After sending off Krishna, Oormila and Siva, Aparna and her mother went into the house. Obulesu "Karunakaraa, wait a minute." called his son who's about go into the house. Karunakar stopped and "yes, father." he replied. Obulesu pondered for a while and finally "did you ask Aparna again, about marriage proposal?" he asked. Karunakar shook his head "no father, I'm thinking of asking her tomorrow or the next day." he replied. Obulesu let out a sigh of relief and "don't force her if she refuses." placing his left hand on his son's shoulder "I think I can convince them even if she refuses." he added. Karunakar "yes father. Actually I'm thinking about that too." he replied. Obulesu retracted his hand "why are you saying that like you already expect her to reject it?" he asked him with a perplexed expression. Karunakar "I... Father...it's..." he stuttered as he tried to answer his father. Obulesu looked at him and "slowly, take your time." he reassured him. Karunakar "father, I don't know if I'm right or wrong about this but I think our Aparna doesn't like Chandranna enough to marry him. We know that he's good and family is well enough but Aparna's would have never imagine this. Of course she likes him as a friend but other than that I highly doubt that....and when I think about Chandranna it really hurts me. He seemed to be living on a sole mission to her..." he explained his perspective carefully. Obulesu nodded and "and what should we do now? Murthy brother has been waiting for them to get married since more than 10 years right from the moment our fathers discussed about this. Try asking her one last time and we'll never bring it again regardless of the outcome. Okay?" his father expressed his concerns. "Okay father. I'll try asking jer one last time." He replied. Aparna who came for them as they were not behind her, heard the conversation clear enough.. and when her brother was about to turn his head "brother, father... Mother is calling for you. Hurry up." Aparna called for them from a distance, with her usual countenance. "Coming coming..." Karunakar replied. They both went into the house. Aprana went casually and engaged in their conversation as usual.
Krishna went to her house from Aparna's. She's been thinking about giving him a present for his birthday but couldn't find anything. One seems to be better than the other, she really had a hard time choosing the gift. At last she bought nothing despite visiting almost all shops and markets in her village. She reached her house and Kasthuri "Krishnamma, you're looking down. Aren't you coming from Aparna's house?" asked her looking at her despondent face. Krishna nodded and "hmm, I'm just came from there." weakly replied her and went straight to her room after washing hands, feet and face. Krishna kept sighing all the way in disbelief that she couldn't find a one related to Karunakar. She just fell on to the bed lying on her stomach burying her face into the pillow and squealing a little. Kasthuri looked puzzled as of what happened to her. "After seeing Aparna and Karunakar together, I realized that once we get married, I can be with those two, but until Aparna get married. And father will be lonely here. Can I really ask him to have us married, even though he mentioned marriage." she pondered about whether to tell his father about them or keep silent for a while.... she fell into sleep while thinking. Kasthuri who came into her room to check on her, covered her with a blanket.
Aparna around evening ....
"Mother, I'll be going out for a while and be back before its night." she informed her mother. "Be careful on your way. And if you're going along the fields, look out for snakes." she told her safety precautions as if it's her first time going out. On her way..."I need to organize my thoughts first..... first ..I think I'll say yes for that. Even if I reject, they will never force me to, but the people on the other side are pretty prestigious people who's would rather die than to loose their honor in the village, they are kind people, but who knows what happens as they're pretty much fixated on me. That will affect our family mentally, socially and economically. If I am the seed for all these troubles, then I can just say yes to marriage and live with him till I die..." she tried hard to convince herself for the sake of her family. As she was thinking she reached the river bank and stopped at a huge tree near the shore where there are some rocks framed naturally. She sat on one of those rocks, dipping her feet into water gently moving them to and fro. She kept looking at them as she moved them.
A familiar presence sat next to her "what are you doing here?" young man asked. "Nothing. Just came to organize my thoughts." she replied without looking at him and looked at her feet and another pair added next to hers. "Why did you not sit at the rock you usually sit and came here? Because it helps you to organize your thoughts?" he asked her with a hint of curiosity in his tone. Aparna without looking at him "no, I just came here . Didn't think about that, after placing my feet under water." she replied him with a voice that is trying hard to find its way through her throat. "I know. I saw you from a distance while you're walking. I came here I saw you sit here." he replied and continued "is it about the same? You still can't find a clarity of that.?" he added. Aparna shook her head and "I think I'll tell them okay for the proposal." she told him with a flat expression on her face with no feeling in her eyes which stared into the river. "How come you came to that conclusion? I remember you telling me that not even once considered him as a life partner, but now?" he asked her in a worried but serious tone. "I definitely don't want my parents to go through any hardship just because I rejected this proposal. I can just marry him." she replied him with a sad smile curling on her lips. Malli looked at her and felt his heart clenched with an iron hand, making him difficult to breathe. He took a few short breathes and called himself. "What you think you are doing? Really? Do you think your parents will be happy if they know that you forced yourself."....