Niraimathi's POV

I am making pineapple Kesari for my Kannu who is upset now... I couldn't able to see her like this... To convince her along with her favourite sweet was the best idea I think...

Let me tell you what made her upset it was a Bommer aunty whom she met in the temple today she said to Kannu that I would leave her alone after getting married and Kannu have to be alone so she should join the ashram she knows to live after my marriage... Because I would think of my Kannu as a burden after marriage....along with that she pitied Kannu that she has me as a daughter, not a son if she has a son he would have to take care of her...

Really how Ridiculous that thought is..... Why these people don't think before saying something that can hurt a person's feelings... The irony is her son left her and went to a foreign with his wife and son leaving her here... It was her married daughter who takes care of her now... Then how could she . ... Arghhhhh now my Kannu is sad.... It's my mistake I should have accompanied her today.

I transferred Kesari into two bowls and walked towards the hall where my Kannu was sitting sadly... I sat beside her and placed a tray on the table and took one cup in my hand and showed one spoonful of Kesari in front of her mouth... She turned the other side.

Kannu: I am not hungry Nira... You eat...

Me: I would never eat alone and why are you showing your anger on food and this poor soul... You should have shouted at her to say such a thing...

Kannu: Even though she was not fully right she said one fact right...

Me: which fact

Kannu: One day you will get married and have to leave for your husband's house... I have to prepare myself for that... All these days I didn't think about that... How selfish I am...

Me: Even though I didn't think about marriage Kannu that doesn't make me selfish.... See I only have you... And you have me...

Kaanu  : You are not understanding Nira... I am not a young girl like you... I lived my life yours didn't even start Nira..... I am not feeling sad for being alone after your marriage this house is filled with your father's memories that's more than enough for me to live the rest of my lifetime relishing them...

I was feeling bad that I didn't think about your life... Your marriage anything.... If your Appa is alive then surely we would have to search for a perfect groom for you by now... After he left us I think I became selfish I forgot to think about your life...

I signed and placed the bowl on the table made her look at me and cupped her face...

Me: Kannu look at me... You are the best mother one could get don't doubt that.... And "it's okay to be selfish no one can't be selfless always "It's your words, not mine....you are not only my mother you are my best friend you never tried to force me to marry someone and didn't blackmail me to marry.... That's the biggest blessing... I won't say that I would be single all my life... No, I am not a saint to be like that...... It will happen on its own...

Tamil always said to me "We can't plan our life even if we did it wouldn't happen as it is "

Now stop looking like a zombie and scare me more now put up a smile like my Kannu and eat your favourite pineapple Kesari... Hmm

Kannu: Niraa..

Me: stop it....listen Kannu even though I am a Librarian and read many poem books I am really bad at reciting a poem.

I  am not Tamil... Still, if that's what you want wait I will go and bring his poem diary and choose one poem and recite that one for you...

Kannu: No no please no... Please leave him and his poems alone... You want me to eat right I will but please don't recite a poem.....

She pleaded with me and started eating Kesari looking at me I couldn't control my laugh... Still, I managed to.

Me: see your wife Tamil... How much you spoiled this child... All my lengthy dialogue didn't get any reaction but your poem has the power... Too bad behavior I must say...

I glared at her she smiled sheepishly and pinched my cheeks... I winced and laid on her lap and she finished the bowl of Kesari......

Me: is it good Kannu

Kannu: it's fabulous... Didn't you eat...

Me: Now you can see me... Wow....you are right you have become too selfish nowadays last week you drank coffee without me and now eating Kesari... I will remember this.

Kannu: who stopped you from eating see your bowl is right in front of you...

Me: yeah I couldn't see that.... I am blind right that's why.... Kannu feed me...

I sulked she laughed...

Kannu: okay, okay first sit up don't eat while lying down Nira...

I signed lazily and sat up and she fed me with her sweet smile which made me smile too...

After that, I again lay on her lap and she ran her fingers through my hair calming my mood as usual...

I looked at her...

Me: Kannu say about Tamil and your love story...

Kannu: You heard it many times Nira. It's not new for you... Won't you get bored of hearing the same story...

Me: Some stories are like that no matter how many times we read we can never get enough of them instead it will make us crave to read them again and again it will become our safe place.....my Tamil and Kannu' s story is like that for me...

Kannu: There is nothing that much special in it the same simple old-school love story...

Me: simple one stays with us kannu..... I have read many love and romantic novels but all didn't raise my expectation bar high. Because I know they are not real ones even if they are I didn't see it on my own... But yours is not imagination it's real and is beautiful... Please say kannu.....

Kannu: okay..... We both studied in the same university but in different departments even though our classes were in different buildings... The only common place we could see each other was a library too both Tamil and History sections were far away from each other.

Your father used to come to the library I don't know when he started noticing me he never said that even after marriage when I asked him... It's always his secret but later on I realized through the first kavithai ( poem) as well as a proposal letter he wrote for me...

I always keep a leaf inside the book I read as a bookmark and always ask Librarian not to lend that book to anyone till I finish there would be a maximum of 5 copies of same book it was quite a big library where we can find books from all departments and general books too

One such day I placed a leaf in the book I read and left for home... When I came back next day and took that book to continue to read... There was a new leaf  instead of an old one along with a letter which read

"நாளும் ஏடுகளை வாசித்தவன்..

உன்னை வாசிக்கும் யாசகம் கிட்டுமா எனும் ஏக்கத்துடன் எழுதுகிறான்...

ஒரு கடிதம் ....

யாசகம் வழங்கும் மனம் படைத்த இனியவளுக்கு....)

" Nalum Edugalai vasithavan......
unnai vasikum yasagam kittuma enum ekathudan ...
ezhuthukiran...

oru kaditham.....

Yasagam vazhangum manam padaitha iniyazhuku............... "

( The man who read books daily.
Now writing a letter...

For Iniyaval who can give the offering...
(Her half  name is Kannukiniyal - pleasant in eyes)

I am begging with the logging of getting the blessing of becoming her ardent Reader who reads her.........

That was my poem but I couldn't give a perfect English translation I tried my best..)

I was flat for that alone...it just took him 4 line poem to make me become his fan his lover......from that day he has bound me in his love and his beautiful poems..... He begged me to get a chance to read me but he made me addicted to his love.... He hypnotized me in his love it was that strong even after all the years I couldn't come out of his love... I still couldn't get enough of him...

Me : Beautiful❤❤❤❤❤

She chuckled....

Kannu: you always say this Nira...

Me : Because that is the fact I can't change it...

old-school Maybe I am into old school love.......