5. Excitement in the compound

CHAPTER 5

Excitement in the compound

Background: In Dhanalakshmi compound there were three families.

1.     Nagaraju, his wife Srilaxmi and daughter Sridevi

2.     Brahman, his wife Tripura (80kg) and daughter Lavanya

3.     Gajendra Shastri, his beautiful wife Saundrya and daughter Mayuri

In the evening at 5pm, a van came and stopped in front of the empty house in the compound. Labourers carried luggage into the house.  Prutvi and Arvind came on the motorbikes. Kotari observes all this. Tripura was sleeping on the bed. She hears the sound and came out. She was surprised to see the new comers. She immediately went to Srilaxmi’s house.

Srilaxmi was preparing chapatti.

Tripura entered the house. “A new entry to our compound. Somebody has come to occupy the empty house.”

Srilaxmi was surprised. She put the chapatti on the tava. “Yes I thought I heard the sound of the van. But I am surprised that they have arrived when leader Danalakshmi is not here.”

Tripura put her hand on her mouth to show surprise. “Yes I am also surprised. If we ask Kotari uncle, we will know everything.”

They both went out of the house.

Kotari was standing in the hall of the new house and talking to Prutvi.

Suddenly Saundarya got down from an auto in front of the compound gate with her daughter Mayuri. They opened the gate and entered the compound. They were surprised to see the commotion outside the empty house. They joined Tripura.

Saundarya said, “Akka, looks like somebody has came to stay here.”

Tripura nodded. “Yes. But usually, madam tells us everything. This time it is all a surprise.”

Srilaxmi was surprised. “I was there when madam left in an auto. But she did not tell me anything.”

Tripura said, “If we ask Kotari uncle, he will tell us. Looks like they are students.”

Mayuri kept staring at the boys. “There is fresh air in our compound after a long time. How handsome they are.”

Her mother Saundarya looked at her staring at the boys. She was shocked. She gave her the key and said seriously, “First you open the door and keep the things inside.”

Mayuri twisted her face and went to unlock the door. She took all the things inside, opened the window and started peeping out.

Suddenly, there was the smell of something burning. Srilaxmi twisted her nose. She ran towards the house. “Because of that Tripura’s tension, my chapatti got burnt.”

She ran into the house.

Tripura said, “Oh it is already 5pm. My daughter will come home from college. I have to prepared upma.”

She went into the house.

Seeing them go inside, Saundarya too went into her house. She saw Mayuri standing at the window looking out.  She looked at her angrily. “What are you staring at so seriously from the window? What is so interesting out there?”

Mayuri looked at her angrily. “What you were looking at from outside, I am looking at from inside. Those new comers.”

Suddenly, one auto stopped in front of the compound gate. Lavanya and Sridevi entered the compound.  Mayuri came out of the house and met them at the gate itself.  “I will show you something interesting.”

They were both surprised.

Lavanya asked, “What? Tell me.”

Mayuri said, “Just turn and look.”

They turned and stood still on seeing the scene.

Sridevi said happily, “What a surprise. What handsome guys.”

Lavanya asked, “Who are they?”

 Mayuri talked coolly. “That is suspense. Nobody knows as yet. Only Kotari uncle knows.”

Mothers called the girls from the houses.

Mayuri said, “Today, new program. Get ready fast and come out into the compound to have your tiffin.”

Sridevi agreed happily, “Fine. We can have some fun.”