"what's her reaction?" Asked Gayatri.
"It's more like back to pavilion.... she didn't kick me out, that's it" Vijay shrugged his shoulders. He was sitting opposite to Gayatri in a 'coffee day' restaurant. Beside Gayatri, her husband Rajesh was sipping his 'cappuccino' quietly. It was a busy evening. The restaurant almost filled with people.
"I don't think, we could convince her", Gayatri said with a sigh.
Vijay lost in deep thoughts.
Before she could speak further, Rajesh placed his hand over hers and gestured her to see Vijay.
It appeared, finally Vijay came to a conclusion, but even then his brows were creased.
"I have a plan...but not sure, how far it will work.. "
Both Gayatri and Rajesh looked each other.
After a gap, Vijay added, "I think this is the only way to lock her as far as Anitha is concerned".
When he explained his plan, Gayatri was shocked, she didn't say anything for few minutes..actually she was not sure, how to react it.
"Wow.. super bro", Rajesh said in a smiling face with thumbs up sign.
Gayatri looked both of them like aliens. "Ye....men look weird at times", she said with a disgusting tone.
"It seemed you were watching more serials in TV channels, I am not convinced with this plan".
"That's why, I brought Rajesh bro here", Vijay said with a smirk.
"Not a bad idea.....but...It will hurt her feelings deeply" Gayatri worried.
" I understand... without some damage, we can't gain anything" Vijay said with concern.
"Do you have any idea how will she react?!" Gayatri bothered.
"Whatever it is, I have to deal it... I think I can handle her...at the least I will get either a 'slap' or at the most an 'imprisonment' , I was there in prison already, no harm in going second time, that too for her".
How this boy takes everything as easy she thought, she can't help but admire his courage.
"That's how I been brought up... 'PBL' problem based learning" he just smiled.
*****
"There won't be any problem know".... she asked her husband on their way home. " We hope so..." He replied. 2 weeks more to execute their plan, but Gayatri's heart started palpitating from now on.
*****
Plan execution day
It was a lovely morning, birds were chirping happily, pleasant atmosphere with a cool breeze. When anitha came out of her room after getting ready for office, she saw Vijay standing in the balcony and talking with someone through phone. "Is everything ready?!" He was asking in a hushed tone.
With raised brows, Anitha went straight to the kitchen and started making coffee. After finishing his call he came and stood beside her.
"Hey.... good morning! Got up so early?! She asked.
"Wish you happy birthday" he brought out a beautiful flower bouquet which he held behind and presented to her.
Anitha got confused for a second and quickly glanced the calendar to check the date. "Oh...I forgot.. I haven't thought about my birthdays for a while....it's not so important to give attention to...."she said nonchalantly, and somehow accepted the bouquet with a 'thank you'.
"How did you know" she was surprised then.
"How can I forget?! Cause this was the 'day' you both saved me from the roadside".
Anitha said nothing... Just smiled with a sad tinge on her face.
There was silence for few minutes.
"Will you come out with me? I have plans for today, take a leave for office" he said breaking the silence.
She literally laughed. "Oh..no... celebrating birthdays at this age looks very odd..I don't think it's sensible, I am not that type". She handed him the coffee cup and started working on breakfast.
"This is the first function we are celebrating together after a long time, I was looking forward to it , please don't disappoint me, I don't even know when is my birthday, so let us enjoy this, consider it", he said in a pleading tone.
By looking at his face, she thought for a while and then finally nodded ok.
Oh..God...he is a man of making things possible whatever he wants, she thought herself and called her office to ask for a leave.
After breakfast he gifted her a saree and insisted to wear it. Actually it's a traditional kancheevaram silk saree, which anitha stopped wearing all these stuffs long ago after Arun's demise. She even handed all of her sarees to somebody.
Anitha hesitated and again with his pleading eyes, she accepted reluctantly. In attractive maroon colour with glittering golden border, the saree looked elegant yet simple.
When she came out of her room after wearing the saree, she looked gorgeous even without any make up.
She saw Vijay was buttoning the sleeve of his full hand white shirt with white dhoti enriched with golden silk border. He looked so handsome in this new costume, in which she haven't seen him before.
"So... where are we going?! She asked him.
"To the temple first...." He smiled back at her.
To be continued...
