‘Please continue. Don’t hide anything from me. I have seen enough in my short life to accept everything with grace,’ she said politely.

‘Your husband has married again,’ Virk replied.

Bibi heard him but didn’t react. Her worries began surfacing again, making her restless and anguished. One by one, the pillars of hope she had built fell apart. She was worried about the future of her children who were now dependent on their stepmother. Would she take care of them like Bibi had? Now that so much time had passed, did her children still remember her?

Her own safety was shrouded in uncertainty now. Virk’s occasional visits to Tunda had acted like a protective umbrella. She was aware that her beauty and singlehood were drawing undue attention. In comparison to the burqa she wore in Tadali, which protected her from undue exposure, her dupatta enhanced her beauty manifold. Allah Rakha and his wife often lovingly compared her headscarf to the dark clouds through which her bright and beautiful face emerged like the full moon. Till now, no one had dared to harass her, or even pass a rude comment. Major Virk’s presence was comforting. Since he was loved and feared in equal proportions in the district, his reference itself was a passport to safety from prying eyes. His departure, she feared, could spell trouble for her.

Virk too sensed that she was insecure, but he was helpless. He knew he had no control over the situation from hundreds of miles away. After his chat with Bibi and a cup of Kashmiri kehwa, he departed. In a matter of weeks, everyone in the village became aware of his pultan’s plan to move to the deserts. For the local goon, Ismail, this meant freedom. He and his friends soon began loitering around Bibi’s home. With every passing day, they became more confident; they were also encouraged by the fear-filled silence of the neighbours. They closely monitored her movements and followed her during her daily visits to the gurdwara. The villagers feared Ismail and were not bold enough to even look him in the eye. With Major Virk out of the way, he boldly told his gang members about his plan of ‘taming’ Bibi and began looking for an opportunity to ‘prove’ his manliness.

He did not have to wait long.