A Twist of Fate (Slow Updates)

9

Stepping into the house, she slowly locked the main door after her. Hearing the laughter from the t.v. room, she knew that the kids were still happily watching cartoons. On her way up the stairs, she happened to glanced at the mirror in the corridor- her eyes were red, her mouth looked sulky, her wet hair hung like rat's tail around her face and her yellow cardigan, woolen slacks and her house slippers were soaked, making a puddle where she stood on the floor. Turning to walk up the stairs she bumped into something warm and hard. Vikram held her by the upper arm to steady them as she lifted her head to look at him. It burned all the way to her stomach where he touched her. He had changed into warm and dry clothes but his hair was wet. He eyes roamed her body but Ananya had had enough of it. She pulled her arms from him and took one step to find her way blocked by him again.

"Why are you so soaked?" He asked. Desperately trying to hide her feelings, anger came to her rescue.

"It's not your problem. Is it?" She said coldly.

"Yes, it is." He said and before Ananya could realize what happened, she was pushed against the wall and Vikram's lips were on hers. She resisted him and pushed against his hard chest but her struggle seemed to increase his efforts. Despite being completely drenched, she couldn't help that warm grow which emerged in the base of her stomach and slowly traveled like wine throughout her limbs. Her veins were on fire as he woke sensations she was sure she hadn't felt even when she first saw him. This was a very different kind of feeling, she simply wanted to let go and drown in his kisses. Her head gave flashes of warning just as her body wanted to lean against his. 'No, no!' Her head exclaimed, 'He is just using you! He'll humiliate you like last time!' That thought cleared her head like bright sunlight clears the mist. She just turned cold and stopped struggling. He noticed the reaction and loosened his hold on her. She simply turned away from him and walked up the stairs like nothing happened. She entered the bathroom and securing the door's latch closed after her, she vomited.

She felt so humiliated, so horrible and so cold that she couldn't resist it. She felt disgusted at him but most of all at her own behavior. Why does she do this to herself and then let him do that to her? Why does she let him torture her like this? Why did she have to love this treacherous man? She didn't want to love anybody. She just wanted to be alone. 'I wish I had never seen him, never met him and never associated with him...' she thought miserably.

After bathing, she put a little make up to put in a little color on her white face and went downstairs. No point in being a coward and hiding in her room, she decided as she descended the stairs. Vikram and the children were sitting on the dinner table as she entered. Instantly, the atmosphere became charged as Vikram looked at her. He saw that she was angry and quietly slid a plate across to her. "I have made dinner, why don't you sit down?" He said gesturing towards a chair. The children sensed the change in the environment like most kids do and became very quiet. Though Ananya was not hunger but just to avoid further talks, she put a little of the cumin-potatoes Vikram had made and took one chapatti. After the rather subdued dinner Ananya asked Vikram to take the kids to their room and offered to clean up the kitchen.

When Ananya came up, the kids were already sleeping in their room. After checking up on them, she went to her own room. Vikram was in the t.v. room with his work and Ananya left her door partially open as she climber into bed so that the corridor light entered her room and it was wasn't completely dark. As soon as her head touched the pillow she was asleep.

It was the middle of the night when the loud crackle of the thunderstorm woke her slumber. It was rather loud and echoed in the vicinity. As she sat up in bed, she heard one of the children cry. "Mamu?" She heard Kudrat's voice. Instantly Ananya got up and went to their room barefooted. Jai was crying and Kudrat sat next to him consoling him. When Jai saw her, he started crying loudly. Ananya switched on the lights but it was still darkness. "There a power cut." she murmured to herself and the children as walked up to the children.