"Ennadi solra?! Avar unnode love ah accept pannitara? Nee onnum poi ethuvum solli Enna prank pannalaye"

Thus questioned Priya in disbelief.

It was a pleasant sunny day in Anbalayam. Roja had just got discharged the previous day after a spending a week at the hospital and was back to her happy nest once again.
Roja and Priya were sitting in their room, having a conversation and Roja was narrating all that happened the other day at the hospital.
Priya couldn't believe it.

"Hey chi podi! Naa Inga serious ah pesitu irukken. Nambave mattingura"😏
Roja sighed trying hard to convince Priya.

Priya : Nambara mathri ethavthu sonna namba poren!

Roja : Yean, Arjun sir ennode love ah accept panna chance eh illa nu nenaikiriya

Priya : Illa, appdi illa. Enniko oru naal Dr. Arjun unnode love ah accept panniduvaru nu Enakku theriyum. Aana ivlo seekiram eppdi nadanthuchu nu than theriyala
She pondered, remembering her confronting Arjun the other day.

Roja : Athellam appdithan! (Roja doesn't reveal anything about Arjun's past to Priya, thinking that she has no rights to reveal his personal life. Arjun had trusted her and had told her everything, she needed to keep up that faith he had in her)
Unakku happy ah illaya?

Priya : Unna vida Intha nimisham Naa than happy ah irukken Roja. Nee aasapatta mathri vaazhanum nu Naa evlo vendinen theriyuma? Ippo nee aasa pattadhu unakku kedachirchu, ellam unnode nalla manasu ku kadavul kudutha gift. Itha vida Enakku vera Enna venum? 😌

Roja felt blessed to have a friend like Priya. She immediately hugged her

"Naa nejamave kuduthu vechava" 🥹

On the other other hand, in the kitchen, cooking preparations were going on in full swing. Lakshmi aunty was preparing drumstick sambar and had asked Rajesh to cut vegetables for the curry.

"Dei, vegetables ah cut panren nu paathiya neeye saptradha da pachaya. Appram samaikka onnume illama poida porthu"
Lakshmi aunty called out, knowing very well about Rajesh's always hungry tummy.

Meanwhile Rajesh who was struggling to cut onions grumbled
"Velai um paathutu ithellam kekkanum nu en neram. Roja mattom nalla irunthu iruntha ithellam en thalaila vanthu vizhunthu irukkadhe😫Yemma Roja, konjam en mela paridhaba pattu seekiram gunam aagi vanthuru ma"

Janaki paati arrived and occupied the empty chair beside Rajesh in the dining table.
"Enna perandi polambitu irukka"

She chuckled seeing his struggle to cut the onions.
Rajesh, clearly understanding the reason behind that chuckle...
"Enna panna paati, Roja mattom Ippo nalla iruntha ennode nilamai yean ippdi irukka poguthu" he sighed

Janaki Paati : Correct than da. Daily Roja vaye Intha edathula paathu palagittom. Aana ava polachu vanthathe pothum. Nejamave avaluku Ithu marujenmam than.

Rajesh nodded vigorously, totally agreeing to her words.

Just then the doorbell rang.
Shanthamoorthy who was reading the newspaper, got up & went to answer it

He opened the door and was surprised
It was ARJUN!

"Doctor Thambi! Neengala? Naa ungala ethir paakala thambi"

Arjun : Yean appa, Naa Inga vara koodatha😉

SM: Cha cha, Ithu unga Veedu mathri thambi. Eppo vena varalam eppo vena polam. Neenga enga ponnu ah ye kaapathi kuduthu irukkinga. Athu naanga ennikume nandri kadan patrukom

Arjun: Paathingala, paathingala! Ippothan ithu unga Veedu mathri nu sollitu ippo Naa ennamo veli aal mathri formal ah pesuringa 😼
Arjun said making an angry face cutely.

SM : Naa oruthan..Chumma ethavthu pesittu iruppen. Ulla vaangi thambi

Arjun walked in happily. Janaki Paati and Raman Thatha (the ashramam Paati Thatha and Balu - Arjun's uncle's- parents) was very happy to see him too. Arjun politely and respectfully fell at the feet of all of them and sought their blessings.

Raman Thatha : Ivlo padichu irunthalum mariyathai therinja, garvam illatha paiyan ah irukkinga la, athuthan unga kitta Enakku romba pudikum.

Arjun (smiling): Naanum life la ellathayum paathavan than Thatha.

Just then priya came down the stairs. As she was halfway, she spotted Arjun.
She immediately ran up

Busting into Roja's room -
"Hey Roja, Dr. Arjun vanthu irukkaru di"

Roja: Ennadi solra. Avar ashramathuku vanthurkara. She was surprised

Priya : Ama Roja, kandippa unna paaka than vanthurparu. Varatum varatum. 🙃

Meanwhile downstairs -
Arjun : Appram , Roja eppdi irukka? Naa kudutha medicines laam Time ku Time saapadrala

SM : athellam naanga gavanichitu than irukkom thambi.

Arjun : Naa Roja va poi paakalama?

Janaki Paati : Dharalama thambi

Then she called out Priya
"Hey Priya! Inga va. Doctor thambi ah Roja room ku kootitu po ma"

Priya immediately came down running.
"Vaanga doctor, Naa ungala Roja room ku kootitu poren. Follow me"

Priya led Arjun to Roja's room. As soon as Roja saw Arjun her face shone brightly like a 1000 watts bulb. Priya giggled seeing that.

Priya : Sari, ennode velai mudinjithu. Naa ethukku Inga karadi mathri. Lakshmi Aunty vera kitchen la help ku kooptanga. Naa poitu varen, paathuko Roja😉

She left the room after winking at Roja and singing a tune to herself she walked out.

Arjun walked into the room, and sat beside Roja on her bed, smiling brightly at her. Roja blushed but soon a look of disappointment crossed her face. Arjun noticed it

Arjun : Hey Roja! En dull aayita

Roja : Ponga sir, Enakku unga mela varutham irukku 😏

Arjun : Enna aachu Roja

Roja : Pinna Enna sir, Enakku operation laam panni ennode uyira kaapathinathe Neenga than. Aana Naa discharge aagarapo Neenga aalaye kannom. Naa ungala ethir paathen theriyuma 😏

Arjun : Achoo Rose! Ithuthan vishyam ah. Unakkku ennode profession ah pathi theriyadha...Nethiki morning sudden ah oru call. Oru emergency case. Immediate ah operation panna innoru hospital la kooptutanga. Naa nee discharge aagarpo irukkanum than nenachen, aana athukaga oru uyir ode risk edukka mudiyathu la, as a doctor.

Roja : Enakku theriyum Arjun sir. Naa ennikume unga profession la kuruka vara matten 😌Chumma unga kooda vilayadi paathen

Arjun : But atha compensate panna Naa onnu kondu vanthurkene 😉

Roja (eagerly): Athu ennathu sir 🤩

Arjun revealed the basket that he was hiding behind his back

It was wrapped. He gave it to Roja.
Roja immediately started unwrapping it.
Her eyes twinkled as she saw what was in the basket. It was full of cookies of different types
Some were dark chocolate cookies, some were milk chocolate cookies, and rest of it were white chocolate cookies. The smell of the cookies filled the entire room

Roja was surprised. She saw that each cookie had a smiling ☺️ face made on it.
Finally she found a note sticking on the handle of the basket.
It read -
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers always. Get well soon and be back with a bang. Our entire hospital misses you

-(Signed) Arjun

Roja was overwhelmed
"Enakkaga neengale ezhuthinatha sir?" 🥹

Arjun : Antha note mattom illa ma. Intha basket la irukkara ella cookies ah yum bake pannathum Naa than. 😌
Nethu night ellarum saptutu thoonga pona appram naane pannathu. Eppodhum Get Well Soon na ellarum flowers kudupanga. Enakku eppovum Ellarum panratha panna vendam nu thonichu. Athan ippdi pannen

Roja : Ungaluku ithellam kooda panna theriyuma sir? 😯

Arjun : Hey! Enna pathi Enna nenachita nee. Ivanuku hospital ah thavira vera onnume theriyadhu nu nenachiya😂

Both of them shared a laugh at this moment. Unable to contain herself any longer, Roja immediately took a milk chocolate cookie and bit into it

Roja : Aahaa sir, avlo super ah irukku. Solla varthaiye illa. 🤤

Arjun: Paathu Roja, methuva porumaiya konjam konjama sapdu. Ippothan unakku thalaila surgery panni irukku. Romba jaws ah strain panna athu thalaila pressure kudukum
Ashramathula irukkara kozhandaingalukum kudu.
Appram innoru vishyam, sila cookies ah Naa paper la wrap panni iruppen. Athellam sugar free. Ashramathula ulla vayasanavangalum sapdanum nu than

Roja : Evlo yosikiringa sir Neenga. Enakkaga mattom illama, Inga ellar kagavum yosikiringa☺️

Arjun : Sari Roja, innoru mukkiyamana vishyam. Naa neraiya yosichitten. Enna porutha vara anniki function la nadanthathu accident illa, kandippa sadhi than.
Appdi enna than nadanthuchu. Nee eppdi correct time la vanthu Enna kaapathina

Roja's face became serious.
"Neenga solrathu 100% correct sir. Athu planned murder attempt. Athuvum ungala kollanum nu Antha Dr. Ashok senja velai than Ithu"

Arjun (stunned): Ashok ah?!

Roja then narrated all that happened that day at the function, right from Roja following Ashok, to Ashok giving money to the staff, to the loosening of the screws in the dome.

Arjun was speechless
"Omg! Ivlo nadanthu irukku. Ivlo erangittana Antha Ashok! Avanuku veri pudichirku nu theriyum, athukaga ivlo...
Avana Naa summa vidave matten."

Arjun became more and more angry. He clenched his fists tightly.

Roja: Sir, vendam sir. Avan Romba dangerous nu thonuthu sir

Arjun : Illa Roja, ithellam appdiye vida koodathu. Naa varen. Nee udamba paathuko. Nerathuku medicines eduthuko, healthy food Ah sapdu. Take care

Arjun hurriedly left. Downstairs, he was stopped by Lakshmi Aunty.

Lakshmi Aunty : Lunch ready thambi. Pasanga kulu school ku anupi vida ippothan pack panni vechen. Neengalum Saptutu ponga

SM : Ama thambi, first time vanthu irukkinga, saptutu ponga.

Arjun : Unga ellarode anbu kum Romba nandri.
Aana, Ippo Enakku oru mukkiyamana velai irukku. Appram hospital vera poganum. Naa innoru Naal vanthu unga ellar koodayum sernthu okanthu saptutu poren. 😊
Innime Naa than Inga adikadi varuvene 😉

Though the ashramam inmates didn't quiet understand the hidden meaning of his words, Priya seemed to. She smiled under her breath as Arjun walked out.

—————————————————

At Ashok's house...

Ashok was sitting on his couch, playing chess with no opponent. He was all alone and knocked off the Queen coin in the opposite side. He gave an evil laugh at that.

"Intha chess mathri than. Ellathulayum Intha Ashok than jeipan eppovume". 😎

Suddenly the chess board and the coins all went flying in the air.

It was ARJUN! He had just entered that place and had kicked the table furiously

Ashok got up angrily
"Heyyy youuuu!
He screamed.

Arjun : Hey chi vaaya moodu!
Inniki Sunday, unnodu jalra, adi aal ellarkum leave kuduthuta nu Enakku nallavey theriyum. Vaasal la nippane oru onnuthukum palan illatha dhadhi...avanuku Naa mayakka oosi pottuten. So it's just you vs me Ashok! 🔥

To be continued.
Thanks for reading ❤️