Transition

Where do the eyes wander, over the creamy colours of the variety of toppings, depicting the taste, the flavour. Some flavours are left to imagination and some emerge from the depths of some sweet memories.



Tiya’s eyes passed over the view of the many delights of a preferred form of sweetness.



It was Pravya’s birthday. Pravya was Tiya’s younger sister who was in college while Tiya had stepped into the professional world two years ago. Both of them had grown well, living with their parents and grandparents. Although growing into adulthood had put a halt to some of their childhood exchanges, yet their bond hadn’t wavered to anything of lesser meaning.



Tiya had always helped her sister through everything she possibly could, there was a whole life that she had imagined for her little sister.



Tiya brought birthday cake for Pravya each year which Tiya pre-ordered a few days before, but this time the procrastination regarding the matter due to intensive office work had landed Tiya in the bakery shop looking for cake.



Many people at their age turn to the outer world more, believing it had more to offer into their joy of celebration, but the sisters willingly preferred to celebrate their birthdays at home to add more to their moments of family time, that is what Tiya believed in and she believed things would be like this for the longest time.



Tiya looked at the store manager and said, “Please pack the vanilla rosette cake.”



“Would you like to get something written on the cake?” asked the manager



Tiya thought and then spoke, “simple happy birthday would be fine”



“Anything else you would like along with the cake?” the store manager asked pointing to the celebration items on the shelves



Tiya smiled thinking of how she used to buy those things for Pravya when she was small and how they would enjoy it all. She got the cake and headed home.



Tiya’s mother Mrs Dayal opened the door with a smile that was not seen in the house every day.



“Who is it?” Tiya asked in a low tone



“What do you mean?” asked Mrs Dayal



“You are smiling more than normal, someone must have come,” said Tiya continuing her low tone



“Well… ,” spoke Mrs Dayal, “some of Pravya’s friend from the college have come”



Tiya did not expect this, she walked in and saw her grandmother watching television in the drawing room.



“Where are they?” asked Tiya to Mrs Dayal



“In Pravya’s room,” said Mrs Dayal, already knowing what was coming next.



“It is my room too, last time I checked,” said Tiya in a low tone and quietly walked over to the refrigerator to keep the cake. As she opened the refrigerator door, she saw a chocolate cake which was already cut. She found some space and kept her cake there.



Tiya took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sat beside her grandmother.



“Looks like someone’s room has been taken,” grandmother said without looking at Tiya



“You are enjoying this aren’t you grandma?” said Tiya



Grandmother turned towards Tiya with a smile, “Oh absolutely. It is happening, I told you.”



Tiya opened the cap of the bottle and took a sip, “I thought Pravya would prefer to be just with her family…”



“Like you?” asked grandmother



Tiya looked at her grandmother, “Is there something wrong in that?”



“Of course there is, we may all live under one roof but we all are living in our own worlds, you cannot expect everyone to do what you feel is right. In fact, I believe expectations are best kept limited to our own selves,” said grandmother



Mrs Dayal handed Tiya a plate with a piece of the chocolate cake. Tiya stared at it.



“Give it a try, accept the change. What you think you are losing was never completely yours to lose,” said grandmother



Tiya ate half spoon full from the slice and looked at her grandmother with a smile, “It’s not that bad.”

Written by Anuran Chatterji

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