Chapter 5
LaylaTehran
January 2001
It was very late. Aunty Nelly was resting and Maman was
with her. I had telephoned Nasrin and she was coming in the morning. Baba
would come tomorrow, too. Tonight, Maman and I would stay with Aunty
Nelly.
I had another call to make. It was the first time in
months that he had not been in my mind every moment.
I picked up the receiver and dialled. “Keyvan?” I
whispered.
“Layla! What happened? I waited outside for
hours.”
I couldn’t speak.
“What is it, azizam? What’s the
matter?”
I felt my eyes well up.
“Did the komiteh catch you? Did those bastards
hurt you?
“No, Keyvan.” I burst into tears, sobbing so much
that I could hardly breathe. “My uncle is dead.”
“Oh Layla joon, I’m so sorry.”
I curled up on the sofa, cradling the phone, and
