Chapter 12
LaylaTehran
January 2001
A secret, dark as night, had been kept from us all these
years. And Maman had been part of it.
“Aunty Maryam never told Sara the truth?” Roxana
asked.
“No, but the komiteh will tell her. She may
already know,” Aunty Nelly said.
“How could Aunty Maryam do that? Every child has the
right to know her father,” Nasrin said.
“Maryam always intended to tell Sara about Farhad, but
the longer she put it off, the harder it became,” Maman said.
“Why did Aunty Maryam send Sara to Iran for holidays?
Wasn’t it dangerous?” Roxana said.
“It was a difficult decision for Maryam. She was
frightened of sending Sara back, but she also wanted Sara to know her family
and her culture. Maryam loved Iran. It was only because she was forced to,
that she left,” Au
