第48节

    【】okabule.

    “ishouldnothaveehere,”isaid.“youptuousoftojustshoeobefiven.”

    “ukhan,”hassansaid.hiseyesillredandpuffy.“akecareofthehouse.”

    “areyouabsolutelysure”

    henoddedanddroppedhishead.“aghasahibysendfather...godgivehieace.”

    theypiledtheirthingsintheberasie.

    sareety,hassanjan.nooneisgoingtoliveinthe”isaid.

    butheatterofihtiraatterofrespeoveintooheguestbedrooupstairs,buthassaniraghathink”hesaidto.“ouingforyourfather,hassafortydays.

    ididnotto,butthetdidalltheoking,allthesnoonehadbathedin.likeheeou.doyoureertheirjandidyouandhassancallit,“thedestroyedaiddleofthenightearlythatfall.hassanrebuilttheoundthepoplartrees.isaidaprayerforher.farzanastayedialldayandirjaher.ipraytoallahyouneverhearit.

    outsidetheadeouroit.visionstartedgoingbythelate1980s,soihadhassanreadyourthersbooks.sna,asfarzahekit.andeverying,hassanplacedaflooundbythesbrierbushes.

    inearly1990,farzahataanveredinaskyblueburqaknooies,she,likesheoooevenstand.iaskedhersheed,butsheanswer.

    “.irjan,theslashesheekboohairlineandithadnotsparedherlefteyeontheesque.ipattedherbrohaclothandsheopenedhereyes.“whereishassan”shewhispered.

    “iighthere,”hassansaid.hetookherhandandsqueezedit.

    hergoodeyerolledtohi“ihaveydrea.andyouare.evenre.”shepulledhishandtoherse.please.”

    hassandidandtheoldaniledingoutof,didanyoellyouandie,ievenholdyou.”

    noneofushadseensanaubarsinileandaencrazy.nooneanoraan,uldlookatheronlyondnow...

    hassandroppedherhandandboltedoutofthehouse.i,butherunningupthehillesofdust.ilethio.isatbrightbluetopurple.hassanstillhadnotebaistake,ybeevenaadeherstay.hassanu,iknew.

    hektheing,lookingtiredandenoeily.hetouarsonherfadranhishandthroughherhair.

    hassanandfarzananursedherbaetis,iotherkneelingtogether,pingarosebush,talking.theyestoriesdoelling.

    iteersanaubar.shestood

    beangunderadullgrayskytearsstreangdoslikeshenevere.shehandedhiohassanandhehandedhioandisangtheprayerofayatulkursiinthatlittleboysear.

    theynadhiohrab,afterhassansfavoriteherofroheshahnah,asyouknoirjaeerant

    ...