K : kanna gift car back seat la iruku... poi eduthutu vaa...

Mullai was stupefied knowing the surprises are still not done...

Ka : thayavu senju atha gift nu solathe ne... na tension agiduven...

Me : aiyo ivan thirumba arambhichutan... dei athu unaku illa... mullai ku... mullai sollatum nee sollathe...

J : athan eh... chumma iru da... avan aasaiya vangirukan illaa...

Ka : ithai aasai ah vangiruku nu vera solrenga paathengala.... ungala solanum....

Mullai couldnt contain her curiosity...

M : apadi yena gift...

Ka : anni perusa yethir paakathenga... avalo than soluven... athu oru mokkai gift... sorry athu gift eh ilaa...

K : Oi... athu gift yellam illaa nu enakum theriyum... chumma vanginathu... appuram kudukalam nu nenachen...

Ka : aama athukula ivanga yellarum inike kudukanum nu poraatam pani eduthutu vanthutanga... athuku oru gift wrap kuda panala...

Me : ipo than eh da athu gift illa nu sonne... appuram yethuku wrapper... po... poi eduthutu vaa... vala vala nu pesitu...

D : athane... ne yetha pesi avana kolapathe.. appuram thirumba ivan mudhala irunthu arambippan... po...

Ka : aama antha vetti discussion ah ennala kekka mudiyaathu... athunala poren...

Mullai looked at kathir curiously without knowing what it could be... She was completely clueless why he didnt want to give it today and why does kanna say its not a gift at all...

In a snap, Kanna turned up with a backpack...

Ka : intha ne... un arumai gift ah neeye kudu...

L : athelam arumai ah na gift than... ne pesaama iru...

Ka : nalla kudumbam...

Kanna appreciated sarcastically just to be smacked by moorthy...

Mo : ne kudu da.. avan kedakaren...

M mindvoice : yen kanna ivalo buildup kudukaren... yena than iruku ithula... yen kuduka venam nu nenachagha...

She looked at kathir who turned to her with a smile and handed over the bag...

K : Oi...

M : hmmmm...

K : ennoda gift yelam nethu kuduthathoda mudinjuthu... ithu chumma vangi vechen...

M : yenathu...

K : paaru...

Mullai opened the backpack just to see a brand new laptop making her eyes go wide...

Ka : paarunga anni....annanoda romantic gift ah... pidichuruka...

Mullai was seeing kathir without any reply...

K : dei... ithu gift illa nu solite iruken... chumma ootitu... peh da...

L : avan kedakaran da.. padippu ku nu oru vishayam panna avanuku pidikaathu...

Ka : sari sari... padippa pathi yaarum pesa venam... cake vetiyaachu illaa... yellarum gift kuduthachu illa... ponga ponga... sangatha kalainga... poi sapidalam...

Me : ivana thirutha mudiyaathu...

J : atha ne pesare paaren...

Me : poda...

L : meena...

Me : hehe...onum illa atha...

Ka : intha veetula mapillai ku mariyaathai eh illaa... sapida polam nu solren... yaaravathu kupidarengala...

D : adei... neeya intha veetuku mapilla...

Mo : athan eh...

Ka : jinchak...

Mo : nalla vaanga pore enkita...

Mu : ada vidunga moorthy mapilla.. chinna mapilla yepavume ipadi kala kala nu iruntha than nalla iruku...

Chinna mapilla... neengalum intha veetu mapilla than.. santhegame venam...

Ka : appo ok mama....

By that time, the food they had ordered from a hotel prior has arrived and parvathi,murugan, kasthuri, dhanam, moorthy, jega arranged the dinner in the dining room just like a buffet leaving the youngsters in the hall...

Suj : yena kanna.. ore yosanai...

Ka : illaa anni... mama ipadi tha adikadi enna chinna mapillai chinna mapillai nu solraru... oru velai ungaluku yetha thangachi iruku...

Suji and sankar who was listening to this laughed out loud...

Suj : mulla than enga veetula kadaisi ponnu... romba aasai paadathe...

Ka : adada miss agiduche...

Me : nalla velai... intha kudumbam thapichuthu...

Ka : ungaluku poraamai....

Me : aama aama...

San : kavala padatha kanna.. enaku thorathu sonthathula oru athai irukanga.. avangaluku oru ponnu iruku... pesi mudichudalam....

Ka : thoorama...yena oru 10 km irukuma...

San : illaa oru 100 km irukum... madurai la irukanga...

J : yen sankar nee vera...

San : chumma jolly than eh ne...

J : athu sari...

Ka : sari ne... manasula vechukonga... pinnadi yosikaren...

K : romba than da.. po poi sapidu...

Ka : yen ne yena panre...

K : ada varen poda...

Ka(looking at mullai) : nadathunga nadathunga...

A few among the bunch felt they should leave kathir and mullai alone thinking they are in the crowd right since they met for the day and while few others who knew how the birthday was going also thought there is need for sometime alone...

The family and friends dispersed inside pushing mullai to a incident few days back...

It was a midmorning when kathir dropped by her house without any intimation just as a surprise visit...
Mullai was busy with her studies sitting with her laptop and books... It was then he noticed her laptop and its condition enquiring about it... Off course, she didnt hesitate to say...

M : ithu sujika odathunga... avaluku apuram na use pana arambichen chumma than iruku nu... aratha palasu... suthama pochu...display la ipadi kodu koda varuthu... charge nikarathu ilaa... mudhala itha maathanam... kannu than valikithu ithula paatha... sari avasaram illa kalyanathuku appuram paathukalam nu vituten...

She thought he just nodded and skipped the topic about laptop as he didnt question her anything further and started off with his usual naughty talks and looks... She too didnt remember about it in her marriage haze... But he hadn't...

She didnt know what to emote exactly...
All she could do was just stare at him...

K : Oi...

M : hmmm...

K : paatu paada poriya...

M (confused) : nan ah... yenanga paatu... yethuku paadanum....

K : nandri sola unaku varthai illa enaku nan than mayanguren...

M(laughing) : yenanga nakkal ah...

K : illaa... madam face reaction apadi than eh iruku.... athan ketten... pada poriya... background music ku thangachingala kupidalama... chorus iruntha nalla irukum ila...

M : oh...

(Trying to maintain a straight face)

Nandri solra alavuku yellam neenga yethum panidala...

K : apadiya... intha birthday celebration ku....

M : pondatti birthday celebrate panrathuku yellam yarum purushanuku thanks sola mattanga...

K : parra... soliduviyo nu bayanthuten... appuram...

M : appuram....

K : laptop thevai illama vangitana...

There was clearly a irked but wicked glint in his eyes which she understood in no time...

M : thevai illanalum neenga than vaangi tharanum... vera yaru vaangi tharuva...

K (smiling widely) : azhagi... ipadi pesina yevalo azhaga iruku... atha vitutu kaalaila...

M : na than ipo apadi pesalaiyenga... inime pesa matten... yosika kuda matten.... ok ah...

K : double ok...

M : veetula ithana per irukum bothu double ok ah... single ok pothum...

K : enaku yethana per irunthalum double ok than...

M : pothum pothum sapida polama...

K : iru oru rendu nimisham... appuram intha cake yellam nan...

M(grinned) : athula iruntha initial paatha udane eh neenga panalainu purinjuthu... nethu cake la iruntha perum niyabagam vanthuchu...

K : yena panrathu... madam ku than K.Mullai ah irukaratha vida M.Mullai ah iruka than eh pidikuthu....

There was a fond smile on his lips definitly nothing more...

M : illaaye... M.Mullai Kathirvelan ah iruka than eh pidikithu...

K : venam... ipadi yellam pesathe veedu mulukka aalunga irukanga... yetha panida poren...

M : appo aalunga illathapo vareyala...

K : vanthuta pochu...

Kar : anne... mulla..

Unga rendu peraiyum kupidaranga... apuram romance panuvengalam...

M : pode... varrom...

As karthiga left the place with a laugh,

M : yenga aana akka mama, ivangala kupitathu unga plan than eh...

K : hmmm athu mattum than ipo nadanthathula nan panathu... mathapadi ennoda birthday surprise nan sonna madhiri nethu night eh mudinjuthu... intha maligai kadai kaaran kita vera stock illa...

M : athu sari.. appo honeymoon plan???

K : athu honey moon surprise... birthday kanaku la varathu...

M : appo laptop...

K : ne vera... sari trichy eh vanthutame vangidalam nu nethu vanginen... sari itha kudukara saakula inoru naal varalam nu nenachen... aana atha patha udane inike kuduthu aganum nu veetula ore imsai... gift vanthu birthday aniki kandipa kudukanumam... na thevai illama ring ah munnadi eh kuduthutanam... aathunala itha kuduka sonanga...

M : appo ring kuduthathu veetula theriyuma...

K : hmmm aana nethu kuduthen nu sonnen...

M : oh...

K : yaarum kaasa pathi kekala sari ah...

M : na yethume yosikala sir... yen ipadi...

K : un moolai yepadi velai seiyum nu enaku theriyaatha...

M : hmmmkmmm...

Swar : anne... pls vaanga... kupitute irukanga... nangalum yevalo than saamalikarathu...

M (irritated) : yen de imsai panrenga...

Swar: parra kovatha... athu un veetu aalungala sollu de... vaa mudhala...

M : polanga...

K : hmmm...

They moved to the dining room and joined with all others for dinner...

The room looked confined, noisy, cramped but then it was full of liveliness...
Definitly it was not a perfect birthday party, but a chance for blending both families in affection...
All the hesitations, unnecessary distancing everything left them and it was a perfect family gettogether...

Everyone seemed to enjoy the moment completely...

Kathir's family were happy that the person whom they are going to welcome in few days to their home is enjoying their company to core and showering her love on them...

Mullai's family were glad to have lovable in laws for their delicate girl who gives atmost care and importance to her happiness ...

Her friends were feeling joyful that they had a day to cherish their friendship and what happened gave them a positive hope they will b together forever...

Murugan and parvathi were in extreme glee about how their girl is treated royally by their to be son in law and his family...

Kathir was contented that he could make her day a beautiful one in all best possible ways he could...

And...

Finally...

Mullai...

The one who enjoyed all the love bestowed lavishly on her was in cloud nine...

She didnt anticipate things to be this way because birthday had never been a big event in her life..
It was just new dress, temple visit, mom's cooking and dad's nearness...
Only in college days, a cake cutting was added to it by friends...
But this birthday was really taking all kind of twists and turns every hour...

She is literally in limelight today...
She is been treated like a queen...
All her wishes are taking its form in real...
She had all her loved ones with her may be except manju and dheena...

The love, her favorite people around, the gifts, the surprises, the fun plastered a wide smile in her lips...

Seeing her blooming in happiness,

L : yena mulla santhoshama...

M : santhosham atha...

Her answer was crisp as she couldnt form words to express her and parvathi came into rescue...

P : ipadi yelam naanga kondadinathe illa athachi.. puthu dress poduvom , kovil povom, avaluku pidichathu samaipen... avalo than... college ponathuku appuram trichy poi paathutu varuvom... ivanga yellarum hostel la cake vetuvanga... intha thadavai than intha alavuku yellam panirukom...

Me : inga apadi than chithi yelarum irunthanga... na vanthathuku appuram than maaruchu...

Ka : anni... athu maarala... neenga maathinenga... birthday ah maranthutom nu yena arpaatam panenga...

Me : aama mullai.. first birthday ah yelarume maranthutanga... appuram en thangachi kupitu jeeva ku soli than therinjuthu.. appuram kesari cake vetinom...

Swar : athu yena ka kesari cake...

Me : kesari ah senju thatula kotina athu kesari cake... ithu theriyaatha ungaluku...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhh....

J : chumma iru de...

Me : ada namma family than eh irukom... appuram sona yena...

Appo than therinjuthu ivanga birthday elam periyavangaluku kondada matanga nu... verum kesari than nu...

D : meena... yena irunthalum veetula senju sapidarathula iruka thani rusi iruku...

Kas : yen dhano... appo cake ah veetula senju cut pana vendiyathu than eh... athena kesari than pananuma...

Je : nee chuma iru de... antha kesari ah kuda panrathu ilaa ne...

Kas : ungaluku porantha naal eh niyabagam irukathu... ithuku ungaluku kesari vera senju tharanumaakum... athan unga thangachi pani thara illa.. athu pothum... nee sollu meena...

Me : aasaiya iruntha chumma oru naal veetula kesari senju sapidalam... athu madhiri chumma cake ah vaangi vettina yepadi irukum... loose madhiri irukaathu... athan birthday ku kandipa vettidanum...

Chorus : meeeeeenaa kaaaaaa.... super.....

Me : hehehee thanks ma...

Kar : appo ipo yentha cake ka??? kesari cake than ah....

Me : illaye... adutha thadavaila irunthu nanum, kannanum eh cake order paniduvom...

Suj : yaaru birthday ku meena...

Me : yelar birthday kum thanga... kodumai yena na engalukum nanga than panuvom... yena da kanna...

Ka : ada antha vaitherichal ah
kekkathenga vidunga...

Everyone laughed out loud...

Mo : ipo yellam than apadi illa than eh.. vidunga pa...

Ka : hmmm ipo yela birthday um kondadarom...kutties birthday mattum inum special ah kondadurom... yella pughalum meena annike...

Me : nandri nandri....

As the dinner continued, they discussed few more birthday atrocities happened in the family and the girls shared something happened in the hostel too...

Kar : yenga super story kelunga... ponna thadavai mullai birthday ku...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhhhh....

Kar : ada irunga de solren... iva birthday ku uncle aunty varuvanga nu suji ka veetuku poiduva... birthday aniki night than varuva.. so anniki midnight la cake vettinom...

Valakam pola paadi aadi ore enjoyment.. cake ah full ah poosi vitu velaiyaditu irunthom...

Appuram yena achu na...

She stopped looking at the faces listening to her eagerly...

Family Chorus : yena achhu...

The friends giggled at eachother...

Swar : yellam mudinju kulikalam nu pona suthama thanni varala...

Family Chorus : yethu....

De : suthama varala... motor veliya irukum... antha grill gate pootiruvanga... yelarum thoongara neram vera... poi watch man ah elupa try pana avaru elunthurikave illa...

Ta : antha aala pathi theriyume... thanni vandi...

M : chumma iru de...

Family chorus: appuram...

Kar : kitchen ku poi barrel la samayal ku vechuruntha thani ah rendu maadi thookitu vanthu aarai korai ah kulichom...

M : mani appove rendu irukum... mela elam ore cake smell... athula irunthu hostel la intha cake ah poosarathaiye vitutom...

Every one had hearty laugh imagining the girls running for water with cake in the face...

K : Oi...

M : hmmm...

K : nan matum anga irunthuruntha cake ah nan eh yeduthurupen...

M (blushing) : yethu... yenga yelarum suthu irukanga... konjam chumma irunga...

K : ada nijama than solren... aama face la mattum than ah... ilaaa...

M : yenga please... oru madhiri iruku... pesaama irunga...

K : ada towel la thodachurupen nu sonen... athuku yen oru madhiri iruku unaku... aama ne yena nenache...

M : hmmm nenaikaragha... chumma irunga...

K : ada sollu...yena thonichu unaku...

M : hmmm ungaluku than ipo towel thevai nu thonuthu... vazhiyuthu... thodachukoonga...

K : yen thodachu vidarathu...

M : romba than aasai...

K : correct romba than aasai...

M : pothunga... please... yelarum irukanga...

K : polachu po...

With all fun, the dinner was over and everyone who finished eating moved to the living room post dinner...

Suji, sankar, kanna, the chorus gang, kathir , mullai were the last among the bunch to finish off dinner with busy nattering...

As the time started ticking fast, kathir and mullai could feel a gloomy feel approaching them...
Just few more minutes and the beautiful day is going to end...
They could hardly hear things spoken as time passed away...
They finished the dinner before others as they couldnt pretend more as if they are eating and went for the hand wash...

M to Kar : konjam anga yaarum varama paathukonga de...

Kar : right uh... enjoy...

Mullai followed him immediately for hand wash...

K : Oi...

M : hmmm...

K : yenanga madam vera yetha diary thara porengala...

Only then she got it what he meant...

Yes it was the place where she handed him the first gift, the book of firsts...

M : illaa...

K : Appuram...

M : antha diary la yelutharathuku oru vishayam kuduka vanthen...

K : yenna...

M : I LOVE YOU...

The next minute ,he was in her tight embrace...

M : enakum kuda ithu mudhal than.. ithu varaikum yarukitayum sonathu illaa... sola thoninathu illaa... iniyum sola porathum illaa...

Saying this, she started leaving moist kisses all over his face and leaned away swiftly...
Next second, she had her hands on her dupatta wiping his face with mesmerizing smile...

M : thodachu vituten... na poren....

K : Oi...

M : poiten...

She sprang away leaving him spellbound...
All these happened so quick in less than two minutes and before he could react, she was out of sight...

Ka : yena ne pei aranja madhiri iruke... vaa kelambalam.... yelarum kelambaranga...

K : haan.. varen... po...

With more than 30 people at home and just a wall separating them from all, He never expected this...
He wished he could freeze the moment but then he was pulled out of it by others...

The evening breezed away gently and just like all good things the moments came to an end and everyone got ready to leave...
Mullai didnt have heart for send off...
But she had to....
She thanked everyone from the bottom of her heart until they got bored and bid good bye to everyone...

And finally it was him waiting for the final eyelock of the day...

Frankly she didnt feel like thanking him for anything...
She didn't feel like speaking to him...
She didnt even feel like smiling...
She stood numb and so did he...
But the four eyes spoke volumes...

He just nodded his head as a gesture of leaving and she responded with same nod...

Atlast, she thought the day came to an end as everyone started...

But the sudden silence after a  noisy evening, didnt affect her in anyway...
She was in seventh heaven...
She roamed around the house cherishing the moments and wanted to spend sometime with her parents before her time with kathir...

As she was about to enter her parents room, she heard a coarse voice of murugan...

Mu : mullai kalyana vishayathula thappu panitamo nu thonuthu parvathi...

TBC....