Koly knows he will marry and that she will never marry because families would not accept a widow as a daughter-in-law. Her relationship with Raji continues to develop and Raji one day announces that he plans to return to his farm in the country now that he has saved enough money to begin a life there. Koly is soon making enough money to move from the shelter but discovers that not everyone is straightforward and trustworthy. The benefactress arrives for a visit one day and, upon seeing the quilt Koly made for her dowry, introduces her to a tailor who hires her to be an embroiderer in his shop. She is taken in by a charitable group that provides her with food, a place to stay, and a job. Koly is rescued after living a short time on the street by a young rickshaw driver named Raji. Mehta abandons Koly in Vrindavan, a city filled with widows who have been similarly abandoned. Mehta decides to move to Delhi where she has been promised a place in the home of her brother. Koly holds to the hope of running away but then Mr. Koly eventually learns the Mehtas have stolen her monthly widow’s pension check and most of the money has gone to fund the dowry of Hari’s younger sister, Chandra.

He teaches her to read and she greatly enjoys poetry. Once the family returns home, Koly’s life is a cycle of work and scolding from Mrs. Even though Hari drinks and bathes in the river, he dies the day after their arrival.

They believe Hari will be divinely cured once he bathes in the Ganges River. The Mehtas had tricked Koly’s parents in order to get her dowry to pay for a trip to the holy city of Varanasi. The day after the wedding, Koly discovers Hari has tuberculosis. Her parents consider postponing the wedding, but Baap believes brides who do not marry on the day chosen for them by an astrologer will be plagued with misfortune. However, when they arrive at the Mehta house, they discover that he is only thirteen. As Koly prepares for her wedding, she creates a beautiful quilt for herself, covered with scenes from her home which she will never see again. Maa is a talented embroiderer and has trained Koly well. Her father is a scribe and often writes letters for people who are not able to pay the full price for his services. Her parents, referred to by the Hindi as “Maa” and “Bapp,” are good people. She knows that life will be better for her family once there is one less mouth to feed each day.

Koly’s family will struggle to find enough money to provide Koly’s dowry. Though she is only thirteen, the story opens with Koly’s mother pointing out that the time has come to find a husband. In Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan, Koly is a young teenager growing up in India.