The Tea Trail

Mannippaaya

She was cleaning up the kitchen 

The time was 10:00 pm

On some need, she called her dad and put him on speaker phone

Murugan : Ammadi Mulla..ennama innerathukku kooptu iruka...ethum prachanaiya

Mullai : yen pa.. prachanai na thaan kooppidanuma?

Murugan : appudi illema mani enna aaguthu athaan

Mullai : Aiyo thoongitteengalappa...disturb pannittena

Murugan: cha cha..athellam ille ma..sollu ma enna vishayam

Kathir had come back to take some water..on hearing her speaking to her dad..he paused at the doorway

Mullai : onnum ille pa...pothuva ellarum onna saappiduvom..aana innikku avuha late ah vanthaaha..ippo thaan saaptaaha..avarukku saappadu pottathu ungaluku naan poduven ille..athu nyabagam vanthuchu..athaan pesalaamnu phone pannen

Murugan : Yen ma intha sarakku prachanainaala romba velaiyo

Mullai : amaam pa..3 perum maathi maathi alainjukittu irukkaaha..

Murugan : kashtam thaan ma..naan kooda enaku therinja edathula solli vechu irukken..Moorthy maappillaikku theriyum...

Mullai : seri pa...intha prachanai eppo mudiyumnu irukku...ivuha alaiyartha paartha kashtama irukku

Murugan was able to understand that her concern was predominantly for Kathir..there was something in her voice..

Murugan : seri aayidum ma....appuram sollu..innikku saappaadu enna special anga..

Mullai : akka thaan pa senjaanga...sambhar, rasam , carrot poriyal..omelette mattum naan senjen

Murugan : oh seri seri...ennaya mathiriye maapillayum un kaiyala potta saatharana saappadu kooda amirtham mathiri irukkunnu sonnara

Mullai's eyes filled up on hearing that..

Mullai : ada ponga pa...appa neenga summa adichu viduveenga ponnu mela irukkara paasathula..avuha athellam sollale..anna nalla saaptaaha...

Murugan : Maappillai naal muzhuka uzhaikkaraaru..nalla sappdanum..nee vera nalla sooda pottu iruppiye...

Again that brought memories of their exchange over dinner...but she ignored that

Murugan : (continued speaking) santhosham ma..un omelette sattunu yaarukkum kedaichudathe...appo maappillai un dost appudi thaane..

Mullai was close to bursting..She hid her emotions not wanting to alarm her dad

Mullai : laughed weakly..ada ponga pa..neenga vera...naan vaikkaren pa...appuram pesuren..neengalum thoongunga..

Murugan : seri ma...neeyum thoongu...

they said their byes and once the call was cut she sat leaning on a pillar and allowed the tears to fall

Even from behind he knew...the way she sat...the way she spoke just now...A call to her dad at this time could mean only one thing..she needed a reprieve from the harshness he had projected on her...for every girl her dad is the first hero...There comes a phase in their life when they start hoping that they get a life partner who would shower the same unconditional love like their dad...If so late in the night she had felt the need to call her dad for solace, it can mean only one thing..her life partner had hurt her, disappointed her and unable to reach out to him for the salve she had reached out to the next best man in her life..but what was heartening was she had not complained about him..she was hurt and reached out to her confidant to lick her wounds in peace..she had gotten the balm she needed from her dad without even revealing her open and sore wounds to him..