Everything fell silent. Everyone looked at them. Who is looking for Mei Lin? After so many years? An old man walked towards them from the front row with the help of a walking stick. He looked at Pulok for a while and cried out, ‘Pulok? Are you Pulok?’

Pulok looked at the old man and kept on looking. Then he said in a trembling voice, ‘Lee Chang!’

‘Yes, me! It’s me! How come you –’

Pulok hugged Lee Chang and looked around.

Where are my other friends? Where are the familiar faces of Cheenapatti? Where is Mei Lin? Mei Lin? Where is she?

The dance was over. Babu walked on to the stage and spoke into the microphone.

‘Two people from India have come to participate in today’s celebrations. One is Arunabh Bora. Everyone knows his name. He has written a book about us. With him there is another, a man you may or may not know. His name is Pulok Baruah. He used to live in Makum.’

Everyone looked at Pulok and Arunabh in surprise. The atmosphere suddenly changed. Many elderly people came forward in great excitement.

‘Look. That’s Akong. That’s Liang,’ said Lee Chang.

‘Why are you using a stick, Lee Chang? What happened?’

‘I had a stroke.’

A frail and thin Akong, who had almost lost his mind, hugged Pulok.

‘Why didn’t you come earlier? Mei Lin cried a lot. I wiped her tears so many times. I am not well. You were there in Makum. Why didn’t you convince Phulmoni to come with me? Love is not true. Only the country is true. Nothing is greater than the country. Phulmoni never came, did you know? She kept my three sons. I will never be able to see them again. I will die without seeing them. Have you seen them? Are they still in Makum? My three sons –’

Hugging Akong and wiping his tears, Pulok looked around.

Where is Mei Lin? Where is his daughter that he had never seen?

Arunabh looked at Pulok and the others silently. One after the other, his old friends and acquaintances surrounded him.

‘Forty-nine years back, his wife was sent away for being Chinese. Her name is Wong Mei Lin. Mei Lin Baruah,’ Babu was saying into the microphone.

Mei Lin, who was standing at the door with Lailin and her family, looked up at the dais.

Why was Babu taking her name? Was Pulok here? Had the other part of her soul, which she thought was lost forever, come back to her?

‘You took so long to come looking for Mei Lin?’ Hugging Pulok, Liang said slowly.

‘Where is Mei Lin? Why isn’t she here?’ Pulok cried out.

‘Who is that person? That old and frail man? Pulok? My Pulok?’ Mei Lin thought.

Lailin held her mother. She was about to collapse.

‘Maa – deuta has come. He has come looking for you.’