Chapter 8

Raman got up very late next morning and went to the hall. Geetha was sitting there with her grandmother and said good morning to him.
“It is going to be 9 a.m. and what is your programme?” she asked.
“I make myself ready, we drink coffee and after that we go to Sri Meenakshiamman Temple, all of us including grandmother”, he answered. They were inside the temple for more than two hours and Geetha was absolutely happy.

When they reached home, the post man came with a telegram.
“Ms. A. Geetha”, asked the postman. She went and took the telegram and with shivering hands she opened it and saw only one word in it, CONGRATULATIONS. It was from her Papa and her parents blessed her and she felt the blissfulness in every part of her body.

“What is it”, asked the grandmother.
“It’s from papa” was her casual answer.

Geetha and Raman talked about their studies and their wishes and aims in their life and both were grateful to Singapore. It was 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. he has to leave to the railway station.

“Would you like to have your own Singapore?” he asked her.
“If you present me one during my life time, why not?” she replied. He opened his suit case and took the papers and gave to her.
“Here is your Singapore, read it carefully and till you finish reading it don’t ask any questions”, he said.
She remembered his writing on that morning in Chennai and started to read. In the first page she could read only “dedicated to Geetha” and she started reading. He has written some 20 pages and she took two hours to read, understand and enjoy this paper.

“Send this to our former President Dr. Kalam, he is from Ramanathapuram, his house is in Rameswaram and surely he will help”, she said in a soft tone.
“Not only our former President Dr. Kalam, but all the Indians living in this earth should be for this”, was his reply.

“The canal should be named after Mahatma Gandhi,” the voice of Geetha and Raman came at the same time. Their endless joy is to be seen clearly from their young, beautiful faces.

Geetha got up slowly, went to Raman, hugged him and whispered him, “I love you”. Raman felt the warmth of her breath and body and replied “I too love you and Ramar Island is my present to you. It will be a symbol of our love forever”.