Shalu had always been proud of her independence. Moving from the serene hills of Himachal to
the bustling city of Pune was a big step, but she had managed to adapt quickly. For the past two
years, she had been living with her sister, Sheetal, both working hard to build their futures.
Shalu’s job at the BPO meant long hours and rotational shifts. For the last 30 days, she had
been on night shifts, which meant she and Sheetal rarely saw each other awake. Every
morning, Shalu would quietly tiptoe into their shared flat, careful not to disturb her sister’s sleep.
She would change her clothes, freshen up, and check the fridge for leftovers. If there wasn’t any
food, she’d skip dinner and head straight to bed, too tired to cook. By the time Sheetal woke up,
Shalu was deep in sleep, and the cycle continued.
Today, as Shalu rode to work in her cab, she noticed two sisters walking down the road, chatting
and laughing. A pang of longing hit her heart, and she suddenly realized how much she missed
talking to Sheetal. It had been so long since they had shared a simple conversation, despite
living under the same roof.
Without hesitating, Shalu picked up her phone and dialed Sheetal’s number. The phone rang
once, twice, and then she heard her sister’s familiar voice, groggy but warm.
“Hey, are you okay?” Sheetal asked, concern evident in her tone.
“I’m fine,” Shalu replied, her voice softening. “I just… wanted to hear your voice. It’s been so
long since we talked, you know?”
There was a pause on the other end, and then Sheetal chuckled softly. “Yeah, it has. I miss you
too.”
The two sisters chatted for a few minutes, exchanging stories about work and life, before Shalu
had to go. But as she hung up, she felt a warmth in her heart that had been missing for weeks.
As Shalu looked out the cab window, she couldn’t help but smile at the irony of it all. In a world
where people were more connected than ever, it was easy to become distant even with those
we shared our lives with. But today, a simple phone call had bridged that gap.
In a time when technology often separates us, it’s moments like these that remind us of the
importance of reaching out—sometimes, all it takes is a call across the room.