A shocked audience saw her abrupt departure and the hurried attempt of Chhoti Maa to address the masses.

Rajjo headed back to her room, followed by her shocked coterie. Rano hurried towards them after managing the on-stage activities. A thunderous expression was on her face as she gave Karam a knowing look.

‘What happened, Rajjo?’ Rano’s tone was accusatory. Rajjo continued to walk like a woman possessed. She needed the sanctuary of her room.

Devi scuttled behind Rajjo, wanting to block out the shock and disapproval.

Rajjo headed for the whiskey bottle kept in the hidden cabinet and downed the drink in three neat gulps. Rano hissed in Rajjo’s ear, clearly unhappy. ‘The VIP darshan is pending.’ Rajjo wanted to run away to be in his arms, the only place where she could breathe.

The nimble-footed moth was back in the room. It settled on the delicate petal-shaped lamp on the wall. It reminded her of a time in the recent past where he left her in the middle of an unfinished fight, an unfinished kiss. She was yearning to give him some love but he had to leave because his wife had called him. It never bothered her before but now it tore her apart. When was she ever going to be the priority for Harsh? And he had the same answer – when they started a life together.

The walls were closing in. The moth fluttered again and flew out to sit on the windowsill. Rajjo wanted to capture it in a glass jar and watch it suffer like she suffered. Why had he given her that simple option; to elope from the life she had created? She envied and hated his wife who slept in his arms night after night. The moth whispered, ‘It could be you.’

She wanted to smash something. She hated his wife and empathized with her in the same breath. She was breathing deeply, trying to quell her raging emotion. Her bloodshot eyes, beads of sweat on her forehead and neck, alarmed the others. The room spinned around her, Devi’s hand was the only thing that kept her from collapsing. She struggled to breathe. She had everything around her that money could buy yet she seemed little better than a beggar. The giant motif of Lord Shani looked down at her with disdain and she drank some more, spilling liquor on her sari with unsteady hands. Rano immediately called for some people to take care of the spilt liquor. In her business-like tone, she took charge swiftly.

‘You need to be touched up… That sari has to be cleaned, Rajjo. I need you to be ready in ten minutes.’ She turned to Devi. ‘Get her ready.’ Devi lowered her eyes awaiting her mistress’s consent. ‘Did you hear me, Rajjo?’

Rajjo focused her mind and breath on Rano. She could hear her loud and clear once more as she nodded. Devi muttered to Rano, ‘I will get her ready now.’