The OT Machine

___OT machine...

"Mom, will you be there tomorrow to cook rice for the auspicious occasion?"

Dhoni came near Kumari who was frying the cakes and asked.

"No son, I'm here tomorrow evening night"

"Oh, father" Dhoni left angrily...

"Kumari said Janithla would be here the day after tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh, I'm here tomorrow evening night.. How can you get up the next morning after cooking?"

"Hmm..."

Jaye left the same way Dhoni left...

Kumari gave her little son some milk and started getting ready to go to bed.

"Oh, sorry, man.. My wife has duty tomorrow.. I'll babysit. We'll meet another day. No problem, bro.. You know how it is in hospitals. It's not like us. Let's meet.. Okay, bro, I'm sure."

Kumari didn't like it...

"Oh, mom," Doni said, blushing again.

"Why, son?"

"Just some delicious cookies... Mom said she was making udhuvel."

"Oh, honey. It's getting late. I'll come and make something else tonight."

"I don't want to come back and make sweets.. I don't want to sit at the table with the kids and do amulets after making them. I'll bring some cake, biscuits or something."

Jaye said, waving a helmet at Kumari.

"My daughter, go to your grandmother's house"

"Don't bother your grandmother. She's got a back problem"

******

The little one woke up again and started crying at the sound of the key pedal starting... She gave the boy some milk and put it in a tube and went to the ward, eight minutes late...

"Oh, Miss Kumari, are you checking the admissions? Our father is sick and has been admitted to the hospital. I'll see you later,"

Miss Suba said anxiously.

Kumari took the register without saying anything.

"They have to go shopping and do everything and come here. The man who was working ran away. How long have we been living here? We are earning lakhs of rupees from our tax money.. and we are so comfortable like this"

Kumari continued her work as if she had not heard the scolding..

"They should have made the doctor private. Only then will they be fine."

The man continued scolding. In the meantime, he answered a call.

"Oh, okay, sir. No, there was a slight delay. No..no.. I will look into it. There was a slight delay, we are all human, sir."

"Who is using the phone in the ward? Please go outside."

Kumari said loudly at that time, angry.

"Why are you mad, Miss?"

Nilu came and sat down next to Kumari and asked, holding her hand…

"No, please, here they are shouting, thinking we are humans and machines."

"What's up, it's late today?"

"I'll tell you later, miss. It's a long story. Today, my mother-in-law is still staring."

"Oh, miss, the OT machine is coming"

"Don't say that, miss Nilu. Miss Karuna is innocent. She begged for PH"

******

Kumari was free around three. While Nilu and Subai were in the ward, Kumari put the kettle on to make some tea.

"Miss Kumari… tomorrow you are an evening night, right?"

"Yes, miss."

"I will do it, miss, do my morning routine.. I will tell the matron."

Tears welled up in Kumari's eyes.

"Oh..! Why Miss? Miss, don't get me wrong… I know that little Miss calls me an OT machine. I'm not angry about that Miss… I also have two children. When I was young, I cried a lot because I couldn't be with them for New Year's… I missed a lot of things about my children. My husband was the one who was with them. I feel that pressure. That sadness very much Miss,

"Now both my children are studying abroad. Only the two of us are at home. We should celebrate the celebrations together with the little ones, it's no use celebrating them alone Miss.

That's why my husband and I have been talking about helping someone who was crying secretly like I did ten or fifteen years ago, who was working patiently under pressure, to bring the joy of that day, the joy that we missed out on."

The kettle automatically turned off.

Kumari kept looking at Miss Karuna.

Miss Kumari, then I will tell the matron that you should enjoy yourself with your family tomorrow. People will say that the oat machine has started working."

Said Miss Karuna and smiled and went towards the matron's office...

********

⁣Jay, will you soak some rice? Let's make another kevila. My duty has changed.. Don't tell Doni, let's surprise her"

"Hmm." Kumari sighed...

But was there any comfort in that sigh....

___Nimi___

For Women's Day... A rebirth