"Maa!" Ravi's call rang out. Prameela jolted in an instant.
Just then, Srinu had her nipple caught between his lips, sucking on it with a slow, delicious pull. "Sss...mm..." she moaned, her eyes fluttering shut with desire as she thrust her hips upward, urging him deeper.
He tightened his grip, about to push in, when again, "Mom!" Ravi's voice cut through. This time, it was louder, sharper. Reluctantly tearing herself from the heaven Srinu was showing her, Prameela forced her eyes open.
There, in front of her, stood her son, Ravi. She shot up, sitting upright in a flash. He stared at her, confusion clouding his face.
Bewildered, Prameela glanced around. Srinu was gone. She wasn't even in the theater anymore--she was in her own bedroom. Her mind still foggy, she hadn't fully grasped what was happening when Ravi stepped closer.
"What's wrong, Mom!?" he asked.
"Mmm... what's wrong?" she echoed, still dazed. He grabbed her shoulder, shaking her gently.
"You were mumbling something in your sleep." That snapped her back to reality.
"It was all a dream!" she thought, relaxing a little. But then a doubt crept in--what exactly had she been mumbling? Hesitantly, she asked Ravi, "What was I saying?" He shrugged.
"I couldn't make it out clearly. You were making some noises. Did you have a nightmare?"
Fully relaxed now, she brushed it off. "Mmm... something like that. What time is it?"
"Eight," he replied.
She got up, stretching. "Just got home?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
"Alright, go freshen up. I'll make dinner," she said.
He placed a hand on her forehead, checking her temperature. "Oh no, Mom, you're burning up! It feels like a fever. Lie down--I'll get something from outside."
She smiled inwardly, "It's not a fever, silly. I was just sleeping, so my body's a little warm, that's all. Go on now, study for your exams." she said, brushing him off as she headed to the kitchen. He nodded and went to his room.
As she cooked, Prameela's mind wandered. One thing was crystal clear: if she didn't act on Kavita's plan soon, she'd end up lifting her saree for some random guy--it was inevitable. And if she wasn't careful for the next four days, she could get caught in a mess.
"Hold it together, Prameela," she told herself, finishing the cooking just as Ravi returned, freshened up.
As she set the dining table, he checked her forehead again. "It's better now, a little cooler. But why'd your body heat up so suddenly, Mom?" he asked casually.
She froze for a second, wondering if he'd heard her sleep-talk and was probing on purpose. She studied his face--innocent, clueless. Relieved, she sighed inwardly, "Phew," and said, "It's nothing, just happens sometimes. Eat and go to bed."
He ate quietly and went off to sleep. Later, she fed her husband when he got home an hour later, then crashed herself. Until the kids' exams were over, she lived on edge, like she was walking on thorns.
The moment the exams ended, she and her friend Kavita called a meeting. After a long discussion, Kavita had an idea. "Let's take the kids to my parents' place. Our husbands won't leave their shops anyway. Fifteen days there, and we can enjoy ourselves to the fullest," she suggested.
Kavita's family home was in a coastal village in the district, far from the city, nestled between hills by the sea. They owned a big house there, plus cashew orchards and fields--plenty of space and time for whatever they wanted.
The moment Kavita said it, Prameela exclaimed, "Perfect!" and planted a hard kiss on her cheek.
