My two-year-old granddaughter usually sleeps in her Dadi’s arms. But after seeing me ill, she did something I had not expected.

Last night, I vomited twice. I had not been feeling well, and my latest HbA1c result had come back at 10.25%.

My granddaughter Raahima heard the family talking about my diabetes.

“Dada ko sugar ho gaya hai,” she began telling everyone.

She is a little over two years old. I doubt she understands what diabetes means. She must have picked up the words from the adults.

But she had also seen me vomiting. She looked concerned.

I did not know then that she would do something quite unusual at bedtime.

Dadi Is Usually Her First Choice

Raahima sometimes sleeps in our room. She has her own sleeping arrangement, although nobody has made any rules about it.

She sleeps in her Dadi’s arms.

Whenever I try to pull her towards me, she wriggles away and returns to her grandmother. Sometimes I try again, hoping she might stay beside me for a while.

She rarely does.

I have become used to this little routine.

Last night, when she came to bed, I did not try to bring her towards me.

She came on her own.

She settled beside me and placed one little leg across my stomach.

Then she fell asleep.

I was still uncomfortable after vomiting, but I did not move her leg. I remained in that position until I needed to go to the bathroom.

I could have shifted a little. She might not even have noticed.

But I did not want to disturb her.

What Was Going Through Her Mind?

I have been wondering why Raahima changed her usual sleeping place.

She had seen me ill. She had heard people discussing my blood sugar. Perhaps she was worried about me.

Or perhaps seeing me vomit had frightened her, and she wanted to stay close.

I cannot know.

She is still too young to explain such feelings.

What surprised me was her decision to come to my side without being called.

On ordinary nights, I try to persuade her to sleep beside me. Even then, she usually escapes to Dadi.

Last night, I had done nothing.

She came and stayed.

The Morning After

This morning, my fasting blood sugar was 101 mg/dL. The vomiting had stopped, and I was feeling better.

I remembered Raahima’s little announcement.

“Dada ko sugar ho gaya hai.”

She had heard the adults discussing my illness and repeated the words to everyone. I wondered how much of our conversation she had understood.

Then I thought about the way she had slept beside me.

I could still remember her little leg resting across my stomach. I had been uncomfortable, but I stayed in that position until I needed the bathroom.

It was such a small thing.

I have spent many evenings trying to persuade Raahima to leave Dadi’s arms and come to me. Most of the time, she refuses.

Last night, she came without being asked.

Tonight, she may return to her usual place beside Dadi.

I suspect she will.

And I will probably try to pull her towards me again.

Related reading: What I Learned When I Put the Screen Down and Opened a Book for My Grandchildren and The Unpaid Work That Keeps Pakistani Families Running.