A wave of apprehension gnawed at Kavya. She had left her one-and-a-half-year-old son, Nirav, at her mother’s house and hailed a ride share. This was the first time she had entrusted his care to someone else. The thought of being away from him for four days made her heartache.

She worried about how much he might cry for her, even though her mother was close to him. Priya’s words echoed in her mind, “Do it for yourself, Kavya. You also need to take a break from your motherly duties.”  Priya was right.