The Stars' Decree

Scene 10 11 and 12: The Aftermath of the First Step

Scene 10: The Aftermath of the First Step
The room was silent after Anil—Anita—finished his reluctant task. The air was thick with an uneasy tension, as if both men were holding their breath, waiting for the stars themselves to acknowledge what had just happened.

Shankar, still in his robe, remained seated at the edge of the bed. His hands were clenched tightly in his lap, his face turned away from Anil. His discomfort was palpable, the shame lingering in the space between them like a heavy fog. He had never imagined himself in such a position, and though his body had remained still, his mind was in turmoil.

Anil, too, was struggling. He sat up slowly, his chest heaving with the weight of what he had just done. His manboobs, still pressed tightly against his blouse, felt heavier than ever before, as if they were a constant reminder of how much his life had changed. His lips trembled slightly, and he fought the rising tide of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.

Neither of them spoke. The silence between them felt like an unspoken agreement—a mutual understanding that this was not something they wanted to discuss, not something they could even begin to process. But the stars had demanded it, and for now, the stars seemed satisfied. At least, Anil hoped they were.

Scene 11: Radha’s Growing Frustration
The next morning, Radha noticed the difference immediately. There was a shift in the house, subtle but present. The air didn’t feel as heavy with dread as it had the past few days. Shankar’s life had been hanging by a thread, but for now, it seemed that the accidents had paused, as if the stars were watching, waiting for the next step.

Radha found Anil in the kitchen, still dressed in the soft pastel saree she had selected for him, his chest once again prominently displayed under the tight-fitting blouse. He was making tea, but his hands were shaky, and his eyes carried the weight of someone who hadn’t slept properly.

“So, it’s done?” Radha asked, her voice sharp but low enough that no one else in the house could hear.

Anil stiffened at her question, his fingers tightening around the edge of the teapot. He didn’t look at her, couldn’t bear to face her judgment. “We… we did what you wanted,” he replied quietly, his voice barely audible over the sound of the boiling water.

Radha’s eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, her frustration barely contained. “What I wanted?” she repeated, incredulous. “This is not about what I want, Anita. This is about saving your father-in-law’s life. Do you think this is easy for me? For him?”

Anil’s heart raced in his chest, the shame and anger boiling under the surface. But he couldn’t bring himself to argue with her. He had agreed to this, after all. Out of love for Priya, out of guilt for what was happening to Shankar. But that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

Radha softened slightly, sensing Anil’s inner turmoil. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice gentler now, though still firm. “I know it’s hard, Anita. But you’ve done the right thing. The stars were angry because they needed to see the marriage fulfilled. And you’ve taken the first step.”

Anil’s eyes remained fixed on the teapot, his hands trembling as he poured the tea. “I don’t know if I can do this… if I can keep doing this.”

Radha’s grip on his shoulder tightened, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t have a choice. Shankar’s life depends on this, Anita. If you don’t… if the stars aren’t satisfied… then the next accident might be the last.”

Scene 12: Shankar’s Conflicted Silence
Later that evening, Shankar sat alone in the courtyard, staring out at the darkening sky. The bandages on his chest were tight, a reminder of the pain that had plagued him for weeks. He had survived so many accidents—too many to be mere coincidence. He knew that the stars were at work, and it terrified him.

He felt trapped. Trapped by tradition, by the demands of the stars, by the twisted circumstances that had forced him to marry his son-in-law. The very thought made his stomach churn with a mixture of disgust and confusion. Anil… or Anita, as Radha had insisted on calling him, was no longer just family. He was now his wife.

Shankar knew that something had changed between them the night before. The intimacy they had shared, however forced and reluctant, had shifted something in the stars. The accidents had stopped, if only temporarily. But the shame… the guilt… those feelings wouldn’t go away.

He glanced toward the house, where he knew Anil was likely still in his room, trying to make sense of it all just as Shankar was. He didn’t know what to say to him—how could he? They were both prisoners of fate, bound together by forces they couldn’t control.