Little Pinky jumped up in joy because it was Diwali. It meant she got to wear her brand new red ghagra choli. It also meant she got to visit her grandmother. Little Pinky got ready even before mommy told her to get up. When mommy came into her room, mommy was very happy to see her ready and helped her into her brand new glittery ghagra choli.

“Can I go meet grandma now?” Little Pinky jumped up and down with excitement.

Mommy’s face fell. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. She forced herself to smile and said, “Yes Pinky, you can go and visit grandma…”

“Yay!” Pinky ran around the house in joy.

Mommy gave her a large box of sweets, “give this to Grandma. Wish her a happy Diwali.”

Pinky nodded, “I have my own gift for Grandma too.” She ran into her room, pulled out her gift from her school bag and placed it inside the box of sweets.

Little Pinky noticed her mom sitting sadly on the sofa. Mommy liked grandma too, just like Pinky did. But grandma and mommy had been fighting recently. Pinky didn’t know why, when she asked mommy, mommy simply said it was because grandma wanted to give her cousin Pappu more chocolates than her. This had hurt Pinky, why would grandma give Pappu more chocolates? Pinky always thought grandma liked her more. But Pinky was sure when grandma saw her in her new red ghagra choli and ate her sweets she would love her again. And she would give her more chocolates than Pappu.

Pinky went to Mommy, “Don’t worry mommy. I will make sure grandma loves me more. I will take good care of grandma.”

Little Pinky left for grandma’s place. She hopped a little and skipped a little, her two ponytails jumping around in the air and her ghagra choli glittering red in the morning sunshine.

Mr.Bedia watched little Pinky as she made her way to her grandma’s house. Mr. Bedia had watched Pinky ever since she was a toddler. She was growing up nicely, Mr.Bedia thought as he watched her ponytails jumping around in the air. He had always watched her when she visited her grandma. Little Pinky had such love for her grandma. How Mr.Bedia wished she could love him like that. He licked his lips imagining her tiny hands hugging his thick neck. His toes curled as he imagined her soft lips kissing his rough cheek. Oh, if only her was her grandma. Mr. Bedia grinned, maybe there was a way. He slowly slipped out of his own house.

When little Pinky rang the bell to her grandma’s house, grandma didn’t answer the door. She rang the bell again and a weak voice said, “come in…”. Little Pinky walked into the house, it smelled of diapers and boiled potatoes. Little Pinky walked into grandma’s bedroom.

“Who is it?” Grandma sat up in her bed.

“It is me… Little Pinky…”

“Ah, my dear little Pinky. You are here to wish me for Diwali. You are such a sweetheart.” Grandma crooned.

“How do I look, grandma, I am wearing the ghagra choli you sent.” Pinky grinned.

“Oh, you look lovely dear. Just like a little angel. Why don’t you give your old grandma a hug and a kiss?”

Pinky skipped closer to grandma, “why does your voice sound so hoarse grandma?”

“I have a cold and a sore throat dear… that’s why…” grandma said.

“Why do your eyes look so large grandma?” Little Pinky said.

“It’s so I can stare at your beautiful ghagra choli better, dear,” grandma said.

“What big teeth you have grandma” Pinky took a step closer to grandma.

“It’s so I can smile wider at my favorite grandchild, sweetheart.” Grandma gave her a wide grin.

Little Pinky hugged her grandma, “what rough skin you have, grandma.”

“It’s so I can hold onto your soft skin, dear. Now give your old grandma a kiss.”

Little Pinky kissed grandma and felt something hard poke her as she sat in grandma’s lap, “I got you these sweets grandma.”

“Oh, that is so nice of you dear. Here let me keep them by my bedside.” Grandma said.

“Grandma, I am still your favorite, am I not?” Little Pinky looked up at grandma.

“Of course you are, sweetie.” Grandma kissed her on her forehead and pinched her cheek harder.

“You are not going to give more chocolates to Pappu are you?” Little Pinky sounded sad.

“Of course not, dear, you will get all the chocolates,” Grandma said as she squeezed Little Pinky’s left butt hard.

Pinky smiled despite how her butt hurt. But then her eyes fell on the bedside table, there beside her recently placed box of sweets was a large box of chocolates. It had a small note on it that read, ‘To my favorite, Pappu. Love grandma’.

Pinky’s smile fell, she made a sad face, “you are not lying to me are you grandma? Because we have always taken good care of you. Mom and dad have taken good care of you and I have always loved you. It would not be fair if you gave more chocolates to Pappu.”

“No, no, I will give you all the chocolate,.” Grandma said trying to kiss little Pinky and grope her right butt.

Little Pinky sighed. She slid her hand into her box of sweets and pulled out her gift.

Grandma didn’t see this as she was busy trying to hug and grope little Pinky. “I love you grandma” little Pinky said there was a glint of metal, “but I love my chocolates more.”

Grandma took a while to realize what had happened. Her eyes widened as a thin red line blossomed on her neck. Grandma held her neck as a small deluge of blood began to spurt out of her neck. Little Pinky jumped up and down as the blood splattered and soaked onto her glittery red ghagra choli. Her ghagra choli looked even redder and brighter now, little Pinky giggled. Then she saw the wig slid off of grandma’s head and the bald head of Mr.Bedia emerge. Little Pinky stopped jumping but she giggled harder.

She looked around the bedroom and finally found grandma stuffed under the bed. Little Pinky helped grandma out, and untied her. “He attacked me, Mr. Bedia attacked me.” Grandma looked at Mr.Bedia and stifled her scream, she looked back at her grandchild in her bright red ghagra choli.

“I took care of him for you grandma…” little Pinky slid the thin sharp blade into grandma’s hand, “I hope I get more chocolates than Pappu, grandma. Remember, I know where you live.” Little Pinky gave grandma a kiss. She turned around and skipped and hopped her way home, her ponytails jumping up and down and her red ghagra choli fluttering in the wind.