It was a Monday but the town was bleak. Streets were desolated, and the sky was sombering.

I was already exhausted but that didn’t stop the rain from pouring. Listening to the sounds of rainfall madly tapping on my car windows, the last thing I could remember was me running across hospital corridors filled with the smell of antiseptics and cold metal bed rails, attending patients after patients.

As I arrived at my apartment, I had to run across the parking lot and I was horribly drenched in rain. When I got home, there wasn't any dinner served on the table. All I saw was my mom working on her sewing machine.

“Oh! Sweetheart?”, she sounded surprised.

Clearly she’d forgotten I’ll be coming home today. I was emotionless.

“You’re back! I missed y-”

Her excitement was noticeable but I was too tired to be bothered. Given I was super annoyed, I gave her the cold look and interrupted our conversation. Walking into my bedroom, I told her that I’ll be leaving tomorrow.

Weeks passed crazily. There were several missed calls on my phone and I called back.

“Hello? Ms. Emily, this is a call from Columbia Hospital, I’m sorry to inform you that your mother had sudden breathing problems and has…”

Tears couldn’t stop dripping down my face. A message was sent to my phone:

“Sweetheart, I was self-quarantining the day you came. You already have so much on your plate, I thought I could handle Covid-19 myself so I didn’t want you to worry. Mummy made you a handkerchief and slid it in your bag the other night. I’m sorry, and I love you.”

Crying, I hurried to open the outer layer of my bag to find a handkerchief embroidered with three words: “ I Love You ”.