From & To Sathish #5 - Page 10

Vaanathai Pola 331

She looked at him sadly but with pride and strength burning fiercely in her green eyes and said, ' I. I killed him. My son Radhu was not even there.'

She slowly reached out and took Raman's hand in hers and asked, ' Raman, what would you do if someone entered your house in the middle of the night? what would you do when you realized that he was going to kill you and all the others in the house?'

She felt his hand tremble in hers and felt his pulse quicken and she knew that he had answered and it was confirmed with his words.

' I would do what you did and probably worse than that.'

He said it straight and square and then she saw in his eyes a million questions spark into life.

Shinogai knew that the worst had passed and her fears had been unfounded. There had been that moment, when they both had locked eyes after being introduced and she had seen the instant recognition in his eyes at the mention of her name when she had become alert to the threat that he posed.

But, not now, for she saw Raman in a new light and armed with new insight.

' Ma'am. Are you absolutely sure that the man you killed was after Brigadier sir and not you or Dr.Girija?'

She let go of his hand slowly and looked at him, ' I know killers and assassins when I see one for I have been in the killing business for many years now.'

She looked down at her hands and then lifting them up displayed them to Raman, ' These hands have killed too. Many, many times but only when it was the last option I had left and after knowing fully well that the person deserved it.'

She shook her head, ' I know that he was there to kill Raja and he would not have stopped there with that...'

' Who was he, ma'am? Did he say anything that might be useful in finding out who he was or who might have sent him?'

' No. There was very little time left for that for it all happened very quickly.'

Raman nodded and looking worriedly at her, ' I don't know what but I feel worried about this whole matter.'

Getting up, he looked at her and said, ' I think it is time all of us involved in this matter sat down and had a more detailed conversation about this situation concerning Brigadier sir for I fear that things are getting serious and complicated by the minute.'

Shinogai feeling a bit confused and worried, ' More serious... what do you mean by that?'

Raman knew the rules very well and that he was not supposed to divulge critical and sensitive information that concerned national security to strangers leave alone foreign spies. But then he also knew that results and solutions were not gotten by following rules and orders.

He looked at Shinogai, ' Not now. Tomorrow morning. We will all sit down and compare notes and see what we can glean from this rather confusing case concerning Brigadier sir.'

Raman wanted to say it but he was struggling to do so and seeing his predicament, Shinogai too got up to her feet and stood smiling at him.

' Mr.Raman, I swear on my son that I will not misuse the privilege and courtesy that you have extended to me and my family. I am in your debt and we are known to pay our debts. With blood or with life. So, let your mind and heart be at rest, for I realize that you think that you might be betraying your country by talking to me and trusting me. A person not only from another country but who also happens to be working in the same field as you.'

Raman nodded and smiled and then touched his forehead with his right hand and said, ' As salamu Alaykum and Eid Mubarak wishes to you and your family.

Avan, Aval, Adhu 26

Both Gayatri and Rasaathi Ammal stood up and watched as the Head constable Palani saluted Ravi and left in his police jeep. They both saw him stand there looking in the direction that the jeep was speeding away and even though she had known him for a very little time, Gayatri could sense Ravi's angst and worry from the way he stood slouched and with his head bent a bit low.

She looked at Rasaathi Ammal who opened her eyes wide and shook her head. Gayatri nodded and looked towards Ravi and found that he was looking at both of them but with a smile playing on his lips.

He made his way towards them and then stopping at the few stone steps, folded his hands across his chest and looked up at both of them.

' It is okay, ladies. You can ask me anything if you so feel the need to do so.'

Gayatri looked at Rasaathi Ammal who again opened her eyes wide sending the same signal as a warning.

She looked at Ravi, ' We were just chatting about life in general. Nothing in particular.' Pointing in the direction of the road, ' We heard the noise of the jeep and got up to greet you.'

Rasaathi Ammal looked helplessly at Gayatri and made an expression which clearly conveyed the message, ' Stop blabbering and be quiet for it won't be long before you say something and upset him.'

Realizing that she was indeed blabbering, Gayatri fell silent and the way she did it was so abrupt that Ravi found it hilarious and with a smile said, ' Gayatri, Pay no heed to my overthinking and overanalyzing mother who in her need to be protective about me tends to exaggerate about my reactions.'

He looked at his mother, ' Amma, over the years along with the help of our pet monkey Ganesan, you have managed to turn my silences into some sort of urban legend. This has had such an effect on people that many keep away in fear of this reputation that you have created for me.'

Rasaathi Ammal face reflected her surprise and the eventual realization that maybe there was some truth in Ravi's words.

' I agree but you cannot find fault with your mother for being over-protective. Take me for instance. I am your mother and I myself find it difficult to talk to you sometimes for you close the doors of your thoughts and that's it. The many times that I have tried to break them down and try to approach you, all I have got in return, is a look. No, not a look but a stare that is more of a glare that screams silently " Leave me alone".'

Having said that Rasaathi Ammal looked at Gayatri hopefully for support and instead found an expression that said, ' You just told me that I was blabbering and signaled me to stay quiet. But, look at you.'

Rasaathi Ammal looked at Gayatri whose expression was read in full by her and managing a sheepish grin, said, ' I am sorry but I have a lot of work in the garden' and slinked away.

Gayatri looked at Ravi who smiled and said, ' My mum is watching too many soap operas, methinks. Off late, she has been addicted to this Tv serial called Baakiyalakshmi which from what I hear people tell me is now a bit hit among the public.'

' Ravi, you left without having your breakfast.'

' It is okay Gayatri. Sometimes, life and its problems take precedence over petty things like food and drink.'

She stood waiting for him and watched as Ravi removed his sandals and then washed his feet and hands and wondered to herself how sensuous his every movement was even though it was a mundane action.

Ravi climbed the few steps and looked at Gayatri, ' I think I am hungry. Will you give me company while I have my breakfast?'

Gayatri smiled, ' sure, That's the least I can do for my host and also for the new subject of my assignment.'

His eyebrows shot up and he with a sigh, ' Gayatri, I feel sad for you for I know for sure that you are going to be disappointed with me.'

' Disappointment is one word that I or anyone for that matter should ever use when they are dealing with you.'

Stepping closer to him, she whispered, ' Even from what little I have seen and heard about you, I can bet my last penny that I can write a series of articles about you and none of it will be disappointing I promise you.'

Both looked at each other and Ravi looked away first and said wearily, ' I don't know about others but I wouldn't want to disappoint you in any way.'

Surprised by this rather sweet confession, she asked him why he had said that.

' Because you are a nice person. A beautiful soul and the last thing I want to do is disappoint you and thus hurt you in the process.'

Gayatri looked at him with awe and respect, ' Thank you for those kind and sweet words. But, I am sorry to disappoint you when I tell you that you and anything that you say or do will ever be disappointing for me or for any other person.'

Rasaathi Ammal had finished plucking fresh curry leaves, a few green chilies from their large garden behind the house, and turning she caught sight of her son and Gayatri chatting away and importantly standing very close to each other.

She closed her eyes and looked at the now bright sun that was white and mighty in its glory and whispered to him, ' You see everything. You are the one true witness to all that takes place on this earth, your child. So, you will know when you hear me say that, my son is a beautiful soul. A noble soul and you know that it is true. Please, I beg you, grant my son peace and happiness. Grant him a normal life. I am not sure how many more years I have left. I am not worried about that since my only worry is that he does not remain alone to his last breath.'

Who knows if the sun heard her prayers or not. But, the tree in front of the house slowly swayed away and in the process let the light of the sun fall directly on man and woman.

Ravi saw the light on her face and before he could even stop himself, his lips moved, and spoke, ' You are beautiful.'

Maybe it was the way he said it or maybe it was the words themselves but it moved her and she leaned forward and standing slightly on her toes, planted a soft, wet, and sweet kiss on his lips and whispered into his mouth, ' I am beautiful because I am basking in your light.'

Avan, Aval, Adhu 27

He looked at her with surprise and looking at him, Gayatri saw Ravi's eyes that had widened with surprise now began to shrink and then widen again and she knew that what he felt was not surprise anymore but a realization.

Gayatri felt a tremendous pain in her whole being as she watched him step back and look away. He had his face turned away from her and she knew from the way his body trembled itself into a semblance of composure that he was struggling with his emotions.

Guilt along with pain wracked her, lashed her soul. She had done what had come naturally to her and she had flowed into his lips with her lips for her heart had told her to do so. But, here they were, standing just a foot or more separating them, and yet it felt like a dark and deep abyss to her.

She did not know what was more painful, her pain from her kiss not being reciprocated or his pain that seemed to have overcome his soul.

All she could think of was one word and it bubbled up from her throat but died a premature death for Ravi had turned and where there had been, surprise, and some sort of struggle in his face and being a few moments ago, Gayatri saw that his soft and beautiful smile had somehow won over and he said, ' Gayatri, please, don't do ever do that again.'

It was a request and yet she knew that it was more than just that. For, she knew that he was pleading with her, practically begging from his soul through his eyes and Gayatri discovered something about herself.

Something remarkable happened in her.

All through her life, Gayatri had known very well that she was not a perfect person and that she could never be that perfect person as described in epics, tales, and stories. She had always known that she was headstrong, bold, impertinent, and selfish. But, she also knew that she was all that and a wee bit more only when it came to her life and the lives she depended on.

But hearing Ravi's words, she only felt, thought, and worried about him and what was going on in him and what had made him say those words.

She felt some sort of layer slip and drop away from her being and she felt a small bird dive straight into her soul and essence and flutter its wings rapidly at first and then close its wings around itself and fall asleep.

Transformation. Something that had lain in her soul had flown away and something beautiful and gentle had now taken its place.

Gayatri finally replied to Ravi who had spoken and was waiting for her reply and stood looking at her.

' I am sorry Ravi. I am really sorry for doing that. Please forgive me.'

Ravi nodded, ' Thank you for understanding me, and thank you for the kiss.'

She looked at him, ' It was not just a kiss but rather my own way of saying thank you for all that you are, were, will be.'

Avan, Aval Adhu 28

Rasaathi Ammal had seen everything with her old but still keen eyes and she had understood all that had transpired between her son and Gayatri. She had gasped in fear when Gayatri had planted that kiss on Ravi's lips for no one to the best of her knowledge had ever done that or had even dared to do that. Ravi was her only son, her life, her breath, her everything, and yet she knew in her heart that there was a lot she did not know about her only child. It had been a bit difficult in the beginning but Ravi's father had put everything into perspective when she had complained to him one day and that had been just a few days before he had died of a massive heart attack.

Ravi had always been a quiet boy and a person who spoke very little. But, on the rare instances that he spoke, everybody listened and that covered all ages and all manners of people around him. For a little while there, just after his class 10 public exams and just towards the end of the summer vacations, Ravi has somehow seemed to have bloomed or come out of his shell that he usually hid in.

Gayatri knew her son well and rightfully so, for who else can know her child better than the mother. She had known from the very beginning of his life that there was something different about her son. He somehow seemed to crave freedom and independence in his every movement and his every word. There had been many a time when she had deliberately tried to provoke him by snatching the toy he was playing with, just to see his reaction and then to confirm his reactions which turned to be the same, always and without fail.

He would look at her and the toy that had been taken away and then ponder over it and turn his attention to another toy. Gayatri could not believe that a child could actually stay quiet when his toy had been taken away and that notwithstanding, then proceed to weigh what had happened, why it had happened and then make peace with it and turn his attention to something else.

She had spoken about this to her husband who had casually shrugged his shoulders and said, ' must have inherited his grandfather's genes for my mother and grandmother would sing nonstop about this particular trait of my father.'

Her late husband had looked at her, ' Rasaathi, I remember clearly one thing that they used to go on and on about my father. The earth could be on the verge of destruction but my father totally unfazed about the impending doom would continue reading his paper or have his head buried in some ancient Tamil script.'

But that was not the only thing about Ravi that was different from other people and even herself. He rarely ever got angry and to her own knowledge, she could count on her fingers the number of times that she had seen Ravi lose his cool and composure. Even rarer was his retaliation and yet the few times she had seen it, it was terrible for then he pursued his anger with a single-minded purpose.

Then, everything had changed during the beginning of the summer holidays after he had sat for his class 12 public exams. She remembered him retreating into his shell and that became more obvious after his father's death a few days later. Her heart told her that something very significant had taken place in her son's life to have made him come out of his shell and then to once again bury him in that shell.

The reason she had gasped in fear on seeing Gayatri place a kiss on his lips was that she had crossed a line and had invaded his bubble of privacy that he had constructed around him.

Much to her surprise, Rasaathi Ammal stood amazed at her son's reaction, and then her heart resumed its normal beat after she saw them both smile and make peace with each other.

Quickly moving away from their sight, Rasaathi Ammal pottered around the large garden wondering and hoping against hope, ' is this a sign of the good things to come? '

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz9ojiFEvcc

NATYOBICS for fitness freaks -Sridevi Nrithyalaya - Bharathanatyam Dance

Vaanathai Pola 332

As Raman started Shaji's motorcycle that he had borrowed, he stopped and wondered if he should go and say at least a bye to Kavita and then he looked at the hospital and thought, ' How much does Kavita know about Radhu and his mother and them being part of the American super-spy network? Does she know or not know and is she aware of Shinogai killing and throwing the assassin's body out of that room she is in?'

' Omg, Ram. Is there such a thing as peaceful, calm, and normal times in your life?' he asked himself and muttering, 'I guess not' and headed towards the Army base where Major Param and the others were waiting for him.

One thing kept cropping up again and again in his mind and his instincts kept telling him that they were not wrong and that his trip to Global Hospitals had indeed borne unexpected fruit by the unexpected encounter with Shinogai, Radhu's mother and the head of Sparta who had her whole organization secretly searching for her.

' Imagine that, just a few days ago, William and Paul were talking about the Spartan program and shared detail about both its head and its no.1 agent and here they both are in Chennai and already a part of my world and soon to be a part of my family' Raman thought as he rode his motorbike and neared Guindy.

He had sworn a blood oath and had made a pact of life with the late Vijay and had sworn to protect his family. That by itself meant extending the same to both Radhu and Shinogai for they would soon become a part of Kavita.

As he neared the gates, he was surprised to see Major Param standing there and stopping his bike asked him what he was doing there.

' Waiting for you Raman, what else? The army's top brass has already called me several times and I told them that we were on to something and promised that I would have something conclusive by evening.'

Pointing to his watch, ' Raman, you have been gone for two hours and I know it must be something really important. But, boss, time is running out, man. It is already two in the afternoon.'

Raman smiled and playfully tugging Major Param's beard, assured him, ' Major, chill man. Don't worry, We will have something by evening and maybe more than that.'

Param looked at Raman, ' Please, don't get my hopes up for I doubt if my nerves can handle any disappointment today.'

Then his eyes suddenly flashed brightly and he grabbed Raman's shoulder and asked, ' I agree it will be great if we can find something, anything about this mysterious disappearance of Brigadier Prakash Malhotra. But why did you say it with a hint of certainty?'

He looked at Raman and suddenly yelled, ' You sly dog, you cruel dog. You already knew, right. say it, you idiot. You know before leaving how he had been kidnapped.'

Raman smiled and nodded, ' Yes, but I will not be in any shape to share it with all of you if keep shaking my shoulders so hard. My arms seem to have popped out of their sockets.'

The six fully armed military commandos who were guarding the gates of the Pallavaram Army base, stood still and exchanging glances.

They knew that is all they could do for both of them were senior officers. The senior-most of the six guards was Havildar Sujindar Singh and he looked at the other armed sepoys and tapped his shoulder and made eyes and all of them saw the strange emblem on Major Param's shoulder and looked at their senior who shook his head and told them to remain silent.

Major Param ran to the jeep that was parked and drove off and Raman followed him with his head full of thoughts about what went into Param's diet to make him so strong.

' Aloo parathas, butter chickens, lots of milk, fresh Dahi.No wonder these Punjabi's are so strong and active. And to top that, they eat all that in the bucket loads and not moan and groan about weight loss, diet, and crib about it being gluten=free.'

Havildar Sujindar and the other guards watched as both men disappeared into the base and turning to the others, ' Did you see that badge on that officer's shoulder?'

All of them nodded and one of them said, ' Strange one. A circle with a lion roaring in it with our national flag wrapped around its body. I have never seen anything like that before.'

Another Sepoy asked Havildar Sujindar,' Saab, what does it stand for ?'

' I was not even sure if it existed but I am now after seeing it with my own eyes.'

He looked at the others, ' There are many secret organizations that are part of our National security and all of them have their own designated jobs and duties. But, I believe that there is one organization that supersedes all of them and is the one that the Prime Minister himself calls for when extreme force is required.'

' Saab, you mean like James bond and others like him.'

Havildar Sujindar nodded, ' maybe or even far superior and lethal than that filmy James Bond.'

Another Sepoy wondered aloud, ' Okay, but who was that man on the bike in civilian clothes.'

Havildar Sujindar Singh smiled and said, ' That must be the man who Prime Minister Modi came to meet a few months ago.'

' Oh! wow! Modi sir was here to meet that man. Why, Saab?

' To pin the Param Vir Chakra on his chest.'

Vaanathai Pola 333

Shaji, Balbir, Sukhi Ram and Preetha who were staring at the large screen heard Major Param's excited voice long before the door opened and looked up wondering what he was so high about, heaved a sigh of relief seeing Raman also with him.

' The Man is here' Preetha whispered and added, ' Any bets.'

Balbir and Shaji looked at her and then looked at the screen and seeing that none of the visuals made any sense, nodded and asked her, ' How much?'

' I am betting 1000 rupees that Raman will find something in this maze and we will have a trail to follow in about half an hour, give or take 10 minutes.'

Both her colleagues accepted the wager and looked at the lone Sukhi Ram who smiled, ' Win or lose, one of you is going to throw a treat and I will be a part of it. So, why waste my money?'

' Kanjoos. Shylock' Preetha cursed him in jest and Sukhi Ram rolled his eyes and whispered, ' When Major Param left us ten minutes ago, you will remember that he was just about ready to explode in frustration and that is expected after the steady stream of calls that he received and which were obviously about the missing man.'

Shaji and the others exchanged glances at each other and in unison, ' Okay Sukhi but why bring that up now.'

' The same man now is back in a happy mood. That means....'

Preetha finally realizing what Sukhi was hinting, ' Raman is with him and that means that he is already on to something and the Major has learnt that and that is why he is jumping up and down like a Pogo stick.'

Quickly she looked at Balbir and Shaji, ' all bets are off and with the Man in the mix, I am not wasting my cash.'

ALL four fell silent and filling their faces with respect tinged with expectations looked at Raman who casually wished them a hi and then turned and stood facing the Large Led screen.

All of them heard Raman request them to put up on the screen what they had found with the help of the Traffic CCTV footage and told them to go one at a time.

Raman patiently heard them all out and then in a soft and polite voice requested them to give him a few minutes to process all the information that they had flooded him with and folding his hands across his chest stood staring at the screen

They saw him shake his head a couple of times and nod a couple of times and Preetha suddenly moved away realizing something and came back with a cup of coffee that she offered Raman who thanked her and taking a sip from the steaming black coffee went back to watching the screen.

Major Param was praying to all his Sikh Gurus and making a lot of promises at the same time. Promises that he had broken many a time. Yet, with only his gods for help, he prayed in his head, ' Guruji, please help us and please,let it be true. Help Raman in getting a lead that will help us solve this mysterious and at the same time a highly confusing case.'

Raman turned suddenly and looked at all of them.

' Okay people, this is what we know and what we know are facts that cannot be doubted.'

He looked at his up and Preetha hurried up to him and Raman again thanked her and gave her the cup and continued.

' Two days ago at about 12.00 in the afternoon, Brigadier Prakash Malhotra walked out of his house and got into a dark coloured Mercedes which was waiting for him and vanished into thin space.'

Pointing to the four youngsters, ' We know that the dark coloured high-end Merc was in fact a blue coloured S class model sedan and that it was carrying false plates from the data gathered collected from all the dealers in Chennai.'

He looked at the screen and picking up a remote clicked it and the screen suddenly filled up with the images of nearly a dozen people and turning to them, ' All of them own a blue coloured S class Mercedes and all of them have been checked and their movements accounted for.'

Clicking the remote, Raman brought up a picture of a dark blue coloured Merc, ' This clip is of the car leaving the Defence colony and then seemingly vanishes. But...'

He looked at all of them and then handed the remote to Shaaji who clicked rapidly and spoke.

' As requested by Raman sir, we expanded our search in a layered fashion and in expanding circles with each of us taking a layer and scrutinizing the available CCTV footage, much like ripples travelling on water and we managed to catch sight of the car, here..'

Preetha made a grunting noise that was more of a growl and Shaaji quickly handed over the remote to her and went and stood with the others.

Preetha looked at all of them and then concentrating more on Raman took up the baton and continued.

' The blue merc miraculously appears and then just like that disappears and then the last we see of it is when it is entering a vacant piece of land which is used by heavy-duty container trucks and strangely enough not far from defence colony itself.'

She looked at Raman who nodded and said, ' Good job Preetha.'

But Preetha shook her head as if refusing the compliment and replied, ' Raman sir, I fail to see how it can be a good job on my part when we are still in the dark about where it is right now.'

' You are wrong Preetha, for this piece of footage is going to be vital in this whole case. My only worry is the head start that the men behind this kidnapping have on us and that we might be too late to help the missing Brigadier.'

Major Param unable to put a lid on his thoughts, raised his voice and beseeched, ' Raman, boss, this is not the time for Q&A bit time for action.'

Joining him, Param stared at the screen,' Please, I beg of you and also confess wholeheartedly to a fact that has been acknowledged by most of us, which is, you see more than the rest of us.'

He gently gripped Raman's right arm with his left hand and pointing to the screen with his right hand, ' what does that truck stop have to do with our case and the missing Mercedes? '

Raman sighed sadly, ' I am sorry guys but believe me when I tell you that I am not grandstanding here but rather trying to put all the pieces of this puzzle together or at least assemble it in such a way that we have at least a lead to follow on.'

Major Param realizing that he might have been a bit harsh on Raman said in a soft voice, ' I am sorry boss but you do realize that time is of the essence here.'

Raman waved his hand casually and looked at Param, ' Please, Param. There is no need for apologies for we are all working together as a team and is it okay to vent our thoughts and moods on each other. That is what a team means. Not just being there during the good times but importantly being there through tough and troubling times.'

Then he looked tiredly at Major Param and said, ' I think you better call upstairs and arrange for a commando team and rush to that spot right away and seal it before it becomes too late to gather any evidence that the kidnappers might have left behind in that spot.'

All they could do was stare at him and wonder what he was going on and Raman realizing that they were yet to catch on, turned to Preetha, ' How did we manage to get this CCTV footage? Is it possible to get a live feed right away?'

' I think so, sir. Let me give it a try ' and rushed to her table and they all watched as her fingers sped over the keypad in a blur and typed in commands and then she looked up with a smile and announced, ' Sir, there are three CCTV Cameras that are live right now. Two belong to the City Police and the third belongs to the petrol Bunk which is just opposite that vacant piece of land where those trucks are parked.'

' Okay, Preetha. Just put up the best camera feed on our screen here and also please put up that last video of our missing Mercedes.'

Preetha typed in a few more commands and the Large LED screen filled up with the live video on the right-hand side and with the recorded video on the left-hand side.'

Raman glanced at it for a second and then turned and grabbed Major Param's shoulder and yelled, ' Everybody, tell me the differences in both the videos.'

Shaji yelled, ' Just one Raman sir. It is not a difference but a similarity between the videos and that is that Lorry with Punjabi registration.'

' Bravo, Shaaji, Barvo. Well done.'

Shaji looked at Raman and the others too looked at him and again he shook his head and taking a deep breath told them what he thought had taken place.

' The blue Mercedes with darkened interiors went around defence colony and finally halted here. We expanded our search grids and tried our best to track that car but failed. Why?'

Raman waited for one of them to answer but none did and pointing to the screen, 'because the car was loaded into one of the trucks which then drove away.'

Param's face went pale in shock and fear and he looked at Raman, ' but, but there are ten trucks there in that picture. How, who and where......?

Raman raised his hand and Param fell silent and pointing to the screen, ' Ten trucks. But, how many of them have space to take in an s-class Mercedes sedan.'

All of them stared at the screen and all of them yelled in one voice, ' Three. Three container trucks.'

Raman looked at them and growled, ' Shaji, Balbir, Sukhi Ram and Preetha, track those three trucks and see how far they have travelled in these past two days.'

Placing a hand on Param's shoulder, ' come now major, let's go and see what we can find in that parking spot and also let's chat with that Punjabi registered truck driver and see what we can gather from him.'

Avan, Aval Adhu 29

They stood looking at each other. Staring into each other's eyes but more to see what lay in the other's soul. She saw him for what he was, a shy, gentle soul but also saw fear and regret. He saw her for the brave, beautiful warrior soul that she was and unable to look anymore, averted his gaze, and instead stared into the distance.

' Ravi sir, can I ask you something?'

He slowly turned and looked at her and nodded, ' Yes, Gayatri. You may ' and frowning a little, ' sir, again after you promised.'

' Okay, Ravi, I promise that I will not break the promise again ' and smiled, and then, her smiled slowly died a sudden death and she asked him in an earnest voice, ' why do I feel that you have more in you than you reveal and why is it that I feel that you have lost something and are either waiting for it to come back or have preferred to wait for it even though it may turn out to be in vain in the end.'

Ravi Kumar looked at her, ' maybe, just maybe the answer is in front of you. Maybe, because what I have lost is more valuable than what little I have or don't have at all.'

Spontaneously throwing her arms into the air, she punched him playfully, ' Man, be honest and tell me if you have ever answered a question in a simple manner. Why are your answers always tinged with an air of mystery and yet filled with quiet desperation?'

Ravi smiled and she that it was as bright and beautiful as the sun whose face has been cleared by the clouds that had marred its visage.

' It is strange that you should say that and also it is pretty weird for me to hear you say it because hardly anyone I know, has ever said that of me.'

Casting a glance at the steps, he looked at her, ' is it okay if I sit down for I feel a bit tired and weary.'

The five steps that elevated the house from the ground were about three feet in length and so it was a bit of a squeeze when they both sat side by side and proceeded to look out into the fields.

' Gayatri, all of us are created differently by the one who has that power to do so. If it thinks that is the best way to go about doing business then who among us can fault that power for doing so.'

She wanted to reply with her own retaliation but the thoughts died away exploding like soap bubbles.

He looked at her and she realized that he was not waiting for her to agree with his train of thought but instead was waiting for her permission to carry on speaking and she nodded and he continued.

' From what little I have seen of the world I live in which is here and around here, I have realized one very important factor that plagues almost all of us and that ravages all our lives just like the deadly plague itself.'

Gayatri stared at him, her entire focus on his eyes, his lips, and his thoughts, and saw a man who rarely opened himself up was now doing so and she felt strangely sad and also privileged by his action.

She said in a very tender voice, ' Ravi, you don't have to...'

He smiled and replied, ' It is okay but I think I have to. I owe it to not only myself but to you and to life in general.'

' Everybody thinks that they know what is good for the other and by that I mean all the relationships that are forged between two or more human beings. It is never ever a balanced state of affair and somehow or the other, a kind of manipulation seeps its way in and thus corrupting the souls that exist in that relationship. Many drift away in thought and soul and yet stay anchored in their relationship and they do that because they don't know better and also because they are scared of casting away and drifting away on unknown and unchartered seas.'

' Okay boss. understood and agreed. But, how will you ' pointing to him, ' how will you ever know what is good for you when you don't even bother to look at it and worse, acknowledge it.'

Ravi smiled and she joined in his laughter and unknown to both of them, Rasaathi ammal stood watching both of them and her eyes filled with tears and she wondered, ' could it be, is it even possible that the Ironman's iron barriers can be broken down?'

Gayatri looked at him, ' She must have been someone very special and one of her kind. Was she, Ravi?'

Far, far away in Mumbai, Madhurima answered her mobile phone and replied in a very brief manner.

' Please, send me all the information right away and also find the best advocate in Madurai and pay him a retainer.'

She heard the question and snapped back her answer, ' whatever the man wants, pay him. Money is not the issue here. Understood. Okay, then get it done and meet me at 5.00 pm.'

She placed the phone back on the table and whispered, ' that is the least I can do for my hero who saved me and my family and for the soul who still lives with me in his every breath and every thought.'

Avan, Aval Adhu 30

Gayatri looked at him, ' She must have been someone very special and one of her kind. Was she, Ravi?'

His eyes flared open in surprise and at the same time, she saw flares of memory spark into life and realizing that his eyes were giving his soul and its secrets away, Ravi turned away and she knew then it was a matter concerning the heart. A matter of love and loss.

Leaving him to his thoughts, She slowly slipped away from him and Kumarapalayam and remembered both her parents and all that had happened after that. Love that had turned sour and had then turned bitter and downright dangerous when her husband had started physically abusing her.

Gayatri smiled and whispered to herself, ' God, if you are there, really there. Please answer this one fu..ing question. Why bring people together when you know they will end up hurting each other? why keep people apart when you know that they are good for each other?'

She turned and saw Ravi staring at her sadly and asked, ' What? why are you staring at me?'

' I have heard my mother talk in her sleep and she has told me that I too do that sometimes. But, this is the first time that I am hearing someone dream and talk while being wide awake and with their eyes wide open.'

' You.... heard. You mean to say that my thoughts were that loud?' Gayatri asked and her face flushed with embarrassment and seeing her discomfiture, Ravi said consolingly, ' Not to worry for I too have asked the same questions many a time in my life and have not gotten any answers as of now.'

' So, you don't now. I mean you don't ask those questions anymore?'

Smiling wryly, he shook his head.

' Why? you did not get any answers and yet you have decided to stop asking them. Don't you feel that these unanswered questions soon turn into an invisible but constantly present burden, that stops you from living a normal life?'

' I stopped asking questions but I have not stopped speaking to God..'

Gayatri was stupified by this cryptic and strange answer and she looked at him with curiosity, ' Can I ask you what you talk to God about?'

Ravi smiled, ' Well, it is less of talking and asking questions which I know will never be answered by him..?

' Okay. Less of that means more of what, Ravi?'

He looked at her and she saw that same peaceful and content expression fill his face and heard him say shyly and in a soft voice, ' I pray for their well-being, safety and hope that they are happy and are leading peaceful lives where ever they are.'

Avan, Aval Adhu 31

They could, and maybe would have sat for a longer time, chatting, talking, and sharing their thoughts with each other. But, Ravi's mother Rasaathi Ammal whose thoughts were more about the current state of her son's empty stomach, gently intervened and so their reverie was broken. Just as they were getting up to their feet, it suddenly struck Gaaytri that she had spent nearly an hour sitting next to a man and had opened her heart to him and he, in turn, had bared a bit of his soul, and yet she had felt comfortable and had felt no discomfort of any sort.

Ravi said softly, ' Gayatri, please excuse me but I am really hungry' and then looked at her, ' Would you like to join me for breakfast?' and his request immediately prompted her protest.

' Thank you, Ravi. But, I have to say no ' and patting her stomach, ' if last night's dinner was heavy, today's breakfast was double that boss.'

Ravi pointed to his mother and winking said playfully, ' she is the real boss. Not me. She will pretend that I am the one who makes all the decisions but it is she who really does it and that too through me.'

Saying that Ravi left her and went into the house leaving Gayatri to slowly sink back to sitting on the step.

She thought of him and the kiss that she had placed on his lips and wondered about his reaction and the respect she had for Ravi shot through the roof and reached the skies for she, being a woman, knew only too well about the dynamics that lay between a man and woman.

Her many interactions with the Male species and the resulting bitter experiences over decades had left her numb and cautious to men and to her knowledge even the best of them succumbed to desire and lust. Gayatri had rightfully blamed herself for a few of the bitter episodes but as far the rest, the men were mostly to be blamed.

Life and time spent with the Male species over the years had taught her many lessons of which one vital lesson she had learnt very early on in her life was that distance and protocol should always be maintained in a relationship between man and woman.

The simple reason for that the signals that they sent to each other could be mistaken and always ended in a catastrophic disaster.

Gayatri recollected her very first experience that she had gone through in college when in her second year, her much older English lecturer had made a pass at her.

When she had recoiled in fear and anger, he had rather surprisingly accused her for the incident and had told her that she was the one who had flirted with him when in fact she had just been her usual pleasant and outgoing self.

That same incident had repeated itself many a time in her life and in the workplace and worse in her own house and in her bedroom with her ex-husband.

She had fallen for Sid, short for Siddarth Roy, and their relationship had soon escalated into a wild and uninhibited affair that ended with them getting hitched. This had come hot on the heels after her dad's demise and her mother had warned her to slow down and take it easy and think things over before getting married.

Gayatri had not heeded those words of caution and had fought with her mother and had walked out of the house and into the arms of Sid. Then slowly things had started unraveling and had gone downhill and then it was too late.

The rough sex that she once enjoyed had taken on sick and sinister tones and the verbal abuse from Sid while he F..ked her had made her see him in a new light and it was not good and definitely not healthy.

The rough sex had soon turned into Rapes in which she had just lain like a corpse and this only served to increase his brutality which she later realized was his anger at being rejected.

It took her less than a year to realize that great sex and lust did not automatically translate into a great marriage and she had asked him for a divorce.

That is when he had hit her and soon with verbal and sexual abuse, physical abuse, and assault were added and would have gone on but that had all come to a halt when her mother had come to visit her and had seen the black eyes and bruises on her hands, neck, and legs.

Gayatri knew her mother was strong, really strong but she saw witnessed it firsthand when she had slapped her husband Sid several times and had asked him to get out and never show his face again in Mumbai.

Gayatri remembered every moment and every word of that incident.

Her mother had grabbed Gayatri's hand and was about to walk out, taking her back to their house, when she had stopped and had looked at her son-in-law and had roared a warning, ' Mr.Siddarth Roy, I meant what I said and I also mean to carry out what I am about to say. You will sign the divorce papers and disappear forever from Mumbai. If ever, a word is brought to me that you were seen in this city I promise you that I will have you killed, burnt, and then have your ashes scattered and none will be wiser to your disappearance and it will be like you never existed.'

Siddarth had nodded and then he had looked at Gayatri and had said one thing, ' Am I the only person who is at fault here? Don't you realize that you pushed me to become what I have become?'

Smiling sadly and with tears in his eyes he had looked at her accusingly, ' You left. You were the one who withdrew from this marriage. Your pain, your unanswered questions regarding your family, and yes, your father's death. It is all about you and was always about you. I became angry, frustrated with your constant absence and so have become this monster that I am now. But, you are the monster. Not me.'

Men and their misunderstandings. Men and their own interpretations. Men and their justifications to justify their needs of lust rather than passion.

So, Gayatri had been careful, extra careful when it came to dealing with men and had always taken extra precautions when working in close proximity with men.

Not that she had been celibate and had a few one-night stands over the years and a couple of brief affairs that had died away like those thin streams that run into a desert instead of finding solace in the arms of river or sea.

But, what she had felt with Ravi was peace, comfort, and trust.

She turned quickly and looked into the house and saw him eating and she whispered the all too important word, a virtue that is as important as love itself and maybe the foundation of life itself. Trust.

Ravi looked up and caught her staring at him and again smiled gently and in his kind and caring smile that sparkled like stars in his eyes, Gayatri finally knew and understood what the meaning of the word Home truly was.

Home meant trust, and trust meant safety and protection and which again really meant Home.

She smiled and thought, ' I am home. I have found a home. This swallow without seasons and that migrated all over the world has finally found a home, a nest for itself.'