In the early morning when Suleiman played the news on tv in the drawing-room. His shoulders slumped down as he heard the government announce strict lockdown due to the current virus that had enveloped the whole world and currently was peaking in Pakistan. Some specifics shops were kept open but Suleiman's shops weren't one of them. 

He loudly sighed. Dada was sitting there too, listening to khabrain along.

Moosa entered complaining. "Abba you said you would get my headphones repaired. Its been three days, Abba." He wailed and sat down on the sofa. That fourteen years old had frowns on his face. Suleiman smiled at him, nodding, hiding away all the thoughts he was thinking before.

Being a father, he had to be strong. Even if he knew that now his shop will be closed but since ALLAH was the One giving rizk to everyone. Allah will surely help them through it.

"Have not your Mama made breakfast yet?"

He shrugged. "I will go. See."

Suleiman nodded. His eyes falling on the old, white-bearded Dada, his father the one who had held his forefinger and taught him to walk, speak, pray five times to Allah, and much more. It was uncountable. Dada's fingers were working on the beads of rosary, reciting something as he pushed a bead down the thick string.

Suleiman stared at the maroon rosary in Dada's hands for a while until Dada started to speak and brought him out of his trance. "May janta hn. Tum paraishan ho, Baita. Allah ki Zaat par bharosa rakho. Wohi ham sab ka Maalik o Raazik ha."

"Beshak."

***

Moosa went to the kitchen in search of his Mama. He saw water boiling for chai in the pan. Water level had quite lowed down telling that it had been boiling from quite a good time. He walked out to the sehan and then to the room of his parents whilst looking for his mother. When he went inside, he found her lying on bed. He walked to her and called her.

He called her again but she didn't reply. He took hold of his mother's hand that felt warm to him. "Mama?" He said, slowly moving her hands.

"Hmm." She opened her eyes, wearily.

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well Mama?" Moosa knelt down beside the bed, on his mother's side.

"I don't know. Its just my whole body is paining a lot." She spoke, haltingly.

He checked her forehead. That was warm too.

"Okay. Do rest." He covered her with the comforter.

Moosa walked back to the drawing-room. "Abba, Mama seemed to have temperature."

His eyes shot up to his son, fingers in his beard as if he was thinking something deeply. "Did you check on her?" Asked Suleiman, frown on his forehead prominent. "Where is she right now?"

"Resting. Probably asleep."

"Hmm. Okay. I am coming."

Moosa nodded and walked back into the stairs to upstairs. Into their room he found Murat doing nothing but lying uselessly on bed. When Moosa entered, Murat's eyes went up to him, and then he was back to whatever he was doing. He was probably scrolling down Instagram feed which he was sick of by now because he had been doing this for the past half an hour. Today Murat didn't want to study as his exams had gotten cancelled. He had just wasted the past three days. He didn't know what to do.

He had been lying in bed today waiting for when their mother will call them for breakfast. But she unusually didn't. His stomach growled and he turned his phone off. Tossing to a side in bed, he faced Moosa who was sitting, legs crossed on the carpet in front of the tv. Plugging in some wires that Murat knew very well was of Moosa's video game.

Murat rolled his eyes. He knew Moosa was going to play his stupid game again. Until he could start again, Murat asked, "Mama didn't call."

"She is having a fever so she isn't making breakfast."

"A fever? How's that possible. She was fine till night."

He shrugged.

Murat shook his head. He was hungry. Pushing the comforter away. He lazily went to the kitchen and was amazed to see his father there. "Abba, what are you doing?" He asked because it was the first time, Murat had seen his father in the kitchen that too cooking.

"Nothing. I thought i would just make you both some toasts."

"That's cool." He amusingly watched him and then the thought of his mother crossed his mind. He went to his parent's room and saw her sleeping there peacefully. But her forehead was burning. He worriedly shook his head. Taking a bowl of water, he dipped a handkerchief into placing it over her mother's forehead so that he could minimise her body temperature.

He knew fever was a good thing for one's body. But now he couldn't stand in sakoon seeing his mother restless. He hoped it would lower down her temperature. That day went on something like this.

***

The next few days were really taxing and wearing as the temperature of Safia wasn't any lowering down. In the days where outside was a fatal virus roaming in the empty streets of the city, they somehow managed to take her to hospital but due to emergency, they were taking only serious cases. So they didn't check up on her. Local or private doctors were not either doing any checkups of the folks because there was a fear that they would catch up with the virus.

Safia had fallen weak. They were giving her all the medicines and antibiotics that one take in the fever but it wasn't working on her. Suleiman kept reassuring the doctors that she didn't have the virus. She hasn't even walked out of the house but nobody was listening. Then finally a private doctor agreed to do the checkup.

He set a large amount as his fee. Because he said that he was doing it out of his routine and too he was coming to their home.

The doctor came. Suleiman took him to their room. Where he examined his wife. Dada too was there whilst Murat was making doctor the tea in the kitchen. Moosa was busy setting the tray.

"I think that she does have a virus because all these symptoms are so relative. She'd been vomiting, was dizzy, had a fever, couldn't taste or smell, and too she is sweating." The doctor spoke, through his mask.

"Yes but she is not coughing."

"There are many other symptoms too, other than coughing. I would suggest you to stay alert and conscious. Plus i am writing down these medicines. Ans also please made sure, she takes steam and drinks warm lemonade." He picked out a pencil through his pocket and started to write down through his hands in which he wore gloves.

The doctor didn't take the tea cause of safety measures. So Dada was the one drinking it because he was so awed to see his elder grandson cooking it.

When he took the sip, Dada nodded, a pucker between his brows as he tasted it. "There is a bit too sugar but still its good." Dada praised Murat. "And you. You little one. Why did you spill the tea in the tray." He pulled Moosa's ears. "Ow." Moosa squeaked, trying to set himself out of Dada's grip. Murat laughed seeing them.

Then Murat turned himself to their father who was holding the prescription chit.

"I will go to the pharmacy in the evening," Suleiman said to no one in particular. 

Medicines costed more than he had imagined. It had been days since the lockdown had started and now Suleiman feared that the savings that he had done will be finished soon. Then what will he do? How will he bring something to eat from outside. How will he manage the things for Murat and Moosa.

It was Suleiman who started to stay awake at nights whilst others slept. How could he sleep? All the thoughts of the time when he wouldn't be able to meet the demands of his children were keeping him awake.