Summary

In Chapter Three, Spring 1949, Parwana wakes to the scene of feces in the bed, smeared all over her sister, Masooma. Masooma apologizes. Parwana wants to scream in anger, but refrains. She heats water and washes Masooma, knowing that she then has to wash all the bed linens. Masooma cries silently.

Parwana and Masooma are twins and Nabi is their brother. Their parents have been dead four years and Nabi works in the city, leaving Parwana to care for Masooma. Saboor's wife has recently died and Parwana watches him struggle to raise his two children, one just an infant. She has heard that he is looking for a wife but refuses to let her thoughts go any farther.

The story then goes back to the day Parwana and Masooma are born. Masooma is first and Parwana is a surprise. From the beginning, Parwana is...