Chapter 42: chapter 42

The shop was given a complete makeover. He felt happy and talked about the shop nonchalantly. I heard him say, "If papa would have been here to see his renovated shop, he would have appreciated my efforts and patted my back. He turned extremely delighted at glorious moments like this." He was filled with self-praise for fulfilling his ambition. He declared openly, "The shop is looking so nice and organised. The drawers, chests, mirrors and glasses are all flickering like gold and silver. The carpenter worked incessantly to bring the desired effect. The electricians set the best energy-efficient and eco-friendly LED bulbs that lit up the surroundings. Papa's shop is sparkling brightly exuding a moonlit exuberance. The new tiles are suiting the walls. I have made a separate cabinet for sewing machines, watches and wall clocks. I will take you to the shop, you can see it yourself and feel the difference. "His description prompted me to reach the shop at once to have a glance but he didn't take me as promised. His fleeting attention failed to catch up with all the commitments. Promises were made never to be kept. He was in his recovery stage. Although I sensed time is slipping from my hands, anything may happen at any time. The greatest fear I had was whether he will come out from the clutches of long covid to lead a healthy life or else the disease required lifelong medication. I even speculated he would never retreat to his normal life. He appeared concerned at little trifles that cropped up at home. He installed a motor alarm to signal the complete filling of the water tank. He worried as a huge quantity of water overflowed. The outlet is placed on the ground floor and we have to come out to our balcony to keep a constant check on the outlet pipe from which notified the filling of the tank. To save us from the heckle of running in and out he installed the warning alarm. Whenever the tank was filled, it emitted a female voice saying, "Your attention, please!! The water tank is filled." The next time it will repeat the translated version of the same sentences. I would rush toward the switchboard to put down the switch. Then he brought a calling bell to be deported at the entrance of our main gate. Every time, he would ask me to keep the door closed as some mysterious thieves were roaming around the town. The air conditioner in my son's room wanted repair, he dialled the mechanics and got it repaired instantly out of anxiety. He didn't want his sons to sleep without air conditioning in the scorching summer. Again, the fan stopped twirling. He got it repaired by himself after coming from the shop. He was undergoing bouts of fear and anxiety. A cyclone hit the country in the year 2021 during my husband's illness. Dark dense clouds plummeted into the sky. The trees whirled and twirled vigorously. The cool breeze blew in the atmosphere causing havoc. It rained continuously for three consecutive days. There was an electricity blackout. Our inverter batteries got drained but fortunately, the electricity was restored late at night. The cyclone acted as a supplement to the pandemic. People were suffering a lot at the hands of the virus and this mysterious cyclone arrived as a guest to trouble humanity. Destruction of life and property was done on a large scale, especially in Bengal. My father illuminated that many trees got uprooted in our compound. Our well overflowed and filled with water. Many railway quarters experienced a flood-like situation. The Prime Minister made a personal visit to the badly hit States to console the citizens.