- Koly gets up early the next morning to start her chores. Mrs. Mehta (a.k.a. her sass) instructs her on what to do throughout the day.
- Her life is beginning to sound a lot Cinderella's. Koly has to wash the dishes, do the mopping, get water from the well—if it's a chore, it seems like it falls to her.
- After a while, Mrs. Mehta leaves to get Hari's medicine, telling Koly not to bother Hari while she's gone.
- Except Koly doesn't like being told what to do one bit, so when she hears Hari coughing, she goes into his room to check on him.
- Hari looks very pale and thin in bed, but she talks to him anyway. He tells her about flowers and bugs; he has quite the collection.
- She remembers her mom giving her honey and ginger when she had a cough, so she makes that for her new husband.
- His cough goes away for a little bit, and Koly asks him if he's really has the flu.
- Nope. No he does not.
- In fact, he's really sick with tuberculosis. Not for much longer, though, since his parents are taking him to the Ganges to cure him.
- Hari, however, hopes that he will die there and his body will be laid to rest in the magical Ganges. Um, okay.
- Suddenly Mrs. Mehta returns. She scolds Koly for bothering Hari, but he stands up to his mom, saying Koly brought him something for his cold and is actually hanging out with him so leave her alone.
- Mrs. Mehta isn't exactly happy about this (shocking, we know), but she leaves Koly to do the rest of her chores.
- Later Koly asks Chandra why her parents would let Hari get married if they knew he was so sick.
- Chandra explains that the family needs money, so they let Hari marry Koly so they could pay for the trip to the Ganges with her dowry. Ouch.
- Koly hopes she can at least go along, too, but Chandra is sure they'll have to stay at home—the train ticket is too expensive.
- That night, Koly hears Hari arguing with his parents. He wants Koly to come with them to the Ganges, and doesn't see why she can't.
- Chandra tells Koly that her brother always gets his way because (1) he's the only boy and (2) he's sick.
- It turns out that Chandra's right. After a while, Mrs. Mehta calls Koly in and tells her that she will get to come along on the trip.
- The only problem? The doc visits later on and tells them it's not such a good idea to go to the Ganges at all. The travel will be tough on Hari.
- Mrs. Mehta doesn't listen, though. She knows this trip will heal her son, and tells the family as much.
- Koly notices that Mr. Mehta just follows whatever his wife says.