# Chapter 7: The Birthday

I slept around four and woke at seven, which is a stupid way to start a day you've been counting down to for two weeks.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the office group chat going off like a fire alarm. Thirty-one messages, all of them variants of the same thing. Happpy bday Sneha!! with the wrong number of p's. Many many happy returns. Somebody had attached a gif of a dancing cake. Amol had posted a story — an actual story, on his actual profile — with her picture on it, the Diwali one in the pink saree, captioned Happiest birthday to the best teammate, wishing you all the success you deserve.

I looked at it for about four seconds and put the phone face-down on the bed.

I know how that sounds. It's not that I was jealous. Okay, it's a little bit that I was jealous. But mostly it was this quieter, better thing: I knew something Amol didn't. I knew what she sounded like on a balcony at midnight. I knew what she'd said when I called her beta. I knew that in eight hours I'd be standing in a mall watching her walk toward me and Amol would be at his desk, staring at a story he'd posted himself.

I got up, made coffee, and sat on the edge of the bed like an idiot with the cup going cold in my hand.

At eight I texted her.

Me: Ready for the temple?

I expected to wait an hour. She replied in nine seconds.

Sneha: already at the temple 😇
Sneha: mummy made me get up at 6. SIX.

Me: You look beautiful in the kurta. I don't even need the picture, I know you do.

Sneha: how do u know i wore the kurta

Me: Because your mother chose it and you told me it was non-negotiable.

Sneha: 😑 stop knowing things

Me: Wish for something good.

Sneha: like what

Me: A long happy life. Good health. Whatever you want.

Sneha: ok
Sneha: done

Me: That was fast.

Sneha: i already knew what i wanted to wish for 😊

I stared at that message for a long time and decided not to ask what it was. Some questions are better left sitting there, glowing.

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Around ten she messaged again.

Sneha: back home. exhausted.
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