Somba Kaanum!!!!!!

Unnai Kan Thedudhe...

Kathir went in search of Mullai. As he was about to enter the room, he overhears Selvi akka and Mullai discussing the discomforts of menstrual cycle. "Ipadi laam kuda kashtam irukuma? Cha paavam ava, naama poi edhaa udhavi venumaa nu kekanum!" he tells himself.

After akka leaves, he goes to Mullai, educates himself about Periods and offers to help her "Maathra edhuna podriya? Vaangitu varava? Unga amma edhuna panuvaanga naa solu, naa senju tharen". Mullai doesn't know how to react and her happiness was overflowing like boiling Rasam from the eeyasombu. Kathir was unable to concentrate on the Poojai, his heart was aching for Mullai's pain and he kept coming back to check on her health even when Selvi akka was standing like a barricade in between them.

The silver moon appeared on the black night sky as if someone dropped a sombu onto a dark tar road and Kathir walked into their bedroom with not much thought except hoping Mullai was feeling better. He was shocked to find Akka and Papa sleeping in their room along with Mullai. He couldn't tolerate it. There were too many changes for him in the last 3 days; the two possessions of his that always kept his side at night are now not next to him- Mullai and his Sombu!!

He was made to sleep on the thinnai with Kanna much to his annoyance. The mosquitoes were humming their night-time melodies to which tune Kanna was throwing around his hands and legs on top of poor Kathir.
"Sombu illama summave thookam varala; idhula avakiterndhu vera ena pirichutaanga. Idhu poraadhu nu ivan vera  Sombu mela aaduvaangale.. haan Kuchipudi.. adha maari kaiya kaala potu aadikitu irkaan. Padutha odane thoongiduviye da Kathiru.. enna aachu unaku!" his eyes frantically were searching her, to atleast have a tiny glimpse, to make sure she was free of pain, to see if she is back to normal... and...
....
....
and also ask her if she saw his sombu since she had the entire day in the room to look for it!
"Cha, sombu kedachudhaa nu ketu adi vaangidadha da! Modhalla ava odambu epdi irku nu kepom!" he hatched a plan and went near the door opening it very quietly to find Mullai sitting up unable to sleep.

"Hey, shhhh... vali poiduchaa?!"
"Ennanga?!"
"Vali.. vali poiducha?!
"Puriyalanga!!"
"Valiiii Sabbaaaa...." he sighed
"Enadhu?!Velli sombaa?! Enga nga?!"
"Vali Sobba epdi unaku velli sombu nu..."
"Ennadhu?!"
"Ayo, adha vidu...indha maathraya podu, vali poidum" he threw her a strip of painkillers carefully over Selvi akka, which she caught silently.
"Kaal valiku idha podu, seri aaidum" he threw an ointment. Unfortunately it lands on Selvi akka and she wakes up screaming as if Kathir threw a Sombu on her head instead of ointment.
"Deeei.. ena thoonga vidunga da! Un pondaati onnum Thanga sombu ila da yaaravadhu vandhu thookitu poga. Poi padu da! Ayooo naa thoongardhuku indha room aa en select panenooo!!" she went back to sleep while Mullai was blushing left and right.

Kathir panicked and ran out back to the living room and started smiling like a fool due to the adventure! His heart was beating fast keeping up with his adrenaline rush as he sat stroking his beard with a huge grin "Moonu naal en somba kaanum,. adhukula ena enalaam saagasam nadandhupochu! Ava mela namaku imbuttu akkaraya! Indha sombu inum enna enavellam unaraveka pogudho"
MK who was listening to this knew exactly what he had to say:

"Moonu naala sombu unkitta illai
Thookam varaama orey thollai
Aana una aasayaa paathukura Mullai
Ava manaso andha paal pola Vellai!!"

The next day was absolutely lovely!! Kathir stayed home to spend all his time with Papa and Mullai tagged along. Selvi akka couldn't help but admire the couple with her little girl!
"Madhani, Kathirukum pombala pullaye porakatum! Nalla paathupan" she told Dhanam who was all smiles.
The sombu got pushed to the back of his mind as he was way too busy playing with Papa.

"Mama, en kooda choppu saaman velayaada vareengala?"
"Oh velayaadalaame!! Enga unga saaman set aa edunga papom.. enalaam iruku?!"
"Mama, idhu Kadaai, idhulaam karandi, dho idhu stove, idhu mixie.. aprom mama, dho paarunga kuttttti Sombu" she shows him.
And just like that the Sombu came to the foreground... Kathir started feeling uneasy.. "Adhu.. idhu Mama ku vendam neengale vechukonga ok va?! Vera edhaa vechu velayaduvoma?" Mullai quickly diverted.

After their stay, it was finally time for Selvi and Papa to leave back to Dubai. Papa by then had grown fond of Mullai as much as Kathir.
Dhanam and Moorthy had gotten Papa a cute Dora backpack and Kathir had gotten her dozens of her favorite bangles. When she realised it was time to leave Papa started crying buckets.. erm.. i mean.. crying sombus(hehehe😝). Noone was able to console her, even Kathir. If he tried to, she just hugged him and started crying even louder.

Finally Mullai stepped up.. "Naa thaniya pesi seri panren" she whispers to the family. "Papa.. inga vaanga.. Nama room ku polam, unga new gift laam athai ku kaaminga paapom!!" she took Papa into her room and the innocent kid followed her.

After a few minutes, they both came out of the room with Papa looking happy and calm "Amma enaku indha athaiya rombaaa pidichurku! Naama Dubai polam! Kathir mama, next year nama meet panuvom ok?!"

"Inga paaru da! Mullai, apdi ena d vithai vechuruka, enakum kathun kuden! En ponna enaala ivlo easya adakka mudinjadhe ila!" Selvi asked her with a shock.

"Haha apdilaam onum illa athaachi! Number kuduthu video chat pannalam nu laam soli ok panen avlovudhaan! Ava romba chamathu! illa da kutti?!" Mullai fondly pinched her cheeks. Kathir was looking at both of them with so much love in his eyes  and a graceful smile on his lips.

They all bid bye to Papa and akka. Suddenly the house fell quiet. Kathir was back to his sad mode and quietly walked back to his room with Mullai following him. "Yenga, nala dhaane irundheeha.. enna aachu ipo?"

"Onumilla.. pathu naal Papa oda romba sandhoshama irunchu la.. ipo ava kelambita odane oru madhiri iruku avlovudhaan..." he confessed. "Ada, avlovudhaane, en kita dhaan smartphone iruke. Nan akka number vaangiten.Inime adikadi video pani pesikalaam seriya?! ipo siringa!" assured Mullai.

Kathir smiled faintly as if his mind was preoccupied with something. Just then MK came back to recite a poem about what was in Kathir's mind

"Sombu Kaanama pochu
Papavum kelambi yaachu
Inime verenna pechu
Ayo enakenna aachu"

To be continued....