Page 118 - And the Mountains Echoed (novel)

“ ‘Paint It Black.’ ”

“Very cool.”
“Not sure you’ve practiced enough,” Nahil says with cautious reprimand.
Lemar drops the paper napkin he has been rolling. “Mom! Really? Do you
see what I go through every day? I have so much to do!”
Midway through the meal, Abdullah comes over to them to say hello, wiping
his hands on the apron tied around his waist. He asks if they like the food,

whether he can get them anything.
Idris tells him that he and Timur have just returned from Kabul.
“What is Timur jan up to?” Abdullah asks.
“To no good as always.”

Abdullah grins. Idris knows how fond he is of Timur.
“And how is the kabob business?”
Abdullah sighs. “Dr. Bashiri, if I ever want to put a curse on someone I say,
‘May God give you a restaurant.’ ”
They share a brief laugh with Abdullah.

Later, as they are leaving the restaurant and climbing into the SUV, Lemar
says, “Dad, does he give free food to everyone?”
“Of course not,” Idris says.
“Then why wouldn’t he take your money?”

“Because we’re Afghans, and because I’m his doctor,” Idris says, which is
only partially true. The bigger reason, he suspects, is that he is Timur’s cousin,
and it was Timur who had years earlier lent Abdullah the money to open the
restaurant.
At the house, Idris is surprised at first to find the carpets ripped from the
family room and foyer, nails and wooden boards on the stairs exposed. Then he
remembers that they were remodeling, replacing carpets with hardwood—wide
planks of cherry in a color the flooring contractor had called copper kettle. The
cabinet doors in the kitchen have been sanded down, and there is a gaping hole
where the old microwave used to sit. Nahil tells him she is working a half day on
Monday so she can meet in the morning with the flooring people and Jason.

“Jason?” Then he remembers, Jason Speer, the home-theater guy.
“He’s coming in to take measurements. He’s already got us the subwoofer
and the projector at a discount. He’s sending three guys to start work on
Wednesday.”
Idris nods. The home theater had been his idea, something he had always
wanted. But now it embarrasses him. He feels disconnected from all of it, Jason