Summary

Chapter 4 begins with snapshot glimpses into Atef’s different experiences during the war: watching a friend be publicly and violently arrested, being tortured by soldiers, drinking from an engraved flask. Atef then awakens from sleep and it seems these snapshots were dreams. It has been many years since the war, and although Atef’s dreams have become less frequent, they are more focused, and he still worries about his health because of them. He is reassured when he looks over to Alia sleeping next to him. She cut her hair during her third pregnancy and now keeps it short. Atef misses her long hair but does not think about it for long before getting out of bed to go buy strawberries for Riham’s birthday.

Atef has an exchange with Priya in the kitchen as she irons the children’s clothes. He...