Secret Keeper

Asha's mother looks down on Asha's friend because she is Punjabi and not Begali. Asha must live within restrictive social rules that say she cannot play sports or leave her home unaccompanied by a male relative. Asha fights against Indian's society's version of beauty, which expects women to be light-skinned and curvy. She retells Grimm fairy tales so the "princesses and peasant girls got slightly more noble, smart, generous, and brave, and less physical." In greeting, women must bend down in front of older male relatives and touch their feet "in a traditional sign of submission." Asha disobeys her family's wishes by going outside unattended and wearing shorts. Reet's uncle intends to marry her off despite concerns about the man. According to social customs, a widow must wear white, give up eating meat for the rest of her life, and never remarry. Reet becomes anorexic in her grief.

A group of boys stand outside Reet's house to ogle her. Asha says the boys are "like a bunch of hungry calves who see an udder." She wonders if she could attract the same attention by adding mangoes to her bra. Reet answers, "They don't care if these are real or not -- at least not till their wedding night." The girls' grandmother tells them about her wedding and how her husband promised not to touch her "until I wanted him as much as he wanted me." Asha says when she feels Jay's eyes on her, "my whole body aches for him."

The girls' mother's depression is lifted by shopping.