Winter Gatherings

The crisp air of Coimbatore's winter had a festive buzz as Avin's parents, Rajan and Sunita, arrived from Kerala to spend the holidays. Maya had planned a special dinner at her home, a cozy affair meant to bring both families closer, blending cultures, cuisines, and stories under one roof.

As the evening began, Maya and Meera were busy in the kitchen, the aromas of Tamil and Kerala cuisines mingling harmoniously. They prepared a feast that included both traditional Tamil dishes like `Venn Pongal` and `Sambar`, and Kerala specialties like `Appam` and `Stew`.

Avin, eager to help, tried his hand at making `Appam`, guided by his mother's instructions peppered with Malayalam phrases that Maya found amusing and endearing.

"Slowly pour the batter, keep it round, Avin! Like this, see?" Sunita demonstrated with a practiced hand, her Malayalam instructions flowing smoothly.

Avin attempted to mimic her actions, resulting in a somewhat lopsided `Appam`. "Look, Amma, it's almost circular," Avin joked in Malayalam, eliciting a hearty laugh from Maya, who quipped back in Tamil, "It looks more like the map of India than a circle!"

As they all sat down to eat, the table was a vibrant tableau of food, laughter, and warmth. Rajan, intrigued by the stories of Arjun Dev that he had heard in snippets, turned to Meera during the meal.

"So, Meera, Avin told us about Maya's father, Captain Arjun Dev. Could you share some stories about his flying adventures?" Rajan asked, his curiosity piqued.

Meera smiled, her eyes lighting up with memories. "Oh, Arjun loved to fly. There was one time he flew through a terrible storm. The visibility was almost zero, and it was supposed to be a quick domestic flight turned into a nail-biter," she began, her voice animated.

Maya chimed in, translating some of the technical terms into Tamil for her mother's comfort and adding dramatic gestures that made everyone chuckle.

"And then, Dad said he saw a little opening in the clouds, just big enough to get through safely. He called it 'the eye of the storm'. Making that decision to fly through it was risky, but he trusted his instincts. He always said that a good pilot must know when to trust the instruments and when to trust his gut."

Avin's father, a businessman who dealt with risks of a different kind, nodded appreciatively. "It's like running a business in many ways, navigating through economic storms with a mix of guts and data."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, with Rajan sharing a funny mishap from his early business days, involving a mix-up between fish curry orders and textile deliveries. His mix of Malayalam and English had everyone laughing, especially when he got to the part where he ended up with a car full of fish and no fabric.

As the laughter died down, Sunita suggested, "Why don't we make this an annual tradition? This gathering, it feels like we are one big family."

"An excellent idea," Meera agreed warmly. "We'll alternate between Coimbatore and Kerala."

The evening ended with promises of future gatherings and a group photo that captured the joy and unity of the night.