One More Mountain by Deborah Ellis

Author:Deborah Ellis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Groundwood Books Ltd
Published: 2022-09-07T17:49:52+00:00

15

“It’s not my fault.”

Maryam got that out right away. The day was stressful enough without Parvana going all Big Sister on her.

“We’re in the airport,” she added quickly. “We’re waiting to board. I have to make this short because we could start boarding at any minute.”

She listened a moment, then said, “Of course you want to talk to Rafi. He’s not within arm’s reach just now. You don’t know what it’s been like for us. You can’t even imagine. We had to crawl through sewer water! And then the explosion! Really, Parvana, you cannot imagine it, even if you tried your whole life . . .

“No, they’re putting us on a military flight. Heaven knows what the seats will be like, and certainly no movie, but you’ll hear no complaints from me. Anyway, it will be a short flight. They’re taking us to Qatar first. After that, I guess we’ll get put on a flight to New York. Nooria will have to figure that out. I can’t be expected to do everything.

“Yes, yes, yes, you want to talk to Rafi. Parvana, I don’t want you to worry. You are my sister, and as soon as I get to New York I’ll make Nooria start on your visa application. It should be easier now that you’re a widow.

“How is that insensitive? It’s the truth, and you weren’t there, I was. You should be having some compassion for me.

“Yes, right, Rafi. I’m getting to that. Look, is Shauzia there? Let me talk to Shauzia. She’s easier to talk to than you are.

“All right! All right! But let me say again, I didn’t do anything wrong. He’s your son, and he’s just as bullheaded as you are. I’m only his aunt. You can’t blame me.

“I’m trying to tell you! Quit interrupting me. Are you sure I can’t talk to Shauzia?

“All right. Well, first let me say, Rafi is fine. At least, I assume he is.

“Here’s what happened.

“He picked up this strange boy when we were at that rest place where the Friends of Mrs. Weera took us. Quiet boy. Polite. Named Samar. His parents were killed in the bombing at the airport fence. He was supposed to go live with his uncle in Seattle.

“I’m trying to tell you!

“So, Rafi had this boy, this Samar, tagging right along with us outside the airport gate this morning. Same crush of people, although Mrs. Weera’s Friends made sure we were at the right gate and not too far back.

“The American soldiers were checking papers before letting anyone inside. We were maybe six families back. Rafi takes that document pouch off his neck and hands it to me.

“Then he takes the hand of that stray boy, Samar, and puts that boy’s hand into my hand.

“‘This is Rafi,’ he says, like you can just exchange one child for another.

“‘What are you doing?’ I asked him. We had to whisper because we were getting closer and closer to the soldiers at the gate.

“‘My father is dead,’ says Rafi. ‘I need to be with my mother.

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