erasashehadseenfit
butithinkabigpartofthereasonididntcareaboutsorayaspastyoregret
shortlyafterbabasdeath,sorayaandivedintoaonebedroopartntinfrent,justafethegeneralandkhalajalashousesorayasparentsboughtusabroikasadishesas
houseingpresentsthegeneralgaveanadditionalpresent,abrandypeerinthebox,hehadslippedanoteteninfarsi:
arjan,
ihopeyoudisveytalesonthesekeys
generaliqbaltaheri
isoldbabasvarketietis,idfindafreshbouquetoffreesiasbytheheadstoneandknoheretoo
sorayaandisettledintotheroutinesandnorarriedlifeoingpapershesleptontherightsideofthebed,ipreferredtheleftshelikedfluffypilloilk
igotaranddeclaredanenglishjoritookonasecurityjob,sybooksandstudiedityfirstnovel
sorayajoinedatsanjosestatethefollooherfatherschagrin,intheteachingtrack
“idontknoirjan,thatsheeaednothingbutasinhighsinistryposition,givenyourfalyna”
iuldseesorayaholdingbaarriedanbesides,theydneedteacherstoo”
“anyonecanteach”
“isthereanyrerice,dar”sorayasaid
afterthegeneralexefriendsinhayilatriedtonsolesoraya“heanssyoutobesuccessful”
“soheedalforthegeneral,”sorayasaid
“suchnonsenseyouspeak”
“sunotlikehisittingaroundoveinandreentpositionteauch,butitsitodoitsilove,anditsabetterthanllectingheway”
khalajalabithertongue“ifheeverhearsyousayingthat,heoyouagain”
“dontossingheapkinontheplate“ibruisehispreciousego”
inthesuerof1988,aboutsixnthsbeforethesovietsafghanistan,ifinishedfirstnovel,afathersonstorysetinkabul,ostlyeisentqueryletterstoadozenagenanepletednusilainsistedethatshee,avoeatgiventothepoorifbooked
“please,nonazn,khalajan,”isaid,kissingherfaoneytosooneinneed,okaynosheepkilling”
sixannadrtingreenneeionlytoldsorayaaboutit“butjustbeeanillgetpublishedifrtinsellsthenovel,thene”
anthlater,rtinedied
adekoftaatballsandoistureinhiseyes,saidthatheeaftergeneraltaheriandhisethegeneraldidnotapproveofendrinkingalhol,andsorayadidntdrinkinhispresence
“iaoproudofyou,”shesaid,raisingherglasstone“kakaoo”
“iknoe
laterthatnight,aftersorayafellasleepadehersleepyistoodonthebalnyandbreathedintheolsuerairithoughtofrahihanandthelittlenoteofsupporthehadeafterhedreadfirststoryandithoughtofhassansoday,inshallah,youuylifesochhappinessiherideservedanyofit
thenovelrofthatfolloeonafiveeanorcelebrityintheafghannitythatpletedtheirhdrawal
frofghanistanitshouldhavebeenatiofgloryforafghansinstead,theebetentofnajibullah,andafghanrefugeeskeptfloidstofitall,afghanistantenandgeneraltaheri,irredaerthesovietspulledout,backtoch
thatheyearthatsorayaandibegantryingtohaveachild
theideaoffatherhoodunleashedasotionsinifounditfrightening,invigorating,daunting,andexhilaratingallatthesatisortoffatherake,i
butayearpassedandnothinghappenedoreiatient,reirritablebythen,khalajalasinitiallysubtlehintshadbeeovert,asin“khodega”so“igoingtosingalahooforlittlenaadeanyqueriesdoingsoantalludingto
