Aparna thought to herself "Am I really.."
"APARNAAA... WHERE DID YOU ROAM AROUND TO ARRIVE JUST NOW?" Karunakar called for her from the steps of their home...
Aparna switched to her cheerful side, "I was not roaming," she paused, "I just went to inform our uncle and Surappa grandpa about your marriage as our mother said...." she teased him.
Karunakar felt shy "Oh. Then... it's a good thing..... come in ... we're waiting for you to come.." he replied.
Aparna that was really a sight to see.
Aparna and Karunakar went into the home
parents were waiting.
"Aparna, did you go to other places too?" her mother asked
"No, mother. I got really delayed at our uncle's house," she took the water glass, "There, the children kept asking me to play with them....." she drank water,
"you continued to play with them till now...?" her brother continued as he laughed.
"Brother....." Aparna pouted, "Okay, for now I'll forgive you that you're bringing Krishna home..." Aparna elated. Karunakar chuckled and sat beside his father...
They continued to chat and had their food.
at Chandranna's house.....
Chandranna, after meeting with Aparna, "Chandra.. come here...." his mother called for him.
"What, Mother?" he asked.
"Nothing, I just saw you walking and called you.... How are the things going on with the business?" she asked handing him some chekodi (hot snack made from rice flour)
"Nothing more than usual mother. Our regular customers seem greatly satisfied with our products, with that," he bit chekodi. "new customers are approaching us, and our farm too, with our father and uncle Murthy, there is nothing to be worried....I'm learning great things from them..." He took another bite.
"How are Shiva, Karunakar, Padma, Oormila and all your friends? It's been many days since they visited." she asked about them...
"They are doing great. Actually karunakar told me that their parents and Krishna's parents accepted their marriage. He's over the moon now. He particularly told me to inform you and father and our family members about this...." eyes widened with smile.
Mother smiled and "those two, good thing that they are uniting now..... It would have been really nice if Seethamma was present..." she became a little sad, immediately, "No No. It's because of her blessings that her daughter is now happy with the one she hoped for... just like herself..." a sad smile appeared on her face
Chandranna knew about Krishna's mother and his mother being relatives on their grandfather side.
"really mother... whenever I see them it really fills me with happiness.. and you know what,..." took another bite of chekodi,
got a chair for his mother and himself,
"when Karunakar told me that he likes Krishna, I showed no expression... like we all knew that...right? "
"he was like..... "Oh Chandra, did you already know this..?" he asked with such innocence that I almost choked..
mother tell me, who in the village didn't know that they are born for each other in this village...," he laughed continously while he was telling that and, "and that idiot is now nowhere on earth flying on clouds" warm smile appeared on his face.
Mother heard all those as she was reminiscing all about their moments together with a motherly smile...
they continued to talk and topic about Aparna came in between..
"It would be nice it were to be like this between Aparna and me"
words escaped before he could catch.
Mother's chekodi is in air,
Placed on the plate. Silently.
"Chandra," firm voice,
"I wanted to ask about something. About Aparna" she said.
Air around them felt heavy
As he listened to her, his eyes moistened. One thing that he understood- mother always wished for that. Not for the other.
That realization from his own blood hit him harder.
I think I can really understand her feelings even though I have not seen directly, but just from Mother's words....
they ate supper in silence. Mother's words sat in between them, in their hearts, in the bed.
at Mallikarjuna house,
he returned to his house, "Mother, I think I lost my gold chain, I'm gonna search for it." he called from the yard gate, not entering.
His mother came out hurriedly, "it's already dark and you can even search for it tomorrow too, come inside, it's getting late to eat." she doesn't want him to go out at that time.
"Mother, no problem, I think I know where I might have lost it. I'll get that and sleep at the temple tonight."
His mother knew that he sometimes sleeps at temple to accompany the priest when his son is not in the village. She couldn't refute that "okay then, at least let me get you some food for both of you..." she went inside and bought the food carrier and a kerosene lamp.
He took them and took his leave. Mother went inside and informed the same to grandpa and grandma.
Walked towards the plantation,
"forgive me, mother" he whispered "I really want to be alone tonight."
chain was present on his neck
reached the hut they made for resting for a while.
He hung up the kerosene lamp
placed the food on a stone.
lay down on the straw bed,
using his arms as pillow,
looking into sky through thatched holes.
Tears dripped from his left eye like they just found their freedom.
"Aparna," he breathed into dark.
"Why didn't you say that when I hugged you, when you patted me like a child? Just why now?"
his chest hurt
"When you said it, with that face, I realized everything I believed was a lie, what else was?"
.....
Terror clawed him.
Lamp flickered.
Dogs howled in distance.
His eyes stayed red.