All were going in a big Innova to a place called Seethammadhara. He was driving the car with his shades on. He did not know if to be irritated or laugh it out. So he just maintained a straight face when he heard his mother.

"Nanna Nandhu"

He slightly turned to the passenger seat and smiled.

"Entamma?"

He saw his mother smiling.

"Look Nanna. You might be a big Architect and tycoon. But this place.."

"Athamma! Bammardi is way beyond all that. You should know it better."

He turned to his Bava and turned back concentrating on the road.

"Amma is anxious Rishi. This boy has been rejecting all those proposals we got from some big shots."

"We should be happy Shantha, that he has even accepted to visit this place after rejecting proposals without even taking a look at them."

The couple sighed.

"Bava!"

Was the one word that showed his admonishing.

"Okay! I am shutting up ra!"

"Let me concentrate on the road Bava. Amma don't worry. You know that I am not a person who would look down my nose for such material things."

"I know Nandhu. Sorry"

"Don't be amma. I understand that you are stressed."

"Mari? Gaadhida la 32 yellu avutu inka Pelli ante LKG pilladila paari potunte? Then? Your age has grown to 32 like donkey and yet at the mention of marriage, you run away at the mention of marriage!"

"Akka!"

But he actually smiled. Now this was a very usual scene in the house. After his father's sudden death 12 years back, he and his brother had to shoulder the family and he had to juggle between studies and family and business. But thanks to his Bava who joined them at the right time. And his brother Bhargava was next to his father. But his mother, was all to him after that fateful day when his father was no more.

But in all these, somewhere marriage lost its importance and something did not sit right with him whenever the topic came up. So he kept rejecting and postponing at the beginning level itself. But he did not know, when his mother took this topic this time, he just nodded his head and now here, they were on their way to meet his fate.

"Osey!"

She turned frowning.

"This time at least, let the boy speak. Don't go blabbering and shoo him away."

"Hey"

"Okokasari pelli choopulu ani pindi vantalu chesedi vaalu thintu unnapade nuvu pelli koduku ni tharmi kottadam thappa, nothing is moving forward. Nee noti dhola!"

"First learn to look for a person who could put up with me"

Her mother hit her head.

"Nuvu kuduranga undu"

"Why should I adjust everytime? Do you know last time the guy you brought for this exhibition was like a walking registrar office. Paperwork anta? Certificate anta! So only I chased him away. Malli kanipiste Vaadi death certificate vaadi intiki courier chesta. Vedhava!"

Her mother hit her head. This girl is 28 years old but still unmarried. Only because she was too choosy and could not adjust.

But the girl's thinking was much different. She was ready to adjust. But not at the cost of her happiness. She should be happy even when she is sacrificing and with all the guys who came before, she never felt it right. She she found ways to torture them and chase them away. She was not against the idea of marriage. But she was against its stereotype.

"Amlu. Please, this time don't do your usual circus. This time we are awaiting someone very well to do."

"Ahh! Lets see amma"

Her mother could do nothing more than just hit her forehead and went about doing her Bajjis and Halwa and Vadas in kitchen for the athidulu.

He parked the car as per his host's instruction and went inside. But at the threshold he looked around and felt something different. Slowly he removed his shoes.

His mother turned not finding him beside her.

"Nandhu?"

He smiled and followed her in. He was welcomed by the elders and was giggled upon by the younger lot. But he just maintained his smile as he saw his mother speak general things to the family and get introduced to everyone and got everyone introduced too. All these were so new to him. At that moment he looked up to see a couple and their cute little daughter coming in and being greeted grantly by the family. The guy came to him and forwarded his hand.

"Prithvi"

"Raghunandhu"

"Pleased to meet you"

"Same"

"This is my wife, Bhoomi"

He smiled at the girl. Okay so this was some cousin of the girl.

"She is the cousin and I am the outsider here"

"Oh"

Was all he could say. He could see two boys and a girl stealing glances at him. Okay now that felt a little disturbing. But at that moment he heard..

"Amma!"

He could see the person in question give an irritated sigh and rush into the door that he just noticed.

The last came back to Bhoomi and said something and took their daughter inside smiling followed by Bhoomi. At the opening of the door he heard a squeal and admonishing Shh and chuckled. He turned to see his Bava raising his brow. So he just shook his head and looked the other way.

At that moment he heard his mother clearing her throat and also saw the lady come out of the room.

"Can you call your daughter?"

"Ah sure.. Emanadi?"

She turned to her husband who nodded, the man who introduced himself as Hariharan.

"Go Prabha ma"

She went in calling,

"Amlu..Amma Parthu.."

Raghunandhu smiled. Parthavi, a different name he had not come across.

He felt his bava nudge his shoulder and he looked up to see her coming to the center of the room. She was dressed in a very simple kesari color saree. Her hair was braided tight except for few fringes that fell over her forehead. He could see that her face was devoid of any make up except for the bottu. He smiled as she folded her hands in greetings to everyone.

Before he could absorb the feeling, she disappeared into the room again.

He frowned at his Bava Rishi. Understanding the cue, his bava asked her parents to call her again with an excuse of giving her the thamboolam plate. Ahh traditions, customs! Who cares?

Parthavi groaned when she was called again. What the hell?

"Amma what am I? Exhibition lo bomma?"

But she shut with the glare of her mother. She adjusted her saree.

"Parthu, Come on! You don't get such a chance to look at the the pelli koduku again and again. Look at my fate."

Bhoomi sighed and Parthavi glared and looked down at Bhoomi's baby daughter Dhitvi.

"Oh yes! I can see your fate smiling and kicking her legs happily."

"Amlu!"

"What Amma. I am ready."

Bhoomi gave a teasing grin making Parthavi glare in return as she walked out.

And she came again thought Raghunandhu smiling. He gave his bava a pointed look and turned to look at Parthavi who stood there looking everywhere. How he wanted her to look at him. But he could see her cousins pulling her legs irritating her.

Taking the cue, his mother called her and made her sit beside her. He heard his mother.

"I am Durga. And that is my son Raghunandhu"

He could see her looking at him for a split second before smiling to his mother. And he had had enough. He looked at his bava who went on to keep the proposal of private talk and the whole place went crazy with whispered talks and running around. He scowled. What the hell is this? But then he could see her scowling too and smiled. She caught hold of her mother and spoke something and next moment they were sent to terrace separately. She went first and then him.

Parthavi stood in the terrace with her hands folded across her front looking at the sky. Suddenly she saw a shadow and turned quickly only to see him smiling. She composed herself.

"Sorry if I scared you."

"Just I did not expect you to be a cat!"

His eyes widened. CAT? Shaking it away, he sat on the compound wall with her sitting on the other wall.

"So! Did they tell you about me?"

"Shouldn't you do the honors?"

She asked with her face showing nothing. He was impressed. He smiled.

"Well, I am an architect. Did my B Arch from Jawaharlal Nehru University Hyderabad."

She nodded her head.

"I have my own Architectural firm"

"Great!"

"I stay in Hyderabad for now."

"Oh! But your family.."

"Yes. We stay in Madhurawada. Hyderabad is because for now, my firm is there and I am soon planning to shift here to Vizag. You see I cannot stay away from my family much."

He could see her frowning.

"How about you?"

"I have not stayed away from my family either!"

He chuckled.

"I asked about yourself."

"Nothing much. Just that, I did B Tech in Sai Chaitanya, hyderabad.. Then MBA from same"

"Oh Good! Then?"

"Then what? I am jobless. I did not like any jobs that I got selected to."

"Oh!"

"When what is promised is not given, I don't like it. So I fight and resign."

She could see his amused smile and scowled. Damn his smile.

"But I liked teaching job that I did as a temporary one. Well, nothing else is interesting about me."

"I have a different opinion"

"Excuse me"

"Ahh! Do you have any plans? Business, jobs.."

"Let me tell you, I don't like to be bossed around."

"Interesting"

"We will see. So you said you will shift to Vizag soon?"

"Yes."

"Do you know that we are both daughters to my parents."

He smiled. She understood that he understood.

"I know. I don't see why that should be a bother. If everything goes well, we can visit them regularly. And from what I saw down there, your mother and my mother have grown a good rapport"

"Looks can be deceiving Sir"

He saw her raising her brow and grin. He chuckled.

"I am seeing a live example"

"Hey!"

"Ok ok!"

At that moment, they heard them being called. Both sighed as it got over too soon.

Both went back and Parthavi was taken inside and was bombarded with questions.

"How is he?"

"What did he say?"

"Are you ok with him?"

"What? Should we say yes?"

Before she could answer anything the man, Rishi, poked his inside and called Parthavi's mother who went out and came in smiling.

"Atha? What happened?"

Bhoomi asked. Parthavi also looked up from her Kutty ma Dhitvi who was happily chuckling at her. Her mother went to Parthavi.

"Green signal from his side Amlu!"

And Bhoomi squealed making Dhitvi squeal too. Parthavi and Prabha glared at Bhoomi.

"So what do you say Amlu?"

And the same question echoed around her.

"I want to talk to him again."

And that brought the silence in the room. Bhoomi was the first to break it.

"What? Seriously?"

"Yes!"

And her mother knew her look well. And as usual Rishi poked his head inside.

"Emayindandi?"

Seeing her mother hesitating, Parthavi took matter into her own hands.

"I want to talk to him for 10 more minutes."

And Rishi was gaping with his mouth open but then composed himself and went out to call Raghu who came inside chuckling.

"HR Madam's interview is not yet over?"

"What do you think"

He chuckled and sat in a chair in the room. Parthavi stood with her hands folded across her front.

Raghu looked up and down and let his eyes stay on her face which impressed and irritated Parthavi.

"See Sir,"

"Raghu!"

"You expect me to call you by your name?"

"Yeah! I don't mind."

"Your mother."

"It should not be a problem for her."

"Hmm!"

She said and he kept looking at her. The moment broke with Dhitvi's chuckle. Parthavi went and picked up her in her arms smiling at her and then turned to Raghu raising her brow. He just smiled shaking his head.

"I want certain things cleared."

"Understood"

"You are very close to your mother. So am I"

"Visiting rights guaranteed."

This made Parthavi chuckle and Dhitvi giggle.

"I am not 36 24 36"

"I am not some aaradugala Andagadu either"

"I have never been out of this state. While you have been to states"

"You like travelling?"

"Yes!"

"Ahh! Good then"

"I don't like to be controlled"

"No one does"

"I like music. But do not ask me to sing like Typical Pelli choopulu."

"In private you can tear my ear drums all you want"

Parthavi frowned and he smiled.

"After marriage also always mother comes first eh?"

"No! Wife becomes equal"

Parthavi smiled a full glowing one for the first time.

"All Talks?"

"Green signal is from my side. So I am not just all talks."

Parthavi's smile turned into a grin.

"May I"

Saying he took Dhitvi in his arms and turned to the mirror in the room and caught her gaze through it making his intention clear. For the first time, Parthavi felt her cheeks becoming hot. She lowered her gaze.

"And your aunty blushes eh Babydoll."

He said to Dhitvi who giggled.

"Bammardi"

Rishi called breaking the moment making them chuckle. He gave Dhitvi to Parthavi and went out. But before opening the room door, he looked back once smiling and went out. And this time when the question was asked, she smiled giving her answer.

And this time the squeals were reaching sky. Raghu's family promised to call with the Nishchayadartam dates and they started leaving the place. Parthavi went out and saw him sitting on her scooty with all rights wearing his shoes making Prithvi chuckle.

"Parthu's second love!"

Raghu smiled at Prithvi.

"First love?"

"My wife!"

He rolled his eyes making Raghu chuckle and shake his head. Rishi brought the car there and Raghu went to the car. Rishi got down from the driver seat and waited for Raghu to get in.

Parthavi stood watching everything from her balcony. Her cousin brothers who were down seeing him off signalled to her making her glare at them. But Raghu cutely smiled looking up at her once before getting into the car.

Raghu got into the car and adjusted her rear view mirror and saw Parthavi glaring at ther cousins. But then he saw her looking at his car. Smiling he ignited his car and gassed it down moving away from the house and Parthavi. But his smile grew as he knew that they will come closer soon.

"Ahem! Bava! Road Road"

"While coming he wanted to concentrate on road"

"Artham chesuko Shantha! Anta andamaina pellam vastundi ante who will concentrate on road? Not everyone has luck mine"

She hit him making Raghu and Durga chuckle.

"Nadhu! Nizanga you like the girl?"

Raghu smiled and his mother smiled. Shantha and Rishi squealed.

That night saw two souls dreaming of a new journey they would take together.