Chapter 4: Shifting Tides

Zia carried the meat Ejaz had bought for him to his mother. Umma was sitting on a traditional chair, cutting onions, when he found her. He sat not far from her, balancing himself. "Umma, are you cutting onions?" he asked, perceiving the sharp smell.

She raised her gaze. "Yes, I'm almost done," she replied.

"Okay, this is meat bought by Ejaz. We can have it when you are done cutting," he said shortly.

She blithely asked, "Did you two fight?" knowing that if they had a disagreement, one always had to bribe the other to. . .