The room went silent. The children looked from their mother to their father. Shair chewed his food, unfazed. Tahera held a piece of bread in front of her mouth, as if she’d forgotten what to do next.

“I will scream. I will scream so loud that the whole neighborhood will hear me,” I threatened, my voice rising. Tahera’s bread fell from her fingers.

“Hush, child,” she pleaded.

“I’m not a child anymore, remember?” I bit back. “As if that matters. Look at him. He is a grown man and cannot answer when I ask him if he killed my family. Do you not care to ask what happened to the woman who sent the clothes your daughter wears? Do you not care to ask him why I’m alone? Do you not care to know who lies beside you at night?”

Because I was glaring at Tahera, the thunderous clap of Shair’s hand across my face stunned me. I held my burning cheek.

Tahera burst into tears. The teenage boy’s eyes went wide, and the daughter and toddler pulled closer to their mother.

Tahera began mumbling under her breath, rocking back and forth as if in prayer.

“Your uncle,” Shair said, standing over me, “stopped by a vizier’s office yesterday. He offered his help to the new government. How stupid of you to think he would take you in and risk being thrown in jail.”

My uncle. As the eldest brother, he’d never forgiven my father for disagreeing with his politics. Would he really shelter me if he’d shut my father out?

“Shair, we cannot go on this way. You have to do something,” Tahera declared. “I have not stepped outside this apartment for a moment since she’s been here.”

“I know that!” Shair roared. He hurled the ashtray against the wall. At the sound of glass breaking, I ran to the balcony and burst outside as if the entire apartment were consumed in flames.

“Help me! He killed my family! Please help—”

A hand clapped over my mouth. In a flash, I was yanked back into the apartment. Shair pinned me against the wall by my shoulders, leaning in so close I could see the wild squiggle of blood vessels in his eyes.

“What if she tries something like that again?” Tahera cried.

“Then I’ll shove her over myself and we’ll be done,” Shair swore, looking straight at me. “I’ve told you not to bother asking pointless questions. Ponder this instead, if you’re so smart. What would happen to anyone foolish enough to take you in?”

I pressed my lips together in defiance.

Shair’s nostrils flared. His breaths were short, compressed.

“Let me read you something,” he said. He retrieved a folded piece of newspaper from the breast pocket of his olive-colored uniform. He unfolded it and began reciting names.