Love at the time of Quarantine

Chapter 3

Day 4

Adam was walking the dogs in the neighborhood. It was the only time he could go outside the house. His daily routine of running past the blocks had to be stopped due to the outbreak and mandated lockdown. New York wasn't doing well. The number of cases was skyrocketing, public spaces were being converted to makeshift hospitals and it had been three days since Eric had exiled himself in the room.

Adam always had been kind of a loner; he didn't mind the loneliness in the streets but it was the eeriness of a pandemic that got him often. To be fair, it was kind of hard to be alone when you have three enthusiastic dogs by your side. But the streets were dangerously empty, almost silent.

Cookiejar walked by one of the cars parked at the side of the pavement and started barking towards the backseat door. There were lots of cars parked in the streets as no one was going to work. Adam couldn't understand what the fuss was about until a man in medical uniform came out of the car. He seemed like someone who had just woken up. His eyes were covered with dark circles and his hair was uncombed.

"What the hell are you doing there, mate?" Adam asked out of curiosity. "You don't look like a hobo."

He told Adam to step back at first and when Adam complied, he began talking. "I am a doctor, man."

Adam frowned at his words, "Shouldn't you be at a hospital then?" He asked, as blunt as ever.

He chuckled kind of hopelessly. "My shift is not until another hour. I can't go home man."

"Why?" Adam was still holding the frown and the confused face.

"We don't have enough PPE and masks at the hospital. And I might have been in contact with the infected people. I can't risk my family. I have a two-year-old daughter." He said. "You shouldn't be talking to me for long. All I know I could be infected. Go on now."

Adam didn't say anything. Weird man. He thought and walked with the three dogs. He just wanted this to be over already. There was too much uncertainty with everything. If two thousand people dying of this disease in a single day was not scary enough, the talk about a crashing economy was doing the deal. Adam feared what would be the fate of his small venture of dog training. Talking to the strange doctor didn't help him either. He expected some positivity from the healthcare professionals but what he saw today did not put him in a good mood. When will all these be over? He thought and the answer was not known to anyone.

Adam walked past the departmental store, there was a long queue of people waiting, each at least two meters away from each person other. Adam was glad that he had supplies and he did not have to go through that mess.

Reaching home, he removed the mask that he had been wearing and washed his hands. He let the dogs free in the hall. It was time for them to eat so he filled three bowls with the home-cooked chicken meal that he had prepared the night before and he filled their water bowls. He petted them affectionately and gazed at the guest room door that was still closed.

He had never thought there would be a day when everyone would be shunned in their homes and the threat outside would be real. Here in the apartment, he was in the home yet it didn't feel like home with Eric locked in a room. He had been alone while Eric was away but this was different. Eric was close to him but separated by walls. This had made the threats of the outside world much more real for Adam. They had always been like a team but now it certainly did not feel that way.

Adam did not knock the door. It was only 8 am and Eric must not have been up yet. Last night he was working late. He went to the couch and surfed some channels on TV. All the channels talking about the disease did not help either. He switched it off and went to Kitchen to prepare coffee and breakfast. It did not take him long. He fixed himself some coffee and sat on the couch. That was when Eric called.