第40节

    lltobabasapartnt.teaflooreandsirisingandtheguestsfinallygone,sorayaandilaytogetherforthefirstti.alllife,idbeenaroundn.thatnight,idisveredthetendeessofaan.

    itwassorayaoveine.

    “ithoughtyoughtustohaveouroe,”isaid.

    “ethatarriage.ikissedher.“thankyou.”

    sorayadediyfather.shedehistoastaheing,andhelpedhinandoutofbed.shegavehiispainpills,theiionalseonhissideeveryhoursohegetabedsore.

    oneday,ithepharpseofsorayaquicklyslidingsothingunderbabasbla.“hey,isahatwodoing”isaid.

    “nothing,”sorayasaid,sling.

    “liar.”iliftedbabasbla.“eeredthefirekhanhadgivenitto,thenightofthirteenthbirthday,flaressizzlingandexplodingintobouquetsreen,andyellow.

    “itbelieveyouelikethis,”sorayasaid.

    babadraggedhisheadoffthepilloind.”

    igavethenotebookba.babahateditried.

    anthaftertheentfordinner.sorayadesabziile,asheskiesofkabulonnightshepoplarsshiveredandthesoundofketsshegardens.

    justbeforednight,babaaskedustohelphintobed.sorayaandiplap.heaskedustoleanin,gaveuseachakiss.

    “illebackorphineandaglassofer,kakajan,”sorayasaid.

    “nottonight,”hesaid.“thereisnopaintonight.”

    “okay,”shesaid.shepulleduphisbla.hedoor.babaneverwokeup.

    theyfilledtheparkingspotsatthesqueinhayakeshiftroosquetofindaspot.

    thensseosque,veredattressespla,leavingtheirshoesattheentranattresses.allahiarypositionforthefalyofthedeceased.geaherie.

    throughtheopendoor,iuldseelinesofcarspullingin,sunlightendressedindarksuits,enkdresses,theirheadsveredhtraditionalehijabs.

    asthekoranreverberatedthroughtherooithoughtoftheoldstoryofbabaself.leavinghisbelovedholand,hisethatheuld.buteventhen,hehadlostonhisos.

    aftereaouerslinedupaedontheiribarelykneiledpolitely,thaheortheireoevertheyhadtosayaboutbaba.

    helpedbuildthehouseintaini...“blesshi..

    noootutoa...”

    “...foundajob...barelyknee...”

    “...likeabrotherto...”

    listeningtotheirealizedhouyetheore;idhavetofinditonown.

    thethoughtofitterrified.

    earlier,atthegravesiteinthesllslieetery,ihadlouliahandanotintunththavetueduglyhadgeaherinotintervehellahaple.

    noouershadpaidtheirrespeullahunpluggingtheokingineinunionextovingonalready,leavingbababehind.

    “ho”geaherisaid.

    igrittedteeth.bitbackthetearsthathadthreatenedallday.“ioingtofindsoraya,”isaid.

    “okay.”

    ienssideofthesque.sorayaotherandaupleofladiesiregnizedvaguelyfroheotioosoraya.shesaidsothingtohertherandcato.

    “wewalk”isaid.

    “sure.”shetookhand.

    heheadstone.“soraya”

    “yes”

    “ioingtosshi”

    sheputherhandonlap.babasouersdrivingaeever,babawouldbeallalone.

    sorayapulledtoheraearsfinallyca.

    beentperiod,chof

    ...