As she became more and more disturbed she stopped eating and would refuse all my attempts to feed her. One night, seeing how frail she was made me so anxious that I couldn’t sleep. I called ‘Abd al-Raqeeb and asked him to come over; but he and Valentina were too late. By the time they arrived, Lula’s stubbornness had won out – she’d killed herself with hunger and exhaustion.
I pray to God for the children of my religion
May He hear and grant my prayers
‘Abd al-Raqeeb decided to sell me the share of our house he’d inherited. It was a nominal sale and no money was ever actually exchanged. He saw it as his gift to me. He and Valentina tried to persuade me to move in with them, but I insisted on staying put, alone with my memories.
By the time I’d reached my final year of university I’d be
