Page 165 - A Woman Is No Man

Sarah stared at her, dumbfounded. “How can you be so naive?”
Isra straightened at the kitchen table. “Of course I’m naive!” she said, a
sliver of defiance rising up, surprising her. “I’ve been stuck in the kitchen

my entire life, first in Palestine and now here. How am I supposed to know
anything about the world? The only places I’ve ever traveled are in the
pages of my books, and I don’t even have that anymore.”
“I’m sorry,” Sarah said. “I’m not trying to hurt your feelings. But
sometimes you have to take things for yourself. I told you I’d bring you
some books. Why didn’t you let me? What are you so afraid of?”
Isra stared out the kitchen window. Sarah was right. She had abandoned

reading for fear of upsetting Fareeda and Adam, thinking that servitude
would earn their love. But she had been wrong. “Would you still do it?” she
asked.
“Do what?”
“Would you still bring me some books?”
“Yes,” Sarah said, smiling. “Of course. I’ll bring some home for you

tomorrow.”