You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter twenty-one

Mithrah broke the news of her new job to Veeraiyandi first.

He was in one of the large rooms admiring the paintings that Mithrah gifted him for a birthday many years ago. There was a smile on his face as he made sure the canvas stood straight. His daughter always reminded him of Radha, possessing her best qualities and her gift in art was one of them. He nor Rana could sit in one place and paint what they vision in their mind but Radha and Mithrah had the ability to breathe life into a blank piece of paper.

Mithrah quietly walked into the room but she knew her father already sensed her presence. "I need to tell you something important." She said, keeping her voice strong and steady.

He turned around with a warm smile. "What is it?"

A part of her wanted to ramble and avoid getting straight to the point. But she knew sooner or later she would have to say it and with her father she knew whatever it was she had to tell him, she would have his support. She had already waited for the engagement to pass, she couldn't wait much longer. Veeraiyandi was always her pillar of strength and she knew nothing could change that. Gathering her strength from his warm smile she sighed and smiled back at him.

"I have a new job."

Veeraiyandi's smile grew larger as he raised his arms to hug Mithrah. "That's great news. Why do you not look so happy about it?" He asked as his daughter rested her head on his chest, the way she often did from childhood when she wanted her nightmares to disappear and for sleep to find her.

"It's in Hyderabad." She replied.

There was a small pause before Veeraiyandi slowly stroked his daughter's hair. He knew this meant she would be hours away. He felt slightly disheartened by the distance but he knew if Mithrah accepted the offer there must be a reason for it. "What is the job?" He asked.

Mithrah pulled back and a glow appeared on her face. "Assistant editor for a magazine."

Veeraiyandi chuckled. He knew his daughter's dream career and he realised this would be the first step for her achieving it. "You will always have my blessings." He told her, knowing her move to Hyderabad would be the smartest decision she could make

"Do you think it's too far?" She asked making a face.

"Do you think it's too far?" Veeraiyandi placed Mithrah's question on herself wanting to know what she thought. He didn't want any of his opinions to change her mind even though he supported her wholeheartedly.

"I did think it was too far." She mumbled before looking down, a small smile blooming on her face as she appeared to reminisce something. "I thought you will all be far away. But I was wrong. I will never be too far from home." She stated, her whole expression changing.

Veeraiyandi looked at her in surprise. He remembered when Mithrah first got the opportunity to go study in London. She was very much reluctant due to distance and only the fact that it was temporary was she able to finally agree to move. But no one could deny the permanency behind her current choice. Yet, she was able to make the decision.

"You're right." He told her. "We will never be too far from you."

Soon after she left with a relieved smile on her face, Veeraiyandi stepped out of the room with an important order in mind. He walked through the villa trying to find the man but he was nowhere to be seen until finally in the garden he caught sight of him and Soori messing around.

"Prabhas," Veeraiyandi called. "I need to talk to you."

~

Bhavani stood at the edge of his balcony, his eyes staring into the distance appearing as calm as the blue sky above him. But within him was a fire that raged with every moment that passed. A sense of restlessness occupied every nerve within him. A sense of restlessness that hadn't left him from the very moment Veeraiyandi first entered his life. His fist clenched around the railing as he visualised the ending of Veeraiyandi in his own hands, a dream that stayed with him for many years. The man that he believed ruined his life.