The rays of sunlight poured through the window and dashed on her beautiful face...
The rhythm of chirping sound of birds made her moment lovelier and livelier...
The frangance of flowers from the backyard filled her room with heady aroma...
The sweet-sounding hyms on God were pleasantly giving her more positive vibes...
The parky climate without artificial air confitioners urged her to shrug herself into the quilt....

Relishing everything above, Mullai who was floating in slumberland with eyes closed tried to move to her right only to find the place empty....
Her eyes opened reflexively....

Her lips let out his name automatically as eyes searched for him near her....

KATHIR...

T : chinna kutti... yelunthutiya...

M : haaan paati... kathir yenga...

Paati looked at her grand character fondly with a little smirk...

T : anju vayasula ketatha than iruvathi anju vayasulaiyum kekare...

M : anbathu vayasulaiyum itha than keppen paati...

She sat up lethargically with a wink at paati...

P : athu engaluku theriyaathakum...

Parvathi entered the room with a bright smile that adorns her face always...

M : ammavum ponnum than romba buthisalinga ache.. ungaluku theriyaathathu yetha iruka yena... (chuckles)

T : ammavum ponnum mattum illaa de.. pethiyum kuda than...

M : athu sari... athu sari... (yawning)

T : chinna kutti... thookam vantha thoongu de... mani yelu than achu... nethu vera ettu mani nera payanam...

P : aama de.. thoongu... appuram yeluparen... nethe alaichal vera...

M : illaa ma... thookam varala.. aama kathir yenga...

Her impatient question made the other two grin widely...

P : kudil ku ponaan de...

M : nenachen...

T : sari po.. ready agitu va.. vanthu yetha kudi.. night yethana maniku sapitathu... pasikum....

Seeing her unpacking mullai's luggage....

M : sari paati... na thuni yellam appuram yeduthu vechukaren... ne kashtapadathe... oru maasam inga than eh iruka porom.... yena avasaram...

T : unaku pana yena de kashtam... ne po....

M : en chella paati....

She kissed her paati and left to spruce up after her morning minutes and walked to kitchen...

P : vaa de... Coffee ah paal ah... yena kudikare...

M : coffee ma...

P : yeppo paaru coffee coffeee... sona kekkava pore... iru podaren..

Mullai stood there clutching parvathy's arm and leaning on her shoulder...

P : mulla... kathir palaya kanji than kudichitu ponan... ne coffee kudichitu avanukum yeduthutu po....

M : oh... appo na angaye poi kudichukaren ma.... ne rendu perukum sethu kudu...

P : sari de...

M : appa yenga ma... aalaiye kaanom...

P : koil ku ponaru de.. yella valaiyum mudinjutha nu paaka... vanthuduvaru...

M : sari ma...

P : intha eduthutu po... bathram de... sooda iruku....

M : paathukaren ma....

Mullai walked out with tow cups of freshly brewed coffee looking at her house with pride....

Her house...

She smiled at the thought of it...

MULLAIYAGAM....

Admiringly named by her mother and accepted by her father without any question...

Murugan had used one and half acres of their vast land for their MULLAIYAGAM...

Their house is a two storeyed majestic bungalow that stood tall with modern and ancient exteriors and interiors blended in equal proportions....
It was completely encircled with the beautiful garden....

The entire garden area both on the front and back of the house was sculpted by parvathi single handedly from scratch...

The front portion of the house had a lawn along with non flowering plants and small trees that were kept just for attraction with a small fountain and a beautiful swing on the side...

As she walked around the house, she crossed the vegetable gardening area first...
It had access from the kitchen directly and her mom always made sure each and every vegetable they eat was out of her love and hardwork...
She looked around enthusiastically seeing the fruit of her mom's hard work in each plant....

She moved forward intoxicated by the scent of different flowers....

Parvathi, a ardent lover of flowers had literally grown up all varieties of sweet smelling and beautiful flowers with a eye catchy arrangement... Her love for flowers made her name her daughter by her favorite flower name...
Mullai was told that many objected her name proposal and wanted mullai to be named after some god...

But it was murugan who stood by parvathi...

Mu : valichu pethava ava... ava ishtam than mukkiyam... avaluku pidicha per veikatum...

Yes... its murugan way of showing love and parvathi had shared this more than lakhs time in this 25 years with pride...

She smiled thinking about her parents and moved on...

She stopped by the jasmine plant and her lips curved unknowingly....

K : gundu gundu nu iruka... ivaluku poi oliya iruka mullai poo per vechuruka... gundu malli nu vechurukalam... unaku arive illaa atha...

Kathir's complaining voice chimed in her ears still...

K : please de chinna vayasula iruntha madhiri agu de... alaga irupa...

Its Kathir's wish still to see her chubby just like her childhood... But to his disappointment, mullai lost weight totally in her teens and didnt put any extra fat post her teen age...

She moved on eyeing the aloe vera plant...

M : amma ore smell ah iruku ma.. yethuku ma ithelam theikara...

P : chumma iru de.. mudi appo than soft ah irukum... udambu sudu koraiyum....

She proceeded with a smile...
Each plant here has a memory....

Her legs impulsively halted near her happy spot...

A plant that gives instant giggles....

Yes touch me not plant...

Parvathy and mullai both loved to play with touch me not always....

Parvathy, a passionate gardener, is a undergraduate in botany.... She created this beautiful farm out of passion and interest...

She knew atleast 90 percent of scientific names of everything in the garden and used to explain the same to her husband which will be treat for her daughter's eyes...

Murugan, on the other hand, a tenth grade passed out never cared to learn anything new other than money making but would just stand and nod to his wife's interest...

This touch me not always reminded mullai of those days...

P : yenga ithu than touch me not... ithuku mimosa pudica nu peru...enaku itha thoda romba pidikum... thotta yepadi sinunguthu parungalen... mulla neeyum thodu...

Both mom and daughter would enjoy playing with it while murugan would simply admire them...

P : yenga yena paakareya...

Mu : thottasinungi ah kamikka than ipadi illuthutu vanthengala rendu perum.... ithuku per enna sonna samosa pudingala...

Mullai would laugh on her father's antics to make his wife irritated and her mom's stern stare...

M : appa... athu mimosa pudica...

Mu : yena pero... vaailaye nolaya matenguthu...

P : unga kita sonen paarunga.. ena solanum... ponga poi unga kanaka parunga...

Mullai giggled as always and a instant blush swept over her as kathir's husky voice thrummed in her...

K : sariyana thottasinungi de ne.. yenga thotalum sinungare...

A huge wave of desire flushed over her to see him...

She moved on to the last portion of their house...

The kudil....

Her favorite spot in the garden...

Kathir's favorite spot in the garden...

Their favorite spot in the garden...

It was a big high roof cabin made of wood surrounded by all greens and top covered by dried coconut leaves...

Parvathi had decorated the cabin as per taste with various flower pots which was later accompanied by paintings done by mullai...
The cabin had a big water tank which was done for mullai who was shy to learn swimming in a open pool and also a separator to get changed...

One end had a painting board and a desk.... Another soothing place for mullai....

She entered the cabin and her eyes drank the scene in front of her eagerly....

There....

Her boys were in the pool as expected...

Chinchoo and chintoo were in their swim rings and kathir was teaching them to kick start...

All three shouted as they looked at her...

GOOOOOD MORNING....

M : good morning...

She grinned at them...

Chintoo : ma... nanga super ah swim panrom ma... paaren....

He tried to move around with the ring... so did chinchoo...

Chinchoo : paathiya ma...

M : oh super ah panrengale... sari chamatha paal kuducheenga than eh...

Chorus : oh kudichome...

M : sari velaiyaadunga...

Chintoo : velaiyadala ma.. swim panrom... thappa solaathe...

M (chuckles) : sorry sorry swim panunga...

She gestured at kathir who was gawping at her to come out pointing coffee in her hands...

He nodded and came out in a jiffy....

She handed him a towel to dry himself...

K : ei thakaali.. iru.. two minutes...

M : hmmm...

She settled in the wooden bench over there when kathir changed his wet clothes and put some color balls in the tank for the kids to play...

His slightly wet bare body, wet hair and broad smile made her drool as always...

K : sight adichathu pothum de...

M : unna vida na kammi than... apadi bae nu paakara... yenamo paathathe illatha madhiri...

K : pina yena alaga iruke theriyuma... athu yepadi de white unaku mattum ivalo alaga iruku....

She was wearing a simple patiala with a comfortable short top in his favorite color white....

M : unaku whitecolorum pidikum.. enaiyum pidikum.. athan...

K : illa... unna pidikum... white um pidikum.... athan...

M : pothum pothum coffee ah kudi....

K : Saringa boss... ipo than elunthiya...

M : hmmm aaama...nethu 8 mani neram drive pannitu yethuku ne ivalo sikiram eluntha.. konjam thoonga vendiyathu than eh...

They started sipping the coffee as he sat on the wooden bench in a corner taking a look at the kids...

K : na yenga de elunthen... un pasanga than elupi kutitu vanthanga... appuram inga vanthathum thookam kalanjuduchu...

M : tired ah illa than eh...

K : nope... unaku...

M : illa fresh ah iruken...

K : paathale theriyuthe...

M : valiyaathe....

K : ambiance apadi...

M : hmmm...

He smiled dreamily...

K : oru 7,8 varusham irukuma de...

M : 7,8 ah... dei ivangaluke 4 vayasu aga poguthu... intha march vantha kitathata 11 varusham achu...

K : avalo naal ah.... time parakuthe...

M : aama...ipo tha ivanga porantha madhiri iruku... adhukula 4 vayasu aga poguthu...

K : hmmmm...

M : ei.... coffee kuduchachu ilaa... thalai ah thuvatu... polam...

Chinchoo... chintoo... vaanga polam...

Chintoo : konjam neram ma...pls....

Chinchoo : konja neram ball matum velaiyaditu vanthudarom...

M : oru five minutes than... ne yen ipadi ukanthutu iruka... thalaya thuvatu...

K : shhhh... neeye thuvati vidu...

M : ithe velai oh pochu unaku...

She stood up facing him and started drying his hair while he hugged her around waist....

K : 11 varushathuku munnadi mudhal thadavai katti pidicha madhiriye iruku de...

Mullai was lost in her own thoughts too...

M : aama... yen nu theriyala... namma oorku vantha than palaya niyabagam elam varuthu....

Intha ooru, intha veedu, antha veedu , namma family yellaathaiyum romba miss panrom illa... coffee kuda paaren... packet paal illaama fresh paal la kudika yevalo nalla iruku...

K : hmmm....

M : ivanga kuda paaren yepadi enjoy panranga nu... namma enna than paathukitalum thatha paati kita irunthu kedaikara affection vera than eh...

K : hmmmm....

M : mukkiyama ivalo periya veedu, thootam, intha kudil ithelam vitutu yepadi than namalala anga flat la iruka mudiyutho....

K : hmmmm....

M : yen da.. na paatuku pesituruken... ne sugama katipidichutu hmmm kotitu iruka...

K : yena pananungra...

M : bathil sollu...

K : yepavum solra athe bathil tha... leave potutu vanthachu... intha oru maasam nalla enjoy panu...leave mudinjathum pottiya katitu namma veetuku kelambuvom... avalo than bathil...

M : sentiments eh illaatha jadam da ne...

K : pode loose... sentiments nala buuva varuma... company la oru maasam leave kuduthathe perusu... athuku mela ketta veliya poga soliduvanga....

M : athu sari... apadi sonna kunnakudike vanthuduvom...

K : vanthu ???

M : inga ivalo sothu vechutu poi anga inoruthar kita kai neeti sambalam vanganuma nu luckymaa kuda feel panranga....

K : athuku yena pananumgra...

M : athan solren... ingaye vanthudalam...

K : athan de kekaren... vanthu???

M : pandian stores la mottai thooki potalam podu...

K : athuku vera yetha illichavaai ah paaru.. intha kathir athukelam sikka maatan....

M : mama rendu peraiyum than eh illichavaai nu sonne... iru avanga kita solren...

K : aiyo venam de... enaku romba bayama iruku...

He shivered as if he got scared...

M : poda...

She too hugged him and placed a kiss on his forehead...

Chorus : maaa... paaaa...

K : correct ah disturb panuvanungale...

M : un pasanga than eh... apadi than irupanga... vaa polam... time achu...

K : hmmm.. appurama namma rendu per mattum varuvoma... (wink)

M : varalame... mathiyam ivanga thoonginathum...

K : done...

Kathir lifted them out of the tank, wiped and gave them a dress change....

K : polama...

M : hmmm...

Mullai picked up the coffee cups and moved out...

Chintoo : appa thookku...

Chinchoo : ennaiyum....

M : ivalo thoram elam thookitu nadaka mudiyathu da... appa ku valikum... nadanthu vaanga....

Chorus : apppaaaaaaa... pleaseeeeeee......

K : sari vaanga... oru change ku unga amma nadanthu varatum... (wink)

M : poda...

He laughed out loud, lifted both of them and started walking in his usual manly tread....

As always Mullai who was lost in her boys followed them....

---------------------------------------

Adutha Alai (upcoming) :

L : poda dhadi paayale... unna paaka yaaru vantha....

Nan en marumagalaiyum, peranungalaiyum paaka vanthen...

As she said this, her eyes scanned her son with love from head to toe spotting even a small change in him since the last meet...