Nenjamellam kadhal

Chapter-15

                                                                                Sakthi

Three and a half years earlier...

   Jithu parked his car near the workshop after the workshop fiasco, and we all piled into the car. I was exhausted but wide awake as a result of the effects of the energy drink I had consumed. Ramya made me rest my head on her lap. I concentrated on slowly breathing in and out, hoping that my heart rate would slow down before drawing the attention of others.

   First, Jithu dropped off Ramya at her home. Sakthi still remained in the front passenger seat, and I settled in the back, resting my head against the headrest. Jithu turned his gaze to me from his seat and said, "Oi thakkali edhadhu sapudria? Veetla amma irukangala ilaya? Kelu call panni. Cook panalana na edhadhu vaangi thandhutu poren and amma ilata Ramya va tirupi kuptu vandhu vitutu poren thania irukadha,enna venunalum yosikama kelu saria."

    Before I could answer, he stopped the car in front of our home, and as I got down, Sakthivel held my bag and stood beside me. From the passenger window, I replied to Jithu, "Ramya ineram information pass panirupa enga ammaku. So enga amma or dada on the way la irupanga, ilana at least helper aunty vara solirupanga. Sapadu irukum, ilata, I will order something. ne en enna thakali nu kupudra?" I playfully nudged Sakthi's arm. "Idho ivandha, thakkali chedi na ila."

   Jithu chuckled, "Odambhu paravalaya? Vaai adika start pannita? sari ivan thakali chedi, ne thakali 2um vera vera. Unga renduper name, onna iruka madri nickname orey madri vachikonga. Adha veedu vandhruchula kelambhu po".

   Sakthi offered to stay with me until someone else arrived. My palpitations hadn't subsided, and I felt drained. I thought a good nap would help. This was all due to the professor: first, he changed my experiment, which strained me more; then he gave me an energy drink, which resulted in palpitations, but he gave it to me in the hope that I would feel better, and he had no idea it would cause palpitations for me.

    I didn't have the energy to stay upset. I dragged myself into the house. My mother called, informing me that she was on her way home and would continue working from home for the rest of the day. Sakthi left after my mother arrived. She prepared a light lunch for me, and after eating, I felt somewhat better. I dozed off in my bedroom. When I awoke in the evening, I no longer had palpitations, but I still had a fever.

    Exam holidays were beginning tomorrow. Ramya, Sakthi, and I had made plans to study at my house. With the fever, we had to wait to start studying, or else we would have started the next day. My mom came up to check on me, and she went back after giving me medicines. I slept again until my father woke me up for dinner.

    The next morning, I woke up late, at 10 a.m. My mom gave me medicine again at midnight, when my body temperature started to rise. When I came to the living room, I saw Dada sitting on the couch, working on his laptop. When he saw me, he said, "Muthey, amma ku vela irukam iniki, so leave eduka mudiadhunu enna pathuka soliruka. Na work from home dha iniki. so full day unkudadha. Ne inga irukia ila namma veetuku polama?"

    I sat beside him. He checked for fever by touching my chin," anga polam dada. Ne work from home panria next week? Na anga vadhrata next week full a? na tholla panna maten. Ramya sakthi padika varuvanga nanga olunga setta panama padippom. ok va?"

    I always felt cosy there and liked to stay there, mainly because Dada mostly would stay at home whenever I went, apart from going out for a short while to do his work.

    "Sari kelambhu po,tablets ellam eduthu vachiko, ilata vaangikalam, amma ku ph panni na solikiren. Enaku ipo oru meeting iruku oru1 hr ku. Ne adhukula kelambhitu, saptu tablet podu, meeting mudinjadhum kelambhalam."