Whistling to himself srinivas walked towards the basement to unlock his car..

"Rombha sandhoshama irrukinga pola...."

A voice boomed the whole place making srinivas jump in fear..

He turned around and saw kathir leaning on the pillar with his hands in his pocket..

His eyes were cold as his face grew dark..

Srinivas knew whom kathir was and before he could make an attempt to run kathir caught him and tackled him to the ground..

"Porruki rascal evlo dhariyam irrundhan mullai melae kai veppa..."he slapped his face hard.

Kathir caught his neck and choked him until he coughed out loud.

"Yen podatti da ava , kathiravelan oda pondatti ava melae yae kai veppiya nee..."

Getting off him kathir pulled him up by his collars and backed him hard on the pillar.

"Nee ava kitta mirugham maari nadadhum kuda ava yenna sonna theriyuma ? Avara yedhum seiyadinga yenna his wife doesn't deserve to be punished for the mistake of her husband nu sonna...."kathir sneered.

"Inimae naan unna indha area la pakavae kudadhu , nallaikae nee shift pannura appidi pannala...."kathir gripped his collars more and gave one final punch on his stomach resulting him to spit blood out of his mouth..

"Palayam kottai jail la kali thinga ready irru..."kathir said releasing his collars and away wiping the sweat of his forehead.

***

Mullai woke up with a very bad headache..

Somebody was caressing her cheeks..

"Ennaga..."she got up rubbing her eyes.

"Saptiyala..."she asked rubbing her head.

"Illa inimae dhan sapudanum unnaku pasikuda ? " he asked checking her temperature.

"Illayae pasi ellam illa "she denied but her stomach decided to growl loudly at the correct time.

Kathir stifled his laughter while mullai gave a sheepish smile in return scratching her head.

"Unnaku pasikudhu dhana.."kathir asked smirking.

Mullai rolled her eyes..

Then softly she replied...

"Konjam pasikudhu..."she said looking down fidgeting with her bangles.

"Konjam ah ! Un vaiyathula irrundhu vandha sattam vera maari solludhe " kathir snorted.

"Pch ponga kindal pannikuttu , adhan theriyudhula ennaku pasikudhunu sapda edhavadhu eduttu vanga "she whined closing her face as she couldn't bear her husband teasing her on taboo topic's.

"Seri seri unga akka rasam vechirukanga ana rice innum vekkala nu nenaikiren , avangalum vayir valikudhunu room la poi paduttutanga..."he said waving his hand.

"Ungaluku rice vekka theriyuma ?"mullai asked looking up at her husband's concerned face.

"Theriyadhae "he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Seri paravala vidunga , naan solla solla vekkiringala ?"she asked.

Kathir thought for a while.

"Seri sollu " he said taking a seat beside her.

"Modhal la oru tumbler rice edhuttu adha oru bowl la pottu nalla wash pannikonga, aprom adha cooker la pottutu moonu tumbler thani uthunga , aprom lid la whistle pottu vechirunga , oru anju whistle vandha peraghu off pannirunga avlodhan."she said explaining each step while he listened like a toddler to her.

As she instructed he came with the rice and rasam.

"Parvalayae naan sonna maariyae senjirukinga.." she appreciated him as the hot sour rice went inside her mouth.

Kathir proudly pulled his collars out.

"Odanae marathu melae yeri ukkandukadinga.."she said with a sly smile as kathir frowned at her.

"Konjam neram sandhoshama irruka vida mattiyae.."he said folding his lips into a thin line.

"Seri seri kochukadinga.."mullai said laughing slightly..

Suddenly her laughter vanished as she remembered something.

Kathir noticed the slight change in her face.

"Hey ennachu.."he asked settling beside.

"Adhu vandhu.."she stuttered drawing circles onto the plate with her spoon.

"Naan innaiku adhu , manju mattum varalana.."she said shakily.

Kathir wrapped his arm on her shoulder as mullai laid on him.

"I should have fought him somehow.."she said burying her face in his arm.

"Common mullai , women are not physically strong as men adhanala nee adha nenaichu kavala padhada.." kathir said rubbing her arm.

"Appo women strong illa nu sollla varingala..?" She asked confused.

"Physically maybe not ana mentally women men ah vida strong dhan.."he said as a matter of fact.

Mullai punched him on his shoulder which made him to howl.

"Ey edhuku ippo thevai illama adicha ?"kathir asked rubbing the place where she punched.

"Women men ah vida mentally mattum illa physically um strong dhan nu katturadhuku."she said rubbing her wrists.

Kathir hit his head at his wife silliness..

And then he brought her an aspirin and made her sleep again as she needed some rest.

Somewhere in the middle of the night kathir got up as he felt mullai mumbling and rumbling something next to him.

He turned on the night lamp and rubbed his eyes..

"Vidu..yenna vidu onnum pannadha.."mullai was muttering closing her eyes and moving here and there.

Her body was sweating terribly..

Kathir scooted close to her pulled her to his chest and patted and slowly whispering soothing words in her ear.

After 15 minutes she fell asleep laying on him..

Poor girl ! Suffered from a nightmare !

After she fell asleep kathir kissed her forehead and pulled off her fist which was holding his sweatshirt tightly.

And then he pulled the quilt over her and put her to sleep...

***

"Nambha veetuku bulb vaangavae thevai illa..."mullai stated as she placed the cd rack neatly next to the television.

"Yen ?"kathir question with a confused gaze as he removed his laptop bag.

"Adha unga mogham mae 1000 watts bulb maari eriyudhae...!"she said pointing to his face.

"Mokka comedy.."kathir scoffed.

"Paravala neenga kadupanigala adhuvae podhum.."mullai giggled.

"Seri sollunga evlo bonus kuduttanga ?"she asked him out of the blue.

"Bonus ah ! Yenna nee samandhamae illama kelvi ketutu irruka..?"kathir replied wondering whether his wife had gone nuts.

"Pch ! Salary la bonus kedaika poi dhana unga mogham ivlo bright ah irruku.."she said.

"Seriously ! You think my face is bright cause i got hike in my salary...?"kathir spoke in english pulling his tie.

"Ofcourse.."mullai shrugged nochantly.

Unusually today kathir's face was shining very brightly the time he returned from his office.

"Ayo makku.."kathir hit his head.

"Aye yaaru pathu makku nu solringa neenga dhan makku.."she scowled.

"Idhellam nalla vakanaiya pesu , ippo yenna , yen face yen ivlo bright ah irrukunu nee therinjukanum avlo dhana ? " he asked placing his hands on his akimbo.

Mullai bobbed her head.

"Poi veliya paaru.."kathir replied and immediately mullai ran outside.

To her utter surprise she saw srinivas and his family vacating the apartment.

To be honest mullai had ofcourse feared that whether srinivas will trouble her again cause he stayed int he same apartment.

But now him moving out brought a huge relief to mullai's heart..

She ran again back inside..

"Ennanga anga veliya srinivas , anga veedu.."she somewhat stammered.

"Srinivas veeta gaali pannuranga adhana ?"kathir said putting her jumbled words in proper sentence.

"Haan ama..."mullai said.

"Ennakum theriyum adhanala dhan naan innaiku ivlo sandhoshama irruken.."kathir said turning to the other side smiling.

Mullai who was standing like an idol gently tiptoed near kathir whispered.

"Neenga dhana avanga veedu gaali pannuradhu karanam.."she asked near his ear.

Kathir stopped doing his work and turned to his curious wife and bent down to her level and said.

"Ama.."

"Ennakagha panniyala.."mullai asked her mouth getting bigger that her eyes.

Kathir smiled and took hold of her hands and pressed a small kiss on her wrist which sent tiggles throughout mullai's body.

His small kisses nowadays left a huge impact on her.

She liked the phrase they were going through.. And desperately wished they remained the same.

"Unnakagha dhan pannen.."he said holding her soft hands within his big calloused palms.

Mullai gave a small teary smile and brought their entwined hands to her chest.

"Thank you.."she said rubbing his fingers.

"Un thank you va vayala sollama oru chinna inji tea la ya kuduttutu sonna nalla irrukum..."he said wittily making mullai spit out into laughter..

***

"Chai evlo verkudhu indha kitchen la orru fan vecha nalla irrukum.."she ranted wiping the sweat that was rolling onto her forehead.

Currently mullai was watching a tutorial video on how to make a mushroom biryani.

It was almost nearing one past eleven.

Kathir had taken manju out for an interview..

Before leaving he had almost checked an hundred times about mullai security and at least reminded a thousand times to be safe.

Since kathir was being very sweet towards her she decided to prepare mushroom biryani for him.

She had never made one before so she decided to scroll the youtube for tutorial videos.

Amidst the hundreds of videos she chose one and started cooking..

It almost took her two hours to finally prepare the delicacy.

The tring tong doorbell went off two times and mullai ran to open the door..

"Vaanga vaanga , interveiw eppadi pochu ju.."mullai asked removing tucked pallu fromher hip.

"Innum konjam padichirukanum ma di , adhanala mudiyadhunu sollitanga..."manju send dejectedly texting someone.

"Ohh appadiya.."mullai said noticing her sisters look towards the phone.

"Yaaruku text pannura ?"she asked making manju tear her gaze from her cellphone.

"Joshua ku interveiw pathi keturundhan..."she mouthed back.

"Ohh , avan innum thai ku kelambalaya..?"she asked back.

"Hmhmm illa leave innum one week extend pannirukanam..."manju said shrugging.

Mullai sent a sly smile to her sisters..

Ofcourse mullai had noticed manju talking to someone continually over the telephone and she knew that the someone was none other than the childhood bestie of hers.

Manju was slowly recovering from her depression. She seemed to smile often nowadays. She had developed a positive view of matter's.

Mullai knew that her sister was an unmarried widow. And she also knew that she needed pair to support her.

Maybe if Joshua was interested in manju and if they get married mullai would be the most happiest person in the world. So she didn't ask about the matter to manju. She just let it go to the flow.

"Oye evlo neram kuptutae irruken nee yenna pagal kanavu kanduttu irruka.."kathir called out standing at the door desperately trying to pull the huge sack of rice.

"Oh sorry nga neenga vandhade gavanikala , sonna maariyae rice vangittu vanduttingalae , ponni brand dhana.."she questioned as she tucked hernpallu and went to give him a helping hand in pulling the sack.

"Hmm pathu medhuva..."kathir said dragging the sack to the kitchen with mullai.

It was pretty huge and weighed heavier than a gas cylinder.

"Ama ponni dhan.."kathir said patting his hands off the dust.

"Seri vanga sapdalam.."

"Illa mulla venam , naanga erkanavae veliya saptutom..."kathir replied.

Mullai shrinked her eyebrows.

"Veliya saptutingala... ?" she asked in a curt tone.

"Hmm ama unga akka vara way layae pasikudhunu sollitanga , seri adhan oru mess la nippati saptutom , nee poi sapudu.."kathir replied.

Mullai felt so downhearted.

She had taken so much time and prepared food for him but he ate in hotel.

She felt like crying. Her expectations felt like being poured in drain.

She didn't even feel hungry.

She packed the food and gave it away to the dhobhi..

Kathir who was analyzing his office papers noticed mullai climbing on the bed silently.

"Ennachu sapudalaya..."he asked looking her her tried face.

"Illa pasikala..."she replied bluntly.

"Pasikalaya.."he asked looking at her.

"Rendu mani agapogudhu innuma unnaku pasikala..."he asked.

"Neenga vandha unga kuda sendhu sapudalam nenaichen neenga dhan veliyavae saptingalae.."she said in a low tone.

"Adhanala yenna nee poi sapda vendiyadhu dhana.."

"Illa thaniya sapda orru maari irruku.."she bit her lips.

Kathir's gaze softened.

"Seri sapadu edhuttu va naanum unkooda sendhu sapudren..."he said placing his papers down.

"Ayo sapada dhobi ku pack panni kuduttuten.."she pouted.

"Dhobi ku edhuku pack panni kudutta unnaku pasikalana fridge la vechirukalamae..."kathir said irritatingly.

"Adhu fridge la sapadu vecha taste poirum.."she ducked her head down.

Kathir let out an audible sigh.

"Yenna samaicha innaiku ?"he asked slowly.

"Mushroom biryani , raitha , kheer."she said looking here and there.

Kathir gasped.

"Last time i checked unnaku mushroom biryani seiya theriyadhunu sonniyae.."he said confused.

"Youtube pathu try pannen , ungaluku pudikum la.."she said smiling sadly.

Now kathir felt bad , Really bad.

She had spent time on preparing something she didn't know to make just to please him.

He just wished that he could have atleat eaten the food the she prepared even though he was full just to see the the smile on her face.

"Hey inga va..."

He said opening his arms wide.

Mullai who was initially hesitant slowly crawled near him and went willingly into his arms.

Kathir wrapped his large hands around her while she snuggled onto the crook of his neck.

"Sorry da ma.."

He apologized endearingly.

"Tch paravala vidunga.."she sighed happily hugging him more.

Hugging kathir had become one of her favorite hobbies nowadays.

Releasing from the hug kathir cupped her face and dashed his nose with hers which brought a coy blush to her face.

"Seri naan paal sudu panni eduttutu varen nee adhayavadhu kudi pasiya irrupa..."he said and went to the kitchen.

Mullai looked at her husband's retreating figure.

Life with kathir was not as tough as she expected..

Pttf..

***

"Hey bell evlo dhadava adikudu poi door ah thera di.."manju shouted from the kitchen.

"Pch ka po ka show evlo interesting ah poitu irruku nee poi thera door ah..."mullai whined as she crunched the chips.

Manju hugged and came from the kitchen.

"Somberi kazhudha..."she knocked on her head which made mullai pout.

"Panni oda akka panni appidina kazhudhai oda akka un kazhudha dhan.."she said sneakily.

"Vaiyadi idhellam nalla pessi ana door mattum therakadha..."manju ranted and opened the door.

The minute she opened the door she felt her spirit leaving her body.

She was so shocked and unable to move as the same of the other person standing on the other side of the door.

"Ammadi manju...!!!"

Murugan exclaimed with shock.

Uh-oh

Tbc..