The guard in front, a heavy slab of a man in an ill-measured suit, said, “I am sorry, Dr. Hamedi, but you know our orders.”

“Very well,” he said. “But give us a little peace.”

As they crossed the street his mother kept sweeping. He was sure she’d seen them—nothing happened anywhere on the block without her knowing about it—and so this was her greeting.

Hamedi stopped at the foot of the steps. “Hello, Mother.”

She looked up at him with the same severe look he’d seen last November. Had it been there ever since? he wondered.

“I suppose you want tea,” she said.

Hamedi looked up and down the block. He saw at least twenty people staring at them, gawking from the street, faces framed in nearby windows. “Yes, that would be nice.”

Without another word, she turned into the house.

*   *   *

The two bodyguards followed them inside, but kept their distance. One took up a position at the front door, and the other at the back. His mother said nothing else until she emerged from the kitchen with the familiar tray: one teapot, two chipped china cups, and a bowl of honey.

“And what blesses me with this appearance? Surely you have important work to do.”

“How have you been?” he asked.

“I am as always—fit and alone.”

“You miss father,” he said.

“It’s been six years. Time has its way. But it is more difficult when one has no other family.”

“You have friends.”

“Oh, yes. And I will have more tomorrow when word gets out that my son, a man of such standing, has been here to visit mercy on his old mother.”

“If you were not always so miserable I would come more often.”

For the first time her eyes engaged him directly. “A letter arrived last week from your mentor in Hamburg.”

“Dr. Bohrlund?”

“Yes. He said the man who took that position you turned down at the university—he has not worked out. They are searching for a replacement, and Bohrlund thinks the post could be yours if—”

“Enough! I will not hear this again!”

“And I will not listen to weak excuses of what you now do!” she said defiantly. “You had such promise, Ibrahim! In Europe you could have taught science and done worthy research. You could have made the world something better. Instead you’ve sold yourself to this madness.”

“I have sold nothing. What I do, I do in the name of peace.” Hamedi looked across the room and saw the shoulder of one of the guards. The man would have no trouble hearing their raised voices. He said in a quieter tone, “You are my mother, but you are not worldly. I don’t expect you to understand my work or what will come from its success. But someday you will accept my decisions.”

After a prolonged silence, she said, “So why have you come here then? To torment me?”