His uncle followed, thundering, ‘Of course he would! He is still enchanted by this new girl and his new job. Once it all sours, he will come back to us, begging.’

As the assembled guests drew near, their numbers swelled into a crowd.

Chellakka, who had come there to welcome her ­brother’s family properly, intervened. ‘Please don’t fight,’ she begged them. ‘You are all my relatives who have come for a function at my home. I need both of you. Please don’t argue. You can sort it out after the function is over. You will be blessed. Please.’

But Kumaresan’s eldest uncle spoke loudly and decisively to his wife, ‘Pilla, let’s leave. Call our children. What business can I have at any place where he is going to be present?’

FOURTEEN

FOURTEEN

Saroja didn’t rise from the cot for most of the following day.

In the morning, Kumaresan woke her up, saying, ‘Shall we go, pilla?’

Since he knew she had been terrified after the altercation with his uncle in Molappalayam, he wanted to take her with him to the shop now. She too wanted to go with him but as soon as she got up, she felt faint. She found that she couldn’t even sit up properly, and sank back down.

‘You go and come back soon,’ she whimpered.

‘Get up, make some food and eat,’ he coaxed. ‘Otherwise, the child will be hungry.’

She didn’t understand him at first. Opening her eyes with great difficulty, she looked at him. In the dark hut, his smile shone brilliantly.

‘What are you saying?’ she said.

He sat next to her and softly touched her head. Brushing aside the stray strands of hair on her forehead, he gently kissed her there. In that moment, his face bore no trace of regret about the way things had transpired the day before. He seemed to be filled with a great joy.

‘I can tell from the way you feel faint,’ he said tenderly. ‘That’s what it is. How often have I heard it! We can’t tell amma now. It will just upset her more. We’ll tell her later, gently. You have to take care of yourself.’

‘I lie huddled here because I am petrified thinking of all your fights. And here you are, with this other idea! Are you teasing me?’

‘No, no, pilla. I can tell by looking at your face. A new life has entered you.’

Infected by his enthusiasm, she shyly closed her eyes. His breath brushed against her cheek and he kissed her softly. She did not know when he left. She lay there, basking in the afterglow of his kisses. She could not sleep; nor could she stay awake. A flurry of images ran across her mind, but she could not see any of them clearly.