Meant to Be note on page 162 - Page 58

Meant to be

part 28

Raji slides down the window of the car from her side and breathed in sharply...the aroma of her native place..the place where she had shared all her life..the place which closely connected to all her thick and thin..she watched all the places with so much excitement as if she had transformed into a small kid all over again..and wondering the changes and development of the city in her absence..Despite how minimal change it was,she found it so much amusing.. it has been eight long months since she had been to her home town..

She felt a jitter passed through her body,and felt herself had become light and floating in the air..the feel was too good and indescribable..at last she returned to her home..her happiness..her paradise...

She looked at the man besides her with so much emotions lingering on her face...he was sleeping like a kid ..hair ruffled.. muscles relaxed that gave him a nave look ..a frown on his forehead depicts his discomfort in sleeping in an awkward position ..

She smiled at his innocent sleeping form..and thanked him whole heartily for coming into her life..

She felt like she could stare at him for life time but wouldn't get bored..

"Yennai ippadi muzhungara maadhiri paarthaa yenna artham.."

She jerked back at his sudden voice..and her face flushed as she had been caught red handed while drooling at him..

She whacked his arm with a sulky face..

"Hey,,nee muzhichittu dhaan irndhiyaa..U Cheater..."she pouted her lips..

"Pecha maathaadha..yedhukku yennai apapdi paartha..?thoongitu irundhavanaiye yezhupara maadhiri apapdi oru intense look.." he looked at her with a piercing gaze...

"Adhellam onnum illai..."

She turned to other to escape from his teasing look..

He snaked his hand around her waist and tucked her closer to him..

And bent down to her ear to whisper..

"U can't escape from my charm..."She was astonished by his touch and waves of jitters passed down her tummy..

She looked at him in daze ...his one brow cocked up and his lips curved to a lopsided smirk..

She was spell bounded by his looks...and gapped at him speechless..he was a perfect charmer ..Suddenly she had an illusion that his face moving closer to her...his breath fanning her face...she closed her eyes as a reflex..

She had waited and anticipated for their lips to be fused..but that didn't happened..she snapped open her eyes and she could see only his shoulder..as he had leaned over her and closed the window by pressing the button .her eyes widened with shock and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment and shame on her own self..

"Omg ..How despo I have become.." she taunted herself..

Karthik glanced at her and his eyes glittered with a muffled laughter. his eyes full of naughtiness..

"It's very hot inside...I think we must switch on AC.." he said with a naughty glint on his eyes..

She glared at him fuming...

His smile grew huge ..she gritted her teeth..How adorable she would become while fuming at his teasing..nothing could be more amusing and entertaining than teasing his Raji..her face was worth to watch..she looked edible with her grumpy pouty face...he could eat her up row..

His imaginations were going wild and out of his control...

He turned to the other side to get a grip on himself..

Suddenly she called him with a surprised voice..

"Katthik... nee yenna solli yennai camp la irundhu koottitu vandha..?"

"Adhu yedhukku vidu ."His voice showed little bit of discomfort..

She got suspicious and persuaded him..

"yenna sonna Karthik..Valid reason illama vida maataangale...adhuvum neeum kooda varradhu laam impossible...something is fishy here..." she looked at him skeptically..

"Poi sonnen podhumaa..?'

Adhu theriyudhu ..yenna sonnaa..?"

"Kaalangaalama yellarum solra poi dhaan..."

"yenna poi?"

"Unga paati yaarum uyiroda illaiye?" he asked very casually yet with little hesitation...

"What..?" her eyes stretched in shock...she pinched his arm with fake anger..

"Unga paati irandhutaanga ...adhanaala azhudhu ...azhudhu... unakku whizzing problem vandhuduchi..nu sonnen..namma doctor vera support panaaru..nee thaniyaa pogaradhu risk nu sonnen..yennaium kooda poga sollitaanga..."

"sariyaana kedi dhaan nee.." she mocked at him but she couldn't hide the pride in her voice..

"Driver ...indha right la thirumbunga.." she instructed the driver..

The car stopped in front of the huge grill gate.

A huge bungalow type house welcomed them...

An alley leading to the portico... neatly trimmed grass on either side of the alley...and well maintained garden..Everything was very rich yet homely..

Raji pushed open the gate and walked in slowly ...she looked at him with hesitation to walk further..Karthik blinked his eyes as to say "I am with u.."

She had gained enough courage with his one comforting look...

Raji's father came out of the house hearing the gate opening sound..

He stood rooted to his place seeing Raji ...

With overwhelming emotions...his eyes pooled...

"Raji maa.." he called with shivering voice..he was not sure whether he was dreaming or it was a reality...when he realized it was all so real..,his face shined in delight.. his heart contented to see her beloved daughter.. and also a sigh of relief came from him...

She ran to his embrace with a whimper..

"Appaa..."

"Yen thangam ..vandhitiyaa maa?ippa dhaan yenakku uyir ae vandhadhu..."

"Appaa..sorry paa..." she cried in his embrace...

"Cha nee yedhukku maa sorry solra..naan dhaan sorry sollanum..."

She leaned on his shoulder with great privilege and relief.

Karthik felt he was totally out of place..there was no place for him between that father and daughter reunion..

After an emotional moment her father noticed the tall man accompanied his daughter ..his gaze peered on him skeptically...

Raji followed his gaze and straightened herself immediately ...and introduced themselves formally..

"Appa..idhu Karthik yennoda colleague... yen kooda vandhirukaaru.."she said with utmost pride and love in her tone...

Raji's father raised his brow for a second and greeted him with a smile..

"Vaanga thmabi..ulla vaanga...Raji maa neeyum vaamaa..."saying that RF walked ahead of them by calling his wife loudly..

"Hey..valli..yaaru vandhirukkaa paaru..."the excitement in his voice showed his extreme happiness..

Karthik was amused to see her father running inside like a kid..

Raji smiled at him contently..

Their eye lock broke with a loud shriek..

"Heyyy ... Raaajjjiii..."

Shruthi has come running from inside and threw herself on Raji for a breathtaking hug..Literally she was choking Raji's throat with her tight grip..

But Raji didn't complain..actually she too missed that warmth for so long..

Karthik awestruck by seeing the carbon copy of Raji..he shook his head to came out of the trance..

"Hello paarthu..romba kathaadheenga..appuram maapillai bayandhu odida poraaru..."

Karthik mocked at her...

Then only she noticed the third person's presence there and parted herself from the hug and looked at him puzzled...but she couldn't stop herself from giving back to him..

"Adhellam avaru onnum odamaattaaru..."she tried to prove her point authoritatively..

Raji smiled at their informal introduction..she wondered whether now they need one..

"Aamaa neenga yaaru..?" Shruthi asked incredulously...

"Naaan unga akka voda..." he paused for a second and elevated the curiosity of the listeners...

"Akkaa oda..?" Shruthi repeated his words inquisitively...

Raji's breath caught in her lungs dreading for the words would come from his mouth..

He gazed the anticipation and shock on the faces of two girls respectively and said

"Akkaa oda colleague cum friend.." he finished with a huge grin...

"Avlo dhaana ...idhukku dhaan indha build up aa? sari vaa Raji ulla polaam.." she dragged her inside ignoring him completely as if he doesn't exist anymore..Karthik followed them with an incredulous look...

At the door step Raji's mother stopped them..

"Raji maa nillu.. naan aarathi yedutha pinnaadi ulla vaamaa...hey Shruthi nee thallu.."

"Amma yedhukkumaa idhellam ..naan yenna kalyaana ponaa..?"Raji was embarrassed..

"Appadi sollaadha maa..yaaru kannu pattadho ivlo kashta pattuta..inimel unakku yellame nalla dhaa nadakanum.."

Raji's mother did the arathi for Raji..Karthik stood just few feet away from her..it seemed she did the arthi for both of them..

KR entered the house at the same time stepped in keeping their right leg..

"Nee ukkaaru karthi.. naan poi unakku kudikka yedhaavadhu konduvaren.."

Raji went to kitchen to prepare coffee for him...

"Raji yeppadi iruka..?" her mother asked with so much affection and concern with a layer of tear in her eyes..

"Nallaa iruken maa.."

"Yenna maa ippadi illaichitta... sariyaa saapiduradhu illaiyaa?"

"Ammaa..." She gave her mother an exasperated look...

They talked very casually as if she was coming for the wedding taking leave from her work...they intentionally avoided talking about the bitter memories...

As they didn't want to dig the past..

She prepared coffee for Karthik and placed the cup neatly in tray and headed towards the living room ..

She had been welcomed by the loud laughing sound of Karthik and Shruthi..followed by his words..

"Shruthi chance ae illai..neenga mattum Raji oda carbon copy maadhiri illaama irundhirundhaa..neenga avaloda sister nu sathiyam paani sonnaa kooda naan nimbi irukka maaten.how much u could talk...take a breath...unga akka yen kitta naalu vaarthai muzhusaa pesa 4 week aachi...no wonder Deepak has fallen in ur feet.."

Raji felt as if she was showered by a basket full of hot coal ...she stood routed to her place.. "Is history repeating...?"

She felt an unknown fear clutching her heart and her hands were shivering ...it seemed she might break the tray at any moment..

"Karthik u too? Comparing me and Shruthi..will he regret for choosing me..which he had never said to her orally but that has been felt internally and surmised mutually.."

Her rationality said it was utter stupidity to think in that context..but her insane heart which had once crushed cruelly ,and had adopted the feeling of insecurity not letting her to think logically..

It was very hard for logic to prevail over her insecurities...

Her world of happiness had appeared to be doomed..and her eyes were blocking out...

At the threshold of her breaking down ...hearing the light chime of her anklets..Karthik turned to her side atonce...

His face instantly lit up with a huge smile..the smile in which his lips would always accompanied by his eyes ...the smile coming from the bottom of the heart..the smile bearing immense love and affection..the smile tent to own her possessively..

The smile which marks her as his...Which appears only in her presence..

Something unique that he could never give it to anyone other than her..

She registered every curves of his lips..and the glint in the eyes...every minute details were carved in her heart ..

Her tormented heart got it's solace with his one smile..and all her insecurities and doubts vanished in thin air. Finally she smiled at him like never before..with full of love and passion which she had confined for him ever since she met him... without any hindrance or hesitation..

Everything cleared for her that very moment when he smiled at her ever so charmingly..

He was puzzled with her changing emotions for every passing second..he narrowed down his brows and gazed at her keenly. And he raised his one brow to ask her as "what.."

She beamed even wide and nodded her head for a "No..."

There was another person also witnessed that silent conversation and raised her brows in surprise followed by a knowing nod...

Karthik had been provided accommodation in the hotel where the wedding ceremony going to take place..

He relaxed for a while in his room before getting ready for the reception at the night..thinking of the day's incidents..

How things has changed within 24 hour he wondered ..his mind full of his Raji and her thoughts..

Suddenly door bell rang breaking his thread of thoughts..

He opened the door, and bemused to see a young man clad in ethnic wear smiled at him friendly..

He looked at him in confusion...

His smile grew bigger with his puzzled face..

"Hello MR..Karthik?"

"Yes..." he replied hesitantly...

"I am Deepak..Shruthi's would be.."

"Oh..mappillai sir...vaanga ulla vaanga.." he welcomed him with a smile..

"Don't be so formal...neenga yennoda age group aa thaan irupeenga..so friendly aa pesalaam.."

Karthik neither accepted his offer nor declined it he preferred to stay quiet..

"Neenga yen mela kobamaa irukeenga nu nenaikaren.." Deepak started the convo with serious tone..

"Neenga yaarunga yenakku ..naan yen unga mela koba padanum..?" Karthik asked nonchalantly...

"Raji ku dhrogam pannitennu..."

He didn't let him to complete his sentence...

"Idhellam vandhu yaen yen kitta solrenga?what's ur problem?" he asked sternly.

"Naan sorry kekanum.." Deepak said genuinely...

"Hello yen kitta yedhukku sorry kekureenga.."

"Raji kitta kekka dhairiyam illai..adhu mattum illama ippa dhaan thirumbi vandhirukaanga..so avangalukku pazhaya vishayam yedhaiyum niyaabaga padutha vendaamnu Shruthi yum feel panraa.."

Karthik cuts him in mid...

"Naan dhaan Raji yoda representative nu naan sollave ilalye..." said sarcastically..

"Neenga Raji oda friend ,,avangalukkaga yen mela koba paduradhu niyaayam dhaan..but naan solradha konjam kelunga...It's all happened so suddenly and I didn't know how to handle that situation..romba immature aa behave panniten..i am really feeling ashamed of myself..

But andha nerathula Raji kita yaarum yennai pesave vidalai..Shruthi also in dilemma and not ready to accept her feelings for me.. Raji kitta unmaiya sonnaa suicide pannipennu miratinaa...

Avaloda threat ku bayandhu naan Rajiya kalyaanam pannikittaa appuram moonu perum romba kashta padanumnu mattum nalla purinjadhu..adhaan andha maadhiri oru mudivu yeduthuten..modhalla kashta maa irundhaalum appuram purinjipaangannu nenaichen..but Raji ya indha alavukku badhikkumnu naaan nenaikalai..

Shruthi ya adhukappuram marriage ku othukka vaikka naan padadhapaadu paten.

Yeppadiyo ippa yellaam nalla badiyaa mudinjadhu..

Yenga kalyaanathula Raji illama irundhirundhaa..adhu yeppavume yenagalukku oru koraiyaa ve irundhthirukkum..ippa adhai neenga dhaan theerthu vachiteenga romba thanks.."

"How selfish and self centered person he is ...!"that is the only thing crossed his mind after hearing Deepak's self explanation..

"It is very easy to justify our deeds but it won't change the pain it had inflicted on an innocent soul..."

Deepak has dumbfound and closed his eyes in regret..

He muttered a meek sorry...

"Ur sorry won't change the past Deepak..." Karthik was so stern and rude on him..

His presence reminded him of the sad and dejected face of Raji..And the amount of pain and hurt she had borne...

Deepak didn't know how to proceed further...

An uncomfortable heavy silence prevailed there...

Karthik had seen the crestfallen face of Deepak and a slight feel of pity peeked out of him...

He doesn't want to upset the man whose going to get married within a day..

After an awkward silence..Karthik continued..

"Ok let it be Deepak...neenga yennai paarkka vandhadhukku unmaiyaana kaaranatha neenga innum sollave illai ...he asked with gazing him intently..

"Unga la paarthu thanks solla vandhen..."

"Yenakku yedhukku thanks...?" He asked in confusion..

"Raji ya convince panni kootitu vandhadhukku.."

"Sorry correction..Raji was not with me..i was with her...naan chummaa thunaikku dhaan vandhen...she returned home out of her own will.."

"Adhu yenakku theriyaadhu..but Shruthi strongly believes that u r the reason behind Raji's home coming..So on behalf of both of us a very thankful thank you to u.."

He said dramatically bending his back in front..

"This Shruthi and the would be of her's.. both are getting on my nerves now..."he thought in his mind

And gritted his teeth..

"Sari thanks sollitengalla kelambunga..." Karthik literally chased him away..

While walking towards the door Deepak said without turning to his side..

"But Karthik u too owe me a thanks buddy.."

"What..?"Karthik stared at his back in shock..

And Deepak replied by halted in his track...

"Raji ya reject pannadhukku...u must say thanks to me.." he turned with a smile and winked at Karthik..

As a reflex his face lit up and his lips curved for a shy smile..

"Am I that predictable...or it seemed that obvious..?" Karthik wondered in his mind..

Before Deepak disappeared behind the door..

Karthik stopped him by calling his name..

"Deepak..."

After a hesitant pause...he said.. "Thanks..." trying to sound as normal as he could..ironically his voice reflected his unshielded gratefulness in his voice...

Deepak grinned to his maximum...and said..

"U r welcome..."

To be continued