16 Boy and Girl Mee (1/2)
In the morning in the outer courtyard, all the men have finished their morning tea and breakfast delivered from the inner courtyard.
It is almost 8 AM. Elders were discussing and boys were also talking among themselves. This is the time when Ira came running from inner courtyard and called Akash ”Elder brother! Mother is calling for you inside.”
Everyone became silent and looked at Akash for a moment and understood the meaning and continued their discussion. Akash felt annoyed at his sister's announcement to everyone that he is being called to meet the girl. He smiled at his sister embarrassingly and his sister giggled.
The brothers of Varsha also stood up to leave for the farm. The cousin brothers of Akash stayed while Akash followed Ira to the inner courtyard.
When Akash reached into inner courtyard he found many curious gazes of ladies on himself. He felt a bit embarrassed from all the attention and just met the eyes of his Grandma questioningly. His Grandma called ”Come and sit with me a bit. Let them meet you. They also want to see the boy properly.”
Akash felt confused and looked around and found that girl was not there. He has already known that women in girl's family were her mother, her aunt, her grandma, and 3 sisters-in-law and he can see six women present but he did not see the girl. He is speechless ”Is his family going to put him on display here. Where is the girl? He also wishes to meet her and talk to her.”
”Hee hee hee. Looks like the brother is looking for the sister-in-law.” Cousin sister of Akash said laughing.
Akash felt like a headache coming. First, his own sister made a joke of him in outer courtyard and his cousin sister. He said embarrassingly ”Stop thinking yourself too smart.”
Grandma of Varsha laughed and said ”No problem in telling you. That girl was also feeling shy and ran away for watering the vegetables in the garden. She also does not want everyone to eavesdrop on her.” Then she looks at one of her granddaughter-in-law and said: ”Take the boy to the vegetable garden.” And that granddaughter-in-law told Akash ”Please follow me this way” and walked to another side exit. Akash followed her.
Patel Grandma shouted to the sister-in-law of Varsha who is escorting Akash ”Don't hide there and eavesdrop and embarrass them. Come back after leaving him there.” All other ladies giggled.
Akash followed embarrassed and followed the sister-in-law of Varsha. After coming out of the house on another side, he saw there is a big garden of vegetables. He saw a girl in a shirtwaist and bloomers in legs. She is wearing rubber sandals in her feet and her stole is wrapped around her neck loosely. She looked very agile when she ran to stop the flow of water in one hotbed and then ran to open the channel to another plot.
Akash went ahead and stood while watching girl doing her work. When he looked around, he found that his escort has already gone back. He looked at Varsha who is still oblivious to his presence and felt this girl with flying pigtails is really different from city girls. He did not feel impressed by her, he only wondered if this girl is suitable for city life.