Sky of Red Poppies by Ghahremani Zohreh

Author:Ghahremani, Zohreh [Ghahremani, Zohreh]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Turquoise Books
Published: 2011-06-08T04:00:00+00:00

PART THREE

The Paint

Seventeen

WHEN I HAD FINISHED MY LAST EXAM, I called Shireen's mother to let her know I'd be visiting later. She sounded as if she had a cold and despite her concern that I might catch it, I was there the next afternoon. This time Mr. Payan opened the door. Having lost most of his eyesight, he looked in my general direction and waited for me to introduce myself.

"Miss Afshar! Please come in." He closed the door behind me and led the way. "My wife speaks so fondly of you, I feel as if a part of Shireen is here."

"Thank you, and please call me Roya."

"Yes, Roya khanoom."

His warm welcome wasn't the only surprise. Despite his poor eyesight, he seemed to be in charge, or was that only during his wife's recovery?

Mr. Payan opened the door to Shireen's room, where I found a sick Mrs. Payan in bed, propped up against multiple pillows. "Look who I brought you," he said.

"Ahh, Roya-joon," Mrs. Payan said and opened her arms. "Sorry I can't get up. The damn rheumatism has me nailed down, so I spend the daytime in this bed." She gave me a tight hug and motioned to the edge of the bed. "Sit down, dear."

As if time had frozen inside the Payans' home, everything remained exactly where it had been two years before. As I stared at the pile of science books next to Shireen's bed, Mrs. Payan said, "This is how they'll remember the place. If I keep the same order, their spirits won't have any trouble finding their way around."

I swallowed hard.

Suddenly conscious of having my shoes on, I started to unbuckle them.

"Not to worry, Roya-joon." Mrs. Payan smiled. "Keep them on. None of us are saying our namaz any more, and the rugs can take it."

In my mind, I could still see the angelic Shireen in the prayer hall. What had they done to the strong faith of this pious family?

Mr. Payan brought me a wooden chair from the hallway and I was glad to take it and not cramp Mrs. Payan's space. When she beckoned, Mr. Payan bent over and brought his ear closer. She whispered something and he left the room without a word.

"Shireen is still up there, you know," Mrs. Payan said, nodding to the ceiling as if Evin prison were upstairs.

An awkward silence followed the mention of my friend's name as we each fell into our own thoughts.

Moments later, Mr. Payan returned with a tray of tea, beaming a curious smile. I saw right away what the smile was about. Next to the cookies was a tiny glass of water and in it, two little flowers. Red poppies.

I gasped, as if he had brought me a lock of his daughter's hair.

Mrs. Payan chuckled and seemed pleased with her surprise. "I asked him to get those," she said, her broad smile revealing a gold tooth in the back. "Shireen made me promise that if you ever came by in spring, I'd show you these.

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