"God! What did Mama ask me to buy?" Mina found herself wondering about the object for the hundredth times ruefully, wiping away the beads of sweat forming on her forehead with the back of her hand, in the middle of the Market Square.

As usual she had left the list behind on her bed despite Mama reminding her repeatedly not to forget it. Now that she was almost at the doorsteps of the Sharma's, there was no point going back home for the list. Dad would have left for his office by then anyway.

And wouldn't Mama be livid? Thinking about her mother's reaction, Mina had the cold feet. Mama was going to give it to her black and blue, she realised.

So, in that case, why didn't she have the strawberry ice-cream that she craved for and was invariably denied always, on the grounds of spoiling her teeth? She WAS GONNA HAVE IT TODAY, no matter what!

Having made up her mind, she pushed the glass door open, stepped inside the world of eye-catching and colourful stuff coupled with those nose-tinkling aromas, and found herself staring at the face of the dear lady, Mrs.Sharma with her bespectacled face and hair as white as snow.