- One day, Koly's mom tells her she has to find a husband now that she's an old maid of thirteen.
- Koly lives in India, and everyone gets married young; plus it will really help her family out.
- We get some backstory about Koly's baap (a.k.a. dad) and Maa (a.k.a. mom). Her baap is a scribe in the local market square, which basically means he writes letters for illiterate people.
- Maa does what all the other women do in their town: She keeps the home in order. She cooks, cleans, and embroiders linens with fancy designs to make some extra money for the fam.
- It's clear that Koly's family doesn't have much money, so Koly finding a husband will mean there's more food to go around for Maa, Baap, and Koly's two brothers.
- Here's the catch, though: Finding a hubby will also be tricky since Koly's family doesn't have much to give for her dowry.
- As the family starts hunting for a suitable husband who will agree to marry Koly, her brothers tease her that no one will ever want to marry her. They're just joking, of course, but Koly wonders how much she's worth.
- Her brothers go off to school each morning, but she has to stay home and help her mom. When she asks to go to school, too, her Maa tells her it'd be a waste—girls don't need to go to school, she says, because they do work at home.
- Pretty soon, Koly's parents have found her a match. He's a Brahman (translation: the highest Hindu caste), just like her.
- His name is Hari Mehta, and he has a sister, which makes Koly happy since it means she'll have help with the chores.
- For her dowry, Koly's parents sell some of their own wedding presents from back in the day, as well as their cow.
- As if that's not enough, the Mehtas also ask about jewelry, so Koly brings along her mom's heavy silver earrings.
- Koly says goodbye to her bros and heads to the Mehtas' place with her parents. When they get there, Mr. Mehta isn't interested in anything besides the dough. He's all, "show me the money" about it.
- Koly is bugged by how little anyone cares about her in her new family. She meets her sister-in-law, Chandra, who is younger than her and much prettier.
- Later that night, Koly overhears her parents talking about the marriage. Her Maa is worried that none of them have seen the groom yet. Sure, Koly isn't supposed to until the wedding, but why is he hiding from her parents?
- Baa replies that Hari's sick with the flu and resting for the big day.
- Koly considers running away but knows that would bring shame to her family, so she decides to stick it out, figuring the Mehtas will grow to love her… eventually.
- The next day, Maa wakes Koly up to get her ready for the wedding. Her parents are a little emotional, but Koly's ready.
- As she walks down the aisle, she sneaks a peek at Hari and he's much younger and sicker than she guessed he would be. But what can she do now? She goes through with the ceremony and ties the knot.
- It's time for wedding cake, including Koly's favorite, coconut cakes. All the men eat first, though, and by the time she gets to eat, there are no coconut cakes left. Sigh.
- Koly can tell that her parents are ticked about Hari being so young and frail. As they say goodbye to her, they tell her he's not what they expected.
- Still, though, her mom reassures her, saying Hari will grow big and strong in no time. Baap slips his daughter a coconut cake he saved for her.
- After they leave, Mrs. Mehta tells Koly she'll sleep in Chandra's room since Hari is sick. Then she instructs Koly to hand over her precious silver earrings for "safe keeping" (ahem, to sell them).
- Koly refuses and goes to her room. Instead, she finds a lose brick in the wall and stuffs them in the side so no one steals them.
- She feels like a caged animal, all alone, trying to figure a way out.