Misc. Erotica After the Ashes

[krish_999]

Chapter - four

In the morning, Madhav slept longer than usual. But the moment he opened his eyes, he woke to his reality with a jolt.
“Anjali?” He looked around, as if he could still feel her presence in the room. She wasn’t there. Yet he could feel it.
Her presence. Her breath. Her smell. Her moans. Her movements. And the memories of how she had ridden him and brought him the forbidden pleasure. Madhav closed his eyes in shame.
“Oh my God,” he whispered, running a trembling hand down his face. “What have I done?”
He prayed that the previous night had been a stupid dream and quickly got out of bed. He searched for Anjali immediately. She hadn’t come out of her room. A lightning thought struck him, and he stumbled across the house to her door and knocked hesitantly.
For a moment, a thousand thoughts passed through his mind. None of them was any good. He had the maturity to understand the extent to which a lost woman could possibly go to atone for the grave mistake she had made. The seconds Anjali took to open the door almost made Madhav decide to break in.
Anjali looked at him with sleepy eyes.
“Dad?”
She looked at him with suspicion.
Madhav sighed.
“Are you okay?”
He knew she wasn’t. Her eyes told him she had been deprived of sleep the whole night.
Anjali looked over his shoulder to make sure her father was nowhere in sight, then shook her head sideways.
"Not really, Dad. I’m sorry.”
Tears began to flow from her eyes.
“Oh, dear,” Madhav said softly. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have let it happen.”
“No, Dad, it’s not your fault. I initiated it. It was my...”
“There’s no use calling me a grown-up if I can’t control my actions. I acted like a stupid...” Madhav shook his head in disgust. “Shit! What have I done!"
He looked away in anguish, unable to look her in the eyes.
"Dad." Anjali moved and grabbed his hand. "It was me who crossed the line. Your mistake was that you should have slapped me and pushed me out of your room. But you didn't. But please don't blame yourself for it. Perhaps I needed it at that moment. We both needed it."
Anjali spoke like she had thought a lot about it and had made up her mind about how to talk about it. She went on. “I came to your room, Dad. I kissed you. I touched you. I was longing for Vinayak... I wanted to feel close to him, and you were the only one who really understood. We both needed that moment. Let’s not pretend it was only you."
He looked away, ashamed. “Still… you call me dad!"
“I will,” she interrupted firmly. “Nothing’s changed. What happened between us stays between us.”
A part of Madhav wanted to believe her claim. Another part feared the weight of their actions. They stood there quietly, the awkwardness thick but thinning.
They heard the sound of the back door opening. It was Shalini, their maid, entering the kitchen from the back. That was how she used to come every morning.
Anjali patted Madhav's hand and went to the kitchen. Madhav stood there staring at her for a while and then went back to his room, his feet still heavy. He stopped in front of his son's photo and felt his heartbeats rising. He felt Vinayak was there, watching his dad mating with his wife, and watching it helplessly.
'Oh, son. How could I do it to you?' Madhav pressed his hand to his chest. 'Forgive me, son, I couldn't stop. Forgive me, please...' he begged silently. Unable to stand there, he rushed to the washroom.
After the shower, Madhav got ready early. He didn't want to face Manohar, who still hadn't come out of his room. Madhav knew he wouldn't be able to look at Manohar's eyes and speak properly when guilt was brewing inside him.
After Madhav left, Anjali managed her composure. Manohar had not come out of his bedroom. Anjali took a teacup to his room. Shalini was outside, washing the tiles on the porch.
“Are you still sleeping, Daddy?” Anjali was surprised to see Manohar still lying on the bed.
Manohar opened his eyes immediately, as if he had not been asleep. He sat up and looked at her like a stranger. There was a sense of disgust in his eyes. In one second, Anjali knew her dad’s eyes were searching for something on her.
"What happened, Dad?" She asked, calming herself despite a wave of suspicion shaking her mind.
“I should have known,” Manohar said with contempt. “I should have asked why you refused to leave this house.”
Anjali’s heart sank. “What do you mean?”
"The truth, Anjali. Your filthy, shameful truth. You and Madhav. Your father-in-law. An affair so horrible that it would disgust even the dirtiest mind."
She froze. “Daddy, what are you saying…?"
“Don’t pretend to be more stupid than you are, Anjali. I saw you last night - coming out of his bedroom, naked! What the hell were you doing there without clothes? Did you think I wouldn’t find out? That it could stay hidden?”
His anger burned through his words.
Anjali was stunned. She felt the room spinning around her. A world was crumbling, and she knew what it was.
Her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. “No… please… it’s not like that…”
He wasn’t listening. “How long? He died just a few months ago, Anjali. Are you so desperate? Is this your love for your dead husband? Or is his death a blessing for you - so you can sleep with his father?"
Anjali covered her mouth, sobbing. “No, daddy! Please... don't say that.”
Manohar shook his head, denying her words.
"Do you realise what you’re doing to our family? Do you remember your sister? No one will want to marry her if they learn that her widowed sister is sleeping with her father-in-law.”
“Please, stop,” Anjali begged. “It isn't what you understand. It's not like that..." Anjali struggled for words that made sense. "It happened once. It wasn’t sex. It was grief, helplessness, pain. We were broken… and made a mistake.”
“But you did it, Anjali!” he yelled. “Now drop it - and pack your things. You’re coming home.”
“No!” she said, voice fierce. “Give me time. I’ll come with you, Daddy, but not now.”
"What?" He stared at her with hatred. "Why do you want time? You want to say goodbye to that..." He stopped, as if hesitating to resort to abusive language.
"Please... daddy, I know it's wrong. It was a mistake." Anjali looked away momentarily as she spoke. "I'm in shock myself. He's also...same. Never expected this to happen... And he's broken. If I leave now, he will die. And I will also... Please understand. Please."
Manohar stared at her for a long moment, as if unable to understand her.
“You have a few days. After that, I’m taking you, like it or not.” Manohar declared in the end.
Anjali nodded.
“One more thing,” Manohar said. “You’ll stop working in his office.”
Anjali froze again. “What?”
“I said you’ll stop working in Madhav’s office.”
“No, Daddy… please…” Anjali almost grabbed the edge of her clothes, as if she were a child being scolded by her father. “That’s not fair.”
“But it’s necessary,” Manohar replied. “As long as you’re working with him, you’re vulnerable, and I can't allow it.”
“I’ve already agreed to come with you...and leave this house,” Anjali said. “Give me some time. Please.”
“Time is exactly what you don’t deserve.” Manohar’s voice hardened. “I won’t allow you to keep seeing him under the excuse of work.”
Anjali shook her head in defiance. “You’re taking away everything.”
“I’m protecting you,” he said flatly. “Decide quickly.”
"Daddy, please...understand that what happened there was an accident. And much as I'm...he’s also reeling with shame and guilt. If I leave him now, it’s going to break him forever, and I’ll lose him. I’ll be the only one answerable for that - please remember that. You won’t see me alive if that happens,” Anjali said.
Manohar stared at her again for a long moment, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
“Don’t take my empathy for foolishness,” he finally said. “I’m giving you this so-called time only because I don’t want to bring this drama back to my home.”
Anjali could only nod.

Manohar left without looking back. Anjali collapsed onto the bed, shaking with tears. Hours passed before Madhav’s name lit up her phone.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Wiping tears, she steadied herself. “I’m okay.”
That night, Madhav came home late. The change was visible between them - no smile, no tea time on the balcony. She said nothing about her secret being found by her father; she couldn’t bear to add his burden. For the whole night, they chose silence as if it were their medicine.
The next morning, she found Madhav sitting on the couch staring at Vinayak’s photo on the wall, eyes heavy with guilt.
“What are you thinking?” she asked softly.
“That my son would never forgive me.”
Anjali placed her hand on his shoulder. “If I marry someone else… would you stop me?”
Startled, Madhav looked up. “Never. I want you to be happy.”
“Then don’t torture yourself. What we did wasn’t lust. It was longing for comfort, for healing. Vinayak would have wanted us to take care of each other. You are his father. And I… I still care for you.”
"It's a stupid way to console ourselves, Anjali," Madhav said quietly.
"But you have to believe me now."
She said and stepped closer to embrace him. Madhav felt a breeze fill his heart. He pressed his face into her belly. Anjali held him close and caressed his hair. For a moment, Anjali felt as though she was the elder and he was just a child. She then wondered where she was gathering so much courage from.
The day felt lighter. Madhav felt she was right. He had no choice but to try to believe Anjali’s point of view, no matter how foolish it seemed.
When called from the office the next day, Anjali said she wanted to join him. He said okay. An hour later, Anjali arrived, wearing a kurti and palazzo. Though it was another style and colour, memories of her pulling her kurti off her head the other night flashed in front of his eyes. Madhav couldn't face her at first. But once they got busy with work, he felt better.
They worked side by side, and it felt like healing.
But peace was fragile. Anjali's father suffered a heart attack the next day. Anjali rushed to meet him. She knew she was the reason behind his pain. She wondered if she should tell Madhav that their secret had been found by Manohar. But she couldn't tell him. When Madhav said he would accompany her, she stopped him.
Manohar had survived the heart attack but was admitted to the ICU. Anjali’s sister, Roopali, hugged her and cried, standing outside the ICU. Anjali cried too; half of her pain came from guilt.
When her mother saw Anjali, she was angry. “When will you stop giving your daddy trouble and tension, Anjali?” she asked, her eyes swollen with worry.
Anjali’s heart nearly stopped. Did Daddy tell her?
She couldn’t speak.
Kavya continued, “He kept telling you to come home, and you never listened. He’s been so worried about you. He was crying the whole night silently. This tension… it is what broke him. You are the reason for this.”
But as her mother went on, Anjali realised that she was still unaware of the truth. A quiet sense of relief soothed her, even as guilt continued to weigh heavily on her heart.
The doctor revealed that Manohar’s life had been saved only because of his friend’s timely response in giving CPR to him during the heart attack. He was with Manohar when he collapsed in pain and lost consciousness. CPR was given immediately, bringing him back, and he was rushed to the hospital soon after.
The doctor told Anjali’s mother that she should be more grateful to the man who had the presence of mind to perform CPR at the moment of the heart attack than to the doctor standing in front of her.
Anjali’s mother later told her that it was Vicky who had saved Manohar’s life.
Vicky was known to Anjali. He wasn’t exactly Manohar’s friend, but the son of his friend Shyamal Das. He was present at the hospital when Anjali’s mother and sister arrived. But Anjali hadn't noticed him. Perhaps Anjali was too lost in her own world of guilt to notice him then. Later, she looked for him but couldn’t find him.

When Anjali finally got a chance to meet Manohar, she cried silently, seeking forgiveness. She couldn’t speak because her mother was standing beside her.
After a while, Madhav arrived at the hospital, and Anjali feared her father’s condition might worsen. But nothing happened. Manohar calmly asked Madhav to let Anjali stay with him for the time being. It was the first thing he had said since the heart attack.
Madhav agreed, and Anjali stayed.
Manohar was discharged from the hospital the following day. Anjali went along with him to her house.
Manohar did not talk to her. In fact, he did not talk to anyone. And three days later, she called Anjali aside and dropped a bomb.
“I’ve found a solution for your loneliness,” he said, holding her hand. “Shyamal Das’s only son.”
Her fingers grew cold.
“Who?” She blurted in confusion.
“Vicky. Vikram. Our family knows him, and he saved my life. He told me he knows you from college days. He runs his own business, a good match.”
She recalled him - Shyamal Das uncle’s son, a quiet boy who had once proposed to her in college. She had gently refused him then; she was already seeing Vinayak.
Anjali hadn’t seen him at the hospital, though she had wanted to meet him and thank him for saving her father’s life. But now, suddenly, she felt she would never want to see him.

"No, Daddy. I don’t want this,” she said bitterly.
“I didn’t ask. You will meet him. This Sunday.” Manohar’s voice hardened.
“But I’m not ready.”
“You will be. And you’ll see him as your future husband. That’s final,” Manohar said sternly.
Anjali sat frozen. A new chapter was beginning - one she wasn’t sure she was ready for. And she had no idea how to stop it.