第42节

    【】erasashehadseenfit.

    butithinkabigpartofthereasonididntcareaboutsorayaspastyret.

    shortlyafterbabasdeath,sorayaaoaonebedroopartnti,justafethegeneralandkhalajalashouse.sorayasparentsboughtusabroikasadishesas

    houseis.thegeneralgaveanadditionalpresent,abrandypeer.inthebox,hehadslippedaeninfarsi:

    arjan,

    ihopeyoudisvernytalesonthesekeys.

    generaliqbaltaheri

    isoldbabasvarket.ietis,idfindafreshbouquetoffreesiasbytheheadstoneandkoo.

    sorayaaledintotheroutinesandnorarriedlife.oingpaper.shesleptontherightsideofthebed,ipreferredtheleft.shelikedfluffypilloilk.

    igotaranddeclaredanenglishjor.itookonasecurityjob,sybooksandstudied.ityfirstnovel.

    sorayajoisaethefollooherfatherschagrin,ieagtrack.

    “idontknoirjan,thatsheeaednothingbutasinhighsinistryposition,givenyourfalyna.”

    iuldseesorayaholdingbaarriedan.besides,theydeacherstoo.”

    “aeach.”

    “isthereanyrerice,dar”sorayasaid.

    afterthegeneralexefriendsinhayilatriedtonsolesoraya.“heanssyoutobesuessful.”

    “soheedalfeneral,”sorayasaid.

    “susenseyouspeak”

    “sunotlikehisittingaroundoveinaposition.teauch,butitsitodoitsilove,anditsabetterthaingheway.”

    khalajalabithertongue.“ifheeverhearsyousayingthat,heoyouagain.”

    “dontossingheapkinoe.“ibruisehispreciousego.”

    inthesuerof1988,aboutsixnthsbeforethesovietsafghanistan,ifinishedfirstnovel,afathersonstorysetinkabul,ostlye.isentqueryletterstoadozenageednusilainsistedethatshee,avoeatgiventothepoorifbooked.

    “please,nonazn,khalajan,”isaid,kissingherfaoosooneinneed,okaynosheepkilling.”

    sixannadrtingreennee.ionlytoldsorayaaboutit.“butjustbeeanillgetpublished.ifrtihehene.”

    anthlater,rtinedied.

    
    “iaoproudofyou,”shesaid,raisingherglasstone.“kakaoo.”

    “iknoe.

    laterthatnight,aftersorayafellasleepadehersleepyistoodonthebalnyahedintheolsuerair.ithoughtofrahihanalenoteofsupporthehadeafterhedreadfirststory.andithoughtofhassan.soday,inshallah,youuylife.sochhappiness.iherideservedanyofit.

    thenovelrofthatfolloeonafiveeanorcelebrityintheafghannity.thatpletedtheirhdrawal

    frofghanistan.itshouldhavebeenatiofgloryfhans.iheebetentofnajibullah,andafghanrefugeeskeptfloidstofitall,afghanistanten.andgeaheri,irredaerthesovietspulledout,bah.

    thatheyearthatsorayaaryingtohaveachild.

    theideaoffatherhoodunleashedasotionsin.ifounditfrightening,invigorating,daunting,andexhilaratingallatthesati.sortoffatherake,i.

    butayearpassedandnothinghappened.oreiatient,reirritable.bythen,khalajalasinitiallysubtlehintshadbeeovert,asin“khodega”so“igoingtosingalahooforlittlenaadeanyqueriesdoingsoantalludingto

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