I drop Vika off at preschool and treat myself to a cup of macchiato, a weekly ritual I have created for myself. I settle into my favourite seat, a teal velvet armchair by the window. Another mother from the preschool walks in. Our eyes meet, we exchange pleasantries. “Morning,” she says. Five minutes later, we’re talking nineteen to the dozen. “My son had a complete meltdown before school. I’m still reeling from it. Apparently, his banana was too soft.” We giggle like schoolgirls. No judgement, only camaraderie. Motherhood is relentless, but these moments remind me that I am not alone.
Swati Moheet Agrawal is an eccentric Indian writer who smells books before hoarding them. She stacks books, meticulously, by colour, around a half-crafted teal elephant.