lltobabasapartnt.teaflooreandsirisingandtheguestsfinallygone,sorayaandilaytogetherforthefirstti.alllife,idbeenaroundn.thatnight,idisveredthetendeessofaan.</p>

itwassorayaoveine.</p>

“ithoughtyoughtustohaveouroe,”isaid.</p>

“ethatarriage.ikissedher.“thankyou.”</p>

sorayadediyfather.shedehistoastaheing,andhelpedhinandoutofbed.shegavehiispainpills,theiionalseonhissideeveryhoursohegetabedsore.</p>

oneday,ithepharpseofsorayaquicklyslidingsothingunderbabasbla.“hey,isahatwodoing”isaid.</p>

“nothing,”sorayasaid,sling.</p>

“liar.”iliftedbabasbla.“eeredthefirekhanhadgivenitto,thenightofthirteenthbirthday,flaressizzlingandexplodingintobouquetsreen,andyellow.</p>

“itbelieveyouelikethis,”sorayasaid.</p>

babadraggedhisheadoffthepilloind.”</p>

igavethenotebookba.babahateditried.</p>

anthaftertheentfordinner.sorayadesabziile,asheskiesofkabulonnightshepoplarsshiveredandthesoundofketsshegardens.</p>

justbeforednight,babaaskedustohelphintobed.sorayaandiplap.heaskedustoleanin,gaveuseachakiss.</p>

“illebackorphineandaglassofer,kakajan,”sorayasaid.</p>

“nottonight,”hesaid.“thereisnopaintonight.”</p>

“okay,”shesaid.shepulleduphisbla.hedoor.babaneverwokeup.</p>

theyfilledtheparkingspotsatthesqueinhayakeshiftroosquetofindaspot.</p>

thensseosque,veredattressespla,leavingtheirshoesattheentranattresses.allahiarypositionforthefalyofthedeceased.geaherie.</p>

throughtheopendoor,iuldseelinesofcarspullingin,sunlightendressedindarksuits,enkdresses,theirheadsveredhtraditionalehijabs.</p>

asthekoranreverberatedthroughtherooithoughtoftheoldstoryofbabaself.leavinghisbelovedholand,hisethatheuld.buteventhen,hehadlostonhisos.</p>

aftereaouerslinedupaedontheiribarelykneiledpolitely,thaheortheireoevertheyhadtosayaboutbaba.</p>