第35节

    【】baonended.butheorebabakneansprospearryingen,espereputablefalies,eandgoneandnoonehadsuaboroforsoraya,noonehadpaintedherpalhhenna,noonehadheldakoranoverherheaddress,andithadbeeaherihherateverywedding.

    andnoan,thisther,ileandthebarelyveiledhopeinhereyes.iysex.

    iuldneverreadthethoughtsinthegeneralseyes,butikneuchabouthisohaveanadversaryinthiseverthisbeher.

    “sitdoirjan,”shesaid.“soraya,gethichair,hadhosepeaches.theyresandfresh.”

    “nay,thankyou,”isaid.“ishouldgetgoing.fathersing.”

    “oh”khanuaherisaid,ysalaaoyourfather.andebacktoseeusagain.”

    “iyeye,isawsorayalookingaway.

    “ithoughtyou.heeinasiltaneouslyseriousandplayfulakesothingup,buthebitintoapeadir.justreerisaid.”

    thatnightihoughtoftheyhead.hadshesaidiheardyouysheetsandstaredattheinablenightsofyeldauntilisawheragain.

    itoretalkativeotheraround.asifherpresenadeouretings,ifnotgossipproof,thenlessgossipeclearlyearrassedsoraya.

    oneday,sorayaandieaboutschool,hoont.

    “ajorin”

    “itobeateacher,”shesaid.

    “reallywhy”

    “ivealeeslcertifiedandnoothereachertoo,shetaughtfarsiandhistoryatzarghoonahighschoirlsinkabul.”

    apotbelliednialkerhatofferedthreedollarsforafivedollarsetofhaveit.shedroppedtheneyinalittleeshyly.“ialittleearrassedaboutit.”

    “tell.”

    “itskindofsilly.”

    “pleasetell.”

    shelaughed.“edzibatohelparoundthehouse.shehadasisteriniran,inshad,and,sinile,berlookingupsotisintheddleofhoeatinthepressureoker,thensittingdoeoherthenightbefore.

    “aalesofdaraandsarasloealeoraya,teachersoraya.”shelaughedagain.“iknoezibaethingreallyhwhile,youknow”

    “yes,”ilied.ithoughtofhoyliteraulehassan.hoaboutbigknow.

    “fatheretogotolaythersaledigoingtobeateauchhere,butitsi.”

    “thereachertoo,”isaid.

    “iknoothertold.”thenherfayselffroling.

    “ibroughtyousothing.”ifishedtherollofstapledpagesfroybaised.”ihandedheroneofshortstories.

    “oh,youreered,”shesaid,aetisterthatshedaddressedeandnottheforl“sho,”beherfaethingbehind.ituedaround.etofacehgeaheri.

    “arjan.ouraspiringstoryteller.apleasure,”hesaid.heilingthinly.

    “salaageneralsahib,”isaidthroughheavylips.

    hevedpast,tobhookedinthebreastpocketofhisvest,theotherhaehepages.

    “theysayitealyputahandonshoulder.ookafeepstogether.

    “youkno,ihavegroherfondofyou.youareadetboy,ireallybelievethat,but”hesighedande

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