Page 224 - A Woman Is No Man

“What about them?”
“Deya said something today, something that worries me.”
His eyes shifted to her. “What did she say?”

“She said . . .” Her voice trailed off. “She said I always look sad.”
“Well, she’s right. You mope around the house like you’re dying.”
Isra blinked at him.
“It’s true. What does this have to do with me?”
“I don’t know,” Isra said. “But ever since Amal was born, you’ve been
—”
“Are you blaming me? After everything I’ve done for you?”

“No! That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“Nothing, I’m sorry. It’s just lately I’ve been afraid . . .”
He shook his head, walking over to open his drawer. “Afraid of what,
exactly?”
Isra opened her mouth to respond, but the fear overwhelmed her, and no

words would come out. What exactly was she afraid of? Being a bad
mother? Scarring her daughters the way her parents had scarred her? Being
too lenient, not teaching them the truth about the world? She was afraid of
so many things. How could she explain it?
Adam sighed. “Well, are you going to say something?”
“I’m just worried about the kind of lives our daughters will have. If
they’ll have any choices.”

He stared at her. “What kind of choices?”
“I just wonder if they’ll be expected to be married at a young age.”
“Well, of course,” he said sharply. “What else would they do?”
She looked away, but she could feel his eyes on her skin. “I was hoping
maybe we wouldn’t rush them into marriage. That maybe we could, you
know, give them a choice.”

“A choice? What for?”
“I don’t know. I’m just afraid they won’t be happy.”
“What kind of nonsense is this? Have you forgotten where you came
from? Do you think we’re American?”
“No! That’s not what I meant.”
But Adam wasn’t listening. “Is that the sort of woman you’ve become,
after everything I’ve done for you? It’s not enough that you’ve birthed four