed when she turned around, "Ungalayum Paatiyum paarkama romba kashtama irukkum." Shankar walked towards her and she quickly wiped her tears and then she did the most unexpected thing.
She touched his cheeks, looked into his eyes yearningly and said, "Seekirama vaango." Shankar placed his hands over hers and nodded smiling.
Early the next morning, Ahalya bid farewell to her family. As they stepped out she kept looking for Shankar. Right when they were about to turn around the corner, she caught a glimpse of his long hands waving and she waved back happily.
Brinda Subramanian
YOU ARE READING
When Red and Blue make Purple
FanfictionThis is a story of Ahalya Keshavan and Shankar Krishnamurthy. Both of them grew up in very different environments but life brings them together. Ahalya is calm outside but is red as fire within while Shankar seems like an arrogant no nonsense type o...
