Seetha Kalyanam Vaibohame

Jaladosham

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of the ambassador car stopping outside their house. Instant Arun and Seetha pulled away from each other and ran to the enclosed verandah. Parvathi stepped out of the car, covering her head with the saree pallu and hurried inside. She looked at the young couple in shock, "Enna kolam daa idhu. Rendu perum ippidi nenanjirukele. Modhalla poi maathendu thalaiya thodachukongo. Seetha, indha ooru mazhai vellam (water) unga ooru madiri illai. Veyyilukku udane jaladosham pidichukkum. Po po udane poi maathikko."

Seetha nodded and ran inside, both in fear and in embarrassment. Seetha glanced at Arun and said, "Dei unkitta vera thaniya chollanama? Aval thaan chinna ponnu, mazhai ya paathu sandhoshathula nenanjirukka naa, neethane avala paathukanum? Adha vittuttu neeyum ippidi nikkariye da." She smacked her forehead with her palm. "Enna daa paathundu nikkare? Po neeyum poi maathikko." Arun smiled sheepishly, "Illai ava maatheendu varattum. Adhukku aparam naan poren." Parvathy smacked her forehead again, walking into the house towards her room, still talking to him, "Dei ava unnoda pondaati thaane? Avala paathu yen da vekka padare? Po da."

Arun could not think of anymore excuses. So he gathered himself, like a little kid who had got caught stealing candy, and slowly walked. Just there there was a click sound and everything went dark. Power cut. Arun gently knocked the bedroom door, "Maa naan thaan. Current poiduthu. Ulla varattuma?" He heard Seetha's voice, "Vaango. Naan thaazhpaal (latch) podalai. Kadhavu thorandhu thaan irukku." Arun stepped in and quickly removed his wet clothes and changed. He had the almirah door open and changed right there. When he turned around, Seetha was right there holding a towel for him. She said, "Maathendaachu naa inge vaango. Indha kattil la ukkarungo." He did as he was told. She promptly plopped the towel on his head and started drying his hair with her little hands.

As she was doing that she muttered, "Enakku konjam kooda moolaiye illai. Ungala mazhai la izhuthu vittutten. Amma sonna madiri ungalukku jaladosham pudikkama irukkanum. Pillaiyar Appa nee thaan ivara paathukanum. Irungo naan poi raasanadhi podi (ayurvedic powder) eduthundu varen. Uchchi mandai la thadavina jaladosham varaadhu. Ayo indha current vera pochu. Inge thaan dressing table la vachirundhen. Indha iruttula eppidi theduven." She sounded very worried.

Arun held her hand and pulled her close to him. He then held both her hands, "Oii, enna paaru oru nimisham. Inge vaa." She turned to look at him. He smiled at her and said, "Enakku onnum aagadhu. Indha ooru mazhai onnum enakku pudhusu illai. Unakku thaan jaladosham pudikkama irukkanum." He touched her hair and asked, "Nee seriya thortheende illiyo. Innum eerama irukku paaru. Nee ukkaru naan unakku thorthi (dry) vidaren." She nodded saying, "Achacho adhellam vendaam" and she took a couple of steps back but Arun quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him and whispered, "Yen? Naan unakku thorthi vida pdaadha... hmmm?"

Seetha blushed even in the dark room, "Acho vidungo. Amma paavam ippo thaan vandhirukka. Naan adakolaila poi randhal (lantern) vilakku etheendu varen." She slowly walked towards the door although she still felt a tingling feeling on her bare waist which had been occupied by his gentle hands. She managed to find the lantern. She lit it and brought it to the living room where Parvathy and Arun were seated. Parvathy smiled when Seetha walked in and said, "Seetha indha maa laddoo prasadham." Seetha smiled and responded, "Tirupathi Laddoo na enakku romba pidikkum." Then she looked towards Arun and said, "Perumale avar kaiyala pannuvaaram adhunaala thaan tirupathi laddoo oda swaadhu vera engeyum kedakkadhu. Namma ethana thaan aathula paninaalum adhu madiri varave varaadhu theriyumo ungalukku?" Arun nodded his head with dramatic facial expression as if he was fascinated by her theory.

The current was still not back when Parvathy finally said that she was going to retire to bed, "Indha vandi la poitu vandhu, tirupathi malai ellam eri kaal rendum kozhayardhu. Naan poi paduthukka poren. Neengalum pongo. Neram aachu." As Seetha and Arun got in bed, she asked, "Rathiri kulla current vandhuduma?" Arun replied, "Therila maa. Mazhai ya irukkadhu naala konjam sandeham thaan. Naalikki thaan varum nu thonardhu." She nodded and said, "Ungalukku onnu theriyma? Orula Aathula current pochuna naan, Amma, paati, chithi, Akka ellam vidiya vidiya pei kadhai sollippom" she chuckled, "Adhukku aparam nadu rathrila bathroom ku poganum na bayama irukkum. Amma viyo chithi yo ezhuppu ven. Adhellam thaan ippo nenachu paathunden."

Arun smiled, "Unakku pei kadhai pidikkuma?" She immediately nodded saying, "Ayayo enakku romba bayam. Adhunaala thaan enakku amma va kateendu thoongi thaan pazhakkam." Arun said, "Ohoo andha pazhakathunaala thaan enna kateendiya? Naan ennamo unakku enna pudichirukko nu thappa nenachundutten." She quickly corrected him without realizing his trick, "Ahaaan...appidi ellam illai" she then hesitated and mumbled, "Ungala pudichirukku." He turned towards her and wrapped his arm around her waist. He looked into her eyes and, in his base voice, asked, "Appo naan Unna kattikardhula unakku akshepanai illai liyo?" Seetha bit her lower lip saying, "mmhmmm." He repeated, "Mmhmmm ku artham ennadhu? Akshepanai irukku ngaraya illai nu chollariya?" She snuck closer, hiding her face in his chest saying, "Akshepanai illai."

Arun gently kissed her forehead and asked, "Ippo?" and she responded with a "mmhmmm" again. He then whispered, "Ippodaikku idhu porum" and she chuckled. In between these sweet nothings the young couple dozed off in each others arms. The next morning Seetha woke up with a sneeze. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Arun next to her with a wet handkerchief which he was placing on her forehead, "Maa nethikki mazhai la nenanjadhu unakku othukkalai paaru. Nadu rathiri unnoda udambu nadunga aarambichudhu. Paatha joram irukku. Amma kashaayam vachu tharen nu sonna. Nee paduthukko maa. Madhyanathukulla joram seri aagala na Unna Padmini doctor kitta kooteendu poren. Oru injection potaa seri ayidum."

The mention of injection, the thought of being sick and the embarrassment of having drenched in the rain brought tears trickling down Seetha's cheeks. She sniffled. Arun felt bad for her and said, "Onnum illai maa idhellam rende naal la seri ayidum" but larger tears dropped down Seetha's cheeks, "Naan ungalukku romba kashtam kudukkaren. Sorry." Arun set the kerchief aside and hugged Seetha saying, "Achacho adhellam onnum illai maa. Nee yen kavala padare. Adhu thaan naan irukkene. Unna eppidi rende naal la seri pannaren paaru." Seetha hugged him back and this time, she was hugging the man she had fallen in love with.

Brinda Subramanian