The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

Shekiba is pregnant. She is now firmly anchored in her role as a woman. Aasif secretly loves his daughter, but he only shows it when he thinks nobody is looking. Shekiba explains to Gulnaz, “A girl doesn’t belong to her parents. A daughter belongs to others” (368). Shekiba hides her pregnancy until it is physically impossible. Aasif is hopeful; Gulnaz recognizes that if it is a son, it will change things for her. She tells Shekiba how much the past two years have changed Aasif. She does not know what more disappointment would do to him. Shekiba prays for a son. Shekiba’s prayers are answered. Aasif names the boy Shah, giving vent to his hatred of King Habibullah. Shekiba wanted to name her son Ismail. She begins to fear the evil eye and disease.

Aasif tells Shekiba that cholera is spreading throughout Kabul. Shekiba is immediately worried about Shah. Aasif says, “You’re his mother so it’s up to you to keep him from getting sick” (371). After the disease passes, leaving the family unscathed, Shekiba becomes overly protective of Shah. Gulnaz grows jealous and forces Shabnam away from Shekiba. Shekiba and Gulnaz grow more distant from each other. Gulnaz begins to suspect tat the evil eye talismans that Shekiba puts around the house are directed at her. She begins to shower “Shah with compliments, purposefully not invoking the name of God” (373). Frightened and frustrated, Shekiba does the same toward Shabnam. Gulnaz is shocked. Shabnam directs their attention to the canaries. One has died. They regard it as a bad omen.

The years pass and Shekiba and Gulnaz maintain a cordial but bitter relationship. Gulnaz has no other children. Shah and Shabnam are ideal siblings despite their mothers’ animosity. Shabnam is beautiful and cheerful; Shah is bigger and stronger than most boys his age. In February of 1919, King Habibullah is assassinated. The country falls into panic. Aasif tells his wives that this means Amanullah is king, unless the assassination was a coup. Aasif reconnects with Amanullah.

The king’s brother, Nasrullah is proclaimed successor. This angers Amanullah. The prince is still in control of the army and treasury. He declares himself king. Aasif “carefully worked to bring himself closer to Amanullah, and the new king welcomed his friend’s counsel in such a difficult time” (378). Amanullah vows to avenge his father and to reform his country in a new, progressive direction. He jails Nasrullah and 12 other conspirators. Due to his connection with the king, Aasif hosts many important people at his house. This means more work for his wives, but it gives them a boost in social status. This particularly pleases Gulnaz. Amanullah challenges the British forces at the Indian border. Afghanistan wins its independence from England. 

At the end of the traditional 40 days of mourning, Abdul Khaliq calls for Rahima. He flies into a fury when she gives him an angry look. Abdul Khaliq beats Rahima. He accuses her of being even worse of a mother than a wife. Abdul Khaliq pins Rahima down and begins to saw off her hair with a dull knife. He uses her past as a bacha posh against her and attempts to cut her hair into a masculine style. Rahima, who still blames herself for Jahangir’s death, almost wishes Abdul Khaliq will kill her, but he does not. In her room, Rahima begins to bleed. Rahima “may have killed one of Abdul Khaliq’s children. But he had just killed another” (384).

Abdul Khaliq lets Rahima visit Jahangir’s grave only once, but only accompanied with his mother. Gulalai wails and laments. Rahim I silent at first, but her sorrow breaks her resolve. Gulalai chastises her for grieving too loudly. Gulalai spreads breadcrumbs over all graves except one for finches to eat. Rahima asks whose grave she excluded. It is Gulalai’s mother-in-law, who she hates to this day. She will not pray for her soul. Back in the car, Gulalai reflects on her mother-in-law’s death. She was unappreciative of Gulalai until the end. Rahima is still choked by grief. She decides to go back to Kabul with Badriya when the time comes. 

It is difficult for Rahima to focus on her parliamentary work. She is too distracted thinking about Jahangir. Badriya notices and is laxer with her than in the past. Rahima spends more time with Hamida and Sufia, whose presence is a great comfort. Rahima floats through her “daily routine in a perpetual state of misery” driven by her fear of Abdul Khaliq. Badriya shares the news that Abdul Khaliq is thinking of marrying a beautiful girl named Khatol. She does not answer when Rahima asks what will happen to the rest of the wives. She does not know Rahima overheard her and Gulalai’s conversation. Rahima does not understand why Abdul Khaliq suddenly cares about conforming to the Islamic law that prohibits a man from having more than four wives in the hadith.

Rahima practices typing with Ms. Franklin. She writes letters to her sisters that are never sent. Fakhria continues to visit, sharing stories of the girls in the shelter and trying to get parliament funding through Hamida and Sufia. Rahima knows there is no chance of this working. There are four weeks left until winter recess. Rahima wonders how Khala Shaima is. When they last spoke, Khala Shaima believed she was inching ever closer to death. She told Rahima to be proud that she is descended from Shekiba. Rohila is to be married into a good family, leaving Sitara to fend for herself. As much as Rahima wanted to help her sisters, “Abdul Khaliq’s walls were high and his leash short” (395).

Feeling trapped in their hotel room, Rahima leaves. She approaches Maroof and Hassan, knowing there will be trouble if she leaves without a chaperone. She overhears them speaking about her and Badriya. Maroof told Abdul Khaliq about Rahima’s frequent visits to the learning center with Hamida and Sufia. Abdul Khaliq is furious that they have not been guarding his wives. The two men decide to tell Abdul Khaliq that Rahima snuck out without their permission. They recall the time in the market when Abdul Khaliq stopped them so he could examine Rahima when she was a bacha posh. Rahima is terrified. They have sold her out to save themselves. She knows that Abdul Khaliq is a violent, angry man; he “must have been wild with rage” (397). She goes back to the room to think. They will be returning home in three days.