'OCTOPUS' she read it out loud to the tiny tot in her lap, from a book splashed with colours and a happy purple eight-legged being playing the piano. Didn't take much for her to spiral into the rabbit hole. Winter was fading and sweaters had started to feel more itchy than cozy. Dinner was on the table, dal chawal. He saw her sitting with a glum face. 'What's wrong?' Papa asked. Smiling, he said 'You're all set for the test, aren't you? Sharpen your pencils okay?' She looked up at him with her big eyes and managed to mumble, 'Haan, papa.' 'More ghee?' Mumma walked in from the kitchen. 'Now that's an offer she wont refuse...' Papa grinned at her. 'Pa-pa' She said in a cracking voice and two shiny drops making their way down her cheeks. 'Papa.... I cant spell octopus.' She couldn't believe that papa was still smiling, even more now. Did he not understand the gravity of a dictation? 'Is that what's bothering you?' She nodded. 'Look, its simple. O-C-T-O-P-U-S. Octopus. Now you say it...' 'O-C-T-O-P-U-S. Octopus.' She said, carefully repeating the letters. 'O-C-T-O-P-U-S. Octopus.' Mumma chimed in. Now, it felt like a game of sorts, she got surer and surer. 'O-C-T-O-P-U-S. Octopus.' She was acing it. 'O-C-T-O-P-U-S. Octopus.' She whispered to herself before Mumma turned off the lights. Early next morning, she checked everything in her school bag. Extra sharpened pencils, eraser, sharpener, drawing board and a ruler. Check. 'O-C-T-O-P-U-S. Octopus.'she repeated after gulping down the compulsory glass of milk. With hurried steps she followed daddy to the car. Just as they inched towards the school papa asked, 'Mumu, O-C-T-O...' 'P-U-S. Octopus!' She was beaming. 'Now hurry up and all the best' Papa pulled over and she gave him a peck on his cheeks. 'Mausi!' The child in her lap yelped as she came back to reality. 'Mausi, how do you spell Octopus?' She smiled. 'Look, its simple...'
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