Chapter 20
Kadhir looked at around the house, searching for Uma. Durai signaled Priya to get Uma. Anni, kathir vanthirukkar…. ..Uma went into the bathroom washed her face and straightened herself…she didn't want to look distraught in front of Kadhir.....She came out from the bathroom to see priya in tears. Anni, ennala thaan ………she couldn't talk further. Few hours earlier she had gone with Durai to apologize to Kadhir;s parents for what had happened 3 years back. It didn't seem to help, when she and Durai were about to leave she had seen Charu Madam coming into the hotel….she had reclined to the fact that Kadhir would not come back for anni. But now he was there. Priya inimel enakkaga intha veetla yaarum azhakudathu sariya? Priya nodded and together they went outside….
6 hours back when Uma appeared from the same room kadhir was full of excitement and happiness….now when she appeared from the same room he was filled with sadness.. The only thing that did not change between these hours was the determination and love.
Uma could not look up at kadhir, she felt sorry for him..some of which his dad said was true, she had made him wait for 3 years…..She couldn't blame kadhir for what happened this morning, he hadnothing but love for her. She couldn't take it anymore, she didn't want her family suffering because of her.
Kadhir, innaikku nadanthathula enakku entha varuthamum illa, ungappa sonna sila vishayangal unmai thaan…….aanal engala avamanapaduthanumra nokkathla sollittaar. Avarukku avar prachanai…naan yearayum kuthi kaata virumbalai. Enakku yaar melayum kovam illa, unga mela irukra anbum kaadalum maaravum illai. Aanal ithukku melayum nama onnu sera mudiyumnu enakku thonala. Innaikku illenna ennaikavathu….en mamavayo priyavayo avamanapaduthitta, en naakku summa irukkathu. This is trouble only for you. Ungalala santhoshama irukka mudiyathu. Unga parents ungalukku evvalavu mikkiyamnu enakku theriyum, so lets just call off the whole thing. I cant take it anymore…I am totally drained kathir…..she sat down on the sofa.
Durai, Priya and mama were watching all this. Priya's dad rested his head on the pooja room door , he never expected all this to happen. Durai felt helpless , if only he could do something…..Kathir was looking at Uma….fixated look. He pulled up a chair and sat in front of Uma…..
"Uma ne un mudiva sollitta…naan en mudiva sollidaren…..atha naan maathikka matten….neeye sonnalum. Ippo un munnala irukra kathir…Kathir enterprises oda MD kedayathu…..i am not a millionaire who fell in love with you,…Uma lifted up her head to look at him. Kadhir continued…" Yes, I have resigned my position and given up my rights for all of my Dad's properties. Ippo ennoda irukrathu ennoda education mattumthaan……athayuum en amma enakku koduthatha thaan naan nenaikaren……vazhakayila nichiyama ennala oru nalla nelamaikku vara mudiyumra nambikkai enakku irukku.
He stood up to open the bag he brought, he took out 3 small boxes. He opened the first one…its had a beautiful ring with a heart…..this is was the first one I brought for you…within days after meeting you, .i didn't have the courage then to give it you…since I didn't know if you had feelings for me……
He took the second box…..its had another beautiful ring…with a tiny star….this is the second ring…I had bought for you when we worked together for Kadhir software……I ddint have the courage then to give it to you since I didn't want to spoil the friendship we had been sharing.
He took the third box….it had a spectacular one with a semi U and K combined….this is the third ring I bought for you….just after the conversation we had at Coimbatore…I knew then that you had feelings for me but wanted time to accept it…
I had planned to give all this right after today at a different setting …..in a special place…but didn't expect things would happen this way. He lined the three rings on the chair opposite Uma. Uma was stunned…gosh this man has so been so much in love for the past 3 years…she remembered the pendant she had bought for him. …..Not just her….all the other 3 people in the house were also stunned……at Kadhir's love for Uma.
Kadhir wiped his tears away……..he took what seemed like a textile bag and another jewellery box , he opened the box to reveal the thaali and kept it in Uma;s lap…..he kneeled in front of her….caught her hands…..he didn't care that three other people were starting at him….Uma naan ennoda ammavoda manapoorvamana aasirvathathodu vanthirukken……avanga thaan intha pudavaya unakku kodukka sonnanga…..inga paar Uma…the person who I had cared most in my life was my mother…..she has sent me here to get you…..and I want you , only you and nothing else…Please don't send me away empty handed…..he buried his face in Uma;s hands. Uma was touched….what could she say….
Kathir got up and walked towards Priya;s dad…Uncle, ithuvaraikkum enakku iruntha panam pugazh ippo illa…..aana Umavoda nalla vazhamudiyum. Enna unga Magana ethupeengala….? Priya's dad didn't have words to speak….he was tired of making decisions…thambi…Uma enna solralo athuthan en mudivu…..engalala unga kudumbatha neenga piryarathu enakku kashtama irukku…he spoke what came to his mind. Kathir was beginning to get worried…..Priya, Durai neengalachum konjam sollungalen…..please!
Both bent their head down….they were in no position to compel Uma to do anything….
Kathir was getting upset. Angry with himself……Uma …I have made up mind and you whjat it is…..its your turn now…I will wait in the terrace for you…..however long it takes….he have a determined look at Uma and went upstairs….when a car pulled up in front of the house….
Abirami got out of the car. Kadhir was seeing this from upstairs…..the last person he wanted to see he didn't want toface her…he chose to remain upstairs. Abirami walked into the house and understood the mood. She saw the rings lined up in front of Uma and the saree on her lap. Durai interrupted her….Abirami madam, neenga ethukkaga vantheengannu theriyathu…but this is not the time…please, he showed the door. Mr.Durai …naan unga kitta pesa varala…..she gave a staring look at Priya…who was a but tensed....she was scared …she tightened her grip over Durai;s hands…..
Abirami walked towards…Uma, Uma naan unkitta konjam thaniya pesanum…she said giving a teasing look at Durai and Priya. Priya's dad was watching all this…ippo enna nadakka pogutho..idi mela idi vizhuth intha kudumbathukku…muruga kappathuppa….
Uma walked with Abirami to their room. After about 20 mins….abirami walked out , with a sad look she left the house. Priya ran to uma's room…seeing the room locked…she walked towards with Durai with tension in her eyes. Durai couldn't bear to see the pain in her eyes, all he could do was reassure them. Uncle neenga kavalapadatheenga, Uma nalla mudiva thaan eduppanga. Upstairs Kadhir was going through a range of emotions. How long is this going to happen…… he blamed himself for waiting this long…..But somewhere deep within a ray of hope was there….his moms blessings wouldn't fail him.
Uma's room…..Abirami words were having a great effect on her. She had always thought of her as an evil woman. But no, even the evil woman had some good feelings. Abirami had always liked Uma, she felt that they were alike in the sense they had lost their first life at different circumstances and searching for a new one. That was abirami;s problem as well, if she liked someone..she would go to the extent of sacrificing anything…if she hated someone she would go to the extent of destroying them totally. When she heard about Uma and Kathir from her mom, she felt bad about losing kathir but was happy for Uma. Even her mom was tensed about Abiram's reaction, since it was the second time she would be feeling rejection, but to her surprise, it was the contrary. When sundaresan visited her mom to talk about what happened that morning and he wanted to proceed with kathir abirami marriage, abirami refused. Uncle, erkanave vera oru penna kathalichana kalyamam panni naan patta kashtam porum….ennala thirumbavum antha kodumaya santhikka mudiyathu. Athoda uma romba nalla ponnu, yenna maathiri vaazhkaya tholachittu nikrava, avalukku ennala dhrogam panna mudiyathu…yenna avangalukku panam romba illa....mathapadi naanga rendu perum ore maathiri thane…avakitta sonna varathaigal enakkum thaan porundhum….ungalukku panam thaan prachanaina sollunga, atha naan paathukkaren….Sundaresan was stunned, he didn't expect this….though kadhir had stormed out to go for Uma he had planned to blackmail in his mothers name and get him back to marry Abirami but now all his plans were spoilt.
Abirami had advised uma to get married to kathir, enna prachanai vanthalum naan paarthukaren. Kathir amma intha kalyanathukku muzhu sammadham sollitanga, sundaresan uncle aprama deal pannikalam…Kathir is smart and accomplished and so are you..he loves you…and that's more than what you can ask Uma…it slowly sinked in……she had realized all along that only kathir could make her happy and now it was her turn to reciprocate….her feelings.
The door opened and Uma stepped out in the saree kathir;s mom had given her. Priya let out a cry and ran towars uma and hugged and kissed her in joy. Priya;s dad stood up to do a sahstangamana namaskaram to thank god. Even Durai was overwhelmed…he patted Uma on her head…you will never regret this Uma…..Uma wanted to see kathir…..she turned towards the stairs…..when….Durai thambi..enakku kovilukku poganum, enkooda vareengala…..Priya neeyum vaa. The old man wanted to give the privacy the two would need at this emotional moment. Uma, kalakkunga…..Durai teased and everyone walked out and got into the car…Priya called out for kathir from downstairs…."anna ungalukku phone vanthirukku". ..Kathir peeked out at the trio speeding away in the car……..he was wondering who was on the phone…..where did these people go…where was abirami….
He walked down the steps with all these questions…..when he realized he was in the last step…He slowly opened the door and stepped inside to see Uma standing with her back facing him in the saree..his mom had given her…….