Author's Note : Emotional Chapter Ahead...

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Continuing with the flashback

Arjun's POV

July 1997

Enakku ariyaatha vayasu than but ennode fam Romba happy ah iruntha neram athuthan. Enga amma marubidiyum conceive aagi irunthanga. Prathap uncle Kalpana Amma ku kooda avlo santhosham. Kalpana Amma vum appothan pregnant aagi irunthanga Ashwin ah.

Irunthalum Enna 2 varusham ah thannode kozhandai aavey paathu. Avangalode parisam enakkum nalla theriyum.

Ellame santhoshama poitu iruntha nerathula than naanga yarume ethir paakatha idi enga thala mela vizhunthu.

Enga amma ku 4th stage brain tumour - Inniki medical terms la sollanum na Glioblastoma - nu doctor diagnose panni sonnanga.
Pregnant ah irukkara Time la ippdi oru news ah yarume ethir paakala.

Doctor amma polaikka vaaipe illa, athuvum pregnant ah irukkara naala kozhandai uyir ku kooda guarantee illa nu sollitanga. Oru vela ethavthu oru medical miracle nadanthu Avanga delivery la survive aana appo athukku appram surgery panna amma va cure panna chance irukku nu sonnanga. Athuvaraikum pregnant ah irukkara naala surgery laam panna mudiyathu, treatment than kuduka mudiyum nu sollitanga...

Aana enga Life la Antha miracle nadakala. Amma delivery appo Enakku oru thangachi papava pethu kuduthutu Avanga uyira vittutanga....🥲Kuruvi koodu mathri iruntha enga chinna ulagathula yaro theeya vecha mathri aayiduchu. Naa ennode Life la santhicha first yezhappu - ENNODE AMMA. Athuvum tholaika koodathu vayasula..Enakku 3 vayasu. Thangachi AKSHAYA pinju kozhandai..🥺

Appa enkitta Naa konjam valantha appram than Intha ella kadhaiyum sonnaru..amma pregnancy appo thala vali naala evlo avastha pattanga nu sollirkaru...sola pona delivery anniki kooda avangaluku labour pain + head pain...athellam kettu Naa en manasukulla evlo azhuthu irukken nu Enakku mattom than theriyum.

Chinna vayasulaye amma va ezhantha enga rendu perukum Kalpana Amma than amma illatha korai theriyatha alavukku paasam kaatinanga.
Enga appa amma sethu pona appram engaluku ellamavum iruntharu. Ennala nalla padika vekkanum nu kasta pattu olacharu. Pala varusham ah athey velai ah than paatharu. Enga 2 kudumbamum onnu kulla onna aayitom. Naa, appram Ashwin Deepa, Akshaya ellarum onna than valanthom. Chinna vayasula avlo otrumai ah iruppom. ♥️

Enakkum en thangachi Akshaya kum ennikume appdi oru bonding irunthu irukku. Sethu pona ennode amma ode mugatha Naa ava kitta paathen. Athey anbu..paasam. Avalukum Naa na uyir. Neenga enakku oru Anna mattom illa innoru appa appdinu solluva..

Intha ella relations ah yum thaandi engalukulla oru nalla friendship irunthu irukku. Naanga Anna thangachi ah vida nalla Friends ah than palagi irukkom...manasula ulla ellathayum olivu maraivu illama oruthar kooda oruthar share pannipom.
Enakku sola pona school la kooda avlo Friends kedaiyathu. Ennode best friend ennode thangachi than. ♥️

*******

Back to present

Arjun's face cracked a small smile as he talked about his sister. Roja was happy to see that. She could feel how much love and affection he had for his sister.

Roja: Kekkave avlo santhoshama irukku sir. Unga rendu Peru bonding ah pathi kekka. Akshaya enga sir..enakke paakanum pola irukku

Arjun's face changed colour as he heard it.

"Naa ennode thangachi - ennode best friend ah tholachu 10 years ku mela aaguthu"
Arjun said in a teary voice.
Roja was in for another shock

******

Arjun's POV

Jan 2009

Appa, Akshaya, Naa - Ithuthan ennode ulagam ah irundhuchu. Amma illa nu varutham irunthalum kalpana amma naala Antha korai theriyala. Avanga engaluku financial help kooda offer pannanga, but enga appa ennikume self esteem ah vittu kuduthathe illa. Ella vithathulayum naanga onnukulla onna irunthalum, financial matters nu varapo thaniya thannode kudumbatha Avar than kaapathanum nu appa eppovume nenacharu. Driver velai poga oru supermarket layum work panni Enga rendu perayum nalla school ah padika vecharu. Infact Ashwin Deepa padicha athey school la than naangalum padichom.

I was 14 years old at that time. Akshaya was 11 years old. Naanum appa ku help panna chinna vayasulaye Enna vida 3-4 years chinna pasangaluku tuition Edupen. Athula konjam pocket money kedaikum. Athu poga savings nu appa bus ku kudukara panam, weekly once veliya sapda kudukara panam ithellam naane konjam konjama save panna arambichen. Ellam samthoshama poitu irunthalum Akshaya ku adikadi udambu sari illama pogum.

Ava vaithula irukkarapo amma brain tumour la kasta patta naala athode impact Akshaya melayum irundhuchu. Because of the passing down of genes. Chinna vayasula irunthe avaluku immunity kedaiyathu. Adikadi fever, cold, cough , headache nu ethavthu vanthute irukkum. Atha nenachu enakkum sari appa kum sari Romba worry irundhuchu.

Kadasila amma va pudicha athey deadly disease Akshaya vayum 10 years chinna ponna irukkarapove pudichirchu🥲
Enna ore oru aaruthal- Amma ku 4th stage la than detect pannom, Akshaya ku 2nd stage laye pannitom. Akshaya va eppdiyavthu kaapathanum nu naanum appa vum avlo poradinom. Appa thanode savings, salary ellathayume kudutharu. Oru point of time la ennode school fees katta kooda panam illama pochu. Appo Prathap Appa Kalpana Amma Enna thannode sontha paiyan nu fees kattinanga. Ippo kai neraiya earn panni avangaluku kuduthalum Antha anbu kadan ellam ennala ennikume thirupi kuduka mudiyathu.

Aana enga sodhanaigal innum mudiyala.
Ennode thangachi chinna Ponnu, Antha tumour Romba severe ah vanthurchu. Naa 14 years paiyan ah irukkarapo ennode kannu munnadi Akshaya vali la thudichu thudichu uyira vitta. Athu ennode vaazhkai ode 2nd major loss.

Enga amma uyira vittapo Enakku avlova ariyatha vayasu. Appo Antha vali theriyala Roja. Aana 14 vayasu la ennode best friend, ennode thangachi, ennode innoru amma va Naa en kannu munnadi uyira vidratha paakarapo, Naa odanchu poiten Roja. Athuvum ava en Madila than uyira vitta.

Athu la irunthu Naa meendu vara 6 months aachu. Ennala Antha 6 months studies la kooda concentrate pannavey mudiyala. Aana Antha 6 months la ennode manasula iruntha vali veri ah maarirchu. Ennode thangachi ah tholachitu Naa nalla natpu kaga yenginen, en nee friend aagara varaikum yenginen. Naa en thangachi ode death ku appram experience panna pain ah entha appa vum, entha amma vum, entha anna vum, entha akka vum, entha thambi um, entha thangachi um, yaarume anubavikka koodathu, chinna vayasula yarume Intha mathri deadly disease naala uyira vida koodathu nu than Naa oru PAEDIATRIC DOCTOR ah aaganum nu appo décide pannen. Mudincha alavukku pinju uyir ellam kaapathanum, athuthan Naa ennode thangachi ku kudukara respect nu Naa anniki mudivu eduthen.

Athukaga bayangarama hard work pannen. Naa nalla Marks 12th std la + ennode entrance exam la vaangina naala
Enakku merit laye government medical seat kedachithu, scholarship um kedachithu. Aana Antha nerathula appa ku udambu mudiyama poirchu. Avara la velai paaka mudiyala. Appo kooda Prathap appa kalpana amma kitta appa ethuvume kekkala. Avanga paiyan Ashwin um appo school mudichitu law entrance exam ku prepare pannitu irunthan. Deepa 8th std la iruntha. Naa ennode appa kaga medical college padichikitte velaiku ponnen.

Appothan innoru major turning point ennode Life la -
Naa second year medical padikarpo Swathi nu oru rich girl Enna deep ah love panna. Aana Naa family responsibilities, studies, ithellam manasula vechikittu ava love ah accept pannala. But with passage of time, ava eppdiyo en manasula oru impact create pannita

Naa atha appa kittayum poi sonnen. Avarum Enakku oru nalla Life kedaika porthu nu Romba happy aayitaru. Ennode appa enkitta adikadi nee eppoda unakku nu vaazha pora nu adikadi kepparu. Appdi oru life finally Enakku kedaikum porthu nu athey santhoshathula Romba aasaiya valathutaru pola.

But Naa oru poor family ah sernthavan nu therinja odane Swathi breakup pannitu poita. Athu enna perusa affect pannala but appa va....

******

Arjun took a pause and shut his eyes tightly.
Roja looked at him keenly
R: Unga appa va...?

******

Arjun's POV

Enakku nu Intha ulagathula kadaisiya iruntha uravu ennode appa than. Avara yum Intha kaadhal enkitta irunthu pirichu kondu poirchu. Swathi Naa poor nu ore reason kaga Enna cheat pannathu thaangama enga appa massive heart attack la Enna vittu poitaru.

Appothan Naa unmaiyave Intha periya ulagathula aanathaya ninnen. Kalpana Amma Prathap appa Avanga kudumbam mattom illa na Naa enna aayirpen nu enakke theriyala...

Enna panrathu ethu panrathu yara nambarthu ippdi ethuvume theriyama Naa ninnapo NAANGA IRUKKOM DA UNAKKU nu Enakku thunaiya ninnavanga Avanga than. 22 years bandham connection vittu pogala. Avangale Enna Avanga veetu paiyan ah, avangalode eldest son ah accept pannikittanga. Ashwin Deepa vum Enna avanga kooda porantha anna va vey paaka arambichitanga. Entha vithyasam um Avanga ennode vishyathula paathadhe illa. Enna irunthalum naa Akshaya laam Avanga veetu kozhandainga mathri thane valanthom.
Athukku appram naane ennode name ah ARJUN PRATHAP nu legal ah change panniten.

Avanga veetula than Naa ennode post graduation ah padichen. Appothan pala varushathuku appram santhosham na Enna nu experience pannen. Aana entha financial status kaga Enna reject panni en appa va enkitta irunthu pirichalo, ava munnadi avala vida financial status la oru step mela irukkanum nu mudivu eduthen. Antha mission la naa jeichitten. Inniki Naa kai neraiya earn panren , entha korayum illama ella uravugal ode santhoshama irukken...
Naa enakkunu yaravthu uravu irukka mattanga la nu yenginapo Appa, amma, thambi, thangachi, paati nu ippdi ella uravum Intha family moolama Enakku kedachithu

Naa Intha veetu paiyan, Kalpana Amma ennode amma, Prathap appa ennode appa, Ashwin Deepa ennode thambi thangachi, Annapoorni paati ennode paati, Ivanga Ellarume ennode relations than. Naa ennikume Avangala veraya nenaika matten. Naa Intha kudumbathula oruthan aagi 27 years aachu Roja. Ennode Life, ennode earnings, ellame Intha fam ku poga than Enakku .

ITHU ENNODE KUDUMBAM ROJA !

******

Author's note: So Arjun's flashback finally ends here after 1 1/2 chapters!
Wanted to finish the flashback in this chapter and yeah, mission accomplished! 😁
Do let me know what you think about the flashback. 🙃
See you'll with the next chapter soon!

To be continued.
Thanks for reading ❤️