D's head was resting on his favorite Sweetu cushions while she dabbed his swelled cheeks with a cold pack.

D: Aaahh...

S: Is it very painful ?

He nodded slowly.

S: Here,hold this and press I will get your horlicks.

Using her absence as a chance,D called up Pramod to arrange for their Corona beer party.

D: Pammu kanna..12 cartons of beer...what ?Wine shops closed?Turn on the news ah ?

He switched on the tv.

D: Sweety!!!!!😱

He screamed and she came dashing in with baygon spray.

S: Where is it ?

He showed her the flash news on tv.

"COMPLETE LOCKDOWN FOR ONE MONTH"

D: Sob...sob...(mv: my beer party)

S: Oh no situation is bad then...

D: I can't go home now,have to stay here with you until lockdown is over.😍

Biting his pinky,he bent his head feeling shy.

S: Nooo!!!!😱

***

Day 5

The alarm rang.S woke up and turned it off.He was still asleep.

Completing her morning routine,she did yoga in her room.When she finished she got up and rolled the mat.

S: Aaahhh!!

His head propped up on his hand,D was awake and gaping at her.

S: You scared me pupsooo...

D:Hihihi...good morning bangaram where is my milk ?

S: I'll get for you.

She brought his milk and he slurped it while still on bed.She sat beside him checking her phone.

D: Burp! What is for breakfast ?

S: Bread and jam.

D: Sick people food.I don't want.Make for me egg roast and poori!

S: There are no eggs.

D: How come ?

S: You forgot ? Daily you had boiled egg for breakfast,omelette for lunch and sunny side up in the evening with your drinks.All got over.Groceries are also limited.I can manage with maggi or porridge but it is not the case with you.You demand for King's food.

D: Huh...uh...now how ?

S: Helpers are also not there else I could have sent them to get essentials now I only have to go out and buy.No choice.

D: Wait bangaram...I will go and buy.

S: How pupsoo ?

D: I will drive your car.

S: Not that.If people see you?

D: Oh if people see you,they will walk with their heads bent giving way to you ? Your state will become like that of the sugarcane bunch forced into juice machine and fall out as the dry pulp.Notorious guys they are.I cannot risk you.

S: After ignoring me and Shradhoo'ing all this while,it is now that he is behaving like a man in my issue...😏

She mumbled but D's elephant ears caught that.

D: I may not have behaved like a man but I still care for you and no Shraddhooo or Kaju can replace you.

S: Cinema dialogues...nothing less for all this...😏

D: I will cover my face with mask and head with a scarf.No one will be able to spot me.You write a list of what all is needed.I'll change and come.

While S was writing the list,D guised himself like a common man wearing ordinary clothes.He covered his head and face except his eyes.That also he shielded with his bazar shades.He took the list and the paper unrolled until it touched the floor.

D: What is this bangaram ? List or the amount of cloth Krishnaa gave Panchali ? 😰

S: All in this list is essential.If we are not able to step out of house we will need these to survive through lockdown days.

He blinked hard and then read it out.

D: Rice-5kg...dhal-2kg...chilli powder-3 packets...oil-4 litres....blah blah blah...huh...whisper ultra...baboi! Sweety,this is ladies stuff...how can I ?

S: Who else shall I ask ?On your return pick it up from any medical shop.

He took the money and set out.

Outside the supermarket there was a long que that extended outside the gate due to the one metre distancing.

D mv: Que...that's for boys I am an ultra legend so there is no need for it I can just go straight in 😎

Slinging his cloth bag and with hand in pocket,he walked in with swag ignoring people already in the line.

The watchman stopped him for entering.

"Hey hello what is this can't you see the que ? You are walking in as if you own this supermarket? Go ra go and stand in the line..."

D: It's me Pra...(mv: Now if I reveal myself it will be chaos here I won't be able to buy things better to keep quiet)Darling,pls darling I've got knee probably I can't stand for long give me 5 mins I will pick up essentials and leave...

He begged the watchman.A man standing in line spoke,

"Hello,for you knee is paining...I am a heart patient.I myself am waiting in line what for you ?"

No one cared for D and pushed him to the end.He stood in the hot sun whining as he waited for his turn.He who was used to being in aircon,got drenched in his own sweat.Finally his turn came.

The shop assistant squeezed some hand sanitizer on his palms and made him rub well.He took D's temperature.

"Mmm ok...you can go.Don't take long there are people waiting."

D quickly rushed in and took out his list.His jaws literally dropped on to the ground when he saw the shelves almost empty.

D: Aaahhh! What the hell!!!Darling,why don't you replenish stocks? See I need 3 chilli powder packets there is only 1 here...

"This is all we have,if you want you take if not you leave don't irritate me in the morning itself"came the curt reply from the shop assistant.

D picked up whatever was available and left the supermarket.Next he went to the vegetable vendors.He spotted 'PRABHAS' tattoo on the vendor's arm and a photo taken with him framed on the wall.

D: He's my boy...😎

Feeling privileged that it was his fan's shop he boldly cut the que and stood before him.However the fan,not recognising it was his annayya,mistook D for a common man and pelted stones at him.

"Orei,neeyabba! Can't you see people lining up before you ? If you cut the que you think I will give you red carpet welcome ? Go ra go...go join them."

D: Darlingey...it's me...😢

"You means who ? I've seen many goofs like you using some excuse to cut the line...go ra..."

He was chased away.Because he attempted to cut the que,he got only 1kg onions instead of 3kg he wanted to buy.Sulking,he walked along shops.

"Anna,this is too much...I just took 4 carrots,5 tomatoes for that you are charging me 300 rupees it is not fair."

D stopped in his tracks.

D: This dirty voice is very familiar...I've heard it many times.🤔

D turned.He saw the back profile of a short guy wearing orange tshirt and grey shorts.D waited for him.

"If it goes at this rate,all the money I earned from Bahubali won't suffice."the ace director grumbled carrying his bags.

D: Then direct Bahubali 3...I'm ready...

"Huh...uh...who was that??"

He looked around and saw a tall,shabbily dressed fella.D lowered his shades.

SSR: Darling !😃

D: Raj ! Amma deenamma! 😃

They almost hugged when they got reminded of social distancing and they maintained a safe distance.

SSR: How was Georgia?

D: Good but returned too soon.What are you doing here?

SSR: Rama sent me to do marketing so I came and you ?

D: Sweetu sent me to buy things so I am here.

SSR: See our fates ra,how we used to walk with our heads held high now we are forced to go around in disguise.

D:True...the respect and treatment I get when my face is shown I don't get when it is hidden.

SSR: I can't digest it.That fella charged me 300 rupees for these puny vegetables ra..

He showed his bag to D.

D: Lol...Didn't we charge more than this for Bahubali tickets ? Karma Raj karma...

SSR: Huh...uh...mmm...Rama should have been here she would have whacked the pulp out of him no one can cheat her in these matters.

Talking,they came to the end of the road.

D: I'll drop you home.

SSR: It's ok ra I came in my cycle I will go in that.Send my regards to Sweety and you both stay safe.

D: Ok darling you also convey our love to bangaram.Take care.See you.

They went their ways.D searched if any chicken or fish shops were open as he had pregnancy cravings.For his luck,he found a chicken stall but the que was super long.

D: Seeing the que alone is enough to turn me into a vegetarian no I should not let that happen.

He joined the que from the middle.People tried to push him away.

D: Hey! I was standing here only I went for susu and came by then que got long not my fault...hey social distancing...social distancing...no touching...stand in line...follow the law...

He coughed and people scattered in different directions.Like a King he went straight and bought chicken.

His next stop was the medical shop.He felt shy to tell the name of the item to the shop keeper.

D: Hihihihi...erm...Uncle,I want ladies bread pack...

The shop assistant understood.He laid a few packs before him.

D: Yes,this one...pls wrap it well so it is covered fully I am a shy boy that's why...hihihi...

Wedging it under his arm secretively, he stepped out of the shop then remembering an item he went back.

D: Hihihi...can I also have raincoats?One strawberry and one mint flavour.

"You need me to wrap this also in newspaper?"

D: Hahahaha uncle your comedy timing is good...no problem I'll fit this in my pockets.Err...is there any offer for this like buy 2 get 1 free??

The shop keeper gave him a look and D got his answer.

D: Huh...uh...it's ok uncle.Thank you.Bye!

S had already finished cleaning the house and was waiting for groceries to begin cooking.D entered and placed all the bags on the table then he slumped on the sofa dropping his head on her lap.

S: What took you so long baby?

D: The damn que! How long I waited you know?

He narrated his bad experiences and also his encounter with SSR.

S: Lol...even sir came out personally to buy things ?

D: Yes bangaram...I managed to get chicken.Make biriyani for lunch today.

S: Ok you relax...I'll begin cooking.You must be hungry.

D: Wait...let's be like this for sometime...massage my head...it feels so good.

S: ☺️☺️

***

Day 10

D was watching 'Ek Villain' movie on her laptop.It was the scene where Shraddhooo gets murdered.His eyes welled up as he couldn't see her dying.

D: Sniff...sniff...stupid hero...couldn't save her...I should have been her man would have killed the baddie before he reached her...sob...sob...

He did not have the mood to watch further.He stopped watching and logged on to social media.

People all over were donating money to the CM's Corona relief fund.Some celebrities were tweeting and bragging about their donations.Fans were comparing figures on which celebrity contributed the most.He scrolled a few posts,

"My annayya gave 50 lakhs,how much your annayya gave ?Not even a single cent.He goes on expensive cars,tours the world what is the point he can't contribute to the needy ?"argued a fan of another celebrity.

"My annayya is truly a King...even in real life.He doesn't give also no problem we will do what we can on behalf of Prabhas fans club.All glory be to our annayya."defended a fan.

D felt touched seeing his fans love for him.

D: I should not let them down.

Taking out a paper,he wrote 1-10 numbers on it.S came in to keep her folded clothes in the wardrobe.

D: Puppy ma come here...

She went and sat opposite him.

D: There are 10 numbers written in this choose any one.

S: Is it some sort of a game ?😃

D: No but this is necessary.

S: Tell me for what...

D: You chose first I will tell.

S closed her eyes and roamed her finger on the paper.She pointed at a number.

D: No.4...

She opened her eyes.

S: 4?? Hmm...now tell me what's this for ?

D: Wait...

He called Pramod who picked up the call in the first ring.

Pr: Tell me annayyaa!

D: Pammu kanna,transfer 3 crores to the CM's relief fund.50 lakhs each to Andhra & Telengana states Corona relief fund.

Pr: Mmm...done annayya!

D: So fast?

Pr: As you were talking,I did the online transfer.Any thing else to be done ?

D felt proud of his brother.

D: Inform the minister's secretary if anymore funds or assistance required,I am ready to offer a hand.

Pr: Sure annayya...

D: Rey,let this be secretive ok...I don't want any publicity.You take care.

Phone call ended.S was looking at D with wide eyes.

D: Why are you looking like that bangaram ?

S: Pupsooo 4 crores ah ? 😳

D: Yeah...I felt it was less but because that is what you picked I decided to contribute that amount.😊

Bgm pls....

S: I am so proud of you pupsoo! 😍

She nestled her head on his chest and he embraced her.

...to be continued