Work, Work, Every Time- Not a Time to Spare

Neeta was preparing her final draft. Today was supposed to be the deadline, and she was stressed. This was the first major publisher she was working with, and she had to meet the deadlines. She had to send a perfect final draft that could not be detected for any loopholes and mistakes- no scope for that. The half-drank coffee had been lying unattended on the table for an hour. No worries, she could prepare another filling. 

Raghav was half-lying on the couch, next to her, managing his office from WhatsApp conversations. It had been raining incessantly since last evening, and the entire city had gone underwater, leaving no scope for commuters to travel. So, no other option left for him, other than work-from-home. And that was a lot of work. The entire sales team that worked under him was kept under his supervision at the office. But from home, things were different. He could not really keep tabs on the team, most of whom were now working from home. So, what he could least do was to push the members individually and ask for the latest updates. And those working in the corporate sector would agree that's a lot of work, unnecessary but still important. 

Neeta had got stuck on a final line. She understood the importance of the conclusive line in a mystery novel. The readers, even though they could skip bits and pieces in between. The first and final chapters, especially the last few paragraphs, were considered the most important. Those few lines could either reveal everything or nothing, by keeping the readers wondering..." a second part may be."

" Oh God, this boy has again messed up the carpet." Raghav's high-octane, dramatic scream interrupted Neeta. She looked at him, grumpily looking down at the carpet, his phone still in his hand. Near his feet, on the carpet, lay their 6-year-old son, Chintu, in a deep sleep. Some packets of fries and chips lay half-empty, scattered across the floor alongside toys. Neeta looked at his little boy. His cheeks were still left with a white streak of dried tears from the corner of his eyes; he was crying. " What are you looking at? Go and get the vacuum cleaner, we have to hoover now." Raghav said, still typing on his phone.

Neeta looked at Raghav straight in the eyes. "And what about Chintu?" 

" I will give him a good scolding today, actually, if he were awake, I would have made him clean the mess. He should learn," he growled.

Neeta picked up Chintu from the carpet and gently handed his tiny, curled body to her husband. Initially taken aback, Raghav took him and looked at his son. He noticed the white streak of dried tears. " Why was he crying? Did you scold him?" he asked inquisitively. Neeta was picking up the toys and chip packets. " I have the same question. But we both have no answer to that." 

Raghav tugged Chintu and placed him securely in the middle of the couch, surrounding him with a pile of soft cushions. " What do you mean? Tell me straight now, I really don't have time to ponder over riddles," replied an irritated Raghav. 

Neeta softly made him sit on the couch, " Raghav, that is what I am trying to say. We don't have time to ponder on Chintu. Do you even realize what you just said?" 

Raghav, a bit confused, looked with a blank eye, seeming to wonder what he had said wrong. " You keep on grilling yourself and your team 14-18 hours a day, then return home either with the remaining workload or no energy to even think rationally. I am writing page after page, talking to publishers, connecting with magazines, trying to build a network, but have we ever thought about who we are doing all this for? " Raghav shrugged, "To build a secure future for ourselves and Chintu." 

Neeta asked with questioning eyes, " But what about a secure present? Chintu was crying before he fell asleep. You know why? Because he was scared we would punish him for spoiling the carpet. Before that, he called both of us many times to play with him. He even said he was hungry. We both listened, but we chose to ignore. Why? Because we were too busy working to secure our son's future, while completely neglecting his present." 

Raghav nodded his head, " You are right, Neeta. We have lost ourselves and our ability to think in this rat race. Tell me what I can do to make things better."

" Nothing, Raghav, we just have to be present at the moment, be there when we need each other and don't get irritated. Especially with Chintu, because there would be a day when he would stop sharing or discussing anything with us, since we don't listen. From today, let's make it a point that, no matter what, we will give him quality time. If you are not getting time, I will be there, and vice versa."

Raghav kept his phone aside. " Yes, Neeta, let's do it from today."

This post is a part of #Beyondthedeskbloghop hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters blog hop series