I was seated in the Jeep, with Janaki and Raghav in my arms. Even Saarang was beside me, playing with the kids to keep them entertained. My husband was busy addressing a group of villagers under a peepal tree. The barrister was with him. Even Bhargav stood beside him confidently.

"Thakur Ji, aap samajhne ki koshish kijiye! Aadhe gaon ka rozana Sultan Ji ke dukano se aata hai!" One of the elders shouted.

(Thakur Ji, please try to understand! Half the village is employed because of Sultan Ji's shops.)

"Agar aap jeet gaye aur woh saare dukane band daale toh humara kya hoga?" Another one asked in concern.

(What if you win and he closes all the shops? What will we do then?)

My husband replied calmly, "Aap itne pareshan isliye ho kyunki Sultan ji ke naam par jo dukaane aap chala rahe hai, unki kagaz hi nahin hain. Aur agar woh kuch dukaane band bhi kare... kya aapko lagta hai main aapka haath yunhi chhod doonga?"

(The reason you're concerned is that the shops you're running under Sultan ji's name don't even have proper documents. And even if he shuts down a few of those shops... do you really think I'll leave you helpless?)

"Aapki rozi-roti ka intezaam main karunga. Naye dukaane banwaunga. Sheher se bhi zyada shandaar bazaar khade karenge. Main Sarpanch ke roop mein apni zimmedaariyon ko halke mein nahin loonga."

(I'll give you employment. I'll build shops here, even better than those in the city. I won't take my responsibilities lightly as the Sarpanch.)

My heart was racing with each word he spoke. The people of the village were whispering among themselves. Jagdish, who had been perched on his bike, scoffed at my husband's words, "Arey Thakur Ji! Aap aakhir aapki aur Sultan Ji ke dushmani mei hame kyu ghaseet rahe ho?"

(Oh Thakur ji! Why are you dragging us into the middle of your feud with Sultan ji?)

"Kutta..." I heard Keshav mutter through gritted teeth. He was sitting in the front, right behind the wheel, listening to everything just as intently as me.

(Bitch...)

"Woh unke khilaaf kyu aise bol raha hai...?" I mumbled. I thought Jagdish was Keshav's good friend from college.

(Why's he talking against Bhairav Ji...?)

"Pucho math... Usko humare pure parivar ke saath dushmani hai kyunki woh barrister Bhaiya ke khaas dost hai."

(Don't ask... He's against our entire family now because Paramesh is Bhaiya's close friend.)

I gulped. Why did things have to become this way? A part of me was worried about Payal. I had barely seen her for the past few months. She was never alone. Always accompanied by her mother-in-law or Jadish's cousin sisters. I hoped that she was doing okay in that household.

"Aapke biwi ke karan ab pura gaon keemat chuka raha hai-"

(The whole village is paying the price for what your wife has done-)

"Thakur Ji se aise baat karta hai-!" One of the villagers grabbed Jagdish's collar. A few others looked ready to beat him up as well, but Bhairav Ji asked them to stop.

(How dare you speak to the Thakur Ji like that-!)

"Isliye ghar ke auraton ko kabu mei rakhna zaroori hai. Aap kya samjhenge?" Jagdish snapped. It seemed almost directly aimed at Paramesh. I watched the Barrister clench his fists.

(This is why it's important to keep women under control. What would you know?)

"Pichhle kuch saalon mein maine kabhi Gulzar ya uske aadmiyon ke khilaaf khade hone ki zaroorat mehsoos nahin ki... kyunki baat seedhe taur par mujh tak nahin aayi. Mere adheen koi bhi uske liye kaam nahin karta... aur na hi kisi ko uski zaroorat hai. Lekin ab, Jagdish... jo bazaar mein hua, woh kisi aur ki biwi, behen ya beti ke saath bhi ho sakta tha. Apne gaon mei main aisi bimaari ko panapne nahi doonga."

(I never thought of going against Gulzar or his men before... Because it never affected me directly. Nobody under me works for him... They've never felt the need to. But now, Jadish... Whatever happened in the market... It could have been someone else's wife, sister... or even daughter. I won't let this disease spread in my village.)

He turned to the villagers, "Main ab apne daftar ke paas ek vidyalay banwa raha hoon... kyunki bahut se log apne bachchon ko door padhne bhejne ki haisiyat nahi rakhte. Aur isi wajah se... yahan logon ki ek poori kadi majbooran rozgaar ke liye humare gaon ka rukh karti hai... aur dheere-dheere poori ki poori peedhi Gulzar jaise aadmiyon ke neeche kaam karne par majboor ho jaati hai."

(I am now building a school near my office... because many people cannot afford to send their children far away for education. And because of this, people aren't able to find work outside our village... and gradually, entire generations end up being compelled to work under men like Gulzar.)

The villagers were quiet. Some lowered their eyes in shame. I was glad that Bhairav Ji was knocking some sense into their heads. The people were realising what they were giving up for Gulzar Sultan.

"Aur aap humein kaise seva denge, Thakur ji? Sheher mein aapki apni karkhana hai... yahan ki zameen se aapko aamdani mil hi rahi hai. Toh hum kaise maan lein ki aap sach mein is gaon se jude rahenge?"

(And how will you help us, Thakur Ji? You have your factory in the village... and you're earning from the land here as well. So how are we supposed to believe that you'll stay devoted to this village?)

Paramesh laughed at that time and fixed his glasses, "Yeh to seedhi-saaf kapat hai! Kya tumne kabhi yahi sawaal apne maujooda Sarpanch se poocha tha? Gulzar Sultan ne aakhri baar kab is gaon mein qadam rakha hai? Chunav se ek mahina pehle... apne aadmiyon ko rishwat dekar logon ko dhamkata hai, taaki sab usi ko vote dein. Aur jo bhi unke khilaaf khade hone ki zara si himmat karta... woh unhe is tarah daba deta hai ki woh apna naam chunav ke naamankan se bhi wapas le lete hain."

(This is just hypocrisy! Did you ever ask the same question to your current Sarpanch? When was the last time Gulzar Sultan set foot in this village? One month before the election... He bribes his men and threatens people to vote for him. And if anyone even dares to stand against him in the election... He roughs them up in such a way that they end up withdrawing their names from the nomination as well.)

The barrister cleared his throat, "Thakur ji par is gaon ki madad karne ki koi majboori nahin hai... aur isi liye aap sabko inke saath dena chahiye. Woh yeh sab apni marzi se, apne vishwas se kar rahe hain."

(Thakur Ji isn't obliged to help this village... And that's exactly why you should support him. He's doing this all out of his own goodwill.)

Then Paramesh almost gave Bhairav Ji a teasing smile, "Ab faisla aapka hai... ya toh us maujooda Sarpanch ke saath khade rahiye, jise humare gaon ki zyada parwah nahin... ya phir inke saath dijiye, jisne yahan har ek ke liye sach mein kuch karke dikhaya hai."

(Now, the decision is yours... Either vote for the existing Sarpanch who barely cares about the village... Or vote for the man who has helped the people here in one way or the other.)

Many immediately agreed, saying they'd vote only for my husband. But most were terrified of Gulzar Sultan's rage. My husband thanked everyone with a calm smile, "Namaste."

Before he left though, I saw him talking to Jagdish in private. If we were parked a little closer, maybe I could have heard what he was saying.

"Didi..." Saarang tugged my hand, "Bhook lagi hai."

(Didi... I'm hungry.)

I kissed his forehead, "Hum mandir se jab wapas ghar jaenge toh tumhare liye kuch banaungi."

(When we return home from the temple, I'll make something nice for you.)

Saarang hugged my arm, humming. Bhairav Ji got in the front seat at that time, and Paramesh closed the door for him, "Mai ab nikal raha hu. Baba ko aspatal le jaana hai."

(I'll be leaving now. I have to take my father to the hospital.)

My husband nodded. Paramesh smiled at Keshav, then gave me a polite nod, "Thakurain Ji."

After he left, Keshav drove us to the temple. The men talked about Gulzar and how some of the villagers had ties with him. Meanwhile, my little brother had caught a ladybug in his fist.

He was grinning excitedly as he placed the little thing on Janaki's cheek. Raghav stared on curiously and grabbed it. I caught his hand right before he could put the bug in his mouth. Saarang giggled as he took the ladybug back in his hands.

"Chhod do use..." I sighed, but he didn't listen. He never did.

(Let it fly away...)

My brother played with it for a while longer, and before I could stop him, he leaned forward to get my husband's attention.

"Jiju!" He interrupted them, tugging at his hand. Bhairav Ji stopped talking. I was scared that he'd lash out at Saarang. He had never done it before, but his dislike for my brother was clear as day. Bhairav Ji only put up with him because I kept him under my watch.

"Idhar aao beta," I tried pulling him back, but he pushed my hand away, and I couldn't do much as I was holding the kids.

(Come here, beta.)

"Jiju! Dekho!" Saarang placed the ladybug on Bhairav Ji's arm. He didn't move. I watched as my husband quietly let the insect crawl over his arm, as Saarang poked it sometimes. Eventually, it spread its wings and flew out the window.

(Jiju! Look!)

"Ah!" My brother groaned, clutching Bhairav Ji's arm and leaning all the way forward, "Aap use pakde kyu nahi!"

(Why didn't you catch it!)

"Peeche baith jao, Saarang..." My husband sighed and ruffled his hair, "Warna gir jaoge." My brother never disobeyed his Jiju though.

(Sit back down, Saarang... Or you'll fall down.)

He sat back next to me quietly and stared out the window, almost hoping to see the ladybug again. Over the past few months, especially after the twins, I had noticed how my husband was becoming soft towards Saarang. It was a change I never expected, but I was secretly happy.

He caught me smiling in the rear view mirror as I brushed my brother's hair, but didn't say anything, only looked away. Almost as if he was embarrassed to admit that he didn't have an entire heart of stone. It made me smile even more.