"Anika! Get up! Look who has come to visit you," said one voice.

Go away. I want to sleep.

"I told you she won't wake up. This time you are going to lose the bet," said another voice.

Can't you go and talk somewhere else?

"Anika! Get up!"

I am not going to get up. Let me sleep peacefully. I felt my whole body being shook, lightly. I started crying.

"See! She woke up! Just look at her face."

"Oh my god! It is turning pink!"

"It seems I won the bet."

I saw two unfamiliar faces talking to themselves. Who are they? Why are they here? Where's the familiar-scent lady?

"Arun, Pratap Anna, the child is crying so loudly, why isn't nobody calming her down? Wasn't she sleeping?"

Arun spoke, "Actually, Chaitra, we had a bet. . ."

She took me in her arms and started patting my back. "What bet?"

"I told Pratap that when Anika cries, her face becomes pink but he didn't believe me, so we had a bet and I. . ."

"You woke her up from her slumber, right?"

They were looking down. What is there down? Nothing. Then why are they looking down?

"Do you know how much time it takes to put her to sleep? Do you know how many chores can be finished while she's sleeping? I still have to make sambhar-"

"Akka, it's okay. We will eat rasam; it's easy to make-"

"Don't interrupt me when I am talking."

Whatever it may be, my peaceful sleep was disturbed. I shall take my revenge. I was made to sit on the floor and given some stuff to play. One of them took me on their lap.

"Arun maybe it's not a good idea to take her on your lap."

"Why do you think so, Pratap?"

"Because she has just woken up from her sleep. . ."

I have this strong urge to empty my bladders. Three, two, one!

"Anika! Look what have you done! Akka, your daughter has ruined my clothes."

the familiar-scent lady came running. "Aiyyoo! I just had to add temper to the sambhar. Can't you even wait for two minutes?"

I looked at her unable to guess what she was telling.

"Why am I even talking to you? Arun, can't you see that I made Anu sit on the floor for some reason? Even if she pees I will be able to clean easily. But no, you never want to use your pea-sized brain."

She removed my clothes. I felt a sudden wave of chill. But looking at him, I was satisfied. I gave a smile.

"Akka, she smiled! She knew it!"

"Arun, are you out of your mind? How will an eleven month old child know where to pee? Anyways, whatever happened, I am glad that it happened. Serves you right for troubling us."

***

"Anu, blow the candle."

I looked at her as she blew out the candles. Many kids started singing. I think I have seen them somewhere but I didn't let my brain do so much of work. I let it go. There was a sudden flash.

She held my hand and placed it in some different material. Moving the thing from up to down, she declared, "We have to cut the cake!"

I didn't understand why they were doing this. One of the children asked. "Aunty, what is the time? We have Bharatanatyam dance class at 5."

She looked at a circular object on the wall and exclaimed, "Oh dear! It is 5 o'clock. Anika, eat this piece otherwise Mrunalini Akka will eat it," coaxed the familiar-scent lady.

I. Don't. Like. It. I turned my face away from it. My eyes closed as sudden bright light entered my eyes.

"Evandi," she said. Sighing, she continued, "Click when Anu eats the cake. Do you like spending money on that camera reel? That Arun is one waste fellow. He emptied two reels and went to Bangalore. When will he learn to value money?"

"Chaitra, try feeding the cake to her."

"Don't you think I'm trying? She's the first girl who is not eating her birthday cake," she said looking at me. I flashed my one-tooth smile to her.

"Look at her grinning."

"Chaitra, leave it. She will eat it when she becomes a bit big."

The children took their pieces of cake and gulped it quickly. As many of them ran, I could hear some sound. Sending them one by one, the familiar-scent lady sat next to me.

"Anu papa, why didn't you eat cake? It's so yummy."

I still refused to look at it.

"You are still a year-old baby and you're so stubborn."

the familiar-scent lady's evandi came and sat next to me. He was eating the thing that I didn't like. He looked at me and said,"Anika! This is very tasty. But I won't give it to you. Otherwise you'll gulp the whole thing."

What is he blabbering? Actually, the most important thing is to whom he is telling?

"Leave it, she won't fall for your old tricks."

"You fell, didn't you?"

"I am from the old generation, the 70's. Anika is from the late 90's. She's definitely smarter."

Proving her correct, I took one potato chip from each of their plates and started munching them. He fondled my hair and said, "What will you become when you grow up?"

"Let her decide whatever she wants to be but I have decided to put her to Bharatanatyam dance class. What do you say?"

"Indeed. Let her do whatever she wishes and whatever we couldn't. I shall try my best to fulfil them."