"This is the third balloon you bursted!" Mummy admonished Mummy.

Daddy removed the pieces of the bursted balloon, which he was blowing, and explained, "You told the balloons I had previously blown were small. So I blew more air into them. It's not my fault that they burst! They are not strong enough!"

"Of course not! You should blow them correctly," Mummy said. Taking a deflated balloon, she put the open end in her mouth and blew. Soon enough, it grew big. I looked at it expectantly. Removing it, she took a good look at it. Shaking her head slightly, she started blowing more air into it until it bursted. While I was about to cry due to the unexpected sound of the balloon bursting, Daddy's laughter diverted my attention.

All I could see was a sea of different coloured balloons. Wiping the sweat drops from his forehead, Daddy switched on the fan. The balloons started moving and I ran behind them, madly, to catch them. Mummy dodged a few of them to close the balcony door. Daddy sheepishly switched off the fan.

"We must finish doing other decorations, until then the balloons must stay in the room," Mummy instructed.

Daddy looked at me and said, "Come Anu, we will put the balloons in the room."

All the balloons were being shifted to the room. I started playing with them when some of them bounced to the kitchen. Running behind them to catch, I stopped on my tracks when I saw the living room. There were glittery strings running around the ceiling of the room. Daddy held a string with some paper cuttings on one side. Mummy had a roll from which she cut portions of the tape and stuck it to the walls.

"Please check if the 'Happy birthday' string is put in a straight line. Last time it was a little slanting."

After they finished sticking, they moved to the room where they both started shifting balloons. I stopped them but Mummy scolded, "Anu, we still have a lot of work to do. Please don't come in between, I really don't have time to play with you."

Why are they moving these balloons? No, they are supposed to be here, in this room. I held two of them so that both of them could understand. But both of them were least bothered and continued to appear at regular intervals to take a few. I sat on the bed, waiting for them to snatch the ones I had.

Why are they not coming here? I hope they don't snatch it from me. These are my balloons! Why do I feel so tired? I yawned lazily. This time only Mummy came and she noted, "Good that you're feeling sleepy. You can take at least two hours of nap so that you wake up fresh for your birthday."

Birthday! Since morning, everyone is going around 'happy birthday'. I wonder what that means. I rest my head on the pillow and wonder. Even when we went to talk on that phone, everyone was telling the same thing. Slowly closing my eyes, I slept for the time Mummy wanted me to sleep. Actually I wouldn't have mind to sleep for some more time if it weren't for my hunger pangs.

Some time later, after I was fed, I walked around the house in a white bloomer. Behind me, daddy was trying to apply powder to my whole body. Why do I feel they will be putting a frill frock! They usually empty the whole powder bottle on my body. I must be careful.

Cornering me, Daddy gestured to Mummy to come. I saw a pink frock in her hands. I knew it! Before she could reach, I crawled between Daddy's legs and ran towards the bedroom. Daddy cried, "Why do I have long legs!"

Mummy muttered, "You can't do one job properly, can you?"

I saw them approach me, I knew I had no option but to surrender for they had blocked the bedroom door. Daddy lifted me while Mummy put the frock on me. It has already started poking. My eyes started watering. But I was told it was my imagination.

Soon, the house was flooded with children and their parents, mostly mothers, who were continuously chattering. A big box was brought in the living room. I was made to sit on a chair. The box revealed a rectangular cake that was brown in colour. A candle was lit and placed on it. Everyone collectively started singing, 'Happy Birthday Anika'. Today is really very weird. First my parents, then people on the telephone and now everyone. Can someone tell me what's this about?

I was forcefully made to eat the cake. But when plates were distributed, I noticed everyone eating it with joy while I munched my chips. Is it really that good? Or am I imagining? Shrugging, I looked at the plates which had some triangle things too. I went to the kitchen where Mummy was still distributing food on the plates. I asked her, "I want that."

"What that?"

I pointed at the plate and repeated, "I want that."

"Anu, I really don't have time to play your guess games. Just go and ask your Daddy, he will give you."

I nodded and searched for Daddy. He was sitting in the bedroom, talking with Iyer Uncle. Both of them had plates in their hands. I guess he will be able to understand it better. I climbed the bed and sat next to him. He asked, "What's the birthday girl doing here?"

"I am Anu."

Iyer Uncle and he guffawed, "I know that you're Anu. Okay, let me put it this way - what is Anu doing here?"

Promptly pointing at the triangle thing on his plate, I explained, "What this?"

"Arre baap re! Anu wants to eat a samosa! I will feed it to you," he said, breaking a small piece of it. He fed me and all I could feel was my mouth on fire. Why is it so spicy? I ran to Mummy and drank a glass filled with water to the brim. Only after that I felt respite in my mouth.

The rest of the evening went by me feeling only water in my body. I could literally feel my neck filled with water. That was a concern for Mummy because I refused to eat anything. She wanted to feed me at least a morsel so that she could sleep peacefully. But I ruined the chance of her peaceful sleep for I woke her up, in the middle of the night, to pee. She made me eat a banana and strangely, I was hungry by then.

***

We again came to this place next to see. Daddy told me it's name which I seemed to be forgetting for it is too long. I guess it is something called 'Gateway of India'. We had finished the ferry ride and I had just thrown up whatever I ate. The ride on the boat had me nauseous. Daddy had gone somewhere, he had just returned with a bottle of water. My mouth was rinsed thoroughly.

"I don't know what's wrong with this girl - she was fine a year ago but now pukes on every ferry ride!"

"Maybe she has sea sickness!"

We drove to an eatery which was painted majorly with red and yellow. Daddy declared, "We finally reached McDonald's!"

Mummy warned, "They might trick you to buy Happy Meals but it's not worth it. Those toys they give are too small and Anu literally puts everything in her mouth."

He nodded in agreement. We went inside and Mummy caught a table for us to sit. Soon, Daddy came with a big tray. I dug to eat the yellow sticks which Mummy told were 'French Fries'. I dipped them in a red liquid thing, occasionally. I didn't dip everytime I took a bite, like Daddy did, because the taste of that liquid would stay in my mouth, ruining the taste of yellow sticks.

There was an additional thing on the plate that was never present everytime we would come here to eat. It was big white glass which had water droplets on it. Mummy narrowed her eyes, "Why do you want to drink Coke?"

"I wanted to try it once."

"What difference would it make? Only fifteen rupees, isn't it?"

"That's what I had thought too."

"What do you mean?"

Daddy handed a small white sheet of paper to Mummy. She read it with shock, "One hundred and forty rupees!"

"That soft drink not only added to the bill but also to the total taxes levied," he explained.

While both of them looked at each other in dismay, I enjoyed the yellow sticks.

***

Hey guys! Hope you all are safe! Anika is already 3! Do let me know what you think of the chapters. It will help me understand where I might be going wrong so that I can correct myself.

Thank you for reading.