Kaveri strolled across the flower garden for the third time since morning. The roses, lilacs, and the conspicuous marigold kept her occupied. She filled the watering pot one last time and watered them thoroughly, trimmed them, and set them arranged.

Then she walked towards the kitchen garden, the delicious and lurid mango tree, the sleek and slender okra, lime, and leafy spinach and numerous other herbs. She neatly detached the weeds and plucked all ripe fruits and vegetables. Carefully packed them and gave it to the house help.

She mowed the lawns, cleaned the house, and dusted the yard yet again today.

She set free all the hens through the courtyard one last time, while she cleaned their coop and fed them scraps, then she placed them back to the coop neatly. 

Her aging cattle needed some care, they no longer produced any milk. There was no taker for it yet.

“Ma”, her son called for the third time when she finally heard. “Please start packing.”

Yes!!! It was time to pack, she strained to convince herself again. 

She had to pack half a century of her life in few loads. The kitchen utensils that has fed generations through. The settee, the chair, the tables, racks cupboards, all were more than mere furniture. The utensils still spoke about the sharp yet worthwhile advice she received from her mother-in-law. The settee has seen so many marriages getting finalized. The bed where her spouse breathed his last, how could she leave it behind. With a heavy core, she left all those behind and just packed few cloths and jewelry. 

After the demise of her husband, she had done last five years of her life amongst the garden, stuff and animals of the house. Her life revolved around small things about the house, the leaking tap may take a whole day, de-weeding the garden another. An ailing cow can take a week of hers. The seldom visits by her children and grandchildren gave her memories for a year. 

Her frequent illness had forced her family to decide on shifting her to a big town. She was a lucky mother to have caring children. They are taking her to the world of dreams, USA. This was no longer her dream though. All her dreams were confined to her small world. 

With a heavy heart, she handed over the house keys to the new buyer. She was exasperated explaining tips about her furniture maintenance, the garden plants and courtyard to the deaf ears of the new owner. Just as they drove out, she could see the takers for her pets. She didn’t have the courage to ask them a thing, she knew the fate of her loved ones

Oh!! How she wished she had taken another round of the house as she took off for Good. 
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