chapter 77

Author's POV Agathiyan stepped into his room, finding Thulir asleep on the bed, alone. His daughters were missing, but that didn’t worry him—at Revathi Illam, they rarely slept in their parents’ room. Shaking his head, he made his way to the bed. The night lamp was on, likely left that way for him. The AC was off, which made sense; the wind was strong, signaling the possibility of heavy rain. Thulir must have turned it off and opened the windows and balcony doors to let in the fresh air.Agathiyan closed the windows and pulled the curtains shut, but left the balcony door open, drawing the curtain down instead. Finally, he climbed onto the bed, ready to pull the comforter over himself, when he noticed her toes—swollen. He frowned, switching on the bright light for a clearer look. The sudden brightness disturbed Thulir’s sleep, and she stirred, turning to the other side.Examining her toes, he realized they were swollen from the new metti she was wearing. He recalled her sending him a few photos of toe rings and remembered choosing one absentmindedly while half-asleep. Apparently, she had gone with that very choice. He reached out to touch her toes, and she hissed in pain, prompting him to pull back momentarily before shaking his head in disbelief. Determined, he touched the metti again, intending to remove it. The movement disturbed her sleep once more, causing her to stir, turn back, and eventually sit up, rubbing her eyes. She frowned at him, confused, as he continued inspecting her toes."Ena, Agathiya?" she asked, her voice raspy from sleep, rubbing her eyes and attempting to pull her legs back. He held them firmly, making her sigh and sit up properly."The new metti pricked your inner toes, and now they’re swollen. You didn’t notice, Thulir?" he asked in a stern voice.She sighed. "Losee pananumnu nenachein... eventually maranthutein," (Wanted to loosen it....eventually forgot) she offered as an excuse.He shook his head, clearly disappointed, and placed her foot on his lap, leaning forward to her toes. She tried to pull her leg back, but he held it steady, raising his brows at her."Ena pandra?"(What are you doing?) she asked."Can’t you see? I’m going to remove this metti.""You could use a cutting blade to loosen it, right?" she suggested."Yeah, and make it worse. Just shut your mouth and let me do my work," he declared.Without hesitation, he leaned toward her toes and licked the metti. Thulir took a deep breath as he used his teeth to loosen it. She hissed in pain, but within seconds, the metti was off. He immediately licked her toes to soothe the pain. She clutched the bedsheet, taking a deep breath. He repeated the process with her other toe ring, and once done, he got down from the bed to fetch some oil. Watching him, Thulir let out a relieved breath.Returning with coconut oil, he gently applied it around her toes, the coolness soothing her pain."Better?" he asked."Hmmm," she hummed in response.Satisfied, Agathiyan moved back to put the oil bottle away. He climbed onto the bed, switched off the bright light, but Thulir looked at him expectantly. He sighed and switched off the night lamp as well before settling in. He pulled the comforter over them and switched on the AC, adjusting the temperature. Too tired to argue, Thulir simply pulled the comforter closer, turned to the other side, and closed her eyes.Agathiyan wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing the back of her neck. "Good night," he murmured softly.A faint smile touched her lips. She placed her hand over his and closed her eyes, drifting into sleep as Agathiyan snuggled closer and soon followed her into slumber.Time skips "Ninety-five.""Ninety-six.""Ninety-seven.""Ninety-eight.""Ninety-nine.""HUNDRED!""Yayyy! Appaaa won! Appa won!" Malar declared with enthusiasm."No, Dada won!" Gowri countered stubbornly."Nooo, Appuu won!" Aarudhran chimed in, unwilling to back down.Chaos erupted as the kids bickered over the winner. Meanwhile, Agathiyan, Aadhavan, and Amudhan lay sprawled on the floor, their children climbing on top of them, quarrelling fiercely over who had emerged victorious. The brothers had completed their 100 push-ups in perfect unison were amused watching them but didn't tried to convince.Just as the playful quarrel escalated, Thulir, Thalir, and Thugil arrived, curious about the commotion. Malar, the first to notice their presence, sprang to her feet and ran to her mother with a very serious complaint."Miii, see! Only Gowii sat over Aadhu paa… only Aaru sat over Amuu paa… But Appa had both me and Alar, and compared to the other two, we’re older—and heavier too! So Appa is the winner, right?"Thalir immediately sided with her niece. "Of course, dii! Chello, your chithapas are totally cheating!" she declared dramaticallyHowever, her daughter did not appreciate this betrayal and narrowed her eyes at her mother. Thulir chuckled at the playful exchange and scooped Gowri into her arms."And what’s the prize for the winner, thango?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.Gowri blinked, momentarily stumped. She turned to her elder sisters for guidance, but they looked equally clueless—none of them had actually decided on a winner's prize yet.Aadhavan, never one to let things slide, arched an eyebrow at Thalir. "So, madam, did you just accuse me of cheating?" he asked in mock seriousness.Thalir, feeling trapped, refused to meet his gaze. With a smirk, Aadhavan leaned in and wiped his sweat on her shoulder, earning an outraged gasp.Nearby, Thugil handed a towel to Amudhan and then bent down to pick up her son, Aarudhran. "Alright, little monster, let’s go take a bath," she announced.But Aarudhran had other plans. He squirmed in her grasp, struggling to break free and reach his father. Thugil narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Amudhan, who subtly extended his hand toward his son with a knowing wink. Her cheeks turned warm at his unspoken challenge.Rolling her eyes, Thulir cleared her throat loudly, pulling everyone back to the matter at hand. "Alright, kids! Playtime is over—it’s time for a bath!" she announced firmly."Nooo, Amma!" Malar protested immediately. "Appa said we’ll bathe in the swimming pool today! Right, Appa?" She turned to her father for backup.Thulir’s sharp gaze landed on Agathiyan. He smiled sheepishly, realizing he had been caught in a pre-approved scheme. Before she could object, Malar made a quick escape, sprinting toward the pool and leaping in, followed swiftly by Alar. Now emboldened, Gowri moved to follow, but before she could jump, Aadhavan scooped her up and dove into the pool with her, laughing. Not to be left behind, Amudhan followed suit with Aarudhran in his arms.Agathiyan met his wife's warning glare but, seeing his brothers and kids enjoying themselves, he couldn’t resist. With a mischievous grin, he joined them, diving into the water. Laughter and splashes filled the air, the pool alive with gleeful shouts."Ammaa, neeyum vaaa!" (Amma join us!) Alar called out, hoping to lure her mother in.But Thulir shook her head firmly. "Don’t stay in the water too long! I’ll go prepare breakfast," she reminded them before turning away.Thugil followed, but Thalir lingered, torn. She wanted to join them—badly. But she knew better. Having barely recovered from her cold due to her late-night adventure just days ago, she wasn’t willing to risk another scolding from her elder sister. With a dramatic sigh, she finally relented, walking inside—but not without throwing an envious glance at the lucky ones still enjoying their splash-filled fun.Time skipsThe family sat together at the dining table, enjoying breakfast. Agathiyan was the last to come downstairs, his daughters following behind him. As he reached the table, he noticed his father leaving in a hurry, skipping breakfast.He bent down and whispered something to his daughters. Their eyes lit up, and they quickly ran over to their mother, passing on the message.Thulir paused for a moment, watching her husband with a soft smile as he walked out. Then, she continued serving food on her daughters’ plates."Is Athiyan going somewhere, Thulir?" Tisya asked.Thulir nodded. "Ama, Athhe… He’s taking Mama to the hospital and will have breakfast with him there, I think."The older family members were surprised but happy to hear this.Innisai wiped away her tears secretly, her smile filled with quiet gratitude. Sitting beside her, Thulir caught the moment and offered a reassuring smile in return. Innisai murmured a soft "Thank you," but Thulir simply shook her head, letting her know that no thanks were needed.The warmth of the exchange passed unspoken between them, and soon, everyone returned to their breakfast. The room buzzed with quiet conversations, while the children, determined to escape their meals, put on their usual tantrums. Their mothers, familiar with the routine, handled them with patient but firm persistence, ensuring the morning unfolded as smoothly as possible.On the other side As Aadhiran stepped into the garage to take his car, he noticed his son surpassing him, swiftly starting the Royal Enfield and grabbing another helmet. He paused for a moment, watching with a slight frown, wondering where Agathiyan was headed.Just as he was about to get into his car, the sound of a horn pulled him from his thoughts. He tilted his head back to find his elder son, now outside the garage, persistently honking. Choosing to ignore him, Aadhiran climbed into the car, started the engine, and began to reverse. But before he could move any further, he was forced to a sudden halt—Agathiyan had deliberately parked his bike right in the way, casually leaning against it, arms crossed.Aadhiran chuckled, shaking his head as nostalgia hit him. He vividly recalled how four-year-old Agathiyan, with his tiny cycle, would block his path every time, demanding to be taken along to the hospital. No matter how busy or rushed he was, his son would not budge until he gave in. It had been a battle of stubbornness—one he would often lose. Over time, he learned a trick: on days when critical surgeries were scheduled, he would quietly leave before Agathiyan woke up, sparing himself from the daily protest. But it came at a price—returning home meant facing a sulking child who refused to speak to him, forcing him to spend hours convincing his son to forgive him.Snapping out of his thoughts, Aadhiran honked again, but Agathiyan didn’t move an inch, pretending not to hear. Exhaling deeply, Aadhiran stepped out of the car and approached him. Before he could say anything, Agathiyan casually tossed the bike key toward him, which he caught effortlessly."Is it hard for you to ride a bike now, considering your age, paah?" Agathiyan teased, crossing his arms and tilting his head slightly.Aadhiran raised an eyebrow at his son’s playful jab but smirked in response. He took a step forward, and Agathiyan instinctively moved aside, giving him space. Without hesitation, Aadhiran swung his leg over the bike, settling onto the seat as if it was second nature. He fastened his helmet and then passed the second one to his son.Agathiyan took it with a shrug, securing it over his head before saying, "Need help kick-starting the bike?"He barely finished the remark when Aadhiran firmly pressed down on the kick-start, bringing the engine to life in a single stroke. The deep, familiar rumble of the Royal Enfield filled the garage, vibrating through the space. Agathiyan raised his brows, genuinely impressed.Something in him stirred—a familiar childhood excitement. His love for this vintage bike had always been deeply tied to his father. As a toddler, he would squeal with joy every time he heard the sound of the engine. His small hands would grip the handles tightly as he sat in front, feeling the thrill of the ride, his laughter echoing every time the bike roared.Now, as they rode toward the hospital together, a quiet, content warmth settled between them. After thirty-six years, Aadhiran saw a glimpse of the son who had once clung to him so fiercely, the boy who had always wanted to be by his side. And even after all these years, that bond remained unchanged—perhaps quieter, matured, but still deeply rooted in the love they had always shared.