Josphine was in the kitchen quietly preparing the breakfast. No commotion, no noise. This appeared strange to me.
‘How come this house is so cool at this moment,’ wondered the center table, who appeared so barren and abandoned as if the house has something more sophisticated and advanced than itself.
Peeping here and there it tried to find out if things were really like that or ….
‘Shit, why can’t I move; else I would have seen if Mr. Balaan had something new and sophisticated.’
Making its faces, it mumbles, ‘I feel J….’
But the utter silence of the house was alarming, ‘Mrs. Josphine had been all time yeller this minute and see her today… Not even a word.’
‘What’s the matter bro…’
‘Yeah bro even at nine in the morning no commotion….Its matter of utter concern. What had happened. How to know?’ muttered all the furnitures.
Just then laying the breakfast table Josphine called, ‘Bala, Tia and Ady, get up breakfast is on the table.’
Rubbing their eyes all rushed to the rest room and groomed up.
Slowly dragging her little feet Tia comes to Josphine, ‘Momma, what’s in the breakfast.’
With a smiling face she replied, ‘Yummy burger with added cheese, your favorite.’
Delighted Tia says thank you and rushes to brush and comes back to occupy her empty chair.
***
‘Momma, after breakfast I’ll go to Mehir’s house to make the science project,’ uttered Ady.
‘No, beta, you will have to work-out individually. Papa will help.’
‘No momma, I’ll do with him only.’
Patting his back and lifting his angry face, she patiently explains the horrifying scene of COVID-19 and why the government has closed all schools, colleges and everything, even jobs of both mamma and papa only to control this virus which is fatally powerful.
‘Is it such scary like resident evil’s villain,’ fumbled Tia in her shaky voice.
‘So we all will be working together in the house for the betterment of all. And Tia’s job is to clean her book shelf and Ady will clean his cupboard.’
‘Yeah! This is gonna be great fun.’
***
‘Ooh! This COVID-19 has locked them up. Now I understand why the house is in order today.’
You are right. Euhh! The house looked like a horse’s stable all these mornings until Josphine came and cleaned and rearranged the mess. At least we will witness some memorable moments again just as we witnessed when Bala brought Josphine here.
‘Yeah! Golden were those days and she was simple and serene.’
That time Josphine had not started to work. She was lean and thin. And I had seen her swiftly moving like a gazelle reorganizing and making us look smart and good. You know when first day she did this we all felt so much soothed and relaxed admiring her for everything. But life never remains same always. Adjusting herself here she finally joined the company and then they both became bit busy. We were happy to see them pacing well and enjoying life. Slowly Ady and Tia glistened their life bringing great joy to us all. I have seen her patiently nurture them giving her every bit, making them crawl and walk and stammer and then speak well all because she wished to see these all things be woven in one thread. I have seen her lose her every bit only to regain them back in the form of Ady and Tia. They are a true copy of both of them.
Today, after about eight years or so, I think I have seen them occupy us, enjoy their breakfast so lavishly chit-chatting and arguing. I am blessed to see this day. I always longed to see them enjoy, once, but….time constrain, job rush, school works everything ignored the personal time.
***
‘Mamma, I’m done. Will you please come and see.’
‘Too fast beta. I thought you will take a little longer.’
‘I’m smart mamma and grown up too.’
‘We have little more time left for my lunch to be prepared. What to do????’
‘Come let us make something creative…..’
Josphine understood that these days are never going to be as easy as ever. She has to put her every bit out to keep the kids well engaged. Now slowly, they have developed new time-table and they are enjoying it.
***
Even though it is lockdown for the whole world, I know Josphine will have no rest. Bala manages a few naps between his WFM but for her no rest. Days passed by and so do months, but quarantine gave us all those moments that we would have failed to live. Josphine had always wanted to teach and train her kids in every bit of virtue she had but she never had time. This quarantine brought her even closer to her kids. Tia has become the fan of how beautifully her mother creates crafts. Her house now looks beautiful even more, full of more love and affection.
***
Ady had started admiring his mamma’s poetry skills. He took out the old diaries, yes I remember those old diaries which she use to write when Bala was away. It’s tea time, actually poetry recital time which they all cherish; even Bala who has come to know about this.
‘Josh..I didn’t know you play so well with words.’
‘Papa, you must thank me because I found these old diaries amidst the dust. As I turned the pages, I saw a beautiful house and as I read, it goes…
. ‘Mortar and brick form the structure
People gather to elicit the pleasure
Weaving memories that count forever
Only because it happened in a house better…..’
Embracing Josphine in his arms, which he did ye…ars back, and admiring the beauty of his wife, he gave her a kiss. Cuddling together everybody, he says, ‘Whatever be it COVID-19 or anything, we forgot to enjoy the things we were earning for. This was the biggest lesson to first live and then hive.’
***
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