Lockdown :4 Vigilant Wife

Lockdown like the one we are having is something new for all of us and we do not understand how to adapt or react to challenges that keep coming. In the earlier episode, we saw how foolishly Mr. Shukla behaved when his wife was unfortunately trapped in her parent’s house.

Sakshi lives in Hyderabad and her husband Anand works for a Jewelry store there. His job takes him to different parts of the state and it was during one such visit that he found himself stranded away from home. He had gone to a nearby city on business and as luck would have it, a lockdown was declared while he was there. Anand’s wife was pregnant and was expecting to deliver in a week or two. He was therefore quite agitated that he should be stuck up here while his wife was all alone in Hyderabad.

Anand tried his best to convince authorities to allow him to leave the city but to his horror, he found that they were under strict instructions to implement lockdown.

For five days, Anand ran from pillar to post trying to explain that he was facing a real emergency and it was absolutely necessary for him to reach Hyderabad. Meanwhile, he was constantly talking over the phone with his wife who was getting hysterical by the day.

Finally, Anand could get permission to go to Hyderabad.

Tired and mentally exhausted, Anand rang the doorbell and waited for his wife to open the door. Sakshi was overjoyed to see her husband and was about to rush out to hug him when she stopped in her tracks.

“Anand, wait, don’t enter the house.”

“Why? Are you planning a traditional welcome or what?” Anand said and laughed.

“No. It just occurred to me that you were in that godforsaken city for two weeks and have traveled from there to here in a taxi. Did you get yourself checked for the virus?”

“What the hell are you saying? Why should I get checked? I am fine. Can’t you see?”

“Anand, please do not get angry with me and think for a second. What if you are infected?”

“Sakshi, stop this nonsense at once. What has come over you suddenly? Till yesterday, you were crying and pleading with me to come home, and now you won’t let me enter the house?”

“Anand, just think. Your unborn child is in my womb. This virus is deadly and can infect anyone, especially those who have been exposed to public places and people. What if, God forbid, you bring the virus into our home and it affects me and the child?”

Anand was on the verge of losing his temper and had already raised his hand to hit his wife. The thought of his child stopped him and he retreated. Sakshi was right. She was not being rude to him but was trying to ensure his safety as well as his family’s.

Without a word, Anand turned his back on Sakshi and ran to the nearest hospital. He told the doctors about his situation and requested them to conduct the test on him.

It took a week for the test results to come and doctors told Anand that he was not infected. He can go home, but as a precaution, they asked him to stay in self-quarantine for 14 days. He should not touch his wife during this period and should maintain a safe distance from her at all times. He should sleep in a separate room.

Anand returned home and rang the bell once again. Sakshi opened the door and saw her husband smiling at her. He gave her the test report and said:

“Madam, can I come in now? I hope you have no other problem with your husband. But be careful with me. I will have to quarantine myself for two weeks and we cannot touch each other. I hope you will follow the instructions strictly. 

Thanks, Sakshi. You remembered a very important thing in time and saved us all from trouble. I hope everyone is as careful and vigilant as you are.”