Kasthuri continued " should I just bring it to your mother Oormila?" she asked as she couldn't bear to look at her butter on the ground if she were to slip it. Oomila huffed "aunt don't worry. I can carry this pot with ease" with an overconfident tinge to her voice. Kasthuri couldn't bring herself to ask one more time. Krishna "Oormila, aunt kasthuri can help you bring it to your mother. You can leave it to her" tried to convince Oormila. Kasthuri eyes lit up as Krishna asked her for one more time. But Oormila didn't heed to Krishna, she insisted on carrying it herself. Krishna , Aparna, Subhadra, Kasthuri have already seen Oormila breaking many pots. So they were afraid if she breaks this too. In addition it is having freshly churned butter of cow milk. Oormila took her leave and put the pot over her head on a towel wrapped around. She walked too slowly that an infant can crawl past her easily. Krishna and Kasthuri felt anxious as she saw her walking towards the gate. At the gate she stopped suddenly as she saw Aparna entering through main gate from the yard. "Oormila what are you doing here?" Aparna asked as she didn't expect her to see here. Oormila held her pot carefully "I'm here to get butter for my mother."replied to see her here. In Oormila mind_" oh maybe she didn't lie to her mother but was caught up with something on her way here. How rude of me to judge her despite knowing each other our lifetimes....."blamed herself for being suspicious of Aparna. "Aparna, you both should've come together. I've talked to Oormila for a long period of time." Krishna complained to Aparna. Aparna " I actually was planning to come here earlier but something occupied me so I couldn't come. But I thought it's still not too late to visit you so I came here to stop by before going to my house."explained the situation. Oormila "oooooo you really caught up with something..?.....hmmm? I see." Aparna just nodded. "By the way Oormila, are you going to take those pots with you?" Aparna pointing to the top of her head. Oormila lost her patience this time....she snapped "I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO DELIVER THIS TO MOTHER. Why are everyone underestimating me just because I broke a few pots before...?" she sulked. Aparna and Krishna couldn't contain their laugh any more and ended up laughing out loudly. Oormila ended up laughing with them despite her sulking. At the end it was aunt Kasthuri who brought the butter pot to Oormila's house. Kasthuri, Oormila and Aparna left together to Oormila's house and Aparna's house respectively. Kamala thanked Kasthuri for bringing the butter all the way home. Kasthuri replied "no no Kamala sister. It is faaaaar better than letting Oormila carry the pot" both laughed at Oormila. Kasthuri left.
Aparna reached her home. "Mother ,where are you?" asked as soon as she entered the house."here" a voice came from the kitchen. "Mother I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?" Aparna asked her mother. Her mother face showed signs of shock "freshen up a little and I'll fix a meal fast" replied to her daughter. She cleansed herself and ate the meal her mother fixed it for her and soon went to sleep. She couldn't sleep. She stared right to the ceiling wood ,before she knew it tears fell into her ears, sudden wetness of the tears jerked up her a little and she was surprised to see herself crying. She couldn't imagine herself crying..... she thought... I think I can take any punishment if it means I can see you. Can I see you? Can I really come to you?.... thinking that she fell asleep.
Next day...
She woke up at the normal time. Helped her mother with her chores. After completing everything "mother, I will be visiting grandma and Surappa grandpa today. Is there anything you need?" Mother replied" no. Nothing. Just send my regards to them". Aparna nodded and set out to grandpa's house. She's happy and nervous at the same time. She reached grandpa's house and went into the house. Prabhavathi noticed her first "Aparna, I thought you really wouldn't be coming here. I'm very glad you came here" she almost at the verge of wailing. "How can I not come when you are here waiting for me?" took Prabhavathi hands into hers and shook them gently. Prabhavathi laughed. Grandma and grandpa were so happy to see her come again to them. They really thought she wouldn't be coming to their home after all those words flying around about Aparna and Young man. They couldn't bring themselves to mention about young man to Aparna. They received her as usually and talked to her normally. After sometime the young man came with the flower baskets and put them as usual, drank water as usual and went to work as usual. But surely his movements were slow. It's as if he's asking someone to notice him. He left the house like that.
After a short while, "Prabhavathi Aunt I have a small work around here. I'll be leaving now. Then..." as she was about to get up from her place, grandpa "I'm sorry for this Aparna. All these happened because of me. I shouldn't have told you to hangout with him" Aparna perplexed. Who would have thought that an old man is apologizing to any girl because of his mistakes. Aparna was completely taken aback by his sorry. She immediately sat again "what are you talking about grandpa? You should be blessing us with your hands not apologize to us. Please don't reduce my life span," Aparna looked at him concerned smile and a slight nod. "But.." he tried to continue but "aaahhh don't talk about those. I don't really care about them. I wanna come here as I used to come can't I?" Aparna said those words as fast as she could. As they heard those words, grandma gestured her to come closer, cupped her face and kissed her forehead,"you are always welcome to our house." Aparna felt happy. Prabhavathi she shed her unshed tears from before. Grandpa looked happy too. And another one who was sitting on the slab just outside the wall, was happy as well. She then took her leave and came outside of the house and was freezed at the door as shesaw an young man sitting there like he was waiting for someone. He looked at her eyes for the first time. He took the baskets and started walking slowly. As if understood, Aparna followed him behind silently as usual.