We both retreated to opposite sides of the room after my outburst. Soon after, my mother began sobbing helplessly. She sobbed and sobbed till she had no more tears left in her. It was only when the clock was about to strike one that my mother realized my father would be back for lunch at any moment—he owned a small imitation jewellery store, just two lanes away from where we lived in Chandni Chowk. She got up, washed her face and resumed her domestic routine like nothing had happened. And this summed up our entire lives, really. We never talked about the issues that troubled our family, or about what we wanted for ourselves. We were only allowed to follow the paths that my father wanted for us.

That afternoon, as we sat around our small, rickety dining table, my father said, ‘Kiranjeet, it’s time you got married like Harpreet. We’ve sent your biodata to many matrimonial groups. Start learning how to do household chores from your mother. The better you get at that, the better you can please your husband.’

My mother and I didn’t utter a word. When we continued to eat in silence, my dad threw his spoon on the floor and screamed at the top of his voice, ‘Are you both deaf?’

He looked like a wounded rabid dog in that moment, so angry was he at our lack of response. My mother started to placate him, sounding like a stuck cassette that suddenly starts playing on its own, ‘Bhai called today. He’s offered to pay for her tuition if she can find a college in Amreeka.’

‘I don’t need any favours from your stupid brother. He earns in dollars but never extends any support in times of crisis. My little shop is almost about to shut down, all thanks to these online shopping companies. Our sales are at an all-time low. Forget about Amreeka. Let’s sell your jewellery and marry this one off.’

‘Papa, my friend Suhana’s elder sister is a marketing expert. She can help us build our own website. That way, we can also find new customers. I can take a long-distance course in marketing and help you with the business,’ I said with a lot of hesitation in my voice.

‘You’re a girl. No need to think about running our family business. You’ll eventually get married and leave. How I wish Wahe Guru had blessed me with a son instead of giving me these two liabilities! Must be some bad karma from my past … I’ve already succeeded in getting your sister married, now all I want is to get you married as soon as possible.’