Malathi is Vijayabhaskar’s life-mate. Malavika is their lone darling daughter. The mother always keeps the shower of affection sprinkling on her daughter, whereas the father is somewhat impassive. But his heart has kept in store a lot of affection for his dear daughter.
On one Sunday, Malathi was bickering with the vessels for giving them a clean bath. The population of theirs in the kitchen sink had proliferated much. It seemed that the bigger ones had given birth to several neonatal ones. Malavika used to help her mother usually on holidays. But that day, she did not turn up to that side.
Feeling sick, she exited to the backside compound of their abode. A few butterflies were gaming, flying from this flower to that flower and back from that flower to this. In between, they peeked at Malavika with a question, in mind, as to why she was spoiling their cheer.
“Ah! How comfortable! No worries, education, job, purse-thickness or anything; free are they. Can fly to any area at any time,” sensed she.
A wave of nausea swept over Malavika, she did a vomiting action. Malathi ran to her, “This girl eats nothing. Gas problem. Go and lie for some time. ”
“Some problem is there, Amma*.”
“Problem, what problem?”
“The usual one, I lose appetite. And having nausea. I am.....”
“O, God! What is this, mole*? Who? Tell me.”
A foreign company in Kochi had markedly recognised Malavika's striking success in M.B.A; her residence was not far from the company. Hence, the youths in the marriage market kept their profile open in front of Malavika's parents. One boy, Raghav, handsome, from an elite-type family employed in a reputed company, fell in the shortlist for bridegroom selection. His employment was in a multinational company. The alliance approached them from and through their friends. And a relative of that boy had informed Malavika's parents that he was an engineer. When the kin from her side visited Raghav's house, they assessed the affluent background of the latter. So, as the outward appearance of his domicile was appealing; the nuptial happened.
After the vomiting exercise, Malavika, uttering nothing, quietly went inside and lay on the bed. Malini followed her daughter and inquired her daughter about numerous sceptical matters, this way that way.
Utter silence was her response.
Like a gush of wind, Malini rushed to her husband, Vijaybhaskar. He bore a question mark on his forehead.
“Please listen to what I am going to say now.”
“Listening,” half-jokingly Vijaybhaskar.
“Malavika is not well, a vomiting feeling.”
“She is not well. You left her alone, very good!”
“Faugh! Not that, she says she is carrying,” straight away Malathi said.
Vijayabhaskar shuddered at this news. Usually, when the wedded children become expectant, their parents will be on cloud seven. But Vijaybhaskar suddenly groaned as some sharp object stabbed his heart. Let's see why.
“Where is she? Who is that fellow? Let me ask her. She will tell the truth,” Vijaybhaskar in ire.
"No, please do not jump into punishment. I shall talk to her, again.”
“If she had someone in her mind, we would have arranged for her wedding. After one year, divorce will be allowed,” Vijaybhaskar.
The parents were not able to enjoy their lunch. After lunch, Malavika used to have a nap. But that day, she stood near the window. A woodpecker was rhythmically pecking at the tree with its beak. He was fully concentrating on his work. Her attention got stuck on that little bird’s feathers. They are beautifully designed! “Nature hides a lot of wonders in her lap and at times she takes it to the top,” she was a nature lover.
By then Malathi reached there, “Mole*, you……. tell us who he is……. How will we face people?
Ho! Illegal child.”
No response from the daughter. The mother waited for a few moments and returned to her husband.
“She is not even opening her mouth. God! What will we do, now?”
“Our dear daughter, we never expected from her this,” father stumbled.
Malathi said, "Amma is staying alone there. We will go there and see a doctor. We will seek his help."
After the bridal took place only, Malavika's parents understood that Raghav's was a petty job of Data Entry with a petite income, though he was in a multinational company. And his qualification was mere a twelfth-grade pass and a certificate course in computer science. During his school days, he neglected his studies. Therefore, his exam results were just a get-through. Vijaybhaskar’s face turned cerise at that news.
So, Malavika was retained in her home, “Mole, you will not be going to Raghav's house anymore. They are cheats. They lied to us,” Vijaybhaskar.
Malavika, a silent moderate balanced-type personality, did not utter a word.
For about one year, she had been with her parents. It was natural that the news gnawed parents' peace and they fell into anguish. They were planning to go to Malathy's mother for doing away with their daughter's guilt.
Learning the matter of discussion, Malavika appeared there, “No, I don't want to abort this. I will grow my child.No need to worry about me. Next week Raghav and his parents will come. They will take me to their house. Please give them a phone call.”
Amma* - Mother, Achcha*- Father, Mole*-dear one.
Epilogue: - Raghav's parents had not lied. They were not aware of the untrue information given to Malavika’s parents. Despite the negation from Vijaybhaskar, Malavika and Raghav met each other, secretly.
