"Baby, come for breakfast. Your milk is getting
cold," called Bhaiya, my elder brother.
I quickly put on my slippers, picked up my
favourite doll, Beeta, and rushed out into the
verandah. It was a beautiful day. The morning
air was most refreshing. "Ah, how lovely!" I said
aloud, taking a deep breath. I ran across the
verandah, with Beeta tucked under my arm.
While I gulped down the milk, I heard Papa
calling out to the driver.
"Papa is still here, Bhaiya. He hasn't gone to
the clinic, today," I said overwhelmed with joy.
Being engrossed in a magazine, Bhaiya did
not reply, but I could see Papa talking to someone
in his room, which was opposite the dining hall
facing the verandah.
"Papa! Papa! I don't have to go to school, it's a
holiday. Do you have a holiday, too? Look, Beeta
has got fever," I said, all in one breath.
"No, my dear child, I don't have a holiday today.
You go and play while I talk to Mr. Singh.
He is very ill. I'll ask the compounder to give
your doll some medicine," Papa said lovingly.
It was quite unusual to find my father at home
at that time. Normally he was in his clinic before
I woke up. So I was very happy. My father wiped
his spectacles with the kerchief as he listened to
his patient carefully.
I was on the balcony when I heard, "Baby!
Baby! Come here, see this." It was my brother
from the verandah. He had spread himself on an
easy chair and our dog, Tom, was dancing round
on his hind legs. I burst out laughing.
"Papa will give medicine to Beeta," I said,
showing off.
"And I'll ask Papa to give some medicine to his
darling daughter, because. . . .because she laughs
and laughs," said Bhaiya, tickling me and sending
me into fits of laughter. Being the youngest child
in the family I received everyone's attention and
affection. Papa of course, was the most
affectionate.
I ran from one end of the verandah to the other
and then onto the balcony, staying close to Papa's
room to attract his attention while I played. I
swung on the curtain, thumped on the door, tapped
on the table, pulled and pushed the chair.
"Look, Bhaiya, what a variety of sounds they
make," I said, pulling the chair, then leaping up
and rapping on the door, clapping my hands,
jumping all the while.
"Don't," pleaded Bhaiya, not taking his eyes off
the book in his hand.
