chapter 26

Gowri's POVWe are on the bed in between us Mynthu was sleeping.. Nope her sleeping place was that and we both were facing each other gazing our daughter.... Mynthu : Apppaaa.... Story solunga... (Appaa..Tell me the story )Shiva: Mmmm inaiku appa turn ah... Ena story solrathu🤔🤔(mmmmm...today is appa turn ah...what story Should I tell you ??)He motioned like thinking something... She copied it... Her eyes brightened immediately. Mynthu: idea... Shiva: What idea chello... Mynthu : Nenga amma va epadi meet paneinga antha story solunga....You know en friend oda appa amma ku love marriage ahm...ungalukum apdi tha nu chithi sonanga..... (The story of how you met Amma... you know, my friend's parents had a love marriage... Chithi mentioned that yours was a love marriage too.)Shiva: ohhhh athuva....... Kandipa solanuma... (Ohhh That....Are you sure You want to hear it)He said last words looking at me more like asking me...... I was confused to  I read that I wrote we both met in our college even though our parents are friends we hadn't meet each other before as I am not that kind of social person then to attend those parties and events I would rather spend my time on our office and plants conversing with the engineers and operators there .... I choose that over meeting the biggies in the industryI just narrowed my eyes at him.... He smiled and looked at Mynthu... Who pulled his beard to get his attention back to her... Mynthu : Appa... Ammava sight adichathu pothum epdi meet paneinga nu solunga paah.. (Appa stop sighting amma....tell me how you meet her first )Shiva: Unaku intha word la yar soli thara... (Who is teaching you all this words ???)Mynthu: yarum soli thara vena enake theriyum Mynthu big girl... (No have to teach me...I know myself...Mynthu is big Girl )She said with a pride tone making me giggle... Shiva : Ama ama.... Big girl tha nee.... Mynthu : pecha mathama solunga... Ammava first first enga patheinga.... (Don't divert the topic...Where did you saw amma first?)Shiva : Solrein solrein.... (Okay I will tell you )She was silent and looked at him with utmost attention.. Over buildup kudukurare.... Shiva : Na 8th standard padikurapo... En school la Interschool sports competition nadanchu...(When I was in 8th standard...Interschool sports competition was held in our school )Mynthu: hmmm Shiva: I participated in many sports I was good at that...I was actually tired I went to drink water on the other end of the ground.... The ground was filled with students as athletics were going on and the announcement came for girls under 14  400 meters running... By that time I had come back.....They were clapping sounds..... That's the moment I saw your mother for the first time... She was running her two plaited hair was flowing in the air. she was running to win.... That day itself I fell in love with herMynthu : ohhhh... Apo amma win panitangala.... Athanala tha ungaluku ammava pudichatha... (Ohh,....Did amma won that day...is that why you liked her from then)He laughed out loud... Even I have the same question what he is talking about... Unfortunately, I started writing dairy from 10 standard so I didn't have the chance to get to know about prior events that happened in my life so curiosity struck me too... Mynthu : En pa serikura..... Amma win pananga thane.... (Why are you laughing paa....Amma won that race right?)Shiva : Nooo.... Mynthu : ilaiya... (Nooo???)Shiva: Ila she was the last one to finish the line.... Mynthu: Apram en ammava ungaluku pudichathu... She lost la...(Then what made you like amma....she lost right..)Shiva: yeah she lost but that got my attention more.... Mynthu: en athu slow race ah..... (Is that slow race??)Me: Why.. did I feel down... Is that how I got your attention? We both said at the same time...He chuckled and pinched Mynthu's nose tip. Shiva: Both of your guesses are incorrect. She came last but she had a bright smile over the one who won..... All she wanted was to cross that finishing line nothing mattered to her and she was laughing with others without bothering about the loss..... I want to know what runs in her mind... So I went near the place she was chatting with a group of people... Still, her words lingered in my ears... " I am happy because I participated in it... Enaku entha expectation um ila and enoda usual timing ah vida na 2-second sekirame finishing line ah cross panitein.... So it's my win.... Mathavanga elarum ena vida fast ah ponathu avanga ability.... I didn't want to match with their speed..... Oruvela en normal timing ah vida na athiga time odiruntha I would have felt bad....and I am not a sprinter so losing this is fine with me ... Na ipo happy "... (I am happy because I participated in it...I didn't had any expectation to win I just want to surpass my usual speed which I achieved I finished  2 second less than my usual...so its my win...They surpassed me because of their ability....I didn't want to match with their speed...I would have felt bad if I took more time than my usual...I am not a sprinter so losing this one is fine with me...I am happy )That's the actual moment she attracted me more... You know what... The next year itself she won first place competing with the seniors under 16  in that she ran with her  senior athletes but she bet them... Even that day she had the same smile..... Actually antha age laiye detective vela lam pathu ava school pasangala friend pudichu ava name parents elaraiyum kandu pudichein...(I did lot of detective works at that age itself to find her school and found a friend in that school to get her details  )I don't understand that time what that was... But I had that urge to do that..... I got to know that our parents are friends... Just to see her I went to every gathering but she never showed up... That's how I became friends with Kayal...... She was just 4 years old then but Your grandparents always took her with them to those events...... So even before your mother knew that I loved her from that age... Kayal knows it.... Mynthu : ohhh... Apo amma ku epa theriyum... (ohhh then when did amma get to know about it)Shiva : after we joined in same college.... You know I joined that college only for her even though I got a seat in a much big and high profiled university due to my high marks... I chose that one in which she got a seat in...Mynthu : ohhhh apo college pona aparam amma kita soliteingala ungaluku ammava pudikum nu... (Oh so you said you like amma after you meet her in college?)Shiva: ilaiye... (NOO)Mynthu: WhyyyyyyShiva : She beat me in that... she proposed me before I do..... Then we started our love life from College then our parents arranged our marriage in one year of our career set.. Mynthu: ohhhh..... Apo ammaku nenga school la irunthu love panathu theriyatha.... (Ohhh....then amma don't know that you love her from school days )Shiva : Theriyathu.... Ipo na solra varaikume theriyathu... (No....till this moment she have no idea about that )That got my attention more..... What he means......... Is that why I didn't write anything about that..... Before mynthu Or I asked him anything his phone rang... He took that call and went out to answer...Mynthu looked at me... Mynthu : Ammaa... Unaku nejamave ithulam theriyathaa... (Amma...you really don't know about this ??)I nodded my head negatively... How can I explain to her even though I don't have the memories of how we met in college itself....... All were conveyed to me through my own words even though I can picture them that won't give the feeling of actual memory..... Because the words only conveyed half of my feelings..... It won't resemble every second I lived back then...I lost every ounce of memories which should have cherished throughout my life.....I saw that admiration he had for me in his eyes and words but I don't know anything about that moment which I lived in and he cherishing me.........I can't get back anything......even if I make more new memories with him but those which I lost would be priceless......I don't know I was crying until mynthu wiped my tears... Mynthu : don't Cry amma...... Naa irukein la.... Ipo appavum irukar... Smile... (Don't cry amma....I am here right....Now appa is also there ....smile )I just smiled wiping my tears... And hugged her and kissed her head...Me: Naa alurein nu enake therila thango...... And yes enaku nee iruka and un appavum irukar..... (I don't know why I am crying Thango....and yes you and your appa is here for me )I kissed her head again and patted her to sleep..... She was tired and didn't take her afternoon nap after coming back from her school at 2 pm... So she slept in minutes hugging my waist..... I was laying sideways...... My thoughts again went back to the moment.......... Why didn't he say that to be in the past......is that mean there's a lot more I don't know about us even in past........ Sleep was far away from my eyes but mynthu was sleeping peacefully..... I removed the finger she was sucking in sleep..... She has that habit.... She stirred in sleep and again went back to her sleep...I smiled at her ... I ran my fingers on her hair... That always brings a small smile to her face....... Seeing her my lips always stretch up..... When I was admiring our daughter. I felt bed dipping... So he came back...... He hugged me from back and placed his beared cheeks over mine... That tickles me and still give me unsaid warmth and comfort... His hugs always make me feel protective and warm.... He kissed my shoulder and his hand slowly slid over mine which was playing with our daughter's hair... He tangled his fingers with mine and moved it away from her hair... Shiva: She is sleeping don't disturb her now...I turned back and lay on my back sensing my movement Mynthu hugged me side ways... I encircled my one hand around her... His other hand was supporting his head while the other was still entangled with mine... He kissed our entangled fingers, specific the back of my palms.... And leaned more making me take deep breath... But he kissed Mynthu's head... And went back to the same posture... He was now playing with my fingers I saw him..... Sensing my gaze he looked at me and raised his eyebrow. Shiva: Do you want to ask anything... I checked mynthu. She was in deep sleep... I know she won't wake up now even if thunder strikes ... Again I looked at the fingers he was playing with and him... Me: Why I didn't know about this even in past... Shiva: Because I don't want you to know... Me: huh... I narrowed my eyes at him... He just smiled at kissed my forehead... Me: psh.... Answer me... Shiva: Because I saved this for our daughter...Me : huh... Purila.... (I didn't get you )Shiva: I was just 14 then... I am not sure what kind of feeling is that... Oruvela athu infatuation ah kuda irukalam... I waited till I was sure about those feelings..... Una thorathula irunthu papein... After school ends  I waited in front of your school,..... Anga oru corner irukum anga irunthu olinju papein.. Daily una kotitu poga mama varuvar.... Antha gate la irunthu nee car, ah reach agura time mattum tha una pakka mudiyum... Still, that's precious for me...... Daily una pakama enaku oru mari irukum even during holidays I will wait in front of your house hiding somewhere to get a glimpse of you.... (I was just 14 then...I am not sure what kind of feeling is that....may be that was infatuations too....I waited till I was sure about my feelings....After my school ends I waited on the street end in your school side....I always seen you from far...always your father came to pick up and drop you...so the gap between you get inside the car and come out of the car to enter your school was the only time I get to see you...even though that was minimal time...still that's precious for me...I always had the urge to see you daily even during holidays I will wait in front of your house hiding somewhere to get a glimpse of you...)Through Kayal I know you went to a nearby park with Kayal daily  in your holidays... So that part was my paradise then...Apdiye school life pochu..... My feelings towards you grow deeper and deeper..... I joined your college I actually wanted to talk with you first but I controlled myself... Then within a month you came to me and proposed me take me Offguard..... I didn't know how to react. I was on cloud nine..... But I didn't reply you then..... Aparam factory opening ku poitom I came back before appa amma because I couldn't wait for more..... Aniku Kandipa un love ah accept pananum nu tha irunthein... (Then I we went for factory inauguration I came back before appa amma because I couldn't wait for more...I made up my mind that I would accept your proposal and confess mine that day  )You again beat me in that... Then it turned out something which I didn't plan yet the most memorable moments in our life...Then what happened you might have read and know through your diaries... Me: Before that accident, we were together for 9 years...oru time kuda sola thonaliya... He chuckled.... Shiva: Daily thonum but I controlled that urge.Me: En..... Shiva: You know when I was sure about my feelings towards you..... I didn't just see us as lovers... I saw a beautiful life with you....... My love story didn't end with college life or with you alone.... I planned a whole life even with our grandkids even then I want to love you even more....I saved that for our daughter like you I too wanted a daughter first...I imagined this moment years back..... I want this moment more special .... En ponnuku ava ammava na enga epo mothala pathein nu solrapo not only her ava amma kum athu exiting ah irukanumnu nenachein..... Along with our daughter, I wanted to see your expressions too..... I don't know how you would have reacted if you still have those memories may be ena thorathi thorathi adichirupa.....(I wanted that When I tell my daughter how I met her mother not only her, her mother should also get surprised....Along with our daughter, I wanted to see your expressions too..... I don't know how you would have reacted if you still have those memories may be you would have got angry at me for hiding this.... )Even now it was beautiful even more than what I imagined......I know we have to create more such beautiful memories but  I like this t how it started. With this...... He kissed our joined hands again lovingly... I don't know how to react actually...Me : En avlo kathal en mela... Apdi ena panitein naa ungaluku(Why you love me this much...what I did for you )I asked him truly... He smiled and kissed my forehead...Shiva: You are still existing in my life... And there is no compulsion that love needs reason..... Me: Do I deserve this much love... Shiva: Trust me you deserve much more than this..... He placed a final kiss and lay side ways hugging my hand to his chest.... Not only the cuddles even this feels more warm and filled my heart with warmth and happiness because I was the one who was at the receiving end of his love..... Shiva: ena pathathu pothum... Thoongu (That's enough of staring at me....sleep )He came closer now his head was near my shoulder... I tried to sleep closing my eyes but couldn't... After a few minutes I again opened my eyes..... He was sleeping involuntarily my other hand creased his hair... He snuggled more towards me... I placed a small kiss on his head he smiled in sleep... Now I know where this habit of mynthu came from...I smiled at myself what a good deed I did to get these two who love me unconditionally.... I don't know when sleep took over me...