Rano caught Karam’s eye and a tell-tale flush crept up her cheeks.

Karam knew Rano would not deny him any thing, not even his beloved Rajjo’s secrets. Rano looked pretty in a blue outfit, and Karam complimented her on her look. Her face lit up only to drop glumly as the compliment was hurriedly followed by an enquiry about Rajjo.

‘Do you know where Rajjo is?’

‘Why do you think I have nothing better to do but keep track of her?’ Rano spat back.

‘I am just asking…’

‘Is there anything else you ever think of asking?’

‘Like what?’

‘Screw you!’

Karam was used to Rano’s outbursts and ignored them.

‘Fine, but do you know where she is?’

‘Yes!’

Rano deliberately did not elaborate.

‘And…’ Karam waited for a response.

‘And…?’

‘Come on, please, Rano, I have some work with her…’

‘You will be old and withered and she won’t look at you. Your teeth will fall from your gums and your paunch will touch the floor! She still won’t look at you!’ Rano hissed. Her face contorted with sheer wrath.

‘In that state even you won’t!’ Karam quipped.

Rano looked at him nonplussed. ‘I mean look at my face when my teeth fall of, etc.’

There was a pause as Rano grunted.

‘Get lost…and drown in the village river.’

‘We don’t have a river in this village, Rano, it’s merely a canal and if I stand in it, the water is up till my waist. I will have to try hard.’

‘Then try till you die!’

Rano was about to leave and then she stopped.

With a strange expression she readily offered him the information.

‘I promised not to say anything, so I will just say that she is where she goes when she wants to get away…’

Karam knew exactly where that meant, but paused at Rano’s expression. Like she had punished him, by telling him about Rajjo’s whereabouts. Shaking the thought away and tucking the soft velvety dupatta under his arm, Karam was on his way to find Rajjo.

‘Yes, run like a mad dog and hope you break your knee caps on the way!’

Karam turned around only to blow a kiss.

In an instant Rano’s heart flipped and melted, she called out to him. She had to warn him.

‘Karam! Wait...!’ She ran across and whispered in Karam’s ear, staying close to him for a second too long and inhaling his desperate wanting. His sweat mingled with the fragrance of the soil he worked hard with.

‘Kashi is here...Kashmir Singh...’ whispered Rano.

‘Who?’ Karam enquired, a bit clueless about Rano’s insinuating tone.

‘Kashi – Kashmir Singh, Reet’s groom’s friend, that boy, he is here.’

Before Rano could feel Karam’s pain and feel the hurt at her dismissal of his affections, Karam sprinted out.

Karam ran like crazy, trying to beat the dusk. He wanted Rajjo to see the colours of the silk thread sparkle when the sun was still up in the sky.