Disclaimer: This is a work of FICTION. Only the names of my main characters have been inspired by real life.
Not proof read and the entire chapter was typed using a mobile device. Please bear with typos.
Although this series can be read as a standalone, this is a bonus series for Azhaipaayaa Azhaipaayaa. I highly recommend reading those shots before you start this one.
As usual, please read the note at the end if you make it to the end of this chapter.
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En Arunthozhi: 1
Ninaivugal Theeyai
Alai Modhudhey
Udalingu Saavaai Azhuthey
Iravingu Theevaai....
Ashwin hit the radio button to stop the song playing from his phone via Bluetooth a little too hard before he turned off the engine and got down from his car.
He was happy that he was a step closer to what he wanted right now. "Just one more step", he mumbled before he quickly walked from the parking towards the inconspicuous set of offices located in a quiet part of the city. He was truly happy. Or so he thought.
As he walked into the reception, the receptionist cheerily welcomed him "Good morning sir". "Morning nga" he responded with a fake cheer. He couldn't put a finger on why he had to fake his happiness. "Sir, oru chinna problem. Shobana madam had a family emergency and she is running late. 11 o'clock ku badhila oru 11.30 ku start pannaalaama nu keka sonaanga. Illena madam reschedule pannikalaam nu sonnanga. Sorry for the inconvenience sir". It's not like he had anything else planned for the day, it was after all a Sunday morning and he didn't want to drop in at his editor's office for post production especially after he'd been warned by his editor to stay away until she was ready the next day. "No problem at all. Is everything ok with Shobana? I am ok to wait. But she doesn't need to rush here on my account. Epdinaalum ok". Besides he really wanted to get this done today. Or so he thought.
Seated on the couch in one of the rooms he was quite familiar with, that the receptionist had pointed to, he annoyedly looked at the sound emanating from the wall clock which read 10.45. Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, argh, he mentally groaned at the sound he had learnt to loathe from the past 9 Sunday mornings he had spent here. Not wanting anything to take away from the feeling of accomplishment he could begin to start feeling any minute now, he plugged in his AirPods to watch random videos on YouTube. He would definitely feel the sense of accomplishment any minute now. Or so he thought.
When the time on left top corner of his phone screen read 11.01 am, a sense of uncertainty grew in his abdomen. He brushed it aside and tried to focus on the video he was watching. But every few seconds, his eyes would dart to the top left corner of his phone screen. Sighing when it indicated the time was 11.12 am, he quickly stood up and walked to the door before stopping short. "Kevalam ah irukum, Ava enga nu receptionist ta kettaa" he told himself before coming back to the three seater couch he was sitting in. Should he just call her? May be she was driving? Finding every bit of reason to not call her, he kept staring at the seconds hand on the wall clock finding some solace in the monotony of the Tick-Tock before his brain reminded him that he hated the sound the clock made.
Sticking his head out the door he spoke to the receptionist "aenga, avanga Innum varala?". His voice sounded uncertain even to his ears. "Sir, sonnenae, Shobana mam is running late. She will be here by 11.30". He quickly cut off the receptionist, "illanga, Sivaangi? Innum varala. She's never late", the last sentence more to himself. "Avanga edhuku varanum?", the receptionist's response made him briefly wonder if she had hit her head in the time he was inside the room. Probably reading his confusion, the receptionist looked at the monitor in front of her to check before replying "Inniku neenga mattum dhaan sir. Sivaangi madam is not on the schedule. Ippo dhaan re-check pannen".
