Page 199 - A Woman Is No Man

Deya

Winter 2008

What are you hiding from me?” Deya asked Sarah the next day, as soon as

she walked into the bookstore. There were customers, but Deya didn’t
bother to keep her voice low. “Nasser—Nasser, of all people—said there
was a reason Baba beat Mama. What was he talking about?”
“I don’t know—”
“Stop! I thought we said we wouldn’t lie to each other.” Deya lowered
her voice, trying not to cry. “Please. Just tell me the truth already. What
happened to my parents?”

Sarah took a step back. She rubbed both hands over her face. “I’m so
sorry,” she whispered. She walked to her desk, opened the bottom drawer,
and reached inside. When she returned, she was holding a piece of paper.
She handed it to Deya.
“I’m so sorry,” she said again. “When I left the note for you, I had no
idea you didn’t know. And then when I found out, I was afraid to tell you. I

thought if I told you too soon, you’d run away and I’d never see you again.
I’m so sorry, Deya.”
Deya said nothing, inspecting the paper in her hand. It was a newspaper
clipping. She brought it close to her face until she could make out the ant-
size print, and then, all at once, the room went dark. Her tears came in a
rush. What a terrible daughter she must have been to not have known it all
along.

“Please,” Sarah said, reaching out to hold her. “Let me explain.”
But Deya took one step back, and then another, and the next she knew
she was running.