The Innocent Thief

Friends, this is a light-hearted short story for the children. Thanks.

7:30 am.
New Delhi.
A lazy autumn Saturday.
The alarm was ringing, but a groggy-eyed Soniya wanted to sleep more.
Mom, Reetu’s voice broke in, “Get up, darling! Today I’ll prepare ‘Mixed Chow Mein.’ You won’t like it cold.”
The moment she heard the word ‘Chow Mein,’ she sat bolt upright on her bed. For the sake of this dish, Soniya was prepared to do anything!
Soon, the sounds in the hallway told her that her parents had gone out for their morning walk.
Yes! This was the time for a quick pre-breakfast snack.
Yesterday, Soniya’s Dubai uncle sent a big hamper of chocolates for her birthday on Monday. But she didn’t have the patience to wait for two full days. So, the next few minutes found her going to the fridge and pulling out the big chocolate hamper from the deep freezer.
Oh No! Her elbow had upset a bottle from the side rack. As the plastic bottle fell with a thud, its cap got loose, and water began spilling out. The quick-witted Soniya swooped in like an eagle and picked it up in a trice. Thank God! Not much water had spilled out. The girl quickly wiped the floor dry with a sponge, refilled the bottle and placed it back.
She could hear voices in the passageway. Her parents had returned.
Her heart was palpitating! The chocolates could wait.
But why was mom smiling as she came near her girl?
“Darling, why did you raid the fridge again?”
“But mom, I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Then why is the edge of your pyjamas wet?”
Sonia, in her hurry, had forgotten to change her pyjamas. Its bottom was still wet, which had not escaped the sharp-eyed Reetu.
Yes.
The chocolate thief was caught before the theft could even occur!
***
(298 words)