Summary

Aaliya listens to the conversation on the landing above her so she can properly time a thank you to Fadia. Joumana is telling her friends that her daughter has finished her course requirements and has only to complete her dissertation in college. When Aaliya does poke her head out, Joumana invites her to come join them. She lies and tell Joumana she’s working on something she needs to finish before she has to leave her apartment in an hour. Joumana shares with her the news of her daughter’s progress on her Ph.D. She tells Aaliya that the topic of her daughter’s dissertation is tombstones. Aaliya quotes a phrase in Latin which Joumana recognizes. She and Joumana speak briefly about their shared desire to read some of the classical writers in their native language before Aaliya withdraws from the conversation...