She smiled like a lunatic for a hundredth time rubbing the place where her husband placed a freshly sweet kiss.

"Nejamavae avarudhana..."mullai smiled thinking about her husband's drastic changes.

"Enna pathu sirikiraru , di solluraru ,aprom nethi la mutham , miss you vera , ayoo kadavulae ennaku vekka vekkama varudhe..."she coyly cupped her cheeks and fell on the bed upside down dangling her legs in air.

Her magal sutra fell out from her valley turning mullai's attention to it..

Mullai clutched it and cradled it in her palm reminiscing her marriage day..

"Album inga dhan engayadhu irrukum.."she said to herself and got up and searched the album in the wooden cupboard.

Finally she found it safely latched inside the locker..

"Dho inga dhan irruku.."mullai cheered to herself as she opened the beautiful vine colored album.

She didn't get the time to view the album in the initial days of their marriage..

At the start both of their names were written in italics with a picture of joint rings in the middle.

Mullai started viewing page by page tracing each and every picture with fondness and delight.

Him sitting on the dias with the lotus garland , she walking to the stage with her beautiful embroidered dark maaron golden saree.

Another picture of them rounding the sacred fire with their pinky fingers attached.

Their reception..

His dark blue coat..

Her ripe red saree..

She laughed when she saw a picture of kanna gobling up sweets.

Lakshmi shyly refusing to pose for picture with pandian..

Kathir didn't even smile properly in any of the snaps..

She still remembers how he glared at the photographer when the guy asked to give romantic poses..

And she still can't believe it has been eight months after marriage..

Time flies..

It felt as though it was yesterday..

And now it has been freaking eight months..

Eight months of bearing his cold shoulder..

Eight months of transforming him.

Eight months of living together as husband and wife..

Eight months of surviving in this planet as Mr and Mrs Kathirvelan..

And-not even once..

Not even once she regretted marrying him...

Or..

Falling in love with him..

**

She looked at her phone for the nth time..

Still she didn't receive any calls from him..

It has been two days since he went..

And he didn't even call her..!

Letting go of a huge disappointed sigh she puts her phone for charging and goes in to the bathroom to take a shower.

Wearing a nice chiffon black and deep red saree she wraps her wet hair in the huge towel and swirls it and puts it into a bun.

"Rendu naal achu oru phone um illa onnum illa indha manushanuku appidi yenna dhan velaiyo..."she mumbled biting her lips silently cussing kathir in her mind.

After pulling her saree pleats properly she goes opens the bedroom door and walks to the hall only to find the usual sound of two people chattering.

With scrunched up brows she paces to the kitchen only to find kathir drinking tea and chatting with manju..

Kathir who was busy talking with manju unexpectedly notices mullai.

He gives her a small smile.

She however didn't reciprocate his actions..

"Va vandhu ukkaru , nalla thunginiya...?"he asked pulling a chair out from the dining table for her to take a seat on.

Mullai just hummed to what he said and went and sat silently in the chair beside him.

Kathir gave her a weird look. She wasn't the usual mullai he knew..

"Indha di tea..."manju gave her the porcelain cup filled with hot piping tea.

"Thanks.."mullai squeaked and took the cup silently.

For the whole time she just remained silent..

Kathir who was listening to manju talk sneaked one or two glances at her.

Mullai didn't even raise her head up..

After the tea time she just took the cups and went to wash them..

Kathir who was taking note of her behavior silently went to his room making up his mind to talk to her.

Even after entering the bedroom mullai maintained the same eerie quietness..

"Mulla inga paaru.."kathir said in a stern voice..

"Ennanga..."she asked in a small voice with her head bowed.

"Pch unna yenna pakka sonnen.."he said strictly and mullai slowly raised her head and saw her husband.

"Yenna yedhuku appo la irundhu avoid panra.."he asked curtly.

"Naan yenga avoid pannen..."mullai asked in a slow voice.

"Yennadhu naan yenga avoid pannena va , rendu naal trip poitu vaduruken yenna pathu nee sirika kudo illa , onnum pesala nee pattuku amaidiya vara vela seiyura pora , yennadhan nenaichikittu irruka un manasula..."kathir asked quiet angrily.

"Ohh neenga mattum pesuningalo yenkitta , orruku poi rendu naal achu , neenga oru phone avadhu panningala , vandutinga perusa yenna kora solla.."she retorted back angrily.

Kathir pressed the sides of his forehead with his fingers closing his eyes.

It was his way of controlling anger..

"Work rombha adigama irrudhuchu sapuda kuda time illa mulla...."he said a little more softly this time.

"Appidi yenna velai wife kitta pesamudiyadha alavuku , dho ippo kuda neenga phone panningala varapo , neenga phone pannuvinganu evlo neram mobile ah yae pattutu irrundhen theriyuma..."she said complainingly.

Kathir looked at his wife confused.

"Edhu naan innaiku phone pannalaya , ippo kudo varadhuku munnadi naan rendu vaati un mobile ku call pannen switch off nu vadadhu , seri aprom veetuku vandha unga akka thorandanga , nee thungittu irrukanu sonnanga adhan disturb panna venam nu velliya ukandiruden.."kathir explained patiently.

Mullai face dawned into an understanding..

She immediately takes a pee into her phone which was put on airplane mode.

And she sees two miss calls from the contact.

"Hubby.."

Mullai turns and gives a sheepish look to kathir.

"Sorry nga , naan seriya pakala.."she pulled her ears giving him the best version of puppy dog eyes..

"Paravala vidu , ahm naanum sorry unnaku call panni pesirukanum.."he said humbly.

"Paravala vidunga..ungaluku onnu theriyuma , neenga innaiku varinganu naan oru cheesecake prepare pannen.."she said excitedly.

"Parrah , appadiya.."kathir gave a appraisal look to her .

"Ama vanga vanga seekirom adha poi cut pannalam illana akka maatum thaniya sapturuva nambala vittutu..."mullai said tucking her pallu to her hips.

And she got up and pulled kathir to the hallway all excited to proudly show the cake she had made for him like a kid who excitedly shows its medals to its parent.

***

"And thats how its done..."kathir boasted as he cut the cake into equal sliced parts.

"Idhu onnaku.."he said taking a thin sliced piece of cake and placed it on the small plate.

"Idhu onga akkaku.."he said removing another small thin piece of cake and placed it on another plate while mullai looked eagerly at the cake.

"Appo adhu yaaruku..."mullai asked pointing to the huge piece of the leftover cake.

"Adhu yennaku.."kathir said and took the huge lumpful piece grinning.

"Yennadhu , adhellam othuka mudiyadhu , ollungu maariyadhaiya adha kudutturunga..."mullai said shaking her hands.

"Hello naan varenu dhana nee cake senja appo indha periya piece yennakudhan.."kathir said taking the piece of cake far.

"Adhu seri inga paarunga naan yerkanavae oru mozham poo vechiruken , yen kadhula neenga pudhusa vandhu poo suttadinga , senjavaluku ara inch cake ah , idhellam ungalukae konjam over ah therila..."mullai said arguing.

"Adhan naanum solren onnaku ara inch cake yae over therila..."kathir said taking the cream from the cake and licking it.

"Pch yenga kuduturunga.."mullai said nearing him.

"Mhmm mudiyadhu.."kathir said bending his index finger at her.

"Yov kudu ya..."mullai said tucking her pallu.

Kathir who was nicely licking his finger stopped at that word and looked stunned.

"Edhu yov va.."kathir asked in a sweaky voice.

"Ama ya , cake illa ice cream nu vadutta purushan ah irrundalum seri perarasana irundalum seri vitukoduka maaten.."mullai's said placing her leg onthe chair showing off her silky legs.

Kathir lowered his eyes to her cleanly shaved legs...

And he gulped...

And then reluctantly he pulled his eyes upward to a flaring mullai blowing fire out of her nose and ears..

"Punch dialogue vera ya , nee yennadhan dialoge dialogue ah pesunalum naan thara maaten odi po..."kathir said devouring the cake greedily.

"Edhu , indha vaaren ungala yenna panrenu paarunga..."she said and stealthily took some cream from the cake and went near a busy kathir who was eating the cake and appiled it on his beard.

Kathir stood with horror on knowing his beard was filled with cream..

Mullai started laughing out seeing kathir priceless look.

"Appadiya pakka santa claus maari irrukinga.."she said in between her laughs.

Kathir squinted his eyes at his wife who looked like a laughing buddha right now.

He took some more cream from his cake and appiled it on her for revenge..

"What the..."mullai gasped out loudly when kathir appiled some more cream on her face.

"Ungala..."mullai grunted and went near him angrily but stopped on seeing manju"s shocked face.

"Yenna ju , yen pei ah petti yedutta maari pakkura..?"mullai asked like an innocent cat.

"Yenna va.."manju shot a glare at her silly sister and folded her arms.

"Yei neenga rendu perum unmailaiyae purushan pondatti dhana di.."manju asked doubtfully.

"Ama adhulla yenna sandhegam.."

"Patha appidi therila , rendu perum nursery pasangala vida mosama irrukinga..."she stated hitting her forehead while kathir and mullai threw an embarrassed look.

Can't get more worse than this..

**

Kathir was watching the news very interestingly while sipping the tea..

He practically had his eyes glued to the tv watching interestingly the ongoing debate.

While mullai on the other hand sat with a sullen look on her face looking at her husband and the tv to and fro.

She hated new tv channels from her childhood...

It was very boring for her...

Every time she would try to watch cartoon channels her dad would switch on the sport channels or the new channels.

And now her husband did the same..

And still today she watches cartoon channels.

Tom and jerry was her favorite show while timon and pumba was an exception.

Well to be honest..

Watching a tom and jerry fight was more interesting than watching politicians fight..

Who bothers..

Both did the same..

While checking out her husband openly sitting near him she noticed the band aid on his hand.

"Yenga idhu yenna bandage adi pattucha yenna.."she asked examining his finger.

"Adhu onnula sudu thani kottiruchu.."he said casually.

"Yenna sudu thani ya , yenga yenna solluringa neenga , yenkitta sollirukalam la naan vechu thandirupen la.."she ranted holding his hand closely with concern.

"Adhu unnaku vanilla tea panna poi dhan sudu thani kotiruchu..."he said rubbing his neck.

Vanilla tea..

Mullai was always fond of vanilla tea. How come kathir knew it was her favorite..?

And he had burnt his hand while making tea for her..

Oh boy..

How sweet..

"Ennaka.."she asked with wide eyes.

"Ama.."he said throwing a sheepish look.

"Ippo irruka yennaku venum.."she said eagerly.

"Ayo venam adhu avlo onnum nalla irrukadhu yedho oru youtube video va pathu senjen.."he said denying.

"Pch yennanga yennaku unga vanilla tea dhan venum.."mullai said adamantly..

"Seri iru flask la uthi vechiruken eduttu varen.."he said getting up.

A while later he brought the tea in a cup.

Mullai took a sip of it..

Well kathir was right.

It tasted nowhere to sugary...

To be honest it was worse than bitter gourd juice. Mullai feared that she would die if she took another sip from it.

"Eppadi irruku..."kathir asked seeing her.

Controlling her tongue she lied for him..

"Semma ya irruku cooking la oru competition vecha neenga dhan jeipinga , paravalayae neengalum nalla dhan samaikiringa , inimae adikadi ungala samaika vitturalam.."she said with prasing him.

"Chumma solladha nejamavae nalla irruka.."he asked probing.

"Serious ah nalla irruku , ippidi super ah samaika therinja husband kedaika naan rombha kudutuvechirukanum.."she said grinning.

And mullai meant every line of what she said.

"Nee yenna rombha vekka pada vekkira....."kathir said smiling shyly his ears turning pinkish red.

And then mullai felt the sweet taste in her tongue after hearing his words..

Tbc..