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Chapter 9

Ma was on the phone since morning. I sat in the living room and watched her. Ma was on an office call. She has been doing work from home for the past couple of years. Ever since COVID hit she was doing work from home, and even when her office resumed working from office, she just did not go back to do regular work. She used to go to the office once in a while. But ever since I had come home, she had not left for office even once.

Ma came to sit with me on the couch and she looked tense.

"Ma?" I called. She looked at me, "Do you have to go to the office?" I asked her.

"I am telling them I can't make it. But there is an important meeting." She looked really worried.

"It's okay. You can go." I told her.

She looked at me doubtfully.

"It's okay. I am not a child. I can stay home alone." I said.

"No. The doctor told me to not leave you alone." She said. "Even Malti is off today," She said. Malti is our maid. "Else I could have left you with her. She has gone to her village, else I could have called her at least."

"Ma, it's okay. I can stay alone." I reassured her. "You go for the meeting. You said it is an important one." But Ma still looked unconvinced. I squeezed her arm, "it is okay," I told her. "I will not do anything bad. I will just be home. Will watch some TV and sleep. That is all. Come on, I am a little better now." I told her.

"Fine," She finally seemed convinced. "But if you feel like doing something drastic like before, you have to call Ma. Okay?"

"Yes. I will... Just go." I said.

She nodded and went to her room. She got ready in a few minutes and came out with the car key. "I will be back by evening," Ma said. "If you feel hungry, there is food in the fridge. Heat it and eat, okay." She said. I nodded. "Bye," Ma hugged me. "And stay safe. Call me or Milky if you have any trouble."

"Okay. I will be fine. You go." I encouraged her. She still looked worried about me but left.

I closed the door and came to sit back on the couch. I turned the TV on and started browsing through OTTs but I did not feel like watching anything serious. Also watching something alone felt a bit lonely. I did not find anything that I wanted to watch.

Then I switched the TV off. Milky might have some novels in her room to read. I went around and opened Milky's room. I went to her desk and smiled as Milky had an old family photo of us framed on her table. It had all six of us in the photo. Milky was one year old in that photo and Papa was holding her in his arms. I stood in front of Papa and Priyu di and Janvi di stood near Ma. I smiled at the photo. This was taken before our parents' divorce.

At that point, we were living in a much smaller apartment in Andheri. Janvi di, Priyu di and I lived in one room, and my parents had another room. Milky, who was still baby Mahira at that point, slept in a cradle in our parent's room.

After the divorce, we shifted into this current apartment. At first, Janvi di and Priyu di shared a room and Milky and I shared the room I was currently using. It was only after Janvi di's wedding and Priyu di moving out that Milky and I got our separate rooms.

I lingered by the desk looking at the shelf of books in Milky's room. Most were romance novels. I did not feel like reading romance. I flipped threw a novel that seemed like a fantasy genre. Finally, I put it down and picked up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Something I have read numerous times, but still never get bored. Harry Potter was the ultimate comfort read.

I lay on the couch reading the book from the middle, a random chapter. I started reading the part where the silver doe comes out in the forest. And then Ron comes and Hermione gets angry with him. I shut the book. Even in Harry Potter, I can't escape from a bit of romance. I sighed.