#21Days

Epilogue

14 Days Later

12.10 pm

I'm just putting the finishing touches to the house decoration. The house has been neatly cleaned and disinfected. A fresh healthy home-cooked meal is served on the table. The bedroom has been spruced up - new linens, a larger bedside table for ease of eating and drinking. Two books are neatly placed in one corner of the table. The TV has been moved into the bedroom. Curtains have been drawn wide open to allow sunlight to stream in. A vase with fresh lilies has been placed near the TV.

Dressed in a simple chiffon salwar kameez I go through all the arrangements one last time. Mom is coming home today.

Four days ago, when she continued to remain asymptomatic, on Dr Whitmer's advice, Rohit tested Mom for COVID-19 again. Her test results came back positive. Last night, on my insistence, he sent another swab that came back negative.

Although she seemed okay at the hospital and Rohit didn't have a medical reason to keep her there any longer, he felt it might be much better if she moved in with us for another two weeks. The lockdown has been extended and Rohit felt it wouldn't hurt for her to be near the hospital.  

I have it all figured out. She will be sleeping in our bedroom. I will be sleeping with her. Rohit will have to manage on the couch. The thought brings a smile to my face. I stop to check my hair in the mirror.

"Ma, who cleaned my room?" I was frantically looking for my pair of oxidized peacock earrings and couldn't find them. My mother who was busy instructing the house help on what to make for lunch made her way into my room.

"I did. Why?"

"I can't find my peacock earrings."

"And my blue sunglasses."

She sauntered over to the dressing table, opened the top drawer and pulled out both the earrings and the sunglasses.

"It's much easier to find things when they are neatly put away."

"About that Ma, could you please stop coming into my room?"

"Why?"

"Coz I do like my privacy."

*****

1.45 pm

I glance once more at the door. Rohit texted me twenty minutes ago saying they were just signing the discharge papers. They should've been home by now. 

The aroma from the dining table is making me hungry. All of Mom's favourite things - Koki, Sai Bhaaji, Sindhi Kadhi, pulao and raita. I take a deep breath and smile with pride. I've really turned the corner. The girl who never stepped foot in the kitchen now enjoys cooking. And feeding.

The doorbell rings. I place the lid over the steaming pulao and make my way to the living room.

"Welcome."

Rohit walks in with Mom leaning into his shoulder. She's smiling but her demeanour is tired. I help her make her way to the couch. Papa walks in right behind.

"Something's smelling nice," she remarks.

"All your favourite dishes," I tell her.

Rohit is beaming at me while I proceed to take her handbag and attache and roll it to the bedroom.

"I've set the bedroom up for you. You can sleep on the right side of the bed, it's closer to the washroom. I've also laid out some towels for you in case you want to have a shower..."

"I'm sorry Sonakshi," she says abruptly.

I sit down next to her on the couch and take her hand.

"For what?"

"For putting you and Rohit through all this."

Papa stops pouring his glass with water midway. His face reveals his apprehension. I sigh. I have a lot of fences to mend. 

"Don't be." I tell her. And then I bring her face closer and gently kiss her on her forehead.

"If anyone needs to say sorry, it should be me. I'm sorry. Sorry for my immaturity. Sorry for everything I put this family through." 

I tear up. So I force myself to stop talking and stand up, to face away from everyone, looking at the hospital building that had somehow become an integral part of my life.

"I can only thank my good fortune for whatever has happened," I say haltingly. "I dread to think about the divorce and what I could've lost. Sometimes you don't realize what something's worth until it's taken away. I'm glad it didn't have to come to that."

"The divorce?" Mom's perplexed voice made me realize that I still didn't know what Rohit had told his family about our separation.

I turn around to look at her and Papa.

"When Rohit moved back to live at Sippy Mansion without me, what did he tell you?"

"Nothing. He told me you were dealing with your Mom's death and that you needed some space to be on your own."

I look at Rohit, with all the love in my eyes. But if this needs to work, his family would have to be a part of everything in our lives. I decide to tell them the truth.

"It wasn't just my Mom's death, it was also the death of our unborn child."

If they are shocked by what they just heard, both Mom and Papa hide it only too well. I look at Ma and wait for her judgement, but all I can see in her eyes is compassion.

She asks me to come and sit next to her. "We all go through good times and bad times in our lives. Remember to focus on the silver lining, not the black cloud."

As Papa, Ma, Rohit and I make our way to the dining table, I look up and mouth my thanks. I must have done something good. I promise myself to do more. We all have the ability to make a difference, if only we stop looking at things from our point of view. A simple gesture for us might mean the world to someone else. What we get, we must pay forward. That's the only way to make this world a more beautiful place.