Shadows in Kabul and stolen dreams. As Roya rose to clear the table, she heard a soft cough from the corner of the room. There, in a small bed covered with old, worn blankets, lay Hamid’s mother, Khadija. Roya’s mother-in-law had lived with them since Hamid’s death. At 78, Khadija’s body was frail, her joints stiff with arthritis, and her health was in steady decline. Roya had become her caretaker, a role that added yet another layer of responsibility to Roya’s already heavy burden.
Shadows in Kabul and stolen dreams. As Roya rose to clear the table, she heard a soft cough from the corner of the room. There, in a small bed covered with old, worn blankets, lay Hamid’s mother, Khadija. Roya’s mother-in-law had lived with them since Hamid’s death. At 78, Khadija’s body was frail, her joints stiff with arthritis, and her health was in steady decline. Roya had become her caretaker, a role that added yet another layer of responsibility to Roya’s already heavy burden.