Cracking the Code

Yesterday we were just getting ready to call it a night. The kitchen was clean. Dishwasher was loaded and set to start in the night. Bedroom lights were off. Night lamp had reported for duty. Suhaana was in her sleep sack and aboard her crib for the night. I had just opened the bedroom balcony door to spend a few peaceful minutes of an unusually mild night (for this time of the year). Raj and I sat a few balmy minutes in silence under the stars.

Suddenly, Suhaana let out an urgent scream. Both of us started, wondering what happened. It lasted for about 2 seconds at the end of which she was about as fast asleep as she was before it. We both stared at each other in bemused amazement with the same question in our eyes -what happened? As she went back to sleep I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head.

But I've given it some more thought during the day. I think I've cracked the code:

Suhaana is an avid dreamer. And routinely meets up with her favorite friend - monkey in her dreams. Usually he's an interesting little fellow but occasionally he tries to act super smart and take her milk bottle and run away. Such behavior calls for a vehement if not quite audible outrage.. But then, she realizes it was just a dream. The bottle is still around. Heaves a sigh of relief and heads back to sleep...