Ennai Maatrum Kadhale...

Chinna Chinna Kangal...

Episode 13...

The night air was calm, with the faint sound of crickets filling the silence in the house. Shreya walked down the hall after cleaning up from dinner, her thoughts still tangled from the conversation earlier. As she passed the back door, she noticed a figure sitting alone in the dimly lit backyard. It was Surya, Ajay's father, sitting on a bench beneath the old mango tree, staring off into the darkness.

Something tugged at her heart. There was a heaviness in his posture, a kind of quiet sadness she hadn't noticed before. Without a second thought, Shreya slipped out the door and walked over to him.

'Appa?' Shreya called softly

Surya turned his head slightly, offering her a faint smile as she approached. The word "Appa" still felt new on her tongue, but it had started to feel right.

'ammadi, innum thoonga pola? velila vera konjam chillunu irukku' Surya said quietly

Shreya smiled gently and sat down next to him on the bench, the cool air brushing against her skin.

'thaniya okandhutu irundhingala, adhan company kudukalamey nu vandhen' Shreya said

They sat in silence for a few moments, gazing at the dark sky. Shreya sensed that there was something weighing heavily on his heart. After a few minutes, Surya let out a long sigh, his eyes still fixed on the horizon.

'unaku onnu theriyuma da, Meena engala vitutu pona aparam indha veedey mariduchu...romba amaidhiya aiyuduchu' Surya started

Shreya glanced at him, seeing the sorrow etched in his face as he spoke about his late wife.

'Malini and Ajay... Romba chinna vayasu. Malini ku apo dhan vevaram theriya arambichudhu, and Ajay... ella ambala pasanga madhiri dhan avanga amma kooda romba attach agi irundhan. ava pona aparam, ellame mariduchu' Surya said

His voice wavered, the grief of losing Meena still fresh even after all these years. Shreya reached over and gently placed her hand on his.

'Ajay dhan romba maritan. Avan romba amaidhiyana, nalla buthisali paiyan theriyuma? ana avanga pona ponadhuku aparam, neraiya pesa arambichan. More outgoing. Neraiya sirikka arambichan . At least, that's what it seemed like on the surface.' Surya said after taking a deep breath

Shreya's heart ached at the image of a young Ajay, masking his pain with laughter and an extroverted personality. She had seen glimpses of that side of him, the part of him that hid his feelings behind a facade of strength.

'Avan ennaiyum malini yayum protect pandradha nenachitu , avan sandhodhama irukkura madhiri nadichutu irundhan, so that he could keep us from worrying. Ana ullukula... odanji poi irundhan. Losing his mother tore him apart.' Surya said shaking his head

Shreya squeezed his hand gently, urging him to continue.

'Adhu kaparama dhan Abi avan life la vandha. Romba varusham kalichi avana naan sandhoshama parthen. Really happy. Ana avalum avana vitutu ponapo... when she was taken away...' Surya said

His voice broke slightly, and he paused to collect himself. Shreya felt her chest tighten, knowing how deeply Ajay had been hurt by Abi's departure.

'En paiyan mothama odanju ponadha naan parthen. Avan yarutayum adha kamichika matan ana enaku theriyum. The sadness, the hopelessness. Avana pathi nenaikiradhaya niruthitan' Surya said

Surya looked down at his hands, his voice thick with emotion.

'Shreya, unaku theriyadhu en pasangala apdi pakka epdi irundhuchu nu. ennala avana yelaka mudiyala. I had already lost Meena... I couldn't lose Ajay.' Surya said

Shreya felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Surya's voice was raw, filled with the pain of a father who had been helpless in the face of his son's suffering.

'na evlo bayandhen theriyuma, Shreya. Scared that he would never recover. Avan epovume andha baratha manasula sumandhute irupano nu. But then... nee vandha.' Surya said

He turned to her, his eyes brimming with gratitude.

'indha veetukeyy uyira thirumbi kondu vandha da. Nee avan mugathula sirippa konduvandha, true smile. Adhukaga naan en vazhkai fullah unakku kadan pattu iruken . But I need to ask you something, Shreya.' Surya asked

Shreya looked at him, her heart pounding in her chest.

'Avana dhaiyava senju vituradha ma. Enna analum avana vituradha. Avanuku nee venum, more than you know. You're the only one who can pull him out of the darkness. Needhan avan vazhkai kana orey hope' Surya said voice breaking slightly

Tears slipped down Shreya's cheeks as she listened to Surya's plea. She felt the weight of his words, the depth of his love for his son, and the immense responsibility he was placing on her.

'Appa, na avara vida maten. I promise you that. I love Ajay, and enna analum naa avaru kooda nippen. We'll get through this together.' Shreya whispered

Surya let out a shuddering breath, relief flooding his features. He gave Shreya a small, grateful smile.

'Romba nandri, Shreya. You don't know what this means to me.' Surya said

They sat in silence for a few moments, both of them overwhelmed with emotion. Then, Surya spoke again, his voice soft but filled with sadness.

'Malini... romba pavam da, avanga amma va evlo miss pandra theriyuma. Especially ipo, ava oru kolandhaiya ulla sumandhutu irukumbothu. She tries to be strong, but I can see how much she's hurting. Meena avalukaga irundhu irukanum, especially during times like these.' Surya said

Shreya's heart ached for Malini, who had been like a sister to her from the moment she had married Ajay. She knew how much Malini longed for her mother's presence, especially now that she was about to become a mother herself.

'Anni ku naan epavume irupen, pa. Namba ellarumey irupom' Shreya said

Surya gave her a grateful nod, his eyes misting over with emotion.

'Nee romba nalla ponnu Shreya, en nanban unna evlo nalla valathu irukan theriyuma, I'm so glad Ajay found you. Meena... irundhu irundhana romba sandhosha pattu iruppa' Surya said

Shreya felt a lump in her throat at his words. She leaned her head against Surya's shoulder, finding comfort in his presence, the warmth of their newfound bond settling over them like a blanket.

In the distance, they didn't notice Malini, Ajay, and the others watching them quietly from the back door. Malini had a soft smile on her face, tears glistening in her eyes as she watched the scene unfold. Ajay stood beside her, his heart swelling with gratitude and love for both Shreya and his father.

'Shreya inga oru Appa kidaichitaru pola' Keerthana said to Naren

Naren grinned and nodded in agreement.

Ajay, watching them from afar, couldn't help but smile. In that moment, he realized just how lucky he was—to have a wife who loved him, a father and a sister who never gave up on him, and friends who were more like family. For the first time in a long while, hope flickered in his heart, and he knew that together, they would find a way to heal.

To be continued...

What do u guys think about Shreya and Surya's bond?

hope u guys liked it, pls do comment ur opinions and don't forget to share your vote                           Stay Tuned                                                                                                                                                                                 ~ Abi