Pookal Pookum Tharunam

ᴛʜɪʀᴛy ɴɪɴᴇ

Ajay

First ever bike ride with my wife.

I grin when Sreedevi keeps her palm on my shoulder as she hops on to the bike. Rakesh and Sarath leaves followed by Maha and her husband. I looked over my shoulders to see Devi already staring me with a smile.

"Polama?" I asked.

"Mmm" she nodded in all direction with a smile.

I started the bike and rode off following them. The mandapam is situated quite far. It would take atleast 45 minutes to reach there. Devi's one hand is clutching my shoulders while the other one is holding the bike. I felt her gaze on me through the mirror and looked at it. She kept her chin on my shoulder and smiled at me.

I don't know how I am going to ride for forty minutes because I just cant take my eyes off her. Sreedevi has been my favorite recently and I am staring her even when she is asleep on her nightclothes. But this hits different. I have never seen her in such a traditional saree other than on our wedding and on her puberty function.

It was on her puberty function that I realised how a beautiful woman she was. It was since then I started sighting her. I would tell that story some other day for you.

But now, She is not that teenager Devi or the young girl whom I married. She has turned into a wife. A matured bold wife who sets desires for her husband.

Her appearance, her lite make up face, hair filled with flowers, her rose lips and last but not the least, her little hip that is peeking out of her saree are all driving me crazy. If not for Maha, I would have just stood there holding her in my arms without even caring to attend the wedding.

I remove my hand from the accelerator handle and clutch her hand that is on my shoulder and wrapped it around my waist pulling her closer. Her front glued to my back. She hugged me closer and laid her head on my shoulder. All these feelings felt heavenly with her.

Forty five minutes felt like forty five years with her. I wanted to just keep on riding with her behind me and travel to nowhere particular. But unfortunately we have a whole wedding on our plate.

I parked the bike on the parking. Buses have already reached and everyone were heading to the auditorium. Sreedevi got down and adjusted her saree. I got down from the bike carefully so that my dhoti won't come off and embarass myself.

Both of us went inside. My knees were doing better. Sarath gave me a leg massage in the morning. I can walk without actually limping. But my elbows do hurt. And then I found myself running here and there along with my boys.

Sreedevi was with her Maha akka and others. She seems to be comfortable with them. I don't have to worry much then. Jiffies later, the groom arrived with a whole lot of relatives. Krishnan uncle forced me to go to seat as I have hurt my elbows and knees. I went to the ladies who stood by the right of the auditorium. Maha, Devi, and Priya were standing there. Maya, Gopika and others would be with Geetha probably.

Priya had a baby in her hand, and Devi was playing with that baby. I smiled at that sight. I stood beside her but she was busy. Someone scratched my shoulders from behind. I turned to see Maha standing there.

"Anga nikura character ah engayachu paatha maari irukka??" She asked throwing her thumb over shoulder indicating someone behind her.

I looked behind her to see whom she is referring and when my eyes laid on that person, I slightly froze in my place. It was her. What was she doing here? She was talking with some one, with a girl child on her hips and a young man with specs beside her.

My hands shivered and heart thumped seeing her six years later. I glanced to my right where Devi was still playing with that baby. I wonder what would she feel if she meets her.