19. What are you doing? let me go..

Aparna walked towards her Uncle's place. She saw four boys and five girls of around age five to eight, playing in front of the next house. A child saw Aparna "Aparna sister in law," he came running towards her. Other children saw her too and came running towards her. She too went towards them lifting the five year old boy up "Rajaa.." swirled him around while laughing. He giggled joyously. She held him up like that for a while. "Aparna, me too." Five year old girl, Parvati reached out her hands towards her. Aparna chuckled and placed Raaja down gently. "Parvati, hold my neck properly." she instructed before lifting her up. Parvati giggled and laughed elatedly while turning around with her eyes closed. Due to the commotion outside, Padma came out of her house "Aparna..? No wonder they are making more noise than usual." she said walking towards her. "Aunt." She giggled. "play among yourself, I need to finish some work today." she told the children putting Parvati down and ruffled children hair as she talked. Manikyam whined "play with us..." holding her hand. Every one whined to play with them. Aparna couldn't resist their cuteness. Padma laughed. Saraswathi came out of her house, the house children were playing earlier, "Aparna, play with them for a while. You don't have any choice other than that." she laughed out while saying that. Padma "play with them, if it gets late, your uncle will drop you off at your house." she added. Aparna played with them till they are satisfied and aunt Saraswathi called her two sons and three daughters into their house. Then Aparna "Raaja, Manikyam, Parvati, Kanthamma" shall we head into our house then? Your mother may scold you if you play for too long" They whined about not going into the house. "Kanthamma..." Paresham who was just coming home, called his daughter. Raaja went and climbed his father. "Let's go in" he said walking towards the gate. Aparna held the hands of manikyam and Parvati while Kanthamma went running inside "mother... Father has come..." announced her father arrival while hugging her mother's legs. They kept playing around after entering the house. Aparna went into the kitchen and drank some water. "Aparna, it's almost getting dark. Wait for a while till I prepare dinner. After eating the dinner, your uncle will drop you off at your house." Padma told her while pulling her son Manikyam closer to her. "No no aunt. I still have some work before going home. I actually came here to tell you something..." looked at aunt and uncle, continued "It's that Muthyalaiah uncle and my father were planning to marry Krishna and my brothe...." before she could finish her words "it's really a good news. I should visit your mother and Krishna the first thing tomorrow." Padma was delighted to hear the news and squished her son in excitement. "Aparna, tell your father that I will be visiting him tomorrow evening at his farm." Obulesu informed Aparna. Aparna nodded.

Aparna was in a hurry as she also needed to share this good news with grandpa. Aparna looked at both of them once and "aunt, uncle, I'll be taking my leave for now. I still have some work to finish." she told them while ruffling the hair of her cousin Kanthamma. Padma looked dejected "is it so important that it need to be done by today?" she asked with a little hope that she'll stay a little longer. "Padma, don't be like that. and it seems our children kept her longer than she planned. otherwise she would stay here, right?" he tried to reason with Padma while looking at his wife and niece alternatively. Aparna looked at her aunt "aunt, I need to share this joyous news with grandpa. tomorrow will be too late, right?" she asked with a giggle. She couldn't help but laugh at with her niece, "okay,then don't forget to come by tomorrow, okay?" she wanted her to promise her return. "aunt, you will be coming to our house or Krishna's house tomorrow, I'll be there at either of the houses." she chuckled looking at her aunt. "Okay..... I'll be visiting you tomorrow" she gave up. Aparna and Obulesu chuckled at her while children continued laughing and giggling.

"okay, then. I'll be taking my leave" she left their house and walked towards Surappa's house. "Aparna..." a voice came from the river bank. she looked at the same direction and found a shadow figure as it was almost past twilight, with only fragments of red or orange in the sky. Her heart skipped a beat looking at him. She held her chest like before. "Aparna... here, here.." he called for her signalling her to come with his hand. She walked towards him before she knew it. "you..?" she asked with a surprised countenance. "hehe sit down. Don't stand here." pulled her hand making her to sit beside him, a little closer than usual.She steadied herself and "why are you here at this time?" she asked curiously as its past the time he's went home. "I was sitting here as usual and heard children screaming your name, so i thought of waiting for you." he paused and sighed while shaking his head sideways, "i almost fell asleep while waiting for you. You really took your time to play with them..." he added like he was teasing her with a small chuckle. "I did not ask you to wait." she replied calmly. "yes...yes.. you did not ask, it's of my own will to wait for you." he replied while looking at her. Aparna immediately turned her head to the opposite side, clenching her fists tightly. He grinned. "why, do you need me for anything?" slowly turning her head to look at the river. "not particularly. Just thought of seeing you before returning home." he answered with a smile from ear to ear. "youu....!" Aparna couldn't find the words while stammering and fidgeting her legs. he laughed out loudly... "Aparna.. you told me you couldn't imagine your future life with Chandra..." he paused placed his left hand over her right fist, gently holding on to it, "can you imagine it with me?" turning her head towards him with his right palm placing two fingers at the back of her ear while remaining over her face, looking at her eyes. Aparna's eyes were on the ground and looked into his eyes when he gently lifted her head while lowering himself to her eye level. she stared into his eyes... he stared into her eyes.. "Mallikarjuna.. what are you doing...? Let me go..." she asked him in a trembling tone with tears at the corners of her eyes which are on the verge of falling. "Aparna..!!!!!!" he was caught off guard with her trembling and took his hand off her and returning to his previous position. Aparna's mind filled with his question. She was still in the position he made her, looking at him with tear filled eyes. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked at her with worried eyes and was afraid what she could tell him again.... Aparna "I..me..