A Thousand Splendid Suns: Part II: Chapter 18 Summary & Analysis

After a few weeks, Tariq still hasn’t returned. Laila initially is able to distract herself, but then grows anxious that he’ll never come back, or that he’s been hit by another land mine, like the one that caused him to lose a leg when he was five. One night, though Laila sees a flashlight winking from down the street, and is enormously relieved.

The next day Laila hurries to Tariq’s house, where she exclaims at his newly shaved head and his sunburned cheeks. He says his uncle was sick, which is why they stayed so long. Tariq’s parents welcome Laila, whom they jokingly call their daughter-in-law. She stays for lunch: Laila loves eating at Tariq’s since they always eat as a family, beginning each meal with fresh yogurt and joking with each other at ease.

Though they are Pashtuns, they speak Farsi rather than Pashto for Laila’s sake. Babi says that there are tensions between Tajiks, like them, and Pashtuns—Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group—since Pashtun kings have ruled for many more years. Babi says that all that matters should be the Afghan identity, but he understands the rivalry and resentment.

After lunch, Laila and Tariq go to his room, where he tells Laila about his trip and they play games. She remembers the first time she saw his stump.

The two decide to go to the zoo. Laila says that she’s missed him, and after a pause Tariq makes a face and asks what’s wrong with her. She realizes that with boys, friendship doesn’t necessarily need constant confirmation and validation.

At the bus stop, she sees Khadim grinning at her from down the street, and she tells Tariq the story. Clenching his teeth, he crosses the street to Khadim, and bends down as if to tie his shoe. He hops up on one leg, charging at Khadim with his unstrapped leg. The other boys step aside and allow Tariq a free path to Khadim—who never bothers Laila again.

That night, Laila sets the table for her and Babi alone, as usual. Babi asks Laila what she’s working on—every night, he helps her with homework and gives her extra lessons. Even though the communists fired Babi, he thinks they’ve done well to promote the education of women, and encourages Laila to take advantage of it. He says that their attitude is one reason people in the provinces, where women are far more repressed and ancient tribal laws reign, have taken up arms against the communists.

Laila decides to tell Babi about Tariq’s fight with Khadim, but doesn’t have time before a stranger knocks at the door with news.