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The phone rang just before noon。 It was Baba。
Well？
The general accepted。
I let out a burst of air。 Sat down。 My hands were shaking。 He did？
Yes； but Soraya jan is upstairs in her room。 She wants to talk to you first。
Okay。
Baba said something to someone and there was a double click as he hung up。
Amir？ Soraya s voice。 Salaam。
My father said yes。
I know； I said。 I switched hands。 I was smiling。 I m so happy I don t know what to say。
I m happy too； Amir。 I。。。 can t believe this is happening。
I laughed。 I know。
Listen； she said； I want to tell you something。 Something you have to know before。。。
I don t care what it is。
You need to know。 I don t want us to start with secrets。 And I d rather you hear it from me。
If it will make you feel better； tell me。 But it won t change anything。
There was a long pause at the other end。 When we lived in Virginia； I ran away with an Afghan man。 I was eighteen at the time。。。 rebellious。。。 stupid； and。。。 he was into drugs。。。 We lived together for almost a month。 All the Afghans in Virginia were talking about it。
Padar eventually found us。 He showed up at the door and。。。 made me e home。 I was hysterical。 Yelling。 Screaming。 Saying I hated him。。。
Anyway； I came home and…… She was crying。 Excuse me。 I heard her put the phone down。 Blow her nose。 Sorry； she came back on； sounding hoarse。 When I came home； I saw my mother had had a stroke； the right side of her face was paralyzed and。。。 I felt so guilty。 She didn t deserve that。
Padar moved us to California shortly after。 A silence followed。
How are you and your father now？ I said。
We ve always had our differences； we still do； but I m grateful he came for me that day。 I really believe he saved me。 She paused。 So； does what I told you bother you？
A little； I said。 I owed her the truth on this one。 I couldn t lie to her and say that my pride； my iftikhar； wasn t stung at all that she had been with a man； whereas I had never taken a woman to bed。 It did bother me a bit； but I had pondered this quite a lot in the weeks before I asked Baba to go khastegari。 And in the end the question that always came back to me was this： How could I； of all people； chastise someone for their past？
Does it bother you enough to change your mind？
No； Soraya。 Not even close； I said。 Nothing you said changes anything。 I want us to marry。
She broke into fresh tears。
I envied her。 Her secret was out。 Spoken。 Dealt with。 I opened my mouth and almost told her how I d betrayed Hassan； lied； driven him out； and destroyed a forty…year relationship between Baba and Ali。 But I didn t。 I suspected there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me。 Courage was just one of them。
THIRTEEN
When we arrived at the Taheris home the next evening……for lafz； the ceremony of giving word ……I had to park the Ford across the street。 Their driveway was already jammed with cars。 I wore a navy blue suit I had bought the previous day； after I had brought Baba home from _khastegari_。 I checked my tie in the rearview mirror。
You look