So

I remember sand. It was all over the car and on my feet and dress. Mommy sitting in the front seat had it all over her saree and my papa had it in his hair which she laughingly dusted off. Bhai had filled his shoes with it to take some home.

It was my first day at school. I was given 6 chocolates. One for every hour till the driver came to pick me up. They had forgotten I don't like chocolate. I gave each one away.

I woke up to smells of toast and egg and coffee and Nivea. Mommy in the kitchen, bustling, humming, cooking. Papa sitting with his newspaper. I went and sat on his lap and read the headlines out loud.

It's the first day of the rest of my life. It hasn't begun well.