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"Stop watching TV and pay attention to what I am saying," my mother shouted at me angrily. I quickly turned off the TV and listened to her.

"I have some work to do today. You go and pay the bills and come," she handed that month's bills to me. 

I was in no mood to go out that day, but I went out and started my scooter anyway. I knew my mother would get angry if I refused and would make me pay for it later. 

"Good morning, Shoba! You look very nice in that T'shirt," my neighbor called out to me. 

Auntie Lakshmi was in her sixties. She was always sweet and never failed to pay a compliment to me whenever she saw me. 

I smiled at her and said, "Thank you, auntie. I am going downtown. Would you like me to get you anything?" 

"I don't need anything, Shoba, but you know this auntie loves sweets, don't you?" she winked at me like a small girl. 

I waved to her and sped off on my scooter.

Halfway through, a policeman signaled me to stop. I had to pay a fine for speeding. Finally, I reached the bank and made the payments.

Then I went to a sweet store and bought some sweets for auntie Lakshmi. I wanted to pay by credit card, but the cashier there insisted that I should pay cash for the sweets. 

On my way back, I decided to pay a visit to my friend's place to see how things were with her. We chatted for some time, and at last when I reached home it was almost 4 p.m.

I saw some people gathered at auntie Lakshmi's front yard.

I went home and looked for my mother. She wasn't there. I was very surprised to see my father at home at that time. "Where's mother?" I asked him. 

"Auntie Lakshmi suddenly had a heart attack and passed away, Shoba. Your mother is there. I also came home when I heard the news," he said without looking at my face. 

I looked at the sweet box in my hand and stood there in shock. I never thought that the day to pay my last respects to auntie Lakshmi would come so soon. 

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It's a fictional story, not a real one.  :)