Everyone were waiting outside as a car halted in front of that village style house. Adi got down from the passenger side and opened the door behind. Latha got down and looked at the house where she stayed only for a few days all those years back.
Lakshmi came running and hugged Latha.
"How are you Vathina?"
"I am fine Lakshmi. How are you?"
She asked and the sisters in law exchanged verbal and non verbal pleasantries.
Then she moved inside and near the threshold, on either side of a pillar stood Jai and Vennela. Vennela seeing Latha coming to them, moved to the other side and stood beside Jai. Latha smiled seeing Vennela's happiest smile and Jai's satisfactory smile. Latha too smiled and touched Jai's cheek and moved inside.
Latha felt nostalgic seeing the house to be the same. She met everyone and felt happy to reunite with the golden family she missed all these years.
But her eyes searched only for another pair of eyes that kept watching with unshed tears when she left this place with a then toddler Jai almost two decades ago. That moment she felt someone's hand on shoulder and turned to see Vennela. Latha immediately tried to wipe away her tears when Vennela held her hand and walked her to Deva's room.
Vennela silently signalled Latha to go in to the room where Deva stood by the bed looking at the picture of his and Latha's framed photograph that was hanging on the opposite wall. Both the pair of eyes showed all the years they missed together.
Latha took a deep breath and moved in while smiling Vennela moved away and encountered Jai who gave her a questioning look.
"They have met after a long time. So, privacy."
"My question was not for that."
"Then?"
"When did you become so sensible?"
He asked casually and waited expecting a smack behind his head from his fierce Maradalu. But all he got was a blank look from her as she moved past him.
He was about to follow him when Chinna came and stood in front of Jai with hands on hips.
"Enti ra?"
"Do you know our Vennela?"
Jai was taken aback by the question.
"Chinna?"
"Nana used to call her tingarabuchi. She was colorful and very naughty it seems. But you know what happened to her for the past few days, until you came that day?"
Jai looked at him with confusion.
"She has been doing all her works as usual. But she stopped playing with me. She always used to be a part in my mischief but nowadays she wakes up, cooks packs my box and then goes to the rocks on the village border. She smiles only with pedanana. She is like this only since she came back from Hyderabad."
Jai just nodded his head and raised up to see Naagulu. Both of them convinced Chinna and sent him away to make homework and went to the terrace.
"Naagulu Chinna cheppindi..?"
"Nijame brother'u. Since she returned from Hyderabad, she has not been herself. Usually when she gets a proposal, she does anything and everything to break it. You know it better. But with this person, Pedanana had requested her against it and she had to accept. But then when you came that day, she smiled for real. But then she is back to that dull mood. Ento brother'u, ee ammayi naaku artham kaadu. She is difficult to understand."
Naagulu sighed as if he said something great. But Jai just chuckled.
"That is why Naagulu, you are the best."
Jai said and ran down in search of Vennela, but she was nowhere. Then he smiled as he ran in the speed of a tornado not even minding the calls of anyone from the house.
He ran to the rocks that Chinna said and climbed and panted as he saw the destination sitting on the top rock looking over the village paddy fields.
He silently slid next to her and sat in a posture similar to hers. She turned to him and frowned.
"Missing me?"
She just turned away and continued looking at the fields.
"Vennela.."
"That's me."
"I know."
"Then?"
"You just came here to pronounce my name?"
"Pronounce something else too?"
"What? Spelling of missing?"
"Missing what?"
"Missing Hyderabad, Missing your girlfriends, missing dancing in those dark places that has fused bulbs.."
At this Jai laughed.
"Vennela, that is disco.."
"I know. I also studied in city only."
"Doesn't look like it."
Vennela just gave him one glare. If only looks could burn a person, Jai would have turned into ashes now.
"Ammmmooooo.."
"Ammo kadu Ammoru!"
"That's right. You are ammoru thalli!"
She only growled.
"Vennela.. What happened?"
"What? Nothing. We are getting married. Athaiyya Mavaiyya are together. All is well. What else?"
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
Jai kept quiet sometime.
"Vennela, do you remember how you met me on the road?"
Vennela was skeptical as to why he was bringing up this topic now.
"You said you love Naagulu."
Again Vennela kept quiet.
"By any chance.. Is that true?"
Vennela took deep breaths and looked here and there and then finding nothing as she desired, gave one smack behind his head making him laugh out loud.
"That is more like you Vennela."
"But this is not like you at all. Anyways, how can I say that when I know nothing about you. I can't even guess if you proposed to me for just uniting Athaiyya and Mavaiyya or.."
She just sighed and turned back. Jai put his arm around her and pulled her closer.
"Do you want to know why I did so?"
Vennela was silent again.
"You know, if you marry me, you don't have to shoo away all those America thella tholu pandhilu. You don't have to move out of Rentachintala. And I am added advantage. And for me, I will have a proper wife who will be in the first floor to me, can look after my parents and my family, and can teach ABC and One Two's to my kids in Future."
He said and held his laughter as he saw red hue spread on her cheeks.
"Vennela.. One doubt."
She just blew out an angry breath.
"You know ABC and One two's right?"
Vennela had enough. She held his ear making him cry in pain.
"You are asking me this? Nenu ante ishtam ani cheppa ravatledu. But you ask me if I know ABC. You wait, I will teach you the spelling of Consequence for messing with me."
Saying she got up and tucked the end of her Oni on her Langa as he started running down laughing.
"Wait.."
"Not until you call me Bava."
"No! You first tell me why you proposed to me."
"Bava ani piluvu! Then I will tell"
She chased him all the way to their home and the elders laughed while Vennela's parents facepalmed.
"Vennela!"
"Athaiyya, you don't tell her anything. Let her."
"Stop right there."
"Call me Bava!"
"Not until you answer me first."
They both ran around Deva and Latha who chuckled. Deva held Vennela and Latha held Jai.
"Vennela.. What happened?"
"Choodandi Mavaiyya, Bava is marrying me only because of you both and family ani he is saying."
Deva looked at Jai containing his laugh mirroring Jai's mischief.
"Oho?"
Latha looked at Jai with her hands on hips.
"JAI?"
"She is not even addressing me as Bava, Amma."
"That is why you are troubling my Kodalu?"
Jai just shrugged and winced as Latha twisted his ear.
"AAhhh.. Amma.."
"TRUTH! To Vennela"
"Okay okay.. I am marrying her because she is crazy.. Ahhh, Amma you like her. She takes care of Nana.. Ahh.. Okay Fine..Thanu ante Naaku Ishtam. Enough?"
Everyone laughed seeing Jai and Latha. Deva was happy seeing his wife just the way she was all those decades ago.
Vennela looked convinced, yet not so much. Jai held his ears and smiled which reflected on her face too.
Vennela's parents hit their foreheads thinking of the future if this was the present.