Love Fritters | ✓

| 2020 |

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Sonali wasn't much of a believer in God, but she never dismissed the idea of a higher power watching over all living and non-living beings. Yet, on that particular day, her eyes welled up with tears as she stood beside the idol of Lord Ganesh in the hospital, praying fervently for one thing only—Mukesh's well-being.

The cursed disease, born from the virus known as COVID-19, had unleashed unimaginable suffering across the world. It was early 2020 when the pandemic first struck, sending shockwaves through every corner of the globe. India, like many other countries, was caught unprepared. Lockdowns were imposed, cities fell silent, and a sense of dread permeated the air. Hospitals overflowed with patients, and the healthcare system teetered on the brink of collapse.

Every country, every community had felt its cruel touch. People had lost loved ones; if not family members, then neighbors or friends. The news was a constant stream of heartbreak, showing images of bodies handled with the detached efficiency necessitated by the sheer scale of the pandemic.

Sonali had always been meticulous about hygiene, ensuring that her home was a bastion of cleanliness. After their daughters had married and moved out, it was just her and Mukesh in their small, sweet home. Maintaining cleanliness was a challenge in her old age, but she was diligent. Masks, disinfectants, properly cooked food, boiled water—she followed every precaution. She even stopped going to the local market, relying on online deliveries despite the inconsistent service. The virus had turned life upside down, but she adapted, driven by a fierce determination to keep her household safe.

But Mukesh, with his foolish habit of eating street food, was her constant worry. Even during the lockdown, he would sneak out for walks and come back with chutney stains on his shirt. The lockdown did little to deter him; if anything, it made his clandestine excursions more frequent, as he relished the brief escape from the confines of home.

She had scolded him countless times, but he never heeded her warnings. His stubbornness, especially when it came to his favorite fritters, was infuriating. "Mukesh, you're putting us both at risk!" she would shout, her voice tinged with a mix of anger and desperation. He would shrug it off with a grin, promising to be careful but never changing his ways.

Surely, it was from one of those outings that he had picked up the virus. And now, he was in the hospital with severe pneumonia and breathing difficulties. As if his existing health issues weren't enough! Both of them were diabetic, and Mukesh also had high cholesterol and asthma. Sonali had tried everything to improve his health, but it seemed that a man in his fifties could also have the common sense of a child, utterly idiotic and outraging that it made her pull her hair out.

Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she gazed at the idol. She felt a crushing weight of helplessness, a fear that gnawed at her soul. She thought of their life together—the laughter, the arguments, the quiet moments of shared understanding. How could it come to this?

"Deva, please don't let him suffer so much," she whispered, her heart heavy with fear and helplessness.

--

"Aai, he's fine now."

Eklavya Nene, their former son-in-law, held Sonali's shoulder gently as he spoke, his eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and happiness.

Their daughter, Akanksha, had abruptly fled from her home with one of her girlfriends. It was only later that they had received a heartfelt message from her, revealing a secret she had carried all her life—she had been a lesbian and had never found the courage to tell them. In her message, she had shared that she had finally found her true partner and had enclosed a divorce notice for Eklavya.