AtoZChallenge: R is for Reassure

I’m smiling to myself as I write this post. I’m reassuring myself, don’t you see, that no matter what obstacles I face when I’m writing, I will continue to write. Here’s a flash about R.

Mrs. Malathi’s bags were packed. Her family was leaving for their annual vacation early the next morning. They had just finished dinner and she had stacked up the dirty plates and dishes in the sink. The key to the house was with her neighbor. Her maid, Sahinoor, was to pick up the key and clean up the house the next morning. All was set.

Out of the blue Mrs. Malathi’s phone rang. Sahinoor called to say she was quitting. Just like that. Out of the blue. Of course, the premonitions had loomed for a few days now. Mrs. Malathi had wondered how Sahinoor would come to work once she moved far away. Just ten days ago, her family had been evicted from their temporary settlement and asked to move.

Mrs. Malathi hadn’t minced words when she confronted Sahinoor with the doomed question. “Will you still come to work?

Sahinoor had vehemently said yes. But of course, things had changed overnight. She had lost another house this month, and the other house owners were apparently mostly going on vacation too. It made no sense for her to come just to Mrs. Malathi’s house. She was going to find work nearer to her new dwelling.

Mrs. Malathi cringed at Sahinoor’s declaration of quitting. But what was Mrs. Malathi to do except reassure herself that she would find another suitable maid when she returned.

For now, she had to finish cleaning up the dirty dishes. She couldn’t leave them in the sink until she returned, now could she?