Summary

Parvana stayed home for several days after her experience in the stadium. Her mother and Mrs. Weera learned that there were public showings of corporal punishment there every Friday. When the family ran out of bread, Parvana went back to work. When she saw Shauzia, Shauzia told her she was saving her money so she could go to France. Her only worry was that she would begin developing a female figure before she was able to leave in the spring. Parvana admitted she just wanted to be a kid again and go to school, without having to worry about supporting her family. Parvana shared her secret of the Woman in the Window who gave her gifts. The two wondered if she was a princess and fantasized about saving her.

It was summer in Kabul. Flowers bloomed despite the war. The heat in their apartment...