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>