Adultery Awaited desires - Completed

[Haran000]

4. Three years 

The Sunday evening was a balm, the first monsoon rains having cooled the air, but my mind was a furious storm. How was I going to tell my brother I wouldn't be going to the hostel? My sister-in-law and I were deep in a game of chess when he broached the subject.

"What's been eating at you all morning, Hari?" Santosh's voice was firm. "I'm telling you, it won't end well if you say you're not going to the hostel."

"Brother, it's..." I started, but he cut me off.

"I know. This drama always begins with you when it's time to leave."

"It's not that," I insisted, "but if I go to college, peddamma will be all alone at home."

"Sandhya will be there. It's fine."

"What can she do, tell me?" I pressed, "Do you know how scared I was yesterday?"

Santosh waved it off. "Don't worry about any of that. Just study."

I fell silent, defeated.

"Come to my room tonight," he said, the command unwavering.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"Oh! You'll try to persuade Grandma to let you skip tomorrow. Just shut up and come sleep in our room tonight. I'll wake you up in the morning and drop you off at the hostel."

There was nothing for it. My brother's decision was final.

Still, it wasn't that I disliked studying; mostly, I craved the small joys of home. The incident with Grandma had made me want to linger a few days more, but another feeling tugged at my heart, a desire to stay near sandhya. Deep down, that was a significant reason I wanted to remain.

When my brother told me to sleep in their room, I secretly considered it a gift. After all, I would be sleeping right next to my vadhina. I let out a happy sigh and stole a glance at her. 

Her red, light cotton saree pallu was tucked into her waist, her hair neatly coiled in a bun, revealing the milky-white, dove-like curve of her neck. I often wondered if she knew I watched her sometimes, but quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't necessary.

Later, as bedtime approached, I played on my phone for a bit before heading to their room. As expected, a space had been made for me on vadhina's right side. Handed her phone and settled in beside her. She pulled her quilt over me, and the warmth of being under the same covers filled me with a quiet joy. Brother, meanwhile, quickly drifted off to sleep.

Sandhya noticed my open eyes. "Sleep, Hari," she whispered.

"Vadhina, college is new, right?" I began, testing the waters. "It won't hurt if I don't go for three days, right?"

"Come here..." she murmured, and I shifted a little closer. She placed her hand on my face, gently caressing my hair. "You are the topper in this district. How can you say you won't go to college, dear?"

"I do small chores at home, right? It will be difficult for peddamma if I leave."

"I'm here, dear..."

"But you don't go out for small things, do you?" I pressed.

"Didn't he tell you not to think about all this?" she chided softly.

"But vadhina, after being here for so many days, it feels strange to go to the city now."

"Hari... you were a good student, and you still need to study. We will adjust somehow here. Just study diligently without thinking about all this."

"Hmm..."

She placed her hand on my right thigh, then gently pulled my leg and rested it on top of hers. I moved even closer.

"Call me if you want to say anything from the hostel, okay?"

"Yes, I will."

"You must tell vadhina everything, no matter what."

"Hmm..."

I didn't quite know what to do, but instinctively, I placed my hand on her. She looked into my eyes and offered a soft, knowing smile.

"Vadhina, when I come home for holidays, you'll make chicken, eggs, and cauliflower for me, right?"

She pinched my cheek playfully. "I will dear. But you must eat properly there too, okay?"

"Yes, I will."

"And will you eat brinjal and ridge gourd if they cook it there... hahaha..."

"You won't be there with me, vadhina, to make omelets... I'll adjust somehow."

She guided my hand to her waist. My palm traced the buttery folds of her skin, so incredibly tender. She hugged me close, and her fragrance enveloped me, a sweet intoxication. Then, she kissed my forehead. "I will make all your favorite dishes when you come home sweetheart."

Until that moment, I hadn't realized such a profound affection existed.

"Thanks, vadhina," I murmured, "no one has ever made me sleep next to them like this. Brother used to fight if I even put my leg on him."

"I won't do that," she promised. "If you can't sleep, come and sleep next to me."

"Hmm..."

She put her hand behind my head and pulled my face gently to her chest. I wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her back. The comfort was immense. I had never slept so soundly, so warmly, so contentedly.

It was undeniable that sandhya held affection for me, and me for her. However, that night, for the first time, being so close to her stirred something new within me. Whether she knew of my arousal, I couldn't say; that was another truth entirely.


The next morning, I left for college in town. I didn't return until Ganesh Chaturthi festival, with only two days off before I had to leave again. The moment I stepped out of the vehicle and into the house, my vadhina was there, rushing forward. I enveloped her in a tight hug.

My body had yearned for that embrace from the moment I'd learned I was coming home from the hostel for Navratri.

"Are you eating well, dear?" she asked, a familiar concern in her voice. I never understood why she worried so much about my eating habits.

"Yes"

Peddamma, Rajamani, chimed in, "Are you worried about us, dear?"

"No, not about you," I replied teasing.

"Of course not, why would you be?" she grumbled, pouting. 

I went and held her hand.
"Peddamma, in the beginning, I couldn't sleep properly for a week," I confessed, "your snoring wasn't there, you see."

Both sandhya and brother burst into laughter. Peddamma pulled my cheeks. "Who else would you joke on besides me, dear? Is the hostel good?"

"Yes, it's okay," I admitted, "but can it be like home?"

"Hari, take a bath," vadhina interjected, "I'll make tea."

"Okay."

I bathed, offered my prayers, and met up with friends. The day melted away. The following day, I was back at the college hostel.


The Dasara holidays brought a wave of disappointment. My brother took me directly from the hostel to our another uncle's house. I celebrated Bathukamma and Dasara there, then returned straight to the hostel. Hostel life felt like a jail sentence, broken only by festivals.

They didn't even grant proper holidays during Intermediate.

Diwali brought me home again. Everything proceeded smoothly.

On Diwali night, it was well past eleven when we finally went to sleep. I woke early the next morning. With my toothbrush in my mouth, I brushed my teeth, then headed back and pushed open the bathroom door.

Both of us froze. There stood my radiant, beautiful vadhina, her body wet, her hair flowing like the Ganga over her moon-like face, a towel wrapped up to her chest. She gasped, startled to see me, and quickly turned away. I, too, was flustered and immediately pulled the door shut.

"Sorry, vadhina," I stammered, "I thought no one was there."

"Silly boy," her voice came from inside, "the latch of this bathroom door is broken."

"Sorry... sorry..."

Sandhya meticulously adjusted her towel, dbangd a saree over herself, and emerged. I stood, fixated on her red, glowing feet.

"You need to go to the toilet, right?" she asked.

"I mean, I thought of using this to rinse my mouth," I mumbled, feeling my face warm.

"You should be careful, Hari."

She walked into the house, a blush staining her cheeks. From inside, I heard her voice. "I told to get it fixed the other day. You guys are..."

Santosh's voice followed, "I'll get it done today."

How flustered my vadhina had been.

That afternoon, I fixed the latch myself. I also picked up some medicines for Peddamma from the pharmacy.

After that day passed, that night, I cautiously asked if I could sleep next to sandhya. At first, she didn't answer, and worried she was still upset about the morning incident. I was contemplating spreading a mat in peddamma's room and sleeping there when peddamma herself came and told me to go to brother's room, that Sandhya had called for me.

I entered their room normally. "Vadhina, did you call me?"

"Yes, come Hari," she replied. Brother was already fast asleep. "Come, sleep here."

"Vadhina, sorry about what happened in the morning," I said, unable to let it go. "It won't happen again, we got the latch fixed this afternoon, right?"

"Just sleep first," she instructed gently.

I lay down beside her. She moved closer to me and placed her hand on my chest, stroking it softly. Her face was close to my ear. I looked into her eyes; she was blushing.

"Hari, you didn't see anything, did you?" she asked coyly and awkwardly.

"No, I promise."

"Hmm..."

Then, she kissed my cheek. I looked into her eyes, my own cheeks flushed.

"Will you come for Sankranti festival?" she asked.

"No vadhina, only after the exams are over."

"Oh, really?"

"Think so..."

"Maridhee," she said, a playful tone in her voice, "when you come back, this mattress won't be enough for you to sleep on."

"Why, I don't get it."

"By the time you come, there will be three of us. Where will you sleep, tell me?"

So, vadhina is.....

I was utterly shocked. Was that why she had been blushing all this time?

"Vadhina..."

"Hmm... you're going to be an babai (chaacha), Hari."

"What good news vadhina! Why didn't you tell me yesterday when you came?"

"I didn't tell you then because I wanted to tell you now."

"Oh... but I'm so happy. Wait, should I tell you what peddamma said?"

She laughed, confirming my suspicion that peddamma had already shared her thoughts. 

"Tell me..."

"Did she say our paternal uncle is being born again?"

"Haha... Yes, Hari. How did you know?"

"People who watch old movies and serials get such ideas."

"Hey maridhi, you always make fun of me whenever you get a chance."

"I won't make fun of you, vadhina..."

"Nonsense... you were the first one to make fun of me, dear."

"did you feel bad that day?"

"Not at all."

"Can I put my hand on you? I won't put my leg, though."

"You understand well."

"Hmm..."

I gently placed my hand on her waist and soon drifted off to sleep.


 After that night, life sped away like a chariot. The wheel of time spun relentlessly, and I reached my final year of graduation. Not just Intermediate, but for my Physics graduation, I also shared a rented room with friends in town, all three of us living together.

“Consequently, for three years, my visits to home were rare indeed.”

—————————++++++++++