Shalini didn't want to believe Sushmita. She called for Nivi to Divya. "Akka yen alara?" Divya asked. "Nee poi function mudinjadhum, Nivi ah enna paaka sollu!!" She exclaimed. "Seri koopdren." Her sister told, still doubtful.
The baby shower began, Shalini had a fake smile etched on her face. All of the women were beginning the rituals before it was Avi's turn. Shalini noticed the wedding ring still missing in his hands. She shrugged unnecessary thoughts away and smiled.
After the ritual ended, Shalini met Nivi in the terrace. Nivi looked tired, her eyes were puffy and she looked devastated. "Nivi are you pregnant?" Shalini asked but Nivi remained silent. "Nivi unna dhan!! Are you pregnant?" Shalini repeated and Nivi nodded with tears. "I am sorry, it was my mistake, Avi ku enkooda night spend pannadhu kooda nyabagam illa." She told and tears now escaped both of their eyes. "Ennaku enna panradhu nu terila." She added. "But I don't want my child to be illegitimate." She told and Shalini wiped her tears. "I want a life with Avi." She told sobbing. "Please Shalini ennaku adha tharuviya?" She sobbed out.
Shalini stood frozen. Her mind was going through every possibility. Nivi was a young girl, Shalini felt that she wouldn't have gone through half the problems Shalini did. Shalini felt that Nivi couldn't handle to be a single parent, at the same time she knew that Avi desperately wanted her in his life as much as she wanted him in her life. Her moodswings were pushing her to several bad descions. "Kadavule enna en ipdi sodhikra?" She yelled out loud into the sky.
That's when she was reminded of the words of Krishna to Draupadi, 'Compassion is the basis of righteousness.' Shalini pitied Nivi who stood in front of her for help. Shalini could handle a life without Avi, it would be difficult but she knew she could handle it. Shalini hugged Nivi. "Give Avi a chance and don't ever leave him." She told trying to stay brave before rushing to the washroom and crying her heart out. Her mood swings weren't helping her at all.
'I am sorry Shalini, that wretched woman threatened me, enga appava kaapatha ennaku vera Vali teriyala.... I am sorry!' she thought and collapsed down on the floor and cried.
######
Shalini wiped her tears and walked downstairs after changing, she looked so lifeless and dull that Avi got worried. "Ennachu Shalini, fever ah?" He asked but she batted his hand away, his care would only make her want to stay with him. Shalini knew that she couldn't have her kids with her, she didn't want to force her kids to live a low life despite being born in the Chakravarty household and that only made her feel worse.
"Shalini oru paatu paaden ma, kozhandhanglaku kekumam!" Her aunt told and Shalini smiled.
Sengaandhalae unai allava
Chella thendralae unai yendhava
Alaithen unnai ennodu
Iruppen endrum unnodu
Anbae un kaigal ennai theenduma
Midhandhen kaatril kaatraaga
Nadandhen iravil nizhalaaga
Kannae un kangal ennai kaanuma
Aaararo aarariro...
Aaararo aarariro...
Chinna chinna malar kuviyalai pol
Enakkul malarndhai
Ennai enna uyir silirkka vaithu
Karuvil asaindhai
Unnai perum annai vali
Vali alla oor varamae
En marbilae koodu katti
Nee urangidum naal varumae
Paal kasiyum idhazhodu
Unnai kaanavae
Deivam kooda osai indri
Vandhu pogumae
Sengaandhalae unai allava
Chella thendralae unai yendhava
Annai nenjil anal erigaiyilae
Mazhai pol vandhaai
Endha dhisaiyilum iruttukul naan
Velicham thandhaai
Jenmam ondru podhathendru
Ezhu jenmam naan sumappen
En vazhvilae orae inbam
Kannil vaithu paarthu kolven
Unmel dhoosum theendaamal
Kaapen anbae
Kaalam muzhudhum unakkaaga
Vazhven anbae
Sengaandhalae ...aarariro...
Chinna thendralae... aarariro
Shalini's eyes teared by the end of the song but she wiped it. She smiled after it making them seem like happy tears but it was pain, pain was all she felt. It was the wrath of a mother who couldn't be with her children. 'Righteous descions maybe difficult at the beginning, but it makes the end easier.' her mind reminded her and she smiled again concealing her pain.
But then suddenly she felt a kick. She smiled at it. Avi saw her jerk and placed his hands on her belly as well and smiled. Soon, Divya, Vikash, her mother, Sharanya and Rakshan everyone took turns to feel the kicks but then she felt the kicks increase. Her eyes teared out and she winced loudly. "Shalini ennachu?" Her mom asked. "Aaaahhhh!!" Shalini began yelling in pain. The pain wasn't reducing and her water broke causing her to be taken to the hospital. Avi was going through his worst nightmare when it was a premature labor.
The entire family prayed for her health when the doctor told it was going to be a c-section. Thankfully all three of them were safe. The babies were taken to the incubator, the family couldn't see them. Avi could only feel his soul enter his body when he saw Shalini open her eyes. He kissed her hands, forehead and cheeks. "Ennaku uyire poiduchu di." He confessed but she simply looked away.
"Kozhandhanga?" She choked out. "Rendu perum incubator la irrukanga, naa sonna maariye girls ahm, doctor sonnanga. If everything goes right, innum one week la avangla paaklam." He comforted. Shalini had a lot of mindspace to think during the week, she had a well set plan. She ad called up Shakti and made sure she could shift to Mumbai temporarily in peace. She let him handle the transport and accommodation as Mumbai was just a stop before the real action.
Shalini would always feel tears brimming to her eyes whenever her eyes would meet with Avi, she couldn't even think about how much pain her 'vazhandha kozhandha' would have to suffer because of this.
