"Quality Time"
May 15, 2019.
Ajay
Watching her apply makeup all over the hickeys is my favourite sight now.
It's May 15th. Sreedevi's duty is starting today again. She is getting ready, dolled up in a yellow saree with a dark green blouse. I stood behind her watching. I didn't care that I was running late. I kissed her neck while she gave a death glare through the mirror. I stepped back in defense. She is working hard to cover the hickeys and I was making it hard for her. It's fun to tease her but it's not that fun when she reacts to it.
Mom was calling out for me. I sighed and walked out of the room. She wanted me to help her with the oven. I don't have to go to office today because I went to work last Sunday so today is a week off for me. I thought of dropping Sreedevi to school and spending some quality time with my parents as they are leaving tomorrow.
Sreedevi has duty only till afternoon until the school actually re-opens for the students which is by June first week. I will drop Sreedevi at her school and go out with my parents and later pick her up from School and then we all will go for lunch. It sounds good, doesn't it?
Everyone agreed to the plan. Once we were all ready, we headed to Sreedevi's school. Parents were seated at the back while Devi sat on the passenger seat. She asked my father to sit in the front seat but he kindly refused it and sat with my mom in the back seat. She was constantly correcting her saree and hair making it hard for me to concentrate on the road.
Once we reached her school premises, she collected her things. I noticed something very unusual on her face. It was a strike of sindoor on her hair partition. I have never seen that sindoor on her hair when she is in her teacher outfit. It made me smile. So wide.
"Bye Jay.. 1 manik vanthudu" she said.
I caught her hand and stopped her. She started feeling nervous and looked behind, at my parents.
"Antha sotta manda kitta irunth konjam thalliye iru" I said referring to that idiot.
"Mch Po Jay" she slapped on my head and got out of the car.
"Bye uncle, Bye aunty" She waved at my parents and walked inside.
I watched her going with another woman who kept talking to her.
"Yaaru da athu antha sotta manda?" My mom asked.
I pulled the gear and reversed the car to get out of the school premises.
"Athu intha school la oru Maths Sir mummy... En pontati melaye kanna irukaan" I said with annoyance.
My father laughed "Devi kum fans pathiya da? Antha kaalathula neenga yaarachum avala thirumbi kooda pathurkingala da?"
"Ada yen pa nee vera.. avala paaka thane naa antha get together party ke varuven" I said looking at the mirror checking for the vehicles behind.
"Ennathuuu??" Both of my parents chorused.
I paused for a while and clicked my tongue realising what I had blabbered.
"Illa enak puriyala?" My mother said.
"Onula mummy" I smiled sheepishly.
"Apro ethuk da antha ponnu pinaadi pona?" My mom asked a bit furiously.
"Antha topic vitrulame?" I got angry. "Athu mudinja pona kadha.." I said driving ahead.
"Dei Devi ah pudikuma da unak chinna vayasula?" My father asked a bit curiously.
"Aama athuk enna ipo?" I said trying to cover the embarrassment.
"Apro?" My father leaned forward.
"Apro enna? Apro onum illa avlo thaan" I turned the car to the right.
"Ayyayaa" My father grimaced.
"Enna?" I looked at him. "Ungalukum Mohan uncle kum irukra friendship poga koodathu nu thaan naa onum panla seriya?"
"Seriyana makku da nee" My father leaned back.
"Hello?" I got offended "Antha edathula irunth paarunga apo puriyum.. apo mattum naanum Devi yum unga kitta maatirnthom nu vachukongalen.. motha gang um pirinj pogirkum... Ipo engaluk kalyanam aayiduch nu thaan neenga naa makku nu solringa" I said.
"Athuvum seri thaan"
"Yenga?" My mom called my dad. "Ipo puriyutha? Ivan yen ella allaliance kum no sollitu ithuk mattum okay sonnan nu"
"Naa onum odane okay sollala" I defended myself.
"But okay sonna la?" My mom leaned forward.
"Athu neenga enna compel panninga ma" I whined.
"Dei ella alliance kum naa unna compel pannen da.. samalikatha"
"Maa apdi illa ma" I tried to search for words.
"Dei dei nadikathaa da" My mom tickled my waist laughing.
"Ammaaa" I whined laughing along. "Vandi otitu iruken ma summa iru"
"Ennangaa seriyana aalunga Ivan... Paaren evlo periya kedi ah irukaan nu" my mom said to my dad.
"Un varuthapadatha valibar sangathuk theriyuma da ithellam" my father asked referring to Rakesh, Pragan and Sarath.
"Theriyathu daddy..." I stopped the car in the signal.
"Yaaruk thaa theriyum?" Amma asked.
"Enak theriyum.. recent ah Devi ku theriyum.. ipo ungaluk theriyum" I said.
"Recent ah va?" My mom was confused.
"Dha ba dha.. Recent ah na.. ondra varsham munnadi maa...enna ma nee vera.." I somehow managed.
My father called me makku for not trying anything 11 years ago. I can't imagine what they would say if they knew I didn't try anything even after one and a half years of marriage.
I drove to Forum Mall. It was the first time I'm bringing them to a mall in Chennai. We roamed around the mall. I bought my mother a Salwar. She thought I was buying it for Devi but I surprised her with it. She had a huge smile on her face. My father was walking around the mall telling me about his military father. I pulled him into a perfume shop. He loves wearing perfume. I bought him one.
We went to the food court and ordered some lite food.
"Kavitha.. Ajay chinna vayasula sakthimaan mathiri thookathula pesuvane nyabam irukka?" My father asked my mom.
"Appa yen pa?" I whined.
"Aama ama..." My mother laughed. "Apro school la teacher paaka pei maari irukaanga nu oru naal full ah school pogama adam pudichit irunthane"
"Illayee..ithu epo??" I tried lying.
"Naa un amma da enak ellam nyabagam iruku" My mother said as she munched on the French fries.
I smiled.
"Nalla vela Devi irukumbothu ithellam sollalaye" I said.
"Haan Kavitha ivan Christmas thaatha va paathu bayanthu aluthu un Sela pinnadi olinju nippane.. athu Devi varumbothu sollu seriya" My father said to mom.
"Appaaaa.." I whined.
They laughed. It was almost time to pick up Devi. We got out of the mall and drove back to Devi's school.
"Ajay konjam sanda podrathu kammi pannu da" My mom said.
"Amma naa enga ma sanda podren" I asked confused.
"Devi kooda thaan.. naanga vanthu intha 8 naal la 10 vaati aachum sanda potrupinga" my mom said.
"Amma athellam periya sandaye illa ma.. naanga pesi solve panniduvom"
"Pesi solve pannuviya da?" My father asked sarcastically.
I frowned at him while he smiled mischeviously.
"Daddy" I warned trying not to smile.
"Aanalum romba thaan da sanda podringa" mom said again.
"Ipo evalavo parava illa Kavi.. munnadi lam rend perum sanda potu pesave mataanga ooruk ellam varumbothu.. ipo avunga pesi aachum solve pandranga la" My father said.
I shook my head.
"Neeyum konjam erangi po Ajay. Ego ellam paakatha" My mom said.
"Maa naa ego lam paakala ma.. athuvum Devi kitta.. yen ma marriage life la sanda varathu sahajam thane?" I asked.
"Ajay" my father called me "Unkitta unak kalyanam aana naal la irunth onnu thaa solren.. ipovum athe thaan solren.. pontati enna sonnalum pannidanum.. mukyama kovama iruntha, porumaya irukanum.. they are always right"
I nodded agreeing to it.
We went to Devi's school. She was waiting inside the school near a tree. There was a lady in mid 30s beside her who was talking to her. I got out of the car asking my parents to wait and went inside the school. Devi saw me when I neared them.
"Hi" I said.
Devi smiled at me while that lady looked at me unknowingly.
"Amala miss... Ithu Ajay, my husband" Devi introduced me to that lady.
"Ohh Hi" she smiled "I'm Amala.. English teacher" she introduced herself.
"Ajay Dev" I smiled back.
"Sreedevi miss veetlayum ipdi thaana? Pesa maatangala?" She asked me.
I didn't know what to tell her. I just chuckled.
"Not really" I said.
I saw John sir walking to the parking place. He saw me but he pretended like he didn't.
"She is very silent. Ethavuth keta bhadhil mattum solluvanga.. not more than that" she said.
I nodded "Naanum apdi thaan" I chuckled.
"Ahaa.. best pair then"
We smiled at each other.
"Will see you around miss" Sreedevi said saying goodbye.
"Yeah sure" she smiled.
She was sweet. We walked back to the car. Sreedevi didn't shut her mouth, she was continuously talking about how bored she was in the staff room and how hard it was to avoid every person there who tried to talk to her. I smiled while realising no one else could see this side of hers, can they? The talkative Devi is only for me.
She stopped talking once we reached the car. She greeted my parents with a smile.
"How was work Devi?" My father asked.
"Haan okay thaan uncle.." Devi smiled.
I drove to a restaurant. We all had lunch there. Devi looked at me when my father served my mother food, water, wiped her chin with a tissue, and tucked her hair behind whenever it fell off. We saw our future in them. When our hair turns grey, limbs get weak and skin wrinkles, what would it be like? Will we have children and grandchildren by that time? Will we be healthy? Wealthy? I don't know. All I know is, I would deeply and solely be in love with her and she with her wrinkled skin, fallen tooth and grey hair will be the most gorgeous woman in my eyes.
Later, we went to Marina beach. We walked all the way to the beach, soaked our feet in the sea. I never knew that Sreedevi didn't like waves touching her feet. She would stand by the shore and when waves were about to hit her feet, she would run back. I stood behind her and stopped her from running. The waves hit and drenched us. She hit my chest and then laughed.
"En saree full ah naasam ayiduchu jayy" she whined.
"Parava illa" I laughed along with my parents seeing her grumpy face.
We walked around playing shooting the baloons with the gun, eating street food, flying kites. It was the best day.
Sreedevi started choking on her Pani Puri but my father immediately tapped on her head and my mother fetched water. She drank the water and said she was okay. My father made a lame joke and she laughed. My mother slapped her forehead but later laughed along with her.
We had a great bonding time. It's been so many years since I spent time with my parents and it's the first time in my life that I'm spending time with my wife and parents together. It's so wholesome. Their laughing sound echoed over my thoughts, shutting it off.
Watching the people who mean the world, laugh and bond is more than enough to fill a man's heart.
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Hey guys, sorry again for the delay. Wasn't planning to delay but it just happened.
Tell me how the chapter is.