After Arvind said that, I immediately diverted the topic:

"Em parvaledu... pedhananna inko dabba sweets thestharu.
Nakosam adigithe testhadu.
Miru tinnandi."
(It's okay... my uncle will bring another box if I ask. You eat.)

He quietly took the sweet back without arguing.

Nanna giggled a little and said,
"Mondidi babu... na kuthuru."
(My daughter is stubborn.)

I replied,
"Mire ala pencharu mari."
(You only raised me like this.)

He laughed,
"Ha ha... nā vallane le."
(Yes yes, it's because of me.)

He drank water, placed the tumbler on the table and said,
"Babu... nuvvu cheppindi vinanu nenu."
(I heard what you said, Arvind.)

Then he held my hand and added,
"Na kuthuru evarkaina nachuthundi."
(Everyone will get fond of my daughter.)

After hearing that...
my eyes immediately filled with tears.
(Readers, warning in advance — just like the author, Devika also cries quickly. She's not 'over reacting'; it's her nature.)

Nanna said,
"Ammu... water teskoni raa mugguriki."
(Bring water for the three of us.)

I replied,
"Nanna... aa konni neelu ayyaka thesthanu.
Nēnu kuda thinesaka."
(I'll bring after those glasses are empty... after I eat.)

He said,
"Gundu pagalidi... vellu."
(ill break your head — go. He said sarcastically)

I went, and while I was away, my nanna spoke to Arvind:

【nanna & Arvind's Conversation 】

(which I didn't hear my aunt said that)

"Babu... ila mundhe chepthunna ani em ankoku.
Kani koncham vinu nenu cheppedi."
(Don't think I'm saying too much. Just listen.)

"Naku okkokka kuthuru.
Thanu puttinappudu...
ma amma malli naku puttindani anukunna.
Aave matalu... aave chestalu... anni mudhugane."
(I have only one daughter. When she was born, I felt like my own mother came back — her words, her actions, everything was so tender.)

"Kuthurulu ante nanna laku ishtam ani cheptaru...
kani nenu devika ni inka... inka ekkuva ga chuskunanu."

"valla amma chanipoyaka...
nenu thanani kantiki reppala petkoni vunchukunnanu."

"Oka sari nenu adiga...
'US vellii MS cheyachuga?' ani."

"Appudu thanu em cheppindi telsa?"

'Nanna... degree osthundi, dabbu osthundi...
kani avi anubhavinchadaniki nuvvu pakkana untava?
ela aythe nuvvu salary thechaka idharam baytki velli thinatam anni chesthamo nenu alane mi pakane vuntu cheyyali ankuntunna annadhi '

"Appude naku ardham ayyindi...
thanu ma amma ye...
malli nannu chuskovadaniki vachindani."

"Dubai lo valla annayya daggara MS chesi...
ikkada business pettindi.
Part time money tho survive aindi akada valla annaya deggira asala money tiskokunda."

"Ivi anni cheptunna... endukante...
nenu na amulyamaina vajranni
nee chethulalo pedthunnanu."

"Thanani kapaduko.
Na lagane. Okavela moyalekpothe, kastam anpisthe
anthe jagrathaga naku malli ichesey.

Kani vadileyaku.

na pranam thanu, Sare na?"

(devika is my one only daughter when she was born i thought shes same like my mother with her words and cute actions i raised her so fragily preciously evenmore after her mothers death once i asked her to go to us and do ms after her degree i still remember she said even if i go and earn you wont be with me right to feel the happiness of spending like you bring salary and we both eat and goes out right like that i also want to earn and spend by your side nanna and that day it made clear that shes recarnation of my own mother who born again to raise and spend life with me im saying this cause im giving you my precious gem to you you should hold and take good care of her like me if you feel it heavy and cant bear the weight bring back dear ill take back without any ich of worry but dont abond it okay?)

By that time I came back carrying water.
My atha already wiping her tears and nanna with a teary eyes was nodding his head

I looked at my atha and said,
"Enti... nenu ippude velipothunnattu chesthunaru?"
(Why are you acting like I'm leaving right now?)

I sat again and started eating.

Inka nenu raatam chusi, vallu topic marchaaru anukunta.
Ilopu nanna,
"Architecture lo em chesthunnav babu?" ani adigaaru.
(What are you doing in the field of architecture, son?)

Daani tarvatha vallu iddaru aa vishayaala gurinchi matladukovadam start chesaaru.

adi naaku konchem interesting ga anipinchi,
vintoo kurchunnaanu.
(As Arvind was talking about architecture, I found it interesting and kept listening quietly.)

Ilopu Arvind na vaipu tirigi,
"Enti vintunnaav?
Neeku ee side interest undaa?" ani adigaadu.
(He turned towards me and asked, "Are you listening? Are you interested in this field?")

Nenu konchem alochinchi,
"Aa... ala em ledu."
("Not exactly," I said.)

"Just konchem na café interior design marchaalani anukuntunna."
("I'm thinking of changing my café's interior design a bit.")

"So emaina ideas vastayemo ani vintunna," ani cheppaanu.
("So I thought I might get some ideas listening to you.")

Arvind navvuthu,
"Nenu emaina help cheyanaa?" ani adigadu.
(Smiling, Arvind asked, "Shall I help you with something?")

Nenu navvuthu,
"Avasaram ledu lendi. Naaku designing laanti vatilo koncham idea undi," ani cheppanu.
(Smiling back, I said, "There's no need. I have a bit of an idea about designing and such.")

Appudu Arvind calm ga,
"Parledu Devika. Just help la kakunda, naaku emaina anipisthe chesthanu. Adi neeku tharvatha upayogapadachu emo," annadu.
(Calmly, Arvind said, "It's okay, Devika. Not just as help—if I feel something is right, I'll do it. It might be useful for you later.")

Nenu matram firm ga,
"Aa avasaram ledu lendi. Mee antha professional ga kakapoyina, naaku unna koncham talent tho renovate chesukuntaanu," annanu.
(But firmly, I said, "There's really no need. Even if I'm not as professional as you, I'll renovate it with whatever little talent I have.")

Arvind ,
"ayyo ala enduku ankotam ammu, sare niku kavali ante adugu appudu cheptha ayithe," annadu.
( Arvind said, "Alright then, Ammu.")

Ilopu maa atha vachi,
"Fridge lo ice cream undi.
Adi Arvind ki pettu," ani naaku cheppindi.
(Meanwhile, my aunt came and asked me to serve ice cream to Arvind.)

Nenu Arvind ki alane nanna ki bowl lo pettesi,
naku kuda oka bowl tiskoni vachchi kurchunnaanu.
(She served Arvind and my father, and I took a bowl for myself and sat down.)

Nenu ice cream pettukoni kurchunna ventane,
Arvind navvuthu,
"Ammu, naaku already full aipoyindi."
("Ammu, I'm already full," he said.)

"Idhi nuvvu thintava please ?" ani adigaadu.
("can you have mine aso please?")

Nenu face bowl vayupu chusthu eyes raise chesi anna,
"Adenti naku Enduku isthunnaaru?" ani annaanu.
("Why are you giving it to me?")

"Nenu ippudu em alagaaledu kada," ani add chesa.
("I didn't even ask for it now.")

Ala anesarki Arvind na vaipu tirigi,
"Ayyo Ammu, nenu edo urike ... ala annanu," annadu.
(Oh Ammu, I said it casually... I didn't mean it like that.)

Nenu spoon teesukoni calm ga,
"Nenu emi antha alige rakam kaadhu lendi. Parledu. Ice cream emo heavy avvadhu, konchame ga thineyandi," annanu.
(I'm not someone who gets upset so easily. It's okay. Ice cream isn't that heavy—eat a little.)

Ani cheppi na vaipu tirigi, naa favourite butterscotch ice cream lo spoon teesukoni thinnaanu.

Arvind matram ala na vaipu chusthu em cheyalo ardham kaaka, paapam, thanu chethilo unna bowl kindha petti,
"Indhaka nuvvu ala cute ga face pettesariki ala annanu. Nenu nijamga feel ayyi vundunte sorry, Devika," annadu.
(When you made that cute face earlier, I said it like that. If you really felt bad, I'm sorry, Devika.)

Ventane nanna,
"Ayyo babu, thanu edo sardaga chesthundi," annaru.
(Oh dear, she's just joking around.)

Ilopu Daksh vachi,
"Vadhina, maa anna intlone kaadhu bayata kuda evvariki bayapadadu ani anatam alavatu tho ala annadu ankunta, aina nuvvu great just okka chinna alagaku anna mata ki ila bayapetesi sorry cheppinchukunnav," ani Arvind ni tease chesadu.
(Sister-in-law, he said that just to show my brother isn't scared of anyone, inside or outside the house. You got him so scared with just a tiny sulk that he ended up apologizing!)

Devika Arvind vaipu chusi navvuthu,
"Sardhaga anna lendi. Just ippati varaku ala evaru anakapoyesarki ala react ayya," ani cheppanu.
(You said it jokingly. It's just that no one has spoken to me like that till now, so I reacted that way.)

Nanna chinnaga navvuthu ice cream thintunnaru.

Arvind chair ki lean ayyi,
"Uff Ammu, debbaki neeku kopam vachindi emo anukunna. Aina ala anesarki aa ice cream laga nenu kuda melt aipoya. Mudhuga 'naaku sweet edhi' anesarki," annadu.
(Uff Ammu, I thought you really got angry. But when you said it like that, I melted just like that ice cream—especially when you sweetly said 'this is my favorite'.)

Ilopu maa atha,
"Antha bayapadaku le babu. Adi em cheyadhu. Bayataki ala matladatam thappithe," annadi.
(Don't be so scared, dear. She won't do anything—she just speaks like that outwardly.)

Nenu ventane,
"Atha, nenu em chinna pillani kaadhu. Business kuda run chesthunna," annanu.
(Aunty, I'm not a small child. I'm running a business too.)

Arvind navvuthu,
"Haa haa, adhi kuda correct ae lendi," annadu.
(Haha, that's also absolutely right.)

Kaani appude out of nowhere, naaku okkasariga
business ante entha important vishayam ani gurthochindi.

Naa navvu aapesi bowl kindha petti,
"Nenu business vadili ippude raavali anukovatledu andi," annanu.
(I'm not thinking of leaving my business and coming immediately.)

Aa maatatho andharu okka second silent aipoyaru.

Nanna matram serious ga,
"Ammu, ippudu kaadhu. Nuvvu aagu," annaru.
(Ammu, not now. You wait.)

Nenu calm ga, kaani firm ga,
"Nanna, naaku asala ee vishyam dhaachi chepalsina avasaram ledu. mukyamga na kaboye bartha deggira dayali ani ledu " ani annanu.
(Dad, I don't want this to keep as secret , and more of all i don't want to hide this infront of arvind)

Arvind okkasariga 'emaindi?' annattu na vaipu chusadu.
(Arvind looked at me suddenly, as if asking, "What just happened?")

And then panthulugaru entered the hall, looking around at all of us still sitting with plates.

"Inka bojanalu avvaledaa, Varun gaaru?" he asked politely.

("Haven't you all finished lunch yet, Mr. Varun?")