“ Jaya…. , good , good .  This is a good thing .”, Somasundaram handed the cloth  bag  bulging with vegetables and  greens  to Ammu as she handed him a glass of water . “Ambi ,  Ambi …”, he called as  he sat in his easy chair .

She came into the room , wiping her hands to her pallu . “Ennaaa ? I am busy cooking for Jaya .” , she smiled at her husband , a smile that was a wide delightful  expression of celebration .

“So no diet food, good . I brought  brinjal , make stuffed brinjal , he likes that . Ask Radhamma to make adai payasam , just like how he likes it . Do you need anything more from the market ?”, he asked as he smiled back at her , sharing her happiness. “Jaya , you want something ?”, she asked her nephew .

“I would like to take Ammu out after lunch .”, he replied .

“Good , I will ask the driver to fill in the diesel.  What prices !  Soaring to the skies , but  these costs cannot be cut beyond a certain limit , what is that hybrid car they are advertising about ?”, Somasundaram asked Jaya as he held out the newspaper and sat down  again .

“Aiyyo, when will he understand ? He never understood these things  when we were young and  is still the same man , even after all these years.”, Ambika confided.  Radha  giggled .

She went to the door and  gestured  . Somasundaram looked at her  . “What ? What Ambi , what are you saying ?”, he asked and got up . She walked in and he followed her . “Leave them alone , it has been so long .”, she whispered  .

“He is my daughter’s husband and  my nephew . They will go  out after the lunch , so it is okay . “, he replied and went back into the living room . Jaya was reading the paper and Ammu was not to be seen .

“Where did she go ?”, he asked Jaya . “Upstairs , she needed something from her room . “, Jaya replied .

 “How is Mina ? When is the baby due ?  Oh and Margu’s due date ?  Appa is enjoying his work ? ……” They sat there and spoke this and that , trying to skirt the issue both did not want to bring up . It was time for lunch .

“I don’t need the driver .”, Jaya protested . “Parking problem .”, Somasundaram tried to convince him . “Today is mid-week , what  parking problem ?” , Jaya asked him and they both laughed at the unspoken intentions . The women looked confused .

As they drove away , Ammu turned to him and asked, “ What were Appa and you laughing about ?”.

He smiled at the road , “Where do you want to go ?”, he asked her . “Where ever you take me .”, she retorted , her eyes laughing . “Come witch , let us go home , now !”, he answered . “Noooooooooooooooooo!”, she answered , knowing him , knowing that he would drive all the way if she said yes , knowing that he was laughing at her confusion now ,  but  a moment ago he was serious about what he had said .

“Why ? How many more days in your parents home ? Enough of pampering . Get home before  the kids arrive .”, he realized after he had spoken  . There was a moment of silence . “It’s okay Jaya , I will have to face several such  situation  there . I am prepared .”, she  spoke in a small voice and tried not to cry , but the tears swam in her huge eyes . All the joy of the outing flew out of the window .

He sighed and drove on , silent . She looked at his brooding face and realized that he had been affected too. He had wept that day in the hospital as she drifted in and out of  drug –induced slumber .

“Jayaaa , how are you ?”, she asked him , not knowing how  to ask him , not understanding how else to reach out to him . He looked at her and smiled a mirthless smile , something he threw at her all the time when he had no words to explain .

She  tugged at a corner of his sleeve  . “It is okay , we can have a dozen if you want to , just need  some time .”, she assured him . “It is not  that , what I worry about , it is you .  I worry about you , I worried all this time about the unspoken grief in your voice , the lifeless look in your eyes and  your  disinterested ways.  Ammu, you matter more to me than anything else .  The tears I wept   were for you , you idiot , because  I never saw  what   you never realized .  I want you to be happy and look what a jerk I have been .”, he turned the car into a by lane and parked there .

He took her hand in his and looked into her wide  confused eyes . “I have been a horrid husband .”, he said as he held her hand to his cheek .  ‘Nooooooooo!”, she cooed as she tried to free her hand .

“What are you twisting your wrist like that for , like you did , before our engagement ?”, he asked her and she laughed , a confused laugh as the tears rolled down her hollow cheeks and  splashed on  her  shoulder.  “You are my only husband .”, she  replied in confusion and he looked at her as he replied , “Don’t worry , you can have a whole dozen , if you want to .”. and she screamed at him , all tears and tragedies forgotten , he knew how needle her ,  how to get under her skin .  “Welcome back witch , how I missed you , wish I could kiss you.”, he replied , not looking at her , as he  turned the key and moved the car out of the silence . And she bloomed as she blushed . 

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