Energized by the meal, she cooked some food, making enough for the night as well, and ate some more. Suddenly, she began to feel very tired. She shut the door to the hut, lay on the cot and slept for hours. Again, it was hunger that roused her. She ate again without any sense of what time of the day it was, and came out and sat on the rock. She could hear her mother-in-law returning in the distance, herding the goats back home. She was thankful for the animals, for they bore the brunt of her mother-in-law’s anger. Her gaze shifted towards the path by which Kumaresan would come home, and then moved away. She did not know when he would return. If he worked hard for the next four or five days, he could open the shop soon.

She had not expected such a row to erupt during the function at Chellakka’s house. Kumaresan’s eldest uncle was furious. For a moment it had seemed like he meant to hit Kumaresan. But Kumaresan had stood his ground silently, troubled and teary-eyed. He knew that it was best to remain silent. If people could find fault with him even when he wasn’t saying anything, she could imagine what would have happened if he had. No one came to his support. They all just demanded, ‘Why are you fighting here?’

‘Why did Chella invite them when their own village has rejected them? What’s the need for him to come and fulfil his duties as a distant uncle to the girls?’

‘Chella’s daughter has finally come of age after all these years. Don’t interrupt the function here with your personal argument.’

‘Hey, Nōndi, don’t you see how infuriated your uncle is? Why are you still here? Go away. Is it proper to create trouble at an auspicious event?’

All this commotion had started even before the girls’ maternal uncle and family arrived at the head of their procession. It occurred to Saroja that things would only escalate once that other crowd arrived. She pressed Kumaresan’s hand, trying to communicate that it would be best if they returned home. In all the cacophony, she could not hear anything clearly. Suddenly, his uncle rushed forward like a charging bull, casting away all restraint, and kicked the plate Kumaresan held in his hand. In the darkness, they could only hear the brass plate and mug flying and landing somewhere out of sight.