Mother of Me

Chapter 22: A Husband’s Shadow

The eleventh day of the swap felt heavier than all the previous days combined.

The new Sangeetha woke up with a dull ache in her lower back and a familiar tightness in her chest. Her breasts felt swollen and tender today. She lay in bed for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling, the mangalsutra resting heavily between her breasts. The thought of spending another full day alone with Selvam terrified her. Every hug, every touch, every “darling” from him felt like a slow poison.

She freshened up quickly and went to the kitchen in her nighty to start preparing breakfast. The smell of boiling milk and frying onions soon filled the house.

Meera had called early that morning with a partial solution. She had promised to personally coach the new Prakash (the real Sangeetha in her son’s body) for the upcoming NEET re-exam. “I’ll handle his studies at the lab,” Meera had said. “We’ll make sure this body clears it. Don’t worry about academics for now.”

The new Prakash had left for the lab right after a quick breakfast, looking both nervous and determined.

This left the new Sangeetha completely alone with Selvam.

She was standing at the stove, stirring the sambar, when she felt him behind her.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Selvam pulled her back against his chest, his body pressing firmly into her soft, curvy backside. His breath was warm on her neck as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

“Mmm… only you are the best perfume in the world,” he murmured, his voice husky. One of his hands slowly moved up from her waist and rested just below her breasts, feeling the softness of her belly through the thin nighty.

The new Sangeetha froze. Goosebumps erupted all over her body. Her nipples hardened involuntarily against the fabric. She could feel his hardness pressing against her buttocks. Her heart hammered wildly.

“Look at our son,” Selvam whispered, his lips brushing her earlobe. “He has grown so much. Should we give him a little sister… or a brother?”

He let the words hang in the air for a few terrifying seconds.

Then he chuckled softly. “Just kidding… or maybe not.”

The new Sangeetha’s entire body trembled. A cold fear gripped her stomach. She gently but firmly pulled away from his embrace, forcing a weak smile.

“Breakfast is almost ready,” she said in a shaky voice and quickly moved away, adjusting her nighty with trembling hands.

She barely ate anything. As soon as Selvam went to take a bath, she rushed to the bedroom, changed into a simple peach salwar kameez, draped the dupatta tightly over her chest, and told him she was going to the shop.

“I haven’t gone in many days. Ramya and Ratish must be struggling,” she said, avoiding his eyes.

Selvam nodded understandingly. “Okay, darling. Come back soon.”

She almost ran out of the house.

At Lace & Grace, the familiar smell of new fabric and rose sachets greeted her like an old friend.

The moment she stepped in, Ramya looked up and smiled brightly. “Akka! Finally! We thought you were sick or something.”

Priya waved from the corner. Ratish, who was arranging new stock, turned around with a gentle smile. “Sangeetha ma… you look a little tired. Everything okay?”

The new Sangeetha forced a smile and nodded. “Just… some family matters. I’m fine.”

The ladies immediately pulled her into their warm circle. For the first few hours, the shop became her safe haven. They gossiped about customers, shared funny stories, and teased her about looking more beautiful these days. Ratish was especially attentive, he brought her water when she looked tired, helped her arrange heavy boxes so she wouldn’t strain herself, and spoke to her softly whenever she seemed lost in thought.

“Akka, if anything is bothering you, you can tell us,” Ramya said once, holding her hand.

The new Sangeetha felt a strange comfort mixed with deep humiliation. Here she was a boy trapped in a woman’s body, being comforted by other women, adjusting her dupatta every few minutes, feeling her breasts move, feeling the panty and pad between her legs. Yet their kindness felt like the only warmth in her current nightmare.

Ratish’s gentle nature especially touched her. He never stared inappropriately. He was respectful, helpful, and genuinely concerned. At one point, when she was struggling to reach a high shelf, he quietly came behind her and lifted the box for her without making her feel small.

For a few hours, she almost forgot the terror waiting for her at home.

By 8:15 PM, they were closing the shop. The new Sangeetha was helping Ramya pull down the shutter when a new white sedan stopped right in front of the boutique.

Selvam stepped out, looking smart and confident.

The new Sangeetha’s heart sank.

Ramya’s eyes widened. “Akka… is that…?”

Ratish also looked surprised, though he quickly masked a flicker of disappointment.

Selvam walked over with a pleasant smile. “Hello everyone. I’m Selvam, Sangeetha’s husband. I’ve come back after many years. Thank you for taking care of my wife all this time.”

The ladies were shocked but happy. They congratulated Sangeetha, saying how lucky she was. Ratish shook Selvam’s hand politely, but his eyes kept darting to the new Sangeetha, who looked visibly uncomfortable and sweaty.

As they were about to leave, Ratish gently placed a hand on her shoulder, a small, comforting gesture.

“Take care, Sangeetha ma,” he said softly, his eyes full of quiet concern. He could sense something was deeply wrong.

Selvam noticed the hand on his “wife’s” shoulder. His eyes narrowed for a split second, but he said nothing. He simply smiled, put his arm possessively around the new Sangeetha’s waist, and guided her towards the car.

“Shall we go, darling?”

The new Sangeetha glanced back at her friends, especially at Ratish, with helpless eyes as she was led away. Ratish stood there, watching the car leave, a deep frown forming on his face. He knew something was not right, but he had no idea what.

Inside the car, Selvam placed his hand on her thigh and smiled.

“You looked beautiful today,” he said.

The new Sangeetha stared out the window, her body rigid with fear, the jasmine-scented pallu feeling like chains around her.

The nightmare was only getting worse.