KMKV FF - Hearts & Diamonds or Clubs & Spades (in hiatus) - Page 11

Originally posted by: ramyvijay

Gisel.. just want to know in which epi was the pic in this chapter taken.. I missed that one.. anyone who knows plz tell me.

*****

Part 13

Chapter 14

In one word.

Perfect.

That's all that mattered, right?

Who was bothered about her real father?

She was his now and he would do everything in his power to keep it that way.

Just one thing nagged his mind, should he tell her of his presence in the same place that night?

What good might it do? Nothing, right?

Deciding not to, he decided to get some sleep and searched for his tablets.

Just as he was taking them out of his bag, Priya stirred and woke up. Finding her sandals, she stood up and tied her free falling hair into a bun.

Yawning, she looked at him, "Thoongala?"

"Thoongaporen."

She made way to the washroom. When she came out, she saw that he was searching for something in the dark room, with only the light from the night table to guide him.

"Ena theidureinga?"

"Thaani bottle enga?"

"Kitchen la. Naan poi eduthutu varen."

"Illa naan poikirein."

"Illa..." she stopped short noticing the sleeping tablets bottle.

"Nilunga. Thooka mathira?"

"Pota thaan thookam varum."

She frowned, "Nethu nala thena thoongneynga."

He also frowned, trying to remember.

Yes!

She was right!

How?

Wow! He didn't even realize it.

Making use of his distraction, she grabbed the bottle from his hand.

"Mathira theva illa. Thoongunga."

"Priya, atha kudu. Illana thookam varathu."

"Athu epdi varathunu nanum pakuren. Vaanga."

He hated when people bossed him. However, strangely, he now liked it.

"Padunga!" she ordered him.

To his own surprise, he listened without objecting.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked pulling the duvet over him. The heater was on and the room was sufficiently warm.

"...mm..." he mumbled, closing his eyes only to snap them open when he felt her fingers on his temple.

"Priy..."

"Sh...relax..." she said in a very soothing voice, her fingers making small circles on his temple.

He tossed a little, trying to get more comfortable and Priya felt her back beginning to ache.

"Oru nimisham. Lighta elumbunga...han...konjam..."

She sat on the bed, placed the pillow on her lap and pulled in a very puzzled Arjun to lie on the pillow.

He laid there feeling extraordinarily comfortable and her fingers on his temple on head seemed to be weaving some kind of magic that he found himself swinging between sleep and wakefulness. Before long, he was asleep but not before realizing that Priya had placed a chaste kiss on his forehead.

*****

Arjun woke up surprisingly well rested. Still eyes closed, he turned on his side and placed a protective arm on who he thought was Pooja.

Pooja didn't have so much hair, he thought as he brushed away the hair fanning his face. Groggily he opened his eyes and saw it wasn't Pooja after all. He was surprised at how calm he was. He looked around and heard the shower running in the washroom. So Pooja had decided to take a bath, not bothered to wake them up.

That girl was an earlier riser!

He smiled remembering how similar he was during school days!

Reluctantly he got up and went on to get ready for the day.

*****

Botanical garden

"Pooja pathu! Odatha!"

"Chumma vidu avala...let her enjoy."

"Kila vilunta?"

"Marunthu potukalam, enaku oru nala doctor a theriyum. Inga thaan pakathila clinic vechurukaru!"

"Ungala!" she said trying to beat him and he dogged it with professional ease. Before they knew it, it was a cat and mouse chase.

Finally exhausted, Priya leaned against a tree panting.

"Ena ivalo thaana madam unga stamina?" asked Arjun, a little breathless, coming in front of her.

She crooked her finger, calling him to her.

He went near her to hear her answer and instead got a tight smack on his shoulders.

"Ow!"

"Ungal adika stamina theva illa!" she said and sticking out her tongue at him, she ran towards Pooja who was admiring them from a distance.

Realizing what had happened, he jogged towards the duo.

"Pooja va, kurinji poo va poi pakalam," said Priya.

"Karinjipona poo va?"

"Illa Pooja. Kurinji poo. 12 years ku oruka thaan pookum. Atho, anga blue a poo theriyutha?"

"Han."

"Vaa polam."

"Shruthi epo varen sonna?" asked Priya, as they walked towards the tree.

"Ava sonna time mudiji 10 minutes achu."

As if on cue, she called out "Anna!" from behind.

"Vaa Shruthi!" he said smiling.

"Priya, ithu Shruthi, en anbu thaangatchi. Shruthi, ithu Priya."

The women smiled at each other and acknowledged their greetings.

"Ithu Pooja. Pooja, ithu appa oda thaangachi, Shruthi, unaku athae illana aunty."

Pooja smiled warmly at her, "Hi aunty."

Shruthi crouched to her height, smiling and said, "Hi Pooja. Ena Shruthi nu kupudu."

"Ok au...Shruthi. Kaila ena?"

"Oh ithuva. Mehandi. Nala iruka?"

She immediately nodded and asked, "Enaku varuma?" and immediately frowned when the adults around her laughed.

"Unakum varanja varum."

"Oh...sketch pen vecha?"

"Illa da. Naan unaku potu tharein seriya?"

"Ok! Epo?"

"Mehandi cone hostel la iruku."

She twisted her lips thinking, "Seri appo nalaiku. Ok va?"

"Ok!" she said enveloping the kid in a firm hug.

Priya tried controlling her happy tears. This was just a beginning. Pooja was going to get a proper family, which she had been deprived off.

All thanks to the man in front of her.

*****

"Amma, polam ma please."

"Aiyo enala mudiyathu. Romba tired a iruku Pooja."

"Pooja, nama povom," said Shruthi, looking for approval at her brother.

"Neenga ponga, naan Priya kuda irukiren."

Pooja frowned.

These two definitely needed to give more attention to her. She should have to do something soon.

"Poitu, antha civilization pathi elathayum ammaku sollanum, ok va?"

*****

"Ivungalan malaila vazhuravanga."

"Veedulan ivalo chinna thaa iruku?"

"Unaku actor Karthik a theriyuma?"

"Uhm...Surya oda thambi?"

"Ha ha illa...palaya Karthik...Anegan pathiya?"

"Aama."

"Athula villana vantharai. Avuru kalyanam panir kathu inga irunthu oru ponna thaan."

"O."

"hm...atho antha kovil pathiya anga. Anga..."

*****

Meanwhile,

Priya stretched her back and sat comfortably in the grass with Arjun beside her. After moments of silence, Priya spoke up, "Thanks."

"Ethuku?"

"Illa...ein kathai ya unga kita sonna approm, konjam nimathiya iruku."

"Ithuku elam ethuku thanks sollitu?"

Again, a mask of silence fell upon them.

Yet again, it was Priya who spoke up, "Neenga...antha ponnu...I mean..."

"Vandana va? Athu pure arranged marriage. Love lan illa. Ippo thaan therinjithu, ava antha Ashok oda ex-girlfriend am. DSP ein mela kovathila thaan irukaru. Ana profession wise romba sincere avuru. Athunala enaku prechana illa."

"Neenga...yaru ya vithu love panirukeingala?"

He snorted, picking an invisible speck of dust from his shirt , "Love panitalum..."

"Yein? Nala handsome a thena irukeinga?"

His eyes immediately snapped to meet hers and she immediately flushed a pale pink.

"I mean..."

He smiled, "Sonna sirikamateingana naan sollurein."

She crossed her legs, placing her cheeks on her hands, ready to listen, "Sollunga."

"Ungaluku therinja katha thaan."

She raised her eyebrows.

He chuckled and continued, "Airportla oru ponnu. Kanuman theriyama nadathutu keila vila ponna...aprom..."

She slowly lowered her hands, feeling a little uneasy.

"Jokes apart, anaiku actuala I noticed how beautiful you were. Kalyanathuku avasaram patutomunu thonichu. Aprom Pooja kuda ungala pathen, konjam nimathi ya irunthuthu, analum miss panitomai nu oru uruthal...Kalyana meidala nee sonnathu poinu therinjum, thaali katunathuku athuthaan reason..."

She pursued her lips, looking away.

What was going on? Was he actually saying something on the lines of "I love you"?

"...thank you..."

She looked at him enquiringly.

"...for accepting this life with me. Ena vida santhoshama, intha nimisham, yarumai iruka mudiyathu," he said taking her hands in his and slightly caressing her knuckles with his thumb.

If she was taken aback, she didn't show it; instead she smiled.

"I'm the one who is fortunate," she said placing her head on his shoulders.

"Ow!"

"Ena achu?" she asked jerking back.

"Kanla thusinu nenaikuren," he said rubbing his eyes.

She stopped him, "Ethira thadava sollurathu? Kasakathinga."

She held his eyelids open and blew into it gently. A very familiar sense of dj-vu passed through both of them.

The sting in his eyes eased and he looked at her and she held his gaze, letting go off him reluctantly.

They could feel each other's breaths on their face and for one dense moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. With wide eyes, she realized that that is exactly what he did one second later.

*****

He had no idea what got over him when he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on her lower lip.

A soft, subtle kiss.

Coming to his senses, he pushed away.

"I...I'm sorry."

She looked bewildered, trailing her lips with her fingers, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

He moved to get up, but stopped when he felt her hand on his stopping him.

"Don't be."

Before they could talk any further, they saw Pooja and Shruthi walking towards them and they got up.

"Appa!" she exclaimed as she flung herself at him.

"Appa, Shruthi athae kuda nan hostel polama?"

"Ena?"

"Avunga mehandi potu tharuvanga. Approm movie pakalaman. Avunga hostel pinadi waterfalls lan irukan."

Arjun turned towards Priya.

"Amma, please. Dubai la ein friends kuda sleepover poveinlan, anthamathiri."

Before she could object, Shruthi spoke up, "Ein roommate birthday um kuda. Enjoy panuva. Naan nala padiya pathu kirein."

Priya turned to look at Arjun, not able to decide.

"Pooja..." started Arjun.

"Appa, please pa," she said keeping her best cute face.

"Pooja..."

"Appa ok sollitanga."

"Yei!"

"Seri vaanga lunch ku polam. Ada vanga pa."

*****

She knew how worked up her mother was when she left for sleep-overs. She was always pampered after that. So taking time off her was one possible way to win her attention back.

Ain't it the best plan?

Smiling to herself, Pooja entered the restaurant tagging along with Shruthi.

*****

She definitely didn't need a stethoscope to hear her heartbeats nor a sphygmomanometer to know her blood pressure. She barely concentrated on her lunch or what they did till evening. Only one frightening thought that lingered in her mind; they were going to be alone that night.

*****

On the contrary Arjun wasn't much fazed. He did not even think about it. Well, that was until, they dropped Pooja and Shruthi at the hostel. The minute they were alone and enveloped in a silent blanket on their way back to their cottage, he realized they were to spend the night alone. Last time, they were married, ya, but with Pooja kidnapped and no more than an acquaintance-ic relationship. But now, the dimension of their relationship has changed, hasn't it? All he could do was hope not to mess it up by doing something stupid. The romantic songs playing on the radio was doing nothing to help it.

*****

The silence in the room was suffocating. She had just come out of the bathroom after a quick shower and he was on his bed watching TV.

Of all songs, that one song from Kakki Sattai had to be playing right then?!

Arjun, TV a off pannu!

Only when he switched off the TV did he realize that this action sent a message it wasn't supposed to send.

Oh God! Kill me now!

Ok! Nala payan a poi hall a padu chellam!

He got up to go away, when Priya called out to him, "Arjun!"

"Huh?"

"Oru bottle thaani please."

"Ok."

*****

When he came back to the room, she was standing by the window, looking out at the mist-filled night.

"Intha..."

"Thank you."

"Avala pathi kavala padatha. Shruthi avala nala pathu pa."

"Theriyum," she said acknowledging with a slight nod.

"Arjun, nijamavai ithu thaan ungaluku venuma?"

He raised his eyebrow in inquiry.

"I mean...ena thaan irunthalum naan...naan..."

"Don't say it!" he hissed, his anger flared.

"Athu thena unma," she said, looking at her feet.

He caught her cheeks with his one hand, urging her to look at him, "Pooja ein ponnu. Nee ein wife. Athu thaan unma. Ithu thaan nijam."

He saw the shock in her eyes and released her.

"I...I'm sorry," he sighed and continued, "Priya please, past a maranthitu, future a pathi yosikalamai. And my future is you and Pooja. No one else."

She looked at him awe struck by his passion.

"I mean it. No one else. Pooja matum namaku pothum. Ena Thala dialogue a copy panurathu mathiri iruku, avalothaan."

"Ana Pooja..." she started and then bit her tongue and turned a 180 degree looking away, visibly blushing.

"Pooja ena?"

"Onum illa," she said shaking her head frantically.

He held her shoulders to make her look at him, "Pooja ena?"

Sheepishly she started, "Ava...athu vanthu..."

"Ena vanthu poi? Bayam paduthira."

"Illa...ava oru thangatchi illa thambi keta," she blurted out, closing her eyes tightly and biting her lip.

"Ena?"

She did not have the courage to repeat it again.

She really had to start thinking before speaking, first blurting out that Coimbatore was hot and ending up in an ever romantic Ooty and now this.

It took a while for it to register what she said, but when it finally did; he couldn't help but smile.

She could sense his gaze on her and she finally opened one eye and shut it again at his intensity.

He held her chin and made her look at him and she forgot the mechanism of breathing.

Pah! What a smile!

"Pooja keta avaluku kuduthu thena aganu..." he said, unable to control his smile.

She was a mother, alright.

But for the first time in life, she felt like a woman.

An intense combination of shyness, coyness, desire, insecurity, passion, fear, excitement and everything that goes with it.

She swallowed.

Did he mean what she thought he meant?

She really had to stop being afraid of animals, for just then a dog howled in a distance and she held on to him tight, breathing faster. The wind came in carrying drizzles of mist through the open window. She didn't move, their breath rate rapidly rising.

He held her shoulders and she slowly released her grip from his shirt. He took his arms to her cheeks and made her look at him, for the third? the fourth? time that day. She looked at him straight in his eyes.

He could hear her breathes and she could hear his. Her mind went blank. She couldn't and didn't want to think of anything. She just closed her eyes when he leaned towards her for a reassuring kiss. She put her hands lightly around his neck. He let go slowly. He loosened his grip and looked at her. She wasn't angry. She wasn't smiling either. Her left hand was still around his neck. She dragged her right hand to his chest feeling his heartbeat. His breath quickened when she didn't move away.

Her forehead creased into a frown, but he gave her no time to react, bending over to kiss her again; his mouth so delicious and tender on hers. Giving in, she reached up to tangle her hands in his hair, losing herself in the pleasure of his kiss.

He slipped a hand to the small of her back and pulled her close, the warmth of his body inviting her closer as she surrendered to his arms. She felt tears running slowly down her cheeks. She found herself longing to belong to him.

He came back to reality.

He started saying, "I.."

To his surprise, she kissed him, putting an end to his guilt. He put a hand up to cradle her cheek and looked at her with an intensity that made her incapable of looking away.

"Priya"

She smiled and closed her eyes as he slowly caressed her forehead, her eyes and her cheeks with his lips. He put the strand of hair, which fell on her face, behind her ears. She shivered as he traced kisses down her neck. She turned and he put his arm around her waist and hugged her from behind resting his chin on her shoulders; caressing her cheek with his. She held his face and kissed his cheek.

"Please tell me to stop."

She had no intention of letting him go. She turned to look at him.

Laying her head on his chest, she let the warmth of his caress settle over her. Holding her close, he nestled his face into the softness of her hair.

"Are you sure?"

His tone soothed the edges of her heart.

All she could do was kiss him, conveying her acceptance.

Neither of them would have predicted where the night would take them, but there was no denial on what they wanted most.

(To be continued)

Part 15

*****