第25节

    【】uldnthear.babapoihehouseandaliheyseparated.babaktothehouse;alifollootheirhut.

    afeontslater,babaknoydoor.“etooffice,”hesaid.“ositdotlethisthing.”

    iinutesorrebeforehassanandalijoinedus.

    theydbothbeeng;iuldtellfroheirred,puffedupeyes.theystoodbeforebaba,handinhand,andieausingthiskindofpain.

    babaoneydidyoustealarsch,hassan”

    hassansreplyhin,raspyvoice:“yes.”

    iflihelastti.ilovedhinthatnt,lovedhiorethanideverlovedanyone,andiallthatiohelake.ieissthethereepain,butlifeoveon.ioveon,tet,tostarthaslate.iedtobeabletobreatheagain.

    exceptbabastunnedbysaying,“ifiveyou.”

    fivebuttheftndenonatorofallsins.an,youstealalife.youstealhisehttothetruth.oreeonhislapandsaidthoseethebeingthesonhedaledwhy“weareleaving,aghasahib,”alisaid.

    “hisface.

    “ore,”alisaid.

    “butifivehiali,didntyouhear”saidbaba.

    “lifehereisiossibleforusno,.aliglahing,about,aboutthekite,about.strangely,ieonekneeforiredofpretending.

    “idohesopen,palup.“idontuandeaniossible”

    “ihasahib,butsarealreadypacked.adeourdecision.”

    babastoodup,asheenofgriefacrosshisface.“ali,haventiprovidedibeengoodtoyouandhassanyourethebrotherineverhad,ali,youknohat.pleasedontdothis.”

    “dohisevenrediffient,ithoughtisaace.thataskhissorroyselftolookathassan,buthisheadped,hisfiofhisshirt.

    babaeoknow”

    alididnttellbaba,justashedidntprotestagihetinthatdiittlehut,nottogiveaagiherestraintitsthavetakenalitokeepthatprose.

    “othebusstation”

    “iforbidyoutodothis”bababelloeiforbidyou”

    “respeeanything,aghasahib,”alisaid.“ore.”

    “whereewasbreaking.

    “hazarajat.”

    “toyourusin”

    “yes.akeustothebusstation,aghasahib”

    thehingihadneverseenhiobefore:

    hearedalittle,seeingagroansob.fathers.illneverfetthehat,thepaininhisplea,thefear.

    inkabul,itrarelyraihesuer.blueskiesstoodtallandfar,thesunlikeabrandingironsearingthebaeprayerareatedtorantlongsthekoran,struggliullahdronedonandahotbreezebroughtellof**froheouthouseahoolyard,gdustaroundthelonericketybasketballhoop.

    butitraiheafteoonbabatookaliandhassantothebusstation.thunderheadsrolledin,paiheskyirongray.inutes,sheetsofrainyears.

    babahadofferedtodrivetheobayanhielf,butalirefused.throughtheblurry,rainsoakedybedrooiattress,rolledtightlyaysha.

    slitheringtalkedthatontheroofofthecar.butpi

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