Dara Vale

[daravalewrites]

The Little Flower Beyond the Window

The Little Flower Beyond the Window is a hauntingly tender coming-of-age novel that follows a quiet schoolgirl caught between silence and transformation. Beneath the surface of her ordinary routine lies a mysterious mark—an ember-like petal glowing on her back, from which a thin red line drips like memory or prophecy. As she navigates the pressures of adolescence, the weight of unspoken emotions, and the strange beauty blooming behind her, she begins to sense a world beyond the window—fragile, painful, and full of meaning.

Set against a backdrop of watercolor skies and soft peony petals, Dara Vale’s lyrical storytelling evokes the quiet ache of growing up, the invisible wounds we carry, and the strange grace of becoming something new. This is a story for anyone who has ever felt like a flower blooming in secret.

On Gumroad

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother’s Monologue -

Now Available

AFTER THE RAIN: A MOTHER’S MONOLOGUE

My name is Dara Vale, and I write from the intersections of motherhood, memory, and desire. After the Rain: A Mother’s Monologue is my lates

My book is now available.  

If you’d like to read After the Rain: A Mother’s Monologue as a complete work, you can get it here:

👉 https://daravale.gumroad.com/l/after-the-rain-a-mothers-monologue

Thank you for supporting my writing.

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 15

 ⚠️ Content Warning: Sensitive material — non-consent themes, shame, and possession. Please read with care.

My old friend kissed my lips,  

then gently touched behind my ear,  

one arm around my waist,  

the other holding my breast.

He bent down,  

settled between my legs,  

giving his final effort.

He let out a low growl—  

like pain,  

like pleasure—  

then held me tighter,  

sending his warmth deep into me—  

like the offering of embers,  

like a silent confession.

I wrapped my arms around his waist,  

as if to comfort him.  

The next moment,  

he softened and slipped out—  

a silent farewell,  

leaving no trace,  

but a sudden emptiness.

As he withdrew,  

a stream of liquid followed—  

like a quiet declaration of retreat,  

choosing to pull away  

at the most intimate moment,  

refusing to conspire in the birth of new life.

I still trembled,  

excitement lingering at the edges of my body,  

like waves not yet stilled,  

lapping against my senses—  

a residue,  

a reminder  

that I had trembled here.

I held him tightly,  

not wanting him to leave—  

at this moment,  

I needed a warm body,  

to give me softness,  

to hold me,  

to help me settle after the quake.

The heavy man still slept,  

likely to dream well tonight.  

Tomorrow, he might turn tonight’s entry and my response  

into a story, even a joke—  

but I knew  

soon I’d be replaced by another woman’s body,  

entered in the same way.

The literary man had put his glasses back on,  

dressed,  

and made tea for himself—  

as if returning to routine.  

Everything looked untouched,  

but I knew  

the feeling had sunk deep into his literary senses,  

slowly fermenting,  

digesting.

My old friend couldn’t meet my eyes,  

but couldn’t ignore me either.  

He placed his coat over my bare body—  

covering skin,  

but not their actions.

Those acts the world calls crimes—  

I admit, in part,  

I was complicit.

I thought of my husband,  

and missed my child.  

I didn’t know how to face them—  

to confess?  

To stay silent?  

To run?

I only wanted to hold them,  

feel their warmth,  

or that wordless love.

My body slowly calmed,  

silence spread.  

I didn’t know what to say—  

blame?  

Thanks?  

Apology?  

Or a joke to lighten the air?

They didn’t come closer,  

kept their distance,  

as if waiting for an ending to arrive on its own.

But their semen  

was already working quietly inside me—  

my womb  

carrying traces of three men.

Will I become pregnant?  

That question  

none of them would consider—  

even if I did,  

I wouldn’t know who the father was.

I shook my head gently—  

the question was like a dormant seed,  

quietly waiting inside me,  

to see if fate would let it sprout.

I didn’t ask.  

I simply lifted my head,  

and asked another question:  

“Can I leave?”

The literary man was silent.  

My old friend hesitated—  

neither granting nor denying.

I bent down,  

picked up the clothes scattered on the floor,  

one by one,  

slowly dressing  

my still trembling body—  

as if rebuilding a layer of protection,  

as if searching for a form  

to make this silent farewell understandable.

I left without saying goodbye,  

just quietly closed the door,  

and stepped onto the road home.

Their traces and scent remained on me—  

wet,  

dry,  

clouded—  

none of it comforting.

I longed for a hot shower,  

or just a simple kindness.  

But my deepest longing was:  

I need to go home—  

to a place  

where I truly feel safe.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 15 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 14

 ⚠️ Content Warning: Sensitive material — non-consent themes, shame, and possession. Please read with care.

The room was quiet—  

like a turned page,  

only breath and residual warmth floating in the air.

The heavy man slept on the sofa, unmoving like a mountain.  

His dreams sealed him off,  

becoming a silent backdrop.

The literary man gathered his tone and leftover light,  

like an author finishing a paragraph,  

and gently left me.  

His footsteps held no nostalgia,  

only the satisfaction of completion—  

he had written his chapter,  

while I remained beyond the period.

My chapter wasn’t finished—  

not just my body,  

but the unnamed feelings,  

the unresolved blank spaces.

My old friend was still present,  

his body firm, facing me—  

as if to remind me:  

the task wasn’t complete.  

He was a symbol waiting to be continued.

He said nothing,  

only expressed his waiting through posture.  

That silence wasn’t an exit,  

but an invitation—  

a quiet question:  

Can you stop now?  

Is there something left undone?

My body felt emptied by the tide,  

pleasure’s tremor had drained my strength.  

Only a soft shell remained,  

half-seated before the sofa,  

upper body leaning,  

legs gently parted—  

as if whispering to the world:  

“Come, while I can still bear it.”

I looked at my old friend,  

my gaze holding a moral question.  

He shook his head,  

but gave a silent yes—  

not his demand,  

but my permission.

I lowered my head,  

pressed my lips together—  

as if I understood,  

or hadn’t yet decided.

He nodded knowingly,  

knelt calmly before me,  

like a sentence ready to be continued,  

and gently pressed me into the sofa’s embrace.

My legs were already open.  

His body found its place.

My door—  

like a girl who deliberately leaves it ajar before sleep,  

so the man next door might enter in the night.  

Open, almost inviting,  

missing only a sign that read:  

“Enter here.”  

That clear.

His entry—  

no knock,  

no push,  

effortless.  

We connected in silence.

Like a meeting long permitted,  

no words,  

no waiting,  

only bodies remembering direction,  

completing reunion in quiet.

His entry meant I was entered again.

But this time—

No resistance,  

no shame,  

no doubt,  

no discomfort.  

My body was like a waterslide,  

he moved freely within—  

no explanation,  

no obstruction,  

only flow,  

like a reunion long agreed upon.

He entered me,  

but never kissed my lips—  

only placed a light kiss on my forehead,  

like a father kissing his daughter—  

not rough,  

not deep,  

just lingering at the threshold.

That restraint made me uneasy—  

not painful,  

not pleasurable,  

as if preserving some decorum,  

some respect.  

His movements were slow,  

as if afraid to disturb something more fragile than me.

I felt gently placed into a ritual that wasn’t mine.  

He entered,  

but acted as if he hadn’t—  

like a self-proclaimed gentleman,  

posing between action and morality,  

as if mildness could preserve his innocence.

I was tired of this hypocrisy—  

If you don’t want to be called a violator,  

don’t enter my body.  

If you’ve entered,  

don’t pretend to be noble.

I lifted my head and said:  

“Kiss me.”

I said it plainly—  

not to kiss him,  

but to reclaim the feeling  

that once launched me skyward—  

that raw, unadorned truth.

From that moment,  

he was no longer my friend.

Now,  

he was only a body—  

a vessel I borrowed  

to reach a certain state.  

I didn’t need his emotion,  

or his understanding.  

I only needed his presence,  

to complete the ritual I now led.

His lips hovered like a drifting leaf,  

circling mine,  

never landing.  

I whispered:  

“Old friend, we’ve come this far—what shame is left?”

So I took the lead.  

Pushed him down.  

Mounted his body.

I kissed him,  

guided his rhythm—  

as if reclaiming a ritual  

that should have been mine to direct.  

No more waiting,  

no more pleasing—  

only my decision  

of when to begin,  

where to arrive.

I took his hand,  

guided it to the soft sway of my chest,  

let him hold it,  

and reach toward the suspended center,  

his fingertips awakening a small, sensitive place—  

like lighting a lamp in the dark,  

reminding my body  

it once held light.

I felt I had returned to the beginning,  

racing toward an unnamed end—  

not for him,  

not for me,  

but for the feeling  

that once made me forget gravity.

It was pure detachment,  

freedom that needed no explanation,  

no understanding.  

I was not a victim.  

I was the actor—  

in this space of hypocrisy and silence,  

I chose to reclaim control,  

using his body  

to complete my flight.

I quickened the rhythm,  

my hair swaying like threads in a storm,  

my breasts swinging like pendulums,  

colliding along desire’s path.  

I adjusted my movements,  

searching for the posture  

that would awaken my inner energy—  

like reaching for a switch in the dark,  

waiting for ignition.

Sensitivity returned.  

Low moans followed.  

His energy seemed finally awakened—  

he lifted me,  

pressed me deep into the sofa’s base.  

The chair creaked with each thrust,  

as if announcing a force to the world.

And I—  

felt that unknown energy rise again,  

as if connecting to a source of creation,  

a silent ignition  

blooming deep within.

In that moment,  

my body was no longer just a body—  

but a passage,  

a door opened  

to the universe’s source.

A vast, unfamiliar energy surged through me—  

primitive and sacred,  

wild and calm.  

It wasn’t desire,  

nor love,  

but an unnamed vibration—  

like the hum of galaxies forming,  

like the first breath of awakening.

I felt completely connected—  

not just to him,  

but to something beyond flesh.  

Sexual energy washed through me,  

cleansing and consuming.  

I was no longer a victim,  

nor a lover—  

but a chosen vessel,  

a brief glowing node  

in the stream of creation.

I was immersed,  

deeply intoxicated,  

not wanting to lose this feeling,  

yet unable to grasp its edge—  

too vast,  

too distant,  

too formless—  

like the echo of a dream  

trembling inside me,  

but not mine.

It looked like I was forced.  

Yes, I had been forced—  

at the beginning,  

I felt disgust at the approaching body.  

But once a certain energy was triggered,  

a passage opened,  

and life’s creation began to flow.

This was not physical creation,  

but a rise in life’s dimension.  

True creation is when humans understand themselves,  

and leave the origin  

with higher awareness.

Desire’s fulfillment often brings disappointment.  

This is not a moral flaw.  

To be attacked does not mean weakness—  

it is because of strength  

that tremors appear.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 14 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 13

 ⚠️ Content Warning: Sensitive material — non-consent themes, shame, and possession. Please read with care.

I wanted to say “stop,”  

but the words caught in my throat,  

as if pushed back by something deeper.

I wanted to ask—  

what is happening?  

Is this body  

still mine to control?

No one wanted to hear these questions.  

Just as I tried to form a few unclear words,  

something foreign filled my mouth.

I opened my eyes—  

my old friend had quietly approached,  

standing beside me,  

offering something I thought age had long retired.

I was stunned—nearly shaken—  

the man who once treated me like a sister, even a daughter,  

now stood exposed,  

doing something unspeakably crude.

I looked at him.  

He looked back.  

As if silently saying:  

He is still a man.  

He still has power.  

He can satisfy me.  

He can make me feel good.

I wanted to object,  

but my mouth, caught between opening and closing,  

had lost its words—  

as if trying to meet an expectation,  

or silently agreeing:  

no explanation needed.

A physical hunger had been summoned.  

To dismiss it  

would require satisfaction as payment.

My mouth was no longer for speech,  

but for receiving silent desire.

The literary man continued his gentle rhythm.  

My old friend sought recognition and connection.

My hands, unconsciously,  

rested on their bodies—  

one supporting,  

one wrapped around a neck,  

my chest swaying with motion,  

as if provoking sight and touch  

with a rhythm of desire.

I felt like a bridge,  

quietly stretched between them—  

connecting, carrying,  

but belonging to neither.  

Or like a transmission tower,  

my arms like cables,  

channeling energy into their bodies—  

not for myself,  

but to make them fuller,  

firmer,  

like machines ignited  

to complete their circuit through me.

They connected with me in their own ways,  

filled me with their own force.  

The rhythm was familiar,  

the movements silent—  

like a ritual that needed no words.

It was the first time  

I was entered by two forces at once—  

I, now a space,  

a vessel.  

Carrying,  

and being filled.

I knew I should resist.  

But my hands kept moving,  

as if maintaining a rhythm  

they needed to feel full,  

to release.

I knew I should turn away.  

But my lips—both sets—  

kept opening and closing  

in different tempos,  

adjusting to their needs,  

offering a place  

to hold their desire,  

a door I could not close.

As our movements overlapped,  

an upward and downward joining,  

energy surged—  

rushing through me,  

making me more sensitive,  

even lighter,  

as if lifted from gravity,  

transformed into a carrier.

Energy from my mouth,  

energy from below,  

entered together—  

like two currents meeting inside me,  

sparking something new.

A new sensitivity,  

a new tremor—  

rising from the base of my spine,  

through my chest and throat,  

pushing me skyward—  

a silent ascent,  

belonging to no one,  

not even the ground.

I don’t know if it was climax.  

I don’t remember what sounds I made.  

But the pleasure,  

the impulse,  

the near-ecstatic tremor—  

was a realm I had never touched.

I moaned too loudly,  

as if forgetting myself,  

forgetting my shape and boundaries.  

I flew upward,  

my awareness lifted,  

my body falling gently.

Inside, I whispered:  

Enough. I’m satisfied.  

But my body wouldn’t stop—  

as if something unfinished  

still stirred within me,  

a ritual not yet complete,  

continuing in silence.

I slowly returned from the sky,  

not yet cooled,  

my heart still warm,  

still longing to rise again.  

My body kept moving,  

like a paragraph not yet ended,  

waiting for the next line.

They hadn’t stopped.  

Their hunger still surged.  

And I—  

felt a response in that hunger—  

not surrender,  

but a resonance deep inside,  

as if summoned,  

as if remembered.  

As if I had once belonged to this ritual,  

but forgot my role.

I lay like melted clay on the floor—  

face pressed to the cold ground,  

chest flattened,  

spilling to the sides,  

hips tilted upward,  

legs crossed—  

sensual and chaotic,  

a posture that defied explanation,  

still trembling in the aftershock.

The literary man lifted me from behind,  

positioned me in a near-primal pose.  

He parted my legs,  

entered from behind—  

no longer gentle,  

but synced to my heartbeat,  

pulling me into a rhythm  

that allowed no thought.

My old friend knelt before me,  

gently lifted my head.  

I instinctively responded to his familiar ritual—  

one arm braced on the floor,  

the other reaching toward what he longed to be held,  

fingertips tapping,  

as if awakening a forgotten rhythm.

My head lifted,  

lips slowly parted,  

tongue reaching toward a memory’s touch—  

a silent conversation,  

a reunion made only of lips.

No words,  

no explanations—  

just memory rekindled,  

spoken by the body,  

allowed to flow.

I was a mountain tunnel,  

two trains roaring through,  

their engines pressing from both ends,  

forcing the air to tighten,  

until the mountain itself cried out.

My awareness rose again,  

like steam lifting a cloud.  

My body moved with them—  

front and back,  

in and out,  

pushed and pulled—  

like a familiar river,  

not asking where it came from,  

only knowing its direction,  

knowing this flow  

was carrying me toward an unnamed exit.

The literary man’s pace quickened.  

His entry grew firmer,  

filling the tunnel,  

as if to saturate air, sound, and thought.

A strange energy rose again inside me,  

like a current lifting me skyward.  

Ah—  

I let go of what I held,  

responded with a long, unbroken moan.

That sound was more than a moan—  

it was the echo of an ancient language,  

resonating in the room,  

reverberating through my body.

After his final surge,  

his hands slid from my hips  

to my trembling chest.  

He tightened his grip,  

his body stilled,  

and he whispered—  

a breath,  

a release.

I knew it was the sound of satisfaction.  

He had found comfort inside me,  

let go of his tension,  

left it within me.

And I—  

was lifted again by waves of energy,  

carried upward,  

swept away—  

we reached the silent peak together.

He left a few final touches on my body,  

as if offering the last of his warmth,  

without reserve,  

a closing gesture of the ritual,  

still echoing inside me.

I didn’t move.  

Only moaned softly,  

letting the pleasure ripple through me.

My body was nearly still,  

only trembling gently—  

like a tower struck by lightning,  

unable to think.

My mind was blank,  

only aftershocks and echoes remained,  

reverberating between us—  

a lingering resonance,  

bouncing back and forth,  

belonging to neither language nor time,  

only to this moment’s embers.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 13 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 12

 ⚠️ Content Warning: Sensitive material — non-consent themes, shame, and possession. Please read with care.

I shut my eyes tightly,  

refusing to face the reality—  

the pain waiting quietly beside me,  

ready to claim my body once again.

The heavy man held me close,  

tightening our connection,  

as if preparing for his final act of pressure.

His face contorted, his body trembled.  

I knew what that meant.  

Still holding me,  

he released what he had long prepared,  

pouring it into me.

For him,  

it was a kind of ending,  

a release.  

It meant my body,  

in his eyes,  

was losing its functional value—  

fading,  

disappearing.

His movements ceased.  

Only my body continued to tremble,  

uncontrolled.  

I felt partially unconscious,  

unsure when he left,  

uncertain if the literary man had approached—  

perhaps I had misjudged him.  

Perhaps he meant no harm.

As the heavy man withdrew,  

cold air rushed over my exposed thighs.  

I had just closed my legs,  

when another pair of hands opened them again.

I looked up in shock—  

it was the literary man.  

He had removed his black glasses.

He opened, then leaned in,  

his lips touched my face.  

He silently replaced the other—  

like a security guard changing shifts,  

no small talk,  

just the essentials:  

one goes home,  

one takes over,  

continues the “guarding” of this zone.

He had not been wrongly accused.  

He simply accepted  

the invitation and assurance  

that had been misread.

As that assurance implied—  

he needed no effort,  

only the basic strength of a man’s body,  

to enter my deepest place.

He had no words,  

only breath, movement, and weight.  

My body was occupied again—  

a silent handover.  

I was no longer a person,  

but a location—  

entered, used, exited.

His movements were gentle,  

as if offering protection.  

But when he tried to kiss my mouth,  

that gentleness became a challenge to my boundary.

I instinctively turned my face away.  

He continued his soft rhythm,  

and I felt my last layer of resistance begin to soften.

His lips pursued mine again and again.  

Eventually, I accepted.

Perhaps it was his gentleness.  

Perhaps it was exhaustion.  

If the ending couldn’t be changed,  

why waste energy resisting?  

If he wanted to kiss,  

let him kiss.

Maybe I wasn’t accepting him,  

but the faint scent of tea on his skin—  

not the stench of alcohol  

that made me nauseous.

Either way,  

we kissed—  

like lovers.  

Tongue met tongue,  

lips pressed to lips.

This connection reminded me of my husband—  

those moments I cherished most.  

Bodies fully joined,  

energy exchanged through deep kisses,  

sensitivity heightened,  

pleasure rising,  

man and woman becoming one.

I sensed,  

through his gentle rhythm and deep kiss,  

I was slowly losing control.  

I wanted him to stop,  

but didn’t want him to stop.  

He was too gentle—  

I found myself wanting more.

He paused.  

I blurted out: “No.”

He lifted me,  

sat me on his lap.  

I moved my hips,  

took control of the rhythm,  

the depth,  

the contact my body craved.

That pleasure—  

long desired,  

never admitted—  

finally arrived.  

Gentle,  

intense,  

precise.

I couldn’t calmly judge right or wrong.  

My body felt like it was betraying me,  

and I couldn’t stop it.

I was at the bottom of the sea,  

enjoying a moment of quiet,  

yet suffocating.  

I was joyful,  

and in pain.  

Like pleasure,  

and suffering.

Who could give me a single sentence  

to unify my mind,  

to stop it from splitting  

in this tender yet brutal encounter?

The climax  

took away my reason.  

I tried to summon my husband’s face,  

to soften the shame.

But the wave of sensation  

washed away his image,  

and with it,  

my shame.

In the literary man’s arms,  

I climaxed.  

My moans echoed,  

shaking the room.

I felt myself melt in heat,  

too soft to hold myself upright.  

My arms slowly wrapped around his neck,  

as if seeking a thread  

to keep me afloat.  

Also,  

to reclaim a sliver of agency.

Reason slipped through a crack,  

whispered:  

“This isn’t pleasure. It’s harm.”  

I should have gone numb,  

but my body grew more sensitive.

Life seemed to push me  

toward unfamiliar ground.  

I dug my nails into his back,  

felt bone against bone,  

through the rhythm of muscle.

He seemed to know my weakness.  

He straightened his spine,  

pressed his lips to mine again.  

His body entered deeper,  

our bodies fully joined.

And then—  

I climaxed again.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 12 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 11

 ⚠️ Content Warning: Sensitive material — non-consent themes, shame, and possession. Please read with care.

In this room,  

this stage,  

only I know—the sounds I made  

were not a call,  

not an invitation,  

not permission,  

not suggestion,  

not flirtation,  

not openness,  

and certainly not consent.

They were breaths I could not suppress,  

a cry of shock at how far things had gone,  

a tremble I could not contain in struggle,  

a final declaration  

as my body neared complete defeat.

That sound—sustained, almost like a moan—was not an invitation.  

It was not proof of consent.  

It was never a promise of pleasure fulfilled.

It was fracture.  

It was protest.  

It was the cry of someone—  

a woman treated unfairly—  

still trying to be heard.

I do not blame myself for the sound.  

I blame a world too used to hearing a woman’s moan as agreement,  

too used to reading trembling as desire,  

too used to mistaking silence for submission.

I was saying: “Please stop.”  

No one understood.  

Perhaps because I said “please”—  

too polite, too civilized,  

useless before beasts.

But I still said it.  

“Please stop.”  

“No.”  

“No, please stop.”

That was my strongest resistance,  

my clearest way of saying no.

Yet when those firm words  

are laced with a woman’s moan,  

their meaning twists—  

from serious to laughable,  

from refusal to longing,  

from boundary to invitation.

Not heard,  

but misread,  

ignored,  

absorbed into the soundtrack of adult cinema,  

a background noise for someone else’s pleasure,  

an ornamental edit in someone else’s plot.

I once thought they were bystanders—  

sitting slightly apart,  

smiling with restraint,  

as if distance proved their decency.

I even believed,  

if I truly said “Help me,”  

they would rise,  

intervene,  

let me leave.

But everything became undeniable—  

the audience accepted the misread invitation.

The literary man stood,  

walked toward the stage,  

approached me.

His steps were still quiet,  

not impulsive,  

but as if he had long waited at the edge,  

needing only a signal.

He approached without words.  

I thought he finally understood—  

that it was time to end this adult game,  

to stop this prolonged, immoral embrace.

I didn’t expect him to scold or punish the other man.  

I only hoped  

that in his calm, silent nearness,  

I might find release,  

recover my dignity and self.

But when I saw him slowly remove his trousers,  

my hope didn’t just vanish—  

it was overturned.  

The plot had turned  

completely against my will.

My shock forced me to adjust—  

to brace for what was now inevitable.  

My disappointment reminded me—  

there was almost no other choice  

but to accept.

This scene was not yet over.  

In truth,  

it had not even begun.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 11 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 10

⚠️ Content Warning: Sensitive material — non-consent themes, shame, and possession. Please read with care.

I don’t remember the moment he entered me.  

I don’t remember if I said “no.”  

I don’t remember if I closed my eyes.

I only remember the coldness of the floor.  

The stillness in the air.  

My body—  

clear and blurred,  

yielding and searching for escape.

I remember the pressure,  

the moment it tore through me.  

A low, drawn-out sound escaped my throat—  

not a scream,  

not a moan,  

but a vibration at the edge of my body’s limit.  

Like a door forced open,  

wind rushing in,  

and sound pushed out.

The two spectators kept watching.  

My voice—  

in their ears,  

was interpreted as pleasure,  

not refusal.

This was the scene they preferred:  

a post-drinking encounter,  

a release of desire without consequence—  

not a woman’s silent cry,  

not a plea for help.

He found the entrance.  

Then moved in and out—  

not with skill,  

but repetition.

At first, I endured.  

I stayed silent.

Time stretched—  

like raindrops falling on water,  

each one making a sound.  

My breath and parted lips  

began to release a rhythm.

That rhythm—  

soft but persistent—  

became a melody of desire,  

an invitation,  

sent to the spectators.

His breath grew faster,  

less controlled.  

It amplified their sense of involvement,  

gave them confidence to step closer.

Each touch became a demonstration.  

Each gesture a rehearsal.  

The places once considered private,  

now touched without resistance.  

No one stopped him.  

Even the boldest gestures—  

were silently approved,  

as if written into the script.

As long as I didn’t say “stop,”  

the performance continued.  

Every boundary became part of the plot—  

natural, smooth, reassuring.

It was as if every act  

had already been accepted,  

normalized—  

a mutual pleasure,  

a rehearsed finale.  

No words needed.  

Only rhythm.

I felt I wasn’t just being touched—  

I was being choreographed.  

A performance designed  

to reassure the audience.  

My silence was read as consent.  

My body was designed to respond.

He became a signal—  

blurring the line between stage and audience.  

All it took was a decision.

If you want to act,  

no one will stop you.  

If you move,  

you’ll find the story you desire—  

the exit of longing  

just beyond your first step.

His breath.  

Her silence.  

His motion.  

Her permission.

It stirred everything—  

breath, blood,  

attention.

Now, the audience was ready to respond—  

to test the silent invitation,  

to complete the unwritten scene.

This wasn’t a performance.  

It was happening.

I am someone’s wife.  

A mother.  

I know the difference between men and women in structure.

And now,  

I seem to be assuring the audience:

You don’t need sweet words  

to claim my body.  

You don’t need secrecy  

to avoid shame.  

You don’t need money or status  

to justify possession.  

You don’t need protection  

to complete your ritual inside me.

Afterward,  

I’ll return to my husband.  

I won’t tell anyone—  

not even him.

You bear no responsibility.  

Tonight will be erased.  

Like an unsaved memory—  

no trace,  

no consequence.

You can keep this version of me—  

in your dreams,  

in your memory.  

A silent fragment,  

a private completion.  

As if nothing happened,  

yet quietly archived inside you.

As if I were a temporary inn—  

a place to rest,  

to be satisfied,  

then leave.  

No need to clean the room.  

No need to remember I was there.

You don’t need to search for my softness.  

Don’t need to prove I accepted you.  

All preliminaries were skipped.  

All boundaries erased.

Everything flowed—  

legs open,  

body receptive,  

obstacles removed.

What you always wanted—  

was the shortest path,  

the lowest cost,  

the most direct way  

to reach the deepest part of a woman.  

A place you believed  

was yours to enter—  

without prelude,  

without explanation,  

without reason.  

Just enter.  

Just possess.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 10 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

Hey I am Rebelaria How are you doing

Hey Rebelaria, thanks for dropping by! I’m doing well, and it’s nice to hear from you. How about you—how are things on your end?

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 9

I did push him—hard.  

But the force wasn’t enough to break free.  

He didn’t retreat.  

He rebounded, pressed in deeper.

What he did to my body—  

the details, I no longer recall.

Was it the alcohol?  

That cup of sake I shouldn’t have finished,  

softening my tone, blurring my memory?

Or did I choose to forget?  

Because the rain outside was too dense,  

the thunder too loud?  

Because I focused on the raindrops trailing down the window,  

pretending that was where I truly existed?

Or was it surrender?  

Like a fawn caught in a lion’s jaws,  

blood seeping into his mouth—  

a dying submission,  

blank before the final moment.

Was it a woman’s compromise?  

A silence that doesn’t resist—  

not consent,  

but a retreat to avoid conflict,  

erasing my memory in the process?

Or was it technique?  

He knew how to silence me.  

Knew how to loosen me in silence.  

Knew how to make me accept in blur.  

Knew how to make me forget myself.

Or was it fate?  

That unnameable arrangement—  

in which I, for a moment,  

ceased to deny, ceased to add,  

and searched for a way  

to delete memory and identity  

outside wife and mother.

My memory didn’t vanish.  

My awareness remained.

I vaguely remember my trousers pulled down  

with practiced hands.  

I tried to stop it.  

I failed.

I remember my clothes falling away—  

gently, violently, compliantly—  

like a script I couldn’t rewrite,  

like they were placed on that floor  

to wait.

I remember escaping the hunter once,  

only to fall back into his mouth of sharp teeth.  

That escape brought no safety,  

only drew me closer  

to the two spectators.

Closer meant clearer.  

Clearer meant deeper shame.  

I grabbed a piece of fabric,  

covered my exposed parts,  

tried to convince them: I’m drunk.

To let drunkenness mask shame and misconduct.  

To replace lust with ignorance.  

To blur disorder.

I remember—under their close gaze—  

my legs parted.  

As if alcohol had softened my skin,  

made it less firm, less guarded.  

As if the plot had to move forward,  

an irreversible arrangement.

Lightning hinted I should lean slightly,  

adjust my position on the stage.

The rain eased.  

I looked like a quietly blooming flower,  

opening toward a role,  

letting him approach,  

letting him touch.

He followed the script.  

Lowered his head—not to loom,  

but to draw near—  

near my petals,  

near my depths.

His way was rude, but direct.  

Playful, but effective.  

Like drawing the rain’s moisture inside,  

into the part of me  

meant to be protected,  

not easily found—  

making it  

more open than the sky,  

more wet,  

more unconditionally receptive.

I stopped resisting.  

Stopped waiting for rescue.  

As his mouth moved across me,  

I closed my eyes,  

let sensation carry me away.

My breasts rose and fell with breath—  

once feeding organs,  

once held by my child’s lips,  

drawing not just milk,  

but the softest part of me.

Then, I was a spring—  

warm, full, giving without condition.  

Breasts heavy on my chest,  

like ripe fruit,  

glowing with maternal light.

Now, they remain—  

but no longer feeding.  

Now gazed at, teased.  

I felt their change—  

not just in shape,  

but in role.

My feelings were tangled—  

a familiar call,  

a shocking tremor.  

I was intoxicated, deeply craving,  

not wanting to lose this sense of connection,  

yet unable to grasp its edge.

In that moment,  

my body was no longer just a body—  

but a passage,  

a door opened to something deeper.

A quiet energy bloomed inside—  

primitive and sacred,  

wild and calm.  

He awakened my desire—not love,  

but a pure longing to connect—  

body to body,  

like the universe longing for its own echo.

I buried that desire deep,  

hid it from view,  

hid the thought that defied my role.

I didn’t speak.  

I didn’t dare.  

Afraid that one word  

would reveal my true role—  

not passive,  

but summoning.

In this scene,  

my script had no lines.  

My role—part resistance,  

part invitation,  

part provocation,  

part compliance.

I could only perform with my body,  

each movement  

hiding my attempt to reclaim control.

I tried to speed the plot,  

but couldn’t predict the ending—  

like a cosmic improvisation.  

I was actor and author,  

but couldn’t tell  

if this tremor would lead to rebirth  

or deeper drowning.

I told myself,  

and hoped the spectators understood—

I didn’t spread my legs.  

I simply made space.  

Like a door sliding quietly at night,  

to reduce sound and pain,  

to finish the scene without spectacle.

He said nothing.  

Only his breath circled my abdomen like a beast,  

drawing water from a deep valley.

He succeeded.  

The water seeped.  

He got what he wanted.

And I—  

couldn’t tell if I admired his skill,  

or blamed myself  

for abandoning wife and mother.

I hoped the spectators understood—  

this wasn’t desire.  

It was a quiet submission  

to a rhythm that tamed me.

He searched for a switch inside me.  

And I, in that moment,  

became a transitional scene—  

a silent body  

making way for the next act.

When the rain stopped,  

the world outside fell silent.  

My body began to tremble—  

not scripted,  

but real.

Not performance,  

but truth.  

A tremor beyond rehearsal,  

beyond planning—  

not for anyone,  

not explainable.

It simply appeared—  

a primal testimony,  

speaking what I could not  

on a silent stage.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 9 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 8

Tonight’s dinner gathering has turned.  

Unexpectedly,  

but I know—I can still change something.

I didn’t scream—  

that would be too rude, too easily misunderstood.  

I yanked his hair.  

I struggled. I resisted.  

I even slapped him hard,  

just to stop him from going further.

But he didn’t stop.  

He tried to pull off my shirt.  

His fingers had already undone my trousers.

I turned to the other two, one last attempt.  

My voice wasn’t loud,  

but it pierced the air:  

“Will one of you call the police?  

This isn’t play. This is force.”

They laughed.  

As if they didn’t understand.  

Or chose not to.

That laughter was like a fog—  

obscuring my struggle,  

and their responsibility.

And I kept resisting—  

not just with my body,  

but against the silence of the room that betrayed me.  

I wasn’t fighting one man,  

but a collective blindness,  

a conspiracy that dressed violence in ambiguity.

The living room lights flickered again,  

briefly illuminating the painting on the wall—  

a city with no people.  

The lights still glowed,  

but for whom, no one knew.

Outside, the rain grew heavier.  

One window wasn’t fully shut,  

and droplets slipped through the gap—  

like an urgent warning,  

or the air itself whispering: something is wrong here.  

Thunder rolled in the distance,  

light flashed and faded,  

illuminating every silent corner of the room—  

the sofa, the tea table, the wall clock,  

the half-wilted plant.  

All witnesses.  

None speaking.

The air grew thick with moisture.  

My clothes soaked with rain and sweat,  

fabric clinging to skin  

like memories that refuse to fall away—  

layer upon layer,  

not to conceal,  

but to remind.

My coat had slipped to the floor,  

half-covering a slipper.  

My shirt buttons undone,  

my waistband no longer holding—  

as if the space itself had consented to this unraveling.

My body still resisted,  

but the space no longer responded.

Every movement of clothing wasn’t mine—  

but driven by something in the room,  

a force of intrusion not permitted,  

misread as silent consent.

My old friend stared at his phone,  

its glow masking his expression.  

He glanced up occasionally,  

his eyes lingering on parts of me,  

as if selecting something of interest.  

He didn’t move.  

He didn’t speak.  

As if this scene had nothing to do with him.

The literary man tapped the rim of his glass,  

slowly,  

as if accompanying the silence.  

His gaze fixed on me,  

as if watching a silent performance—  

not intervening,  

not judging.

A small puddle formed on the floor—  

rain from my body,  

and the residue of this gathering.  

The air thick with alcohol and humidity,  

sealing the room in a quiet conspiracy.

I didn’t go silent.  

I didn’t stop resisting.  

But my voice and strength grew smaller,  

as if absorbed by the air,  

compressed by their gaze.

They watched me—  

watched my half-naked body,  

not my call.

The weaker my voice,  

the longer their gaze lingered.  

The more they focused on my body,  

the more I felt myself letting go.

Their gaze was cold—  

so cold I couldn’t help but surrender.  

Between their stare and my nearing collapse  

was a rhythm—  

a choreography of disintegration,  

a silent performance already scripted.

For a moment, I searched for a comforting thought.  

Things seemed past the point of return.  

All I could do was try not to make it worse.

That attention without action—  

I once thought it was indifference.  

But maybe this kind of indifference  

is a mercy.

If they did act,  

I’m no longer sure it would be help—  

or something worse.

Am I using surrender  

to exchange for their passive gaze—  

just to end this absurd scene  

in a quiet, temporary way?

As if they believed  

this was just drunken impulse,  

a moment of pleasure where adults lose reason to desire.  

And conveniently,  

two adult spectators were present.

Or maybe  

I’ve rationalized that belief  

to make it real—  

to justify my surrender.

That thought was like a faint light—  

not warm, not guiding,  

just briefly illuminating the farce of this scene—  

an absurdity watched,  

a silence I cannot escape.

I wasn’t forgotten.  

I was watched—  

watched until I lost myself.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 8 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - chapter 7

The literary man suddenly stood up. “Excuse me, I need the restroom.” With that, he left the table.

Sensing the moment, I softly said, “I should be going too.” But my body hadn’t moved yet.

Just then, my old friend’s phone rang. He raised his hand, gesturing to me and the broad-shouldered man— as if telling me to wait, or perhaps apologizing to him.

Either way, he walked toward the terrace off the living room, leaving the two of us out of sight.

In that moment, I didn’t know whether to stay or go. I was about to use humor to create distance between us, but the broad-shouldered man, reeking of alcohol, said: “Let’s finish this cup of sake, then you can head home—don’t want your husband worried, or your child anxious.” His tone sounded comforting, but also like an excuse to pour another drink— he filled my small cup to the brim, like a ritual.

I adjusted my posture, tucked my hair behind my ear, looked at the little cup and thought— let’s end this on a polite note, no need to embarrass my old friend.

He lifted his cup, and I did the same, clinking gently. He said, “Thank you—cheers.” and drank it all. I replied, “You’re welcome,” and followed suit.

The heat of the alcohol burned slightly, sliding down my throat, into my stomach— like a small flame of unease.

I said, “Alright, I’m leaving.” Stood up, reaching for my coat. He said, “Okay, take care. See you next time.”

Perhaps I drank too quickly— my steps faltered slightly as I rose. He immediately reached out from behind and held me: “Careful.”

I leaned into him briefly, steadying myself. My voice was calm and clear: “I’m fine.”

But he didn’t let go. Instead, he pressed my back tightly against him, whispering in my ear: “Good to hear.”

I spoke with seriousness, without anger: “You can let go now. I need to go home.”

But he didn’t. One hand covered my chest, the other slid slowly downward, nearing the edge.

I dropped all traces of a smile, clenched my legs, blocked his hand with mine, my voice low and firm: “What you’re doing now is crossing a line.”

It was no longer a joke— but a cold, steady stone, placed before him, not angry, not panicked, but impossible to ignore.

Outside, rain suddenly poured, thunder rumbling. The lights flickered off, then back on. In that brief darkness, he began kissing my neck, my ear, beneath my jaw— his movements urgent, as if seizing the chaos to claim one last opening. He held me tighter, as if trying to lock me into his embrace.

I said, “Enough.” Not loud, but like a snapped thread. Then added, calm and clear: “This is not okay.”

It wasn’t a plea, nor a warning— but a declaration. A declaration that I would no longer tolerate, no longer stay silent.

My old friend returned from the terrace, saw us, but didn’t realize I was being held against my will. He thought he’d interrupted something intimate, murmured, “Sorry,” and quietly sat in the corner, not interfering.

I pushed his hands away from my body, turned toward my old friend, my voice urgent but restrained: “Can you help me?”

It wasn’t a cry for help— just a request squeezed from the chaos, hoping he’d see clearly, even for a second.

But he shook his head, voice flat: “You young people—this isn’t my business.”

The literary man returned from the restroom, saw me pinned to the floor, said nothing. He exchanged a glance with my old friend, as if silently agreeing it was some spontaneous erotic game.

He sat beside my old friend, becoming another spectator.

And I— was still struggling. Not just physically, but with the weight of being misunderstood, ignored— as if the whole room had chosen not to see. And I, could only rely on myself to hold on.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 7 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 6

I stood up and said,  

“That’s about enough for tonight. My husband and child are waiting—I’m a married woman, shouldn’t stay out too late.”  

My tone was gentle, smiling, and measured.

With that, I prepared to leave.

My old friend smiled and tried to keep me:  

“Stay a little longer—why leave so early? Everyone enjoys your company. Maybe give your husband a quick call, let him know you’re safe.”

The broad-shouldered man reached out and lightly tugged my wrist, his tone warm and eager:  

“Yes, just one more cup. If you’re worried, we’ll switch to tea—no more wine.”

I lowered my head. A flicker of hesitation passed through me.  

All right, I’ll stay a little longer.

I sat back down lightly and smiled:  

“Then I’ll stay until the second steeping of the tea. The third counts as overtime.”

Everyone paused, then burst into laughter.  

The literary man nodded gently, as if appreciating the rhythm and restraint of my words.  

My old friend smiled warmly, a trace of relief in his eyes.  

The broad-shouldered man raised his cup:  

“Then we’d better steep it slowly—don’t want you charging us overtime too soon!”

The mood returned to ease.  

But the boundary in my heart remained—  

soft yet firm, like a lamp that never goes out,  

reminding me: I know where I am, and I know when to leave.

No sooner had I sat down than the broad-shouldered man draped his arm across the back of my neck—  

as if welcoming me back,  

but more like encircling me,  

making it harder to leave.

He raised his teacup and smiled:  

“Tea in place of wine.”  

Everyone followed suit, and the laughter continued.

But his arm, resting on my shoulders, began to slide lower.  

His face leaned in closer.  

His hand moved as if by accident,  

quietly approaching the boundary of my chest.

I felt that he wasn’t just crossing a line—  

he was testing.  

Testing whether I would pull away,  

whether I would call it out,  

whether I would endure.

I smiled and said,  

“At this rate, I’m about to become the backrest of your chair.”  

My tone was light, like a joke,  

but I knew it wasn’t a joke—it was a boundary.

His hand slipped from my shoulder to my waist,  

and with a hint of drunkenness, he pulled me in—  

as if trying to draw me closer,  

as if replacing words with touch,  

as if forgetting the distance that should exist between strangers.

I gently leaned away, nudging him with my elbow—  

not hard,  

but enough for him to feel the boundary of my body.  

Still smiling, my voice soft but clear:  

“If you keep this up, I might think you’re trying to steal my wallet.”

It still sounded like a joke,  

but the line had been drawn—  

like an umbrella hidden in a smile,  

shielding discomfort,  

and holding up dignity.

He paused, then laughed—  

a laugh tinged with awkwardness,  

a little less confident than before.  

He quietly let go, adjusted his posture,  

and gave me a bit of breathing room.  

He said,  

“I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I’m a thief.”

And I—  

remained in my seat.  

Not retreating,  

not angry,  

not inviting—  

just quietly holding my place,  

letting everyone see:  

I am guarding my boundary.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 6 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 5

The dinner began uneventfully.  

Soup, hot tea,  

good food, good wine,  

new acquaintances, old friends reunited.  

The conversation was light, without conflict,  

everyone keeping the polite distance of strangers.  

I came with the mindset of reconnecting with an old friend.

There was laughter all around.  

I’ve always liked using humor to warm the atmosphere,  

and naturally softened the gap between new and old.

Originally, I planned to leave early.  

After all, a single woman drinking and chatting with three men  

can seem improper, and easily invite speculation.

But my old friend was endlessly talkative,  

the new ones were warm and courteous,  

they kept complimenting me,  

listened sincerely to my stories,  

and I felt awkward excusing myself too soon.

The two new male acquaintances:  

One wore black-rimmed glasses, quiet and refined, fond of literature.  

The other was broad-shouldered, approachable, loved laughter and drink.

The latter—whether drinking too much or simply low in tolerance—  

grew red-faced and increasingly animated.  

He was seated beside me,  

and though we kept a polite distance,  

he suddenly asked if he could move closer.

I was momentarily caught off guard,  

but didn’t want to be rude,  

so I smiled and replied, “Sure—though if you get too close, I might have to start quoting prices.”  

My tone was light, joking,  

but inside, I quietly raised a boundary.

He laughed louder, as if hearing a hidden signal.  

“Well then, I’d better check the market—don’t want to pay more than I can afford.”  

He spoke while shifting his chair closer,  

its legs scraping softly against the floor,  

like a line being crossed.

Still playful,  

“But now I’m curious—how much are you worth?”  

His smile carried a hint of flirtation,  

and the boundary in my heart rose from a line to a wall.

I smiled faintly, my tone calm and measured:  

“How much am I worth? So far, this version—smile included, stories included, a touch of wine—probably not cheap.”

Everyone laughed, even the literary man nodded gently,  

as if catching the metaphor.  

The broad-shouldered man laughed louder, raised his glass:  

“Then I’ve struck gold tonight!”

He followed with, “What other services are included?”  

Still smiling, but now clearly teasing, testing.  

As he spoke, his knee edged past his chair, brushing the side of my thigh,  

his shoulder leaned in,  

his hand rested on the back of my chair,  

his fingertips lightly traced my back—  

like drawing a boundary,  

half in jest, half in challenge.

His closeness was no longer just friendly,  

but confidently invasive.

His body language had crossed the line of casual acquaintance—  

testing whether I’d retreat,  

or declaring some kind of claim in front of others.

A flicker of discomfort rose in me—  

not because he was too close,  

but because he assumed I wouldn’t mind.

I tilted my head slightly, smile intact, voice gentle but firm:  

“The smile’s already a limited edition. Anything else needs to go through an approval process.”

It sounded like a joke,  

but the boundary was clear.  

The literary man smiled softly, as if recognizing the grace and precision in my words.  

My old friend sipped his tea, a hint of admiration in his eyes.  

The broad-shouldered man paused, then laughed even louder:  

“Then I probably won’t even finish the application tonight!”

The mood wasn’t broken—  

it shifted into a more balanced rhythm.  

My inner boundary remained,  

but it was no longer a rigid wall—  

rather, a soft yet firm line reminding me:  

I don’t need to retreat,  

I don’t need to please—  

I am still in control.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 5 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue -Chapter 4

I feel ashamed.

Not because I betrayed him,  

but because in that moment,  

I enjoyed something he could never give me.  

And I savored it—  

on the way home,  

in the night wind and the sound of rain,  

in silence.

I don’t know how to move forward.  

I can’t tell him, and I can’t be too honest with myself.  

I can’t share this with him,  

nor can I offer him this kind of sensation.  

Between honesty and silence,  

all I can do is search for a way not to shatter.

I won’t go looking for that kind of pleasure again,  

because I don’t even know how to look for it.  

But I also won’t deny that if it happens again,  

I might not refuse—  

even if it means stepping into danger once more.

And this risk—  

I don’t know how to manage it,  

can’t control it.  

I even wonder:  

if everything were carefully planned,  

would the result still be the same?

Life appears simple,  

but its composition—  

the secret of the universe’s design—  

can it really be achieved by human planning?

I have no safety net—  

no legal or psychological support,  

no courage to face those three men again.  

Even if I initiated it, they might not retreat,  

but I can’t let them mistake me for someone casual,  

and I refuse to become a puppet in their hands—  

to fall into a deeper, more tangled web of relations,  

to be carelessly labeled an accomplice,  

a co-conspirator in a socially unaccepted sexual crime.

I know  

I can’t keep tormenting myself over this.  

I understand  

I was never taught how to experience life this way—  

lacking both theoretical knowledge  

and the lived experience to deconstruct this sudden violence.

On this path, I can’t protect myself,  

can’t make a plan.  

The only thing I can do  

is learn to forgive myself—  

forgive the self who responded in fear,  

forgive the time when my will and voice were taken from me.

I must return to my daily life:  

to my husband,  

to my child,  

to the light that always waits for me at home—  

and to the silence buried deep within me.

To understand in silence,  

to slowly come to know myself in silence,  

and slowly come to understand life.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 4 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue - Chapter 3

I know that tonight, I became someone else’s woman.  

Not just one person’s—but three, all at once.  

It wasn’t planned.  

Not by me, not by anyone.  

It happened suddenly, yet naturally—  

like a storyline pulled by desire,  

woven from shifts, thoughts, and actions.

I was invited by an old friend I hadn’t seen in years.  

To his home, for dinner.  

He’s like a brother, sometimes like a father—over sixty,  

his wife passed away years ago.  

He never remarried, never sought another companion.  

His temperament is a little eccentric,  

but he’s always treated me like a younger sister—  caring, respectful.  

I thought it would be a simple reunion.

At the last minute, he said he’d invited two new business partners—  younger than him, closer to my age.  

It was his first time meeting them.  

He asked if I minded.  

Out of respect for his care over the years,  

and out of social courtesy,  

I said, “I’d be delighted.”

I know that tonight, I climaxed.  

More than once.  

It wasn’t my intention,  

but it became a truth I couldn’t deny.  

Not something I expected—  

but something I didn’t want to admit.  

That kind of pleasure—  

I’ve never felt it in my marriage.

I love my husband.  

He trusts me.  

He knows my tolerance for alcohol,  

knows I’m not easily taken advantage of.

He always worries,  

but never stops me.  

Because he understands—  

my defiance and confidence  

cannot be questioned, cannot be changed.

Our sex life—  

gentle, considerate, never forced, and genuinely enjoyable.  

He brings me to climax, satisfies me,  

excites me, stimulates me.  

We still hold a kind of desire for each other,  

like we did before marriage.

But he cannot give me the tremor I felt tonight.  

That height—unreachable.  

It’s not about technique,  

not about missing passion,  

but something I cannot name—  

a tremble triggered by being seen in strangeness,  

by being touched in disorder.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 3 of 16)

[daravalewrites]

After the Rain: A Mother's Monologue

Chapter 2

Late at night, the world is silent. I walk alone.  

My heels strike the damp ground,  

echoing in delicate fragments.  

The streetlights stretch my shadow long.  

I feel, deep inside, the lingering presence of fluids that belonged to them—  

forced into me without permission.  

Now, they seem part of me,  

flowing freely through my body,  

rippling,  

swimming toward their destined place,  

or retreating to the exit, quietly seeping out,  

resting on my skin, entering every pore.

Their memory becomes a kind of silent imprint—  

a sensory echo:  

the weight of a certain angle,  

the pause in a certain rhythm,  

a tremble I refuse to acknowledge.

I thought I would feel shame.  

But I was wrong.  

I feel aftertaste.  

That pleasure, that triggered tremble—  

like a sudden storm—  

I find myself imagining its return  

as I walk home.

It’s not desire.  

It’s fantasy.  

And more than that, it’s undeniable—  

If such a night came again,  

would I smile and refuse,  

or would I anticipate and accept?  

Would I offer myself more willingly,  

split open,  

and tremble in pleasure?

These thoughts feel unfamiliar.  

I don’t recognize myself.  

Not because of what I did,  

but because of what I thought.  

I am a mother, a wife.  

I have duties, roles,  

people waiting for me to come home.

But I also know—  

the me tonight  

is no longer who I was.  

In pleasure, I glimpsed a desire I had never admitted.  

And that desire is whispering in the night wind.

I feel the struggle.

© 2025 Dara Vale. All rights reserved. Part of the After the Rain series (Chapter 2 of 16)