Young and successful Kayal had everything in her hands, a job that she's passionate about, a great bank balance to get her business kick-started, the right
clique of close friends, parents who love her more than anything and her convenient husband...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Amma, will you please calm down? I'm fine here. I've got about a week's grocery supplies and yes, I'm sanitising the whole house right now. I would finish faster if I could hang up now besides, I need to prepare my work from home station as well!" Kayal diligently answered her mother's questions while using her free hand to sanitise the door knobs one by one with diluted Dettol.
"Okay, I'll hang up. Is Reyansh with you?"
"No, Amma. Reyansh will be working normally I think. I haven't spoke to him today."
"What? Why you haven't spoken to him today? Didn't he say anything yesterday? Ada kadavuley! If Reyansh can't be with you, then you should have come home, right? You could have gone with Vijay also to your Thata's house! Are you going to stay alone during this time? Huh?" Her mother's worry was clearly evident through her panic-stricken voice. Kayal knew that if her mother continue to stress herself like this, she would need to rush to her asthma puff and interjected quickly.
"Amma, breath first! You are talking non-stop that I'm feeling breathless! Breath first, okay?" She paused, relived to hear her mother taking deep breaths, calming her own nerves.
"Okay, Amma, what does my husband works as? A marine engineer, right? You know how the mobile network is there in the sea. He will get it sometime and will be looking for it most of the time. So, when he can get a good reception, he will call. We haven't texted each other because I was busy arranging to accommodate the work from home schedule for my team and all. And yes, I really can't come back home. I was working till today unlike Vijay who got his off from the beginning of the weak. Besides, it is safe to stay where we are to prevent the spread of this virus. Travelling and going back to hometown isn't exactly a wise move."
"Hmmm, okay. You just take care, da kanna. Your attai was telling me that Shruti will also be in Bombay only. I'll be relived if you girls can stay together during this time." Kaniga sighed, thinking about her daughter and niece who are away from the rest of the family.
"I'll call up and check on Shruti later. If she can come, then we'll stay together, okay? Love you, Amma. I gotta go now. You be fine, okay? Take care of Appa and yourself. Don't worry too much!" Kayal reassured her mother before hanging up. A huge sigh of relief escaped her as soon as she slumped on the couch in the living room.
Kayal had never realized how huge Reyansh's condominium is until she had to clean it all by herself today. She had sent back her house help earlier after returning from work as she didn't want the poor older woman to get delayed to her home.
She had even booked her an Ola ride to her locality and given her a generous amount of money as she knew that her house help gets paid on a daily basis and has no financial help from anyone. How she wish her house help would have agreed to stay with her during the lockdown! Now, she has to stay all alone in such a huge condominium.
"That reminds me, I need to check on Shruti!" Kayal face-palmed herself as she quickly picked her phone and dialled her cousin's number. She was almost slipping into a slumber when the thought had woken her up. Kayal stood up involuntarily and began walking to and fro as she waited patiently for Shruti to pick her phone up. Just then, she heard the main door lock latching and rushed to the front, worrying that she might have not locked the door after sanitising it, being careless while her attention was on the phone with her mother. Much to her horror, the door was ajar and there was no one around.
