Summary

When Parvana and Mother returned home, they were sore and their feet were a mess of broken blisters. Nooria tried to help Mother, but Mother only lay down on a toshak and refused to speak or allow herself to be nursed. She finally cried herself to sleep. Meanwhile, Maryam helped Parvana wash her feet by bringing her a basin of water. Parvana remembered telling Nooria the soldiers would tell them nothing about Father just before she went to sleep. She next remembered waking up in the morning, too sore to move. She and her mother slept most of that day.

The following day, Parvana helped keep the younger children occupied while her mother remained on the toshak. She had moved only to go to the bathroom and drink some tea. Ali had begun behaving strangely because he missed his mother. On the third day...