As I climbed out of the vehicle, Thala quickly wrapped a scarf over my hair and lower face and tucked a curl behind my ear before turning and doing the same for Beattie as my best friend bent over to accommodate the small woman.
Thala then tugged our sleeves down fully to our wrists and pulled our pants down to the top of our sandals. “You’ll take your shoes off when we go in. Please stay near me, and be sure to keep your eyes down. This mosque is a bit more conservative than most, but the Imam is a friend.” With that, she turned and walked toward the door, following behind the men in our group.
Again, my mind raced with questions, but I forced myself to breathe slowly as I stepped inside the beautiful building and slipped off my shoes, just as Thala did. Then, the three of us walked int
