Euphoria..

Oru Naal Koothu..

The next day...

Things have moved very quickly at the Pandian household.

As soon as Jeeva tells Moorthy that Janarthanan has planned on getting Meena married to another person the following week, he takes some quick decisions all the while reassuring Jeeva that things will be fine.

And so that day... Jaga's family along with Mullai's father and mother leave to Madurai first and then Moorthy, his mother, Dhanam and Kanna leave in another vehicle to prepare for the wedding. It is hectic to prepare for the wedding within such a short time.

Mullai is to come the next day along with Meena, Jeeva and Kathir. That night, her mother has arranged for a neighbor lady to sleep with Mullai in her house. But she can't sleep at all....she is so nervous...will they be able to pull this off? She sleeps fitfully that night.

Kathir also can't sleep...Jeeva and he have talked over and over about what is going to happen tomorrow and finally Jeeva drifts off into a restless slumber...The house feels empty with just the two of them and in that stillness...his mind wanders to Mullai...

His brave Mullai, his gorgeous Mullai.... He rubs his chest, as he thinks about the bike ride home...how she hugged him tight, how her head rested on his shoulders and her torso pressed on his back, her thighs tight against his... The entire incident lasted only four minutes, once they got to the main road, she moved back on the seat maintaining a respectable distance between them...but those four minutes...it was paradise for him...only a man can describe those feelings of having a woman you love behind you on a bike in a dark night..

Even now when he thinks about it, his heart rate accelerates...

K MV: Dei nalaikku avlo periaye ranagalam nadakkae pohuthu, ithulae unnaku inthae yosanai thevaiyah? Pesamae paduthhu thoongu da...

He smiles and tries to go to sleep.

*************** 

The D day...

Around 4.30 AM:

The car stands outside the entrance of Meena's street..

Three people wait inside it for Meena...

Two are extremely nervous and jittery..

One is calm and collected..

Jeeva is about to open the door and step out..

K: Vendae nae... Konjae neram poru...avungae varuvahae..

Jeeva sits back and wipes his face with his kerchief...

Mullai is so worried and apprehensive..her fingers twist the ends of her dupatta, she rubs her sweaty palms on her thighs...

Kathir is composed...as if they are all going for a joy ride.

J: Naan poie veliyae nikkiren da...

He gets out and stands in a corner, waiting for Meena...

Kathir takes Mullai's hands in his...

M: Kathir...konjae kude nervous ah illaiyah?

K: Nammae ennae, thappah pannarom? Aprom ethukku inthae nervous?

Mullai is about to reply when the car's doors open and Meena and Jeeva get in..

J: Polam...polam...

With dust billowing behind the wheels, Kathir drives the car in full speed and they are off..

Meena falls into Jeeva's arms sobbing with relief and sadness..

For Mullai...this is so anti climactic... She was expecting men to chase behind them in white jeeps all brandishing sickles from the windows..

But the streets are silent and empty..

Meena cries for a long time..

They all console her...

K: Anni...azhae thingae...neengae innaki kalyanae ponnu...Kannae thodaingae...kandippa..kudiyae seekaram ungae Appavum ammavum ungalae yethukuvangae, azhathingae....

Maybe it was him calling him Anni, or his calming voice and the strength of his words....she finally stops crying..

They talk about what is going to happen next and after sometime...Jeeva and Meena drift off to sleep..

K: Mullai... oru velae nammalukkum ithae sulnilai nah, nee ungae veetae vittu enakkagae odi vanthirpiyah? He asks softly..

She doesn't even hesitate for a minute..

M: Kandippah...

He smiles that beautiful smile of his...

And takes her hand and places it on the gear and covers her hand with his..

After a while of driving, they stop at a tea shop... Kathir and Mullai get out and stretch their legs.. Jeeva and Meena are still fast asleep...

A YSR song plays on the radio,  He gives her a glass of hot tea, and sits next to her on a rickety old stool, his knees bumping against hers.. The tea is the best he has ever tasted...or maybe he just feels that way because Mullai is next to him...

Theepidika theepidika starts playing on the radio...

Kathir and Mullai both choke on their teas, look at each other and burst into laughter...

K: Inimae, ithu dhan nammae paatu..

Mullai agrees..

Both hum the words together, smiling at each other shyly.

After the song gets over, they take two cups of tea and go and wake Jeeva and Meena.

************

They reach Madurai...the city of Meenakshi Amman Temple, maili poo, jigirthandas and bun parrottas.. The city is dusty and dirty but to the young couple, it is a city of refuge and hope. They all go to a hotel where Moorthy had already booked rooms for them..

They freshen up, Dhanam and Mullai help Meena in getting ready....after that they all have the complimentary breakfast...and rush to the temple... The muhurthae neram begins at 9.15 and they have to be there at least an hour earlier..

It is so hot outside, there is a panthal for the brides and the grooms to wait and there are three couples already waiting there. Meena is now smiling a bit, she is finally going to marry Jeeva and that is what she has wanted for a long time... Yes, she wishes that her parents were here but she is a practical person...she knew that they would never agree...hopefully soon God will soften her father's heart and they will be reunited once again... That is what she prays for.

Lakshmi amma is the only one who is unhappy, but she doesn't show it on her face...somehow deep inside....she has this feeling that Jeeva is not going to be happy, but she prays that she is wrong. Finally the priest calls them.. And amidst the shower of the rice and the flowers, the priest chanting the mangalya slokas...

Jeeva and Meena are finally married.

To be continued...