lltobabasapartntteaflooreandsirisingandtheguestsfinallygone,sorayaandilaytogetherforthefirsttialllife,idbeenaroundnthatnight,idisveredthetendeessofaan
itwassorayaoveine
“ithoughtyoughtustohaveouroe,”isaid
“ethatarriageikissedher“thankyou”
sorayadediyfathershedehistoastandteaintheing,andhelpedhinandoutofbedshegavehiispainpills,theinteationalseonhissideeveryhoursohegetabedsore
oneday,ithepharpseofsorayaquicklyslidingsothingunderbabasblanket“hey,isahatwodoing”isaid
“nothing,”sorayasaid,sling
“liar”iliftedbabasblanket“eeredthefirekhanhadgivenitto,thenightofthirteenthbirthday,flaressizzlingandexplodingintobouquetsofred,green,andyellow
“icantbelieveyoucanelikethis,”sorayasaid
babadraggedhisheadoffthepilloind”
igavethenotebookbababahateditried
anthaftertheentfordinnersorayadesabziile,asheskiesofkabulonnightshepoplarsshiveredandthesoundofcricketsshegardens
justbeforednight,babaaskedustohelphintobedsorayaandiplapheaskedustoleanin,gaveuseachakiss
“illebackorphineandaglassofer,kakajan,”sorayasaid
“nottonight,”hesaid“thereisnopaintonight”
“okay,”shesaidshepulleduphisblankethedoorbabaneverwokeup
theyfilledtheparkingspotsatthesqueinhayakeshiftroosquetofindaspot
thensseosque,veredattressespla,leavingtheirshoesattheentranattressesallahiarypositionforthefalyofthedeceasedgeneraltaherie
throughtheopendoor,iuldseelinesofcarspullingin,sunlightendressedindarksuits,encladinblackdresses,theirheadsveredhtraditionalehijabs
asthekoranreverberatedthroughtherooithoughtoftheoldstoryofbabaselfleavinghisbelovedholand,hisethatheuldntbestbuteventhen,hehadlostonhisos
aftereaouerslinedupandgreetedontheiribarelykneiledpolitely,thankedtheortheirenedtoevertheyhadtosayaboutbaba
helpedbuildthehouseintaini“blesshi
nooneelsetotutoandhelent”
“foundajobbarelyknee”
“likeabrotherto”
listeningtotheirealizedhouyetheore;idhavetofinditonown
thethoughtofitterrified
earlier,atthegravesiteinthesllslieetery,ihadlouliahandanothegotintoanarguntoverighthavetueduglyhadgeneraltaherinotintervenedthellahaple
noouershadpaidtheirrespeullahunpluggingtheokingineinunioncitynextovingonalready,leavingbababehind
“ho”generaltaherisaid
igrittedteethbitbackthetearsthathadthreatenedallday“ioingtofindsoraya,”isaid
“okay”
ienssideofthesquesorayaotherandaupleofladiesiregnizedvaguelyfroheotionedtosorayashesaidsothingtohertherandcato
“canwewalk”isaid
“sure”shetookhand
heheadstone“soraya”
“yes”
“ioingtosshi”
sheputherhandonlapbabasouersdrivingaeever,babawouldbeallalone
sorayapulledtoherandthetearsfinallyca
beentperiod,chof
