An unusual love story

Family vibes

As the food was being served on the plantain leaf, Mithu noticed that Madhu immediately gave her vadai to her brother who, instantly, smiled and her. Mithu asked Madhu, "Unakku vadai pudikkadha?" She smiled and said, "Romba pidikkum." Mithu was confused. She asked, "Appo yen unnoda vadai ya avanukku kuduthe?" Just then the girls were interrupted by Mithun who tapped his sister's shoulder and smiled feeding her half the vadai. She smiled back and then turned towards Mithu and said, "I always share my vadai with him because he loves it more than I do." Mithu nodded but was still confused. She asked, "Unakku un thambi mela kovam varaadha?" Madhu chewed the vadai and said, "Ohhh varume. Naraya ve varum. Rendu perum eliyum poonaiyum madiri sanda poduvom aana veli manisha yaaravudhu avana pathi thappa pesina enakku poruthukka mudiyadhu. Adhe madiri thaan avanum. Ennoda thala mudi ellam pudichu izhuppan aana yaaravudhu enna pathi edhavudhu sonna enakku thaan support pannuvaan." Mithu smiled but she didn't quite understand it but for the moment, she was hungry and the puttu, kadala followed by aapam, stew were too delicious to continue the conversation. Of course the vadai was yummy too.

After eating, the kids threw away their banana leaves in the big thotti which was in the back yard. They took turns with the hand pump for the next person to wash their hands. Hand pump was something Mithu had never seen and it was fun to see the way it worked. Soon after the kids started playing outside while some men and women got busy with the preparations for the following day. The cook had just arrived to go over the menu for the following day before heading out to the market with his helper. Couple of uncles decided to go to the flower market and get what was required. The kids got excited when Chandran, the gardner arrived to climb up the coconut tree to get some down. After he plucked those, the kids sat around to watch his use the iron knife to break open the husk and remove the coconut. Eldest periamma clicked the coconut with her thumb and middle finger and shook it near her ear to check if the coconut was good and gave a smile of approval when she heard the right sound. All this was way too amusing for Mithra.

Samyu received a video call from Abhi while all this was going on. She quickly went into one of the rooms and shut the door, "Hi eppidi irukeenga?" Abhi pouted, "Eppidi iruppen? Unna romba miss pannaren maa. Mithu va vera vittu idhu thaan first time. Romba kashtama irukku." Samyu gave him a kiss saying, "Achacho paavam neenga. Shooting ku dimikki kuduthu enga kooda vandhirukalaam le? Naaliki karthaala function. Ella cousins um full family pics eduthupaanga. Naan mattum..... seri vidunga. It's ok" the thought made her sad and she knew he could see that in her eyes so she quickly changed the topic, "Mithu semmaya enjoy pannara" she laughed, "Yaaru kai wash panna vandhaalum Iva thaan poi hand pump pakkathula poi ninnu volunteer pannara. Irunga kaamikkaren" she walked out to the back yard to show what Mithu was up to. By now Mithu and Madhu were laughing their heart out on the swing. Although Abhi smiled looking at it, the dad in him immediately said, "Ayo paathu paathu, romba vegama panna vendaamnu sollu. Vizhundhuda pora". Samyu turned the camera towards her face and frowned at him, "Stop being so over protective. Naalike ava boy friend dating nu pogum podhu enna panna poreenga? After all oru oonjal adhukku poi ippidi bayapadareengale. Che che seriyana waste."

Abhi pouted, "Enna maa thittare. By the way avalukku 20 vayasu agara varaikkum dating ellam not allowed." Samyu laughed, "Ennadhu 20 vayasa? Neenga enna sight adikkum podhu enakku 19. Nyabagam irukka? Oru chinna kozhandhai manasa keduthutu pesara pecha paaru?" He frowned at her saying, "Adhu vera. Nee amsama irundhe. Ennoda vayasu appidi." Samyu nodded saying, "Ungala madiri ulagathula neraya KD fellows irupaanga" she giggled. Abi smiled and said, "Seri ippo udane enakku oru kiss venume enna pannalaam?" She blushed and said, "Udane kelambi vaanga tharen." He smirked, "Oh appidiya? Ippo naan ange vandha ellarukkum nera enna kiss pannuviya?" She giggled, "Aye aasaiya paaru but indha Samyu kitta challenge pannina enna aagum nu ungalukku theriyum ille? Inge vaanga first apparam paarunga." Just then Samyu heard her name being yelled for the forth time. She rolled her eyes, "Ayo periamma enna thedaraaga. Naan poganum. Ipoodhaikku ummmmmmaaaaa. Michadhu thirumbi vandha aparam. Bye bye." She hung up. Abhi scratched the back of his head smiling and mumbling a "I love you so much maa."

The rest of the day was extremely busy at the tharavaadu house. In between the breakfast, lunch and dinner everyone had chores for the following day. Adults took turns to watch the kids as well. When the sun was right on top, Madhu and Mithu found a shady spot on the porch. Mithu was still very confused about the sibling thing. She asked, "Madhu unakku yeppayavudhu thambi yen thaan porandhano nu feel ayirukka? Appa Amma avana adhigama love pannaraangalo nu thoneerka?" Madhu nodded, "Oooo.... Naraya thonirku. Oru vaati naan enga aathu  kitta irukara pillaiyar kitta kooda vendeenden. Ivan romba enna torture pannaraane ivane kudutha edathukke kootindu poidu nu. Appo dhideernu oru naal avanukku high fever vandhu fits vandhudhu. Naanga ellam avana thookindu hospital ku ponom. Appo naan romba bayandhu poitten. Thiruppi pillaiyar kitta vendinden avana kaapathi kudu naan nalla akka va irukken nu. Apparam seri ayittan but periyavan aaga aaga naanga close aaga arambichom. Ippo kooda we fight a lot but we also sit together and watch cartoons aparam thalapathy paatukku rendu perum serndhu dance aaduvom. Pakkathathulerndhu manga thirudi tharuvaan enakku" she giggled. Mithu listened to everything carefully. Just then Radhika periamma came by and handed each of them a murukku and they munched happily.

Mithu woke up to the sounds of hustle bustle at 6:30am. Every one was running around like headless chicken. Samyu was waking Mithu up, "Mithu seekiram poi kulichu ready aagu. Paaru ellarum ezhundachu. Unnoda pavada chattai eduthu vachirukken." Mithu understood the urgency and quickly woke up. By the time she came out to the main hall, everyone was there. Chairs were arranged and there were some new uncles and aunties. Mithu looked around for Madhu and quickly ran up to her. The camera man was clicking around and asked the girls to smile, which they did. The priest was chanting mantras loudly. Mithu glanced around and found all couples standing together. The children were asked to stand next to their respective parents. Mithu looked up at Samyu, who smiled at her. She could sense a tinge of sadness in her eyes. She didn't know why but she felt she needed to go and stand next to Samyu and so she did. Samyu gave her a side hug. Mithu also realized that Samyu must be missing her dad just like she was.

Just then they saw a huge smile in the face of Rajesh mama who was standing facing the door. He yelled out, "Vaango Vaango Mapilliai vaango." Mithra turned around. The next thing Samyu heard was a scream from Mithu saying, "Daddddyyyyy" and she ran towards the door. Samyu turned around in shock to see the smiling face of Abhi. He dropped the bags in his hand and held out his arms for his approaching daughter, who jumped up on him. He picked her up and held her tightly. He looked up at Samyu lovingly and winked at her making her emotional. She had been trying to control her emotions especially when she saw all the families standing together. She walked towards him and with a tear in her eyes, hugged and whispered, "Thank you for making it." Mithra stepped down embarrassed when she realized she was too old to be held by her father but the camera did not fail to capture the moment. Abhi wrapped one arm around Mithra and another around Samyu and whispered, "I missed you guys so much adhunaala nee sonna madiri shooting ku dimikki kuduthu morning flight pudichu vandhutten." As they stood next to each other Abhi leaned towards Samyu and said, "remember your promise? Naan vandhutten but ennoda kiss enge?" Samyu glared at him, "Ayooo no way." "Madam ennennamo soneengale phone la. Ippo back vaangureenga. Idhu nyayame illai. Not fair." Samyu giggled and quickly pecked his cheek which the camera gladly caught making it a picture perfect moment.

Brinda Subramanian