“It’s what I get,” he said, ruefully. “I spent forty years serving cheesesteaks out of a truck, and making some for myself to eat too. My own appetite got me into this mess.”

Mama walked back in, carrying a tray of lemonade and bizir, the dried pumpkin seeds that she salts and bakes herself. I served my father, grabbed a handful for myself, and began cracking them between my teeth.

“Good, no?” Mama asked. “I put some in a bag. You take them home.”

“OK, thanks.” I shifted Michael while I popped seeds into my mouth.

“Where you live now?” Mama asked.

“At the house on 38th Street.”

“With Aliyah?”

“Yes.” She knew, of course, from Auntie Lamis. But she did not want to sound like she was checking on me.

“What you doing for money?”

“Actually, I’m selling some of my crafts. That way I can stay home with Michael.”

“He don’t give you money, that John?”

“He does, but I don’t want to take it.”

She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she was pleased, somehow, by this.

“What you sell?”

“The baskets that you taught me how to make. I’m selling a lot, and making a lot of money,” I lied.

Her smile spread across her face like a rose’s petals unfolding. “That’s good. You a smart girl.”

“Thanks.”

“That’s what I tell Lamis. I tell her, ya Imm Nabeel, Hanan maybe she don’t listen, but she smart.”

“I see.”

“So, John, he leaved you the house? Even after he walk out and divorced you?”

“We’re not actually divorced yet. And John still comes to visit us, once a week. When Michael gets older, we’ll share him on the weekends and summers.”

“You let him back into your house? After what he do—”

“Mama,” I interrupted sharply. “It’s his house. He pays the mortgage. He did even when we were married, because he made more money than I did.”

“Well, why did you get married? I tell you why. Because he tricked you, that man. That’s what I always tell Imm Nabeel.”

“What is Lamis saying?”

“She’s mad why Aliyah is moving in with you. It’s not proper, she says. Maybe she think that man, he trick Aliyah too.”

“You know what, Mama?” I said tiredly. “Nobody tricked me. I did what I did because I wanted to.” I stood up and started putting Michael back into his carseat.

“Hanan! Where are you going?”

“Look, I’m not doing so great right now. I know that, but I don’t need to hear it from you. I really don’t.”

“If you hear me before, you don’t get into these problem,” she answered in a wild tone, her hand slamming down hard on the coffee table, rattling the dish of bizir.

Baba implored me to stay, but I left anyway. I kissed him goodbye at the door. His eyes were red and weary, and he said, “Hanan, don’t let this keep you away.” I promised to try, but I didn’t look him in the eyes.