“Thondrir pugazhodu thonruga akthilaar
Thondralin thondraamai nadru – does anybody knows the meaning for this thirukkural?” Lavanya asked.
The seventh graders immediately began to explain, citing examples they knew. Their imagination amazed Lavanya.
“Lavanya… .. heavy headache; can you manage my class today?” Kodimalar teacher asked her.
“Even though I am a Maths teacher, my mother tongue is Tamil. Don’t worry. I'll take care. You take rest,” she said. , Kodimalar thanked her by rubbing her baby bump.
Lavanya forgot the time passed by as she enjoyed taking the substitution class.
“Kodimalar Today I had a different experience; There will always be the feeling of having to teach algebra and decimal and travel down a path over and over again. But, today it was refreshing. Thanks. ” Lavanya said with a smile.
Youthful appearance; Squinting eyes; beautiful smile Students' favorite teacher; But it seemed to her that there was nothing to think about in her life.
Married at the age of twenty-four; Divorce the next second year. She began to live for name sake. Balachander is as charming as the name implies, But he did not like what she liked; She did not enjoy what he wanted.
Whose fault it is, it cannot be pointed out; Even the night became burdensome when fighting and quarrels started erupting.
During the bus journey, sitting side by side talking and getting off at the stop as if to get off independently, became too much for Lavanya.
“I can no longer fit into this bond; I'm leaving”, she said one day; As expected, he signed the divorce papers without further ado. Divorced and two years have passed.
"Get married again" as persuaded by her friends, Lavanya stubbornly refused.
The teaching profession gave her the courage to stand on her own feet. You can eat whatever you want; Unrestricted life. Still, the mind was filled with emptiness. She did not know how to overcome the emptiness. Lavanya revived her Scooty.
"Lavanya"
Her face hardened when she turned around. Ravi smiled as if nothing happened.
"Are you leaving home?"
"M……."
"I want to talk to you."
"I know what you're talking about. How many times have you asked, and I have refused; This time also my answer is same.”
"Is your mind an iron fortress?" Ravi asked helplessly.
As if she did not listen to what he said, Lavanya flew in a half circle in the Scooty. Ravi was standing still. Kodimalar sighed from distance.
The next day, “Ravi is a good teacher; Above all, he is polite, well mannered. Why are you not impressed?” Kodimalar asked angrily.
With a smirk, she said, “Even Balachander was like this; He had all the good qualities; But it didn’t work out. Can you tell me why? ”
Kodimalar, was stopped when she was about to respond, Lavanya said, “Once you taste the neem paste, you will know it; No need to taste it over and over again.” Kodimalar sighed.
It has been eight months since Ravi came to work at the school. By then, he had become everyone's favorite. But he liked Lavanya. Knowing that she was divorced, he could not withdraw her from his mind.
Lavanya was tired. Her maid gave her coffee. She drank her coffee and sat down on the sofa. After divorce, she changed her house, started her new lease life. But she didn’t give her marriage life, a second chance.
“I have made chapati for dinner. It is in the hot box. Shall I leave?” the maid wiped her hand on the sari and left.
When she came forward to lock the front door, Lavanya was excited to see Kodimalar getting out of the auto.
“Kodimalar, What a Pleasant Surprise; Come on in.”
“When I was returning from my regular checkup, I thought of seeing you in your home. So here I am” she said while surveying the house. The house was clean.
"The house is very clean Lavanya…"
She said, "Thank you Sit down; I will bring something to drink.”
Lavanya returned with orange juice.
"How did the check up went?" Lavanya asked anxiously.
Kodimalar nodded her head and asked, “What you will do for time pass? Watching T.V serials?”
"What else? Whether you like it or not, it will keep on running for a while. The T.V sound gives me a sense of companionship” she said.
Kodimalar got up and went to the window. She heard a cuckoo’s voice somewhere.
“Lavanya. Did you hear that? Isn’t so sweet?”
Lavanya nodded silently.
"I read in the newspaper that there has been an increase in peacock migration in our town. Have you ever seen the peacock flutter its wings? ”
"Even yesterday I saw a peacock on the opposite compound.....” Lavanya stopped at mid-sentence and stared at Kodimalar.
"There are a lot of plants in the front yard. What do you feel when the flower blooms? ”
"Kodimalar, what are you talking?”
"Life is full of happiness. Having a child’s enthusiasm will help us overcome emptiness in our life. Tell me, whether you have the mind to enjoy all this.”
Lavanya's eyes swelled with tears, when she said, “When you are happy in your heart, you can enjoy life to the fullest. Else?”
"Lavanya, give me your hand. Quick." exclaimed Kodimalar.
"What's wrong?" Lavanya stretched out her hand and asked. Kodimalar asked, "Do you understand?" Lavanya cried when she felt the baby's movement.
"Life is a struggle. Everybody has a problem; I do have my own set of problems. ”
“But, in this moment, I feel like flying in the sky; This is why I am penitent,” Kodimalar said, gently caressing Lavanya's hair.
"Do you remember what you said that day? Walking through the same path is boring. Today I tried something different and I am refreshed.”
“M…”
“Why don’t you give it a second chance? Life will be good, Lavanya… ”
Lavanya straightening up and said, “I will talk to Ravi.”
"Very good .. peacock dances, flower blossoms, such little things makes the life beautiful. But life also has great happiness in store for you."
Kodimalar smiled, pointing to her baby bump.