Mrs. Mehta (a.k.a. Sass) Timeline and Summary

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• Before we even meet Mrs. Mehta, she's bargaining for Koly to bring more cash flow her way. Word gets to Koly's family that they must give Koly jewelry for her dowry, so Koly's mom gives her some pretty silver earrings.
• Mrs. Mehta lies about how sick her son is so she can get the dowry.
• Koly tries to do the chores and help her mother-in-law out, but Mrs. Mehta doesn't seem to care for her very much. This makes sense when Koly learns that Hari has tuberculosis and only married her for her dowry.
• Mrs. Mehta tries to get her hands on Koly's silver earrings right away, but Koly refuses.
• Hari's parents use Koly's dowry to fund a trip to the Ganges, where the water can cure diseases.
• While there, Hari dies. Koly mourns with Hari's parents, partly for Hari, and partly for her future being taken away from her.
• Back at the Mehta house, Koly tries her hardest to do the chores, but Mrs. Mehta finds fault with everything she does.
• When Mrs. Mehta finds out that Mr. Mehta has taught Koly her how to read, she's ticked.
• After Chandra leaves and Mr. Mehta dies, Koly tries harder than ever to impress Mrs. Mehta—but it's of no use.
• Mrs. Mehta tells her they're going to Delhi to live with her brother, begging Koly to hand over her silver earrings; eventually she wears the girl down. And then Mrs. Mehta pawns the earrings for cash.
• Along the way, Mrs. Mehta ditches Koly in Vrindavan, a town full of widows. Ugh.
• The last thing we hear about Mrs. Mehta is that she's headed for the train station to go to her brother's house in Delhi.