Kuljeet was surprised to see Rajjo waiting at the gate with her accoutrements, all set to go. Kuljeet calmly instructed her to stand aside while they loaded the essentials and she figured out the arrangements of her travel. The van, as Rajjo had suspected, was full. Puzzled, Arjan looked at Rajjo who stood in a corner with a hopeful expression on her face, as beautiful as a rain, or a child’s curiosity.

Just then Rajjo heard someone running across the compound, a sleepy Raahat was bounding up to see her off. Worried that he had missed her departure already, he was glad to see she was very much here and the bus was running late. He saw her patiently waiting in a corner with her bags packed, all ready to leave and understood the situation. Raahat crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping for Rajjo to get on to the van.

Finally, Kuljeet limped towards Rajjo with a sigh and informed her gently that there was not enough space for her in the van. Rajjo knew Kuljeet was going to make it difficult. But it hurt just the same. Rajjo did not make a move to turn back and stood there waiting for some miracle.

Raahat looked at her crestfallen face and wanted to shake Kuljeet till she agreed to take Rajjo along. He uncrossed his fingers.

Almost as an afterthought, Kuljeet shrugged and looked at the overloaded bus laden with food and other amenities required in the ashram for the event, along with the sewadars and villagers. Many of them were still climbing on top of each other till people were hanging out of windows and doors like a cluster of overgrown bushes bursting through wired fences. The driver revved up the engine. The top of the bus was already crammed with fifty-odd people. Kuljeet paused with a triumphant smile at Rajjo as the bus driver hooted that he was ready to pull away.

‘If you really want to come, get onto that bus. Or else help run the kitchen of the ashram here. It’s a fulfilling job.’ Rajjo stood there numb. Kuljeet leaned closer to Rajjo and murmured in a placatory manner, ‘Whatever pleases God’s will, comes to pass.’

Confident that Rajjo was staying put, Kuljeet gave her a benevolent smile, and sat in the white van. The van whizzed past Raahat and Rajjo as they stood in a cloud of dust, left behind as an aftermath.

The bus horn tooted with finality. Through the haze of dusty cloud, Rajjo saw the bus crawling away. She looked at Raahat. Raahat’s eyes widened, for he knew exactly what she was thinking. Both of them ran towards the bus that was pulling away.