Adultery Avi's Sexual Marathon: Family, Village, College, City

[lee.jae.han]

## Update 7: The Secret Conspiracy

At home, Suman Chachi  fed me lunch. After eating, I proudly showed all three of them my report card. Meena Chachi  looked it over, her smile genuine.

"Chachi, from today, I'm going to study at my Math Madam's house," I announced.

"That's good" Meena Chachi replied, her eyes briefly meeting mine with a spark I couldn't quite interpret.

Suman Chachi looked up from the card. "Will she charge you money, or is she teaching for free?"

"No, Chachi, the principal told her to teach me, so she won't take any money."

Seema Chachi  reached out and affectionately squeezed my cheek. "My son is so sweet. No one could ever take money from him."

"Chachi, stop teasing me," I said, a genuine smile on my face.

"Seema, why are you bothering Avi?" Suman Chachi asked, her tone gentle.

"Didi, I'm not bothering him," Seema Chachi said, her affection turning playful. "I'm just praising my son."

"I know what your praise means," Meena Chachi said, a quiet laugh escaping her.

"Now both of you stop fighting," Suman Chachi said, raising her voice in mock frustration.

"Okay, Didi," they both replied in unison.

"Chachi, I'm going to sleep," I said. "Please wake me up in the afternoon."

"Yes, go to sleep. I'll wake you up."

I went to my room. I lay down, my mind spinning with the conflicting images of the Principal and the promise of tutoring with my gentle Math Madam. Before I could fall asleep, I heard their voices, muffled but clear, through the thin wall. I pressed my ear to the plaster.

"Meena, your friend Riya came yesterday, right?" Seema Chachi’s voice was the first to cut through the quiet.

"Yes, she did," Meena Chachi replied, a dull note in her voice.

"Did she bring the report?"

"Yes, she brought the report."

Suman Chachi leaned forward, her voice laced with eager suspense. "What did it say?"

"Yeah, yeah, tell us quickly!" Seema Chachi demanded, her impatience radiating.

"I burned the report," Meena Chachi said flatly.

A sudden, sharp silence fell over the house. Avi's heart began a frantic, dull thump against his ribs.

"What are you saying? You burned it?" Suman Chachi finally asked, her voice heavy with shock.

"Meena, what did you do?" Seema Chachi exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "I collected those samples with so much difficulty, and you burned them? Are you insane?"

"Yes, I burned it," Meena Chachi said, her tone utterly detached. "Because it felt right."

"What do you mean?" Suman Chachi asked, confused by the cryptic answer.

"I read the report and then burned it."

"You read it?" Seema Chachi rushed to her side. "Tell us what it said!"

"Tell us, Meena," Suman Chachi urged, her voice trembling with hope. "Can I ever become a mother or not?"

"Tell us, Meena!" Seema Chachi insisted, her voice tight with anticipation.

Meena Chachi took a long, steadying breath. "Yes. All three of us can become mothers."

The air left the room in a collective, shaky gasp.

"Are you telling the truth, Meena?" Suman Chachi whispered, her voice cracking with the sheer emotional weight of the news.

"Yes, I am," Meena Chachi replied.

"Meena, you have no idea what good news this is!" Seema Chachi started to laugh, a slightly hysterical sound.

"She's lying," Seema Chachi suddenly stopped laughing, her voice cutting through the happy moment.

"What?" Suman Chachi asked, confused by the abrupt shift.

"She's lying," Seema Chachi repeated, glaring at Meena.

"No, Didi, I'm telling the truth," Meena Chachi insisted.

"If you're telling the truth, then why haven't we become mothers yet?" Seema Chachi shot back, folding her arms across her chest.

"Didi, listen to my full story," Meena Chachi said, holding up a hand.

"Okay, okay, tell us, Meena," Suman Chachi urged, trying to mediate.

Meena Chachi looked at them both, her face hard. "We can become mothers, but Avi's uncle can never become a father."

A wave of shock rippled through the room. Suman Chachi sank onto the floor.

"What are you saying, Meena?" Seema Chachi exclaimed. "If we can become mothers, then Avi's uncle will become a father, right?"

"Avi's uncle can never become a father," Meena Chachi repeated firmly.

Suman Chachi covered her face and started crying, silent tears sliding between her fingers. "Then how can we become mothers?"

Seema Chachi stared at Meena, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Meena, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What's going on in your mind, Seema?" Suman Chachi sobbed.

"Meena is thinking that even though Avi's uncle can't become a father, we can." Seema Chachi turned to Meena. "Right, Meena?"

"Yes," Meena Chachi confirmed.

"So?" Suman Chachi asked, still lost in her despair.

"Meena is saying that even if Avi's uncle can't be the father, we can still have a baby," Seema Chachi said impatiently.

"What are you saying, Seema? Are you crazy?" Suman Chachi snapped, her voice laced with disgust.

"No, Didi, I'm not crazy," Seema Chachi said, her eyes intense. "You're not understanding the opportunity."

"Didi, we can become mothers if we have sex with someone else," Meena Chachi said, brutally blunt.

"What are you spouting, Meena?" Suman Chachi said, pulling her hands away from her face, her eyes wide with shock. "You've really lost your mind."

"Didi, just listen to what Meena has to say," Seema Chachi insisted.

"Okay, fine," Suman Chachi said, defeated. "What do you want to say that justifies this?"

"Look, Didi," Meena Chachi began, leaning closer. "Avi's uncle can never be a father. If we don't do something soon, he might marry again. The fact that he's infertile is something only the three of us know. He doesn't."

"And your friend Riya," Suman Chachi pointed out. "She knows, right?"

"Yes, she knows," Meena Chachi replied. "But she's leaving this city this Sunday and going to a city that's very far away. She said she'll never come back."

"But I still don't understand what you want to do," Suman Chachi said, her voice trembling.

"Look, Didi," Meena Chachi said, her plan forming in her mind as she spoke. "We will become mothers by having sex with someone else, but as far as the world is concerned, Avi's uncle will be the father."

"How will that happen?" Seema Chachi asked, a spark of calculation in her eyes.

"Yes, how will that happen?" Suman Chachi repeated, leaning closer despite her fear.

"We'll find a man who can get us pregnant," Meena Chachi explained. "And then he'll leave this village, so we don't have any problems in the future."

"But..." Suman Chachi started, the thought of the betrayal making her tremble.

"I think Meena's idea is right," Seema Chachi cut in, looking at her older sister.

"Didi, don't worry," Meena Chachi said, trying to soothe Suman. "I'll handle everything."

"But what about Avi's uncle?" Suman Chachi said, still caught on her sense of duty.

"Didi, don't think about it so much," Meena Chachi said impatiently. "Just say yes and leave it all to me."

"I don't know," Suman Chachi said, her voice filled with despair. "I can't betray Avi's uncle."

"Didi," Seema Chachi said, her voice sharp and uncompromising. "When Avi's uncle married again and again, didn't you feel bad? Will you feel good if he marries a fourth time? Do you want to lose your position in this house?"

She turned to Meena Chachi, her eyes resolute. "Meena, do whatever you need to do to make us mothers. Don't worry about Didi. When she becomes a mother, she won't feel bad about this anymore."

"Okay," Meena Chachi said, her voice determined. "I'll get to work. I'll find a powerful father for my children."

"Okay, do whatever you two think is right," Suman Chachi said, finally giving in, her tone utterly defeated. "But be careful with whatever you do."

"Now that's what I'm talking about, Didi," Seema Chachi said, releasing a breath she seemed to have been holding.

"Okay, you two go and rest," Suman Chachi said, her head bowed. "I'm going to wake up Avi."

They were going to find a man. A powerful father for their children. They were going to deceive Chacha. Avi lay there, silent, the secret so heavy it felt like a crushing weight on his chest, yet part of him, the dark, curious part, was intensely alert.