Durga, an NRI, flies to her parents’ home, with her four children, in Kolkata, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Anumita humanises Durga and her children, with sparkling wit, in this short story. A Special Feature exclusively for Different Truths.  

“Ma, oh Ma, where is Ganesh? He left one of his red sneakers on my new jeans,” Lokhi stood hands on her hip and had her eyebrows drawn together. A lock of curl fell on her flushed face. Durga was loading up the freezer with Ziplock-packed food and Tupperware. Sharpie in hand, she was writing the names and dates of the food, so Shiv would not be confused.

She looked at her darling daughter and felt a surge of pride; she is growing up, she thought. She would soon go to college and leave an empty place in this house.

“Ma,” came another shriek, bringing her to the present situation between the siblings. “Thik ache Shona (alright, Dahlin’). I will talk to Ganesh about it. You don’t worry your pretty head about it; go finish your packing,” Durga said, kissing her daughter’s head.

Walking into the family room, she found her other girl practising on her cell; she had her eyes closed. Music flowed with every stroke of her bow. Durga placed a hand on her heart and listened for a few seconds. A sharp tug on her arm brought her attention to her darling boy, Ganesh.

He was hungry again. “Ma, can I have one more cookie, pretty please,” he asked with those big eyes? Before she could open her mouth, Kartik, coming down the stairs, said, “You will explode at this rate. Ma, you are indulging him and not doing him any good. I keep telling him to come to the gym with me, but he just would not.”

Ganesh moved behind Durga and pulled her top, covering his face. It was an everyday issue among her children, bickering and teasing each other. But today, it seemed to Durga as if these were the memories she needed to put in her treasure chest and hold tight.

“Okay, children, all of you need to finish your packing. Saraswathi, please darling, help Ganesh to put his things together. You know how forgetful he is,” Durga shooed her children back upstairs. She needs to finish food storage.

As if on cue, Shiv called. “Ha bolo, what time are you going to be back?” she asked her husband. She explained to him about the food and mentioned that he needed to pick up the meds for the kids from CVS before he came home.

Durga’s trip every year to her parents’ house has been constant. Shiv was now accustomed to the way Durga freezes cooked food for him. Although he missed the children and Durga for those few weeks, he knew this was her time, and he respected it. He took a day off as he would see them off at the airport. They will be flying from Chicago to Kolkata.

The only thing that worried Shiv was the news about the new virus that was creating havoc in a place in China. He shook off his thoughts, parked his car on the driveway, and went inside.

“Baba, Baba, did you get my gum,” asked Ganesh. “Ha, here it is, Babu but don’t have them all yourself. Share. Do you understand?” Shiv said, getting down on his knees to talk to his youngest son.

Nodding his head and smiling ear to ear, he bounced up the stairs, calling to his sisters about what Baba had brought for him.

Oh, how I will miss these sounds in this house, thought Shiv. “Durga, I got you guys checked in online, so don’t worry. We can leave after lunch, and you will be in good time. Remember to keep texting me before take-off and after landing. Since this is nonstop, you don’t have to worry about the layovers,” Shiv stopped in front of Durga, who had a funny expression on her face.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed her husband on his chin. “We will be fine. We go every year, but you take care of yourself. I wish you could join us later.”

***

The next day went as planned, and the flight was on time. Shiv sat at the kitchen island, switched on the TV and there it flashed on the screen that the Coronavirus had now spread at an alarming rate, and India had decided to close borders. The coffee cup fell from Shiv’s hand.

He picked up the phone and was about to call Kolkata, then realised it was way early in the morning, and Durga’s parents might be asleep.

He started pacing up and down, feeling helpless and in great despair. He called his best friend and told him about the situation. His friend told him to calm down and come to his house if required. Shiv decided against it and thought he would wait a few more hours and call his in-laws.

***

“Ato shokale kaar (so early in the morning, whose) phone,” thought Himavat picked up the phone, “Hello?”

“Aare Shiv, how are you, son? I have already arranged a car. It is a big one, don’t worry, it would fit all the kids and their luggage. Oh, Shiv, what happened, son? Why are you so out of breath? Are you alright?” Himavat kept on saying, rambling.

“Would you let him speak? Put it on speaker,” interjected Durga’s mother.

“Oh, Baba Shiv, bolo Baba (Oh, Shiv say), what happened,” Durga’s mother coaxed.

“I just heard the news about the virus spreading over India and that the borders are closed. I am distraught. Durga and the kids are already in flight. I don’t know what to do,” blurted Shiv, his voice shaking.

Durga’s mother covered her mouth, and her eyes widened, “ore baba, ki hobe ekhun? Oh, Baba, Shiv, don’t worry. Durga’s Baba (Dad) will see they are safe at home.” She sat down and started fanning herself with the hathpakha (a hand-held fan).

Himavat exchanged a few more words and disconnected the phone. He called the car driver, reconfirmed the booking, and made him promise that he would not fail to bring his daughter and grandchildren home.

***

Himavat reached the airport arrival and found a different scenario. The traffic was diverted, and there was total confusion. The driver found a parking space and asked him to find out what was happening.

Some police near the entrance were talking about the new rule. One of them mentioned that everyone arriving would be checked. If they have a fever, cold, or cough will be detained for 14 days and then only let go.

Himavat felt sick to his stomach. What will Durga do with the four kids? He had to wait for her to land and then WhatsApp her about what was happening here.

***

“Ma, why are there not many people in the airport?” asked Kartik, “this looks fishy.”

“We are in Kolkata, stupid, here all eat fish,” teased Lokhi.

Durga felt a strange thud in her heart. Things were not as usual; more police and security people were around. Everyone was making queues for some kind of a checkup.

“Ma, I need to go to the bathroom,” cried Ganesh. “Told you not to drink all that juice,” Kartik reprimanded him. Ganesh was doing his funny dance by now.

Durga looked at Kartik, “Sweetheart, take your brother to the bathroom, and I am here in line with your sisters. Hurry up, dear.”

The security people had masks on and were coaxing people to get into line and handing them masks. They even were pumping hand sanitiser on the hands of the people in line.

Saraswathi and Lokhi, flipped their little sanitisers dangling from their backpack and rubbed their hands with the liquid squirted on their palm. The lady guard rolled her eyes, murmured, “Bideshi memsahib (a foreigner lady),” and handed disposable masks.

Durga kept her eyes on the bathroom exit as they moved forward. They were almost near the checkpoint when she saw Kartik running, dragging Ganesh along. Poor Ganesh was out of breath. Durga noticed their temperature being taken and looked with panic at her flushed Ganesh.

She quickly pulled out her makeup remover wipes from the pouch in her purse. With the air-conditioning of the aeroplane, it was cool. She wiped down Ganesh’s face. And told him to take long breaths and calm himself down.

Lokhi watched her mother’s worried face. She pulled Ganesh near her, and Saraswathi hummed a song as she let her fingers tousle Ganesh’s hair. Durga watched her children diffuse a situation which was reaching a panic point.

The line was a slow crawl. Kartik looked at his phone, “Ma, Dadu (Grandpa) is calling.” Durga had forgotten that her Baba was coming to pick them up. She was supposed to call Shiv and her father as she landed. All this commotion distracted her. She took her father’s call.

“Ha Baba, we landed. Yes, we are in line for some temperature checkups. I am not sure; I think I can see some paperwork also,” said Durga, sounding as cheerful as she could. She asked her father to eat something as the wait may be extended. At the same time, she was worrying about Ganesh’s hunger pangs. She cast a sideward glance towards her daughters and Ganesh.

Then she called up Shi; his sleepy voice was alert in seconds. He fussed and expressed his concern about their safety. Durga assured her darling husband and turned to find Kartik marching out of line towards the counter. Before she could stop him, he was at the desk. Kids, she thought, how am I going to go home with all of them safe?

Kartik marched back carrying some papers and asked his sisters and mother to finish filling them before they reached the desk.

“Passport, where are you coming from?” quipped the officer at the desk. Few policemen and women were segregating men and women; Durga pulled her kids near and stood her ground that all her kids would go with her as they were minors. The officer rolled his eyes, “Ar ekta bideshi Ma (another foreigner mother), okay, come forward. They are going to check the temperature and ask a few questions. Please, give me your passports and come in front of the camera one by one.”

Swallowing a retort, Durga handed the passports and got scanned on the forehead as the rest of the kids for temperature checkups. Her eyes were constantly on Ganesh.

They all took a breath of relief as they were cleared. They picked up their luggage and reached outside the gate after almost two hours. There were several restrictions and changes in how you will meet your receiving party.

“Dadu, did your get those chocolate cookies, I had asked you to bring? I am famished,” was the delightful outburst of Ganesh as he spotted his worried grandfather looking everywhere.

***

Love smiles, and jet lag took a toll over the next few days. Ma was home but was homebound.

Durga had no way to go out nor meet anyone as the lockdown in the city and around the country had issues. The virus has taken its toll on much of the world. She was happy as she got to stay with her parents and talk to her family through WhatsApp video calls.

Lokhi and Saraswathi were not incredibly happy as their shopping and picture sessions were interrupted. Kartik took a different stand and took up writing on the issues at hand. Ganesh did not miss a beat, as Grandma made everything he wanted to eat, and he enjoyed learning how to cook with her.

Durga and her children remained in quarantine for the rest of their trip, and it was a miracle they could get back to Chicago after their long ordeal with the virus. A trip to your loved ones may not always be what you have planned, but it will always be something to remember.

Picture design by Anumita Roy, Different Truths

Anumita Roy

Anumita Roy is an artist at heart and legal/medical interpreter by profession. She creates word images in her verses and loves to write short stories. Mother of children in the spectrum, she advocates special needs issues in whichever way possible. Born in India, brought up in several countries, makes her a true global citizen. She now lives in the Columbus, Ohio, with her family and follows her passion for writing and advocacy being the Managing Editor of Different Truths.

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