Odyssey... {}{ 19- Load

Hana did not say anything to her mother that evening. For the first time since the riot had started, she was anxious and alarmed. Talking to her mother about her day, as she did every evening, or helping her sons with their homework, as they expected from her, seemed an impossible act that evening. Gol, who nothing can be hidden from her, noticed her daughter's strange disturbance. She was filling with a startling hysteria, as it happened after Van's death. A pounding headache was hammering her to a degree of almost fainting. She knew about Hana's activities as well as the both governments cruelty. Losing another child would probably break her unconquerable resilience. Should something happen to Hana, Gol, who had gone through many crises, would not conceivably be able to tolerate it. Hana, her first child, mother of her grandsons, and her friend was her soul, her dead husband, and son and the only purpose of her living. There was no need for words to understand Hana's state of mind that night. Just looking in her eyes and watching her frenzied movement told Gol everything. Mina's phone call that evening added to Gol's dread. Her husband's friend at the office was arrested that day for talking against the newcomers; and nobody knew where he was. His wife had called Mina earlier that evening sobbing hysterically. Mina was very concerned for her sister, Hana; and she asked her mother if Hana had given up her activities. Gol, feeling depressed, said:

"I don't think so. I give the phone to her. Ask her."

As much as Hana liked Mina, her favorite sister, she did not tell her about the conversation with Mrs. T. because she did not want to frighten her family beforehand.

That night in bed, Mina's words about her husband's friend kept echoing in her ears; and like old days, she pictured so many different scenarios for her morning meeting with the new assistant district manager. However all those moving pictures ended up by her running in dark alley while bloody eyes of so many enemies were piercing her through.

Dallas-

When the phone rings early in the morning, it is Sam who answers it while Farhad and Hana are watching him.

"Oh, it's you, dad."

A cold shiver enters Hana's body.

"Let me talk to your mother." Hamid's voice is almost unrecognizable.

"You can talk to me."

"Let me talk to her you son of b..." He is enraged that it seems his anger can touch Sam through the wires.

While Hana is about to take the phone from Sam, her sons look at her ardently.

"Mom, don't give in. We're behind you." Farhad says.

How can she be tough without practice!?

"What do you want?" Her voice is weak and shaky.

"I'm stuck here with no money. They say my credit cards are no good anymore." He is trying very hard to speak softly to his wife.

"Your credit cards! They are not yours. I put stop on them yesterday. I should have done it last week." The words "my credit cards" of him angered Hana that she suddenly finds the amazing toughness she prays to have it.

"First you and your sons throw me out; and now you want me to die. What can I do without food and..."

She impatiently interrupts him:

"Do what every one else does. Get a job. I don't have to take care of you. You are not sick or a child."

"Is that it? You finally spilled it out. You don't love me. You don't want me. Now you're Americanized. Perhaps you have a boyfriend bow. Did you sleep with him last night?"

Hamid's irrational talk makes Hana to hang up the phone. It rings again; and mother and sons decide not to answer. Suddenly something strikes Hana. He is using her phone card. She immediately calls the telephone company to issue her a new card and cancel the old one. She is not sure how much this last week has cost her; something she will find out soon. But as her grandfather always said it is better to eliminate the danger as soon as possible rather than giving another chance to a person who has caused it.

She and her sons are very well aware that Hamid's real revenge will begin now. At the breakfast table, they talk it over.

"I say let's move from this apartment right away so he can't find us." Sam says.

"This is a good idea but it can't be done right away. We still have two more months left from our lease." Hana answers.

"We talk to the apartment manager. Maybe she let us go." Farhad says.

While Cindy, the apartment manager, sympathized with them, she says if they break a lease, their credit will be ruined and they can not rent another place. Then she recommends that they call the police for protection.

After the police officer hears Hana's bitter story, he says:

"Unfortunately I can't do anything. No crime is done. You're predicting he may harm you and your sons. He has no criminal records. We just can't do anything. When is he coming back?"

"I don't know." Hana's voice is weakened by her emotion.

"I tell you what, when he comes back, if he wants to enter your apartment, call us right away. By the way change the locks. That helps."

It seems all doors are closed for them. Why can't they prevent crime before it happens if evidence shows it will happen? But as she could not do anything in past to change the system, she can not do it now either. With Cindy,s approval, the locks are changed that day. At least that is a small step; even though Hamid is capable of breaking doors and windows or even driving the car through the wall of the living room.

To Be Continued

Odyssey... ~~19- Load

Tehran-

While Hana was carried away by her enterprise to open as many eyes as she could, she was blind herself to realize that politics had always been a dirty task that a small voice like hers could not change it or influence it for better. Her vehement passion to be a pioneer in women's movement impulsively stupefied her family, especially her mother. Hana, who was so vulnerable and weak in her own affairs and personal relationship, became a strong, unbeatable voice among oppositions by lecturing, passing flyer, and demanding fearlessly the two regimes, one about to die and the other close to victory, leave Iranian people in peace so they could elect a government by and for the people. Her impassioned demeanor frightened everyone in her family; and they picked Behroz, her favorite uncle, to talk to her.

In their conversation, Hana called Behroz a cowardly, timorous, and feeble individual. Behroz's reasoning was not good enough for her. He could not possibly divert her opinion that the newcomers were even more vicious than Savak, who had executed her brother, Van. He reminded her of their friendship, of their secrets together to soften her adamant behavior but to no avail. Reporting to her sister, Behroz told Gol that he was not capable of changing Hana. Gol was paralyzed. If Behroz could not convince Hana, no one could. So she waited for another shock in her family which later would bring her to another mental collapse.

While Hana's ventures were about to cost her job and freedom, Hamid calmly moved as wind and went along with whomever had the power. That gave him a sense of importance that had taken away from him since childhood. In his blindness and selfishness, he could not see that his wife was drowning into an abyss of falsity. He did not even know what Hana was doing as long as her paycheck was on time. Since they have closed all the liquor stores, now he had set up a pressure cooker with some other equipment to make his own vodka at home against Gols' objection. He did not show any more respect for Gol as he had done at the beginning.

When a day came, to be exact, December of 1978, that Hana's paycheck was not given to her, She went to the office of Mrs, T., the manager of the fiscal affairs of the college she was teaching. In respond to her startling objection, Mrs. T. told her that she had nothing to do with that and the Ministry of Education was holding her check. Hana compassionately argued with her about right and wrong and told her that she was a weak person ; and her job was to defend teachers and staff.

"Listen Hana, I know you're the best teacher here and work very hard; but if you want your check to support your family, you must give up these activities. Everybody knows about it. I'm telling you the situation is very bad. The Shah is leaving and Khomeini is coming from Paris. These newcomers are worse than the Shah. You must be careful. Personally I like you a lot." Mrs. T. said what she really felt.

"So you agree with corruption. Don't I have the responsibility to open my students' eyes?"

"Listen honey, We don't live in America. I know you're right, but I'm close to my retirement and am not going to jeopardize all these years of working, you shouldn't either."

Hana looked at her puzzled and she could not understand why Mrs T. was so timorous; however, the thought of not having her check was very shocking to her. How could she feed her family without money while everything was outrageously expensive and the smugglers of food were taking advantage of the chaotic situation? On the other hand, giving up her belief for her check was like living without soul. Ironically, a part of her had lived without a soul since she had married Hamid. With hesitation, she asked Mrs. T.:

"What can I do?"

"I hope it's not too late. The assistant district manager wants to see you in his office tomorrow."

"Do you mean Mr. S.?

"No, Mr. S. is not there anymore. There is this new guy I haven't met yet; and please wear a kerchief on your hair and a loose, long coat."

To Be Continued

Odyssey... 19- Load

Dallas-

Some beginning has no end or perhaps it has an unseen end that no one can anticipate. The long, agonizing days and nights for Hana and her sons seem without ending. Waiting for an attack, a blow, a fire, a shooting, or anything that Hamid is capable of, devastate mother and sons in such an anxiety that they did not know any other worrisome like that. Being afraid of a sabotage, Hana checks her car every morning thoroughly before going to work even though she does not know anything about the mechanism of a car. After all Hamid has always been good in working with cars; and he threatened many times that he was going to do something to break of her car, so while he was driving, the break would not work. As unbelievable paranoia possesses her to a degree that anytime she pushes the break, she expects its malfunction, she remember clearly that Hamid told her more than once that he could kill her in a car accident without anyone suspected it. At nights, she sits behind the window in dark and watches outside for any suspicious activity. Her strange behavior can not be hidden from her sons. Her sons, who watch her closely discern her perplexing manner and do not know how to cope with this new issue in their lives. However, deep inside, they do not like the silence either. It is not just like their father.

A week passes from the incident in the hospital without any news from Hamid while Hana is convinced something terrible has happened to him, and her sons believe he is having fun somewhere with their mother's credit cards. The boys' concern for her credit cards suddenly brightens Hana's obscure mind. She can find out where he is! That evening at dinner table, the enigmatic mother and sons finally come together in spirit and mind to do something about their imprecise lives.

"Mom, call your visa and master card and claim you've lost them. They close those accounts right away." Farhad says, looking in his mother's eyes with a searching glance.

"Farhad is right, mom. I bet he's maxed them up by now." Sam adds after a minute of silence.

In the past week Hana has been so frightened and delusive that she could not possibly think straight. Now she knows her sons are right and suffers a great deal for the future consequence.

"I call them tomorrow morning." Tear about to flow from her eyes.

"Mom, call them now. They're open twenty four hours a day. You must make that call not us. Why are you so hesitant? " Farhad says in an abrupt, decisive tone.

"Why didn't we think of this last week?" Sam cries, growing more ardent.

"You're right. Let me find their phone numbers." She says at last in a skeptical, unsteady voice while tears glisten in her eyes.

After answering all the question such as her mother's maiden name, or the last four digit of her social security number or zip code, she finally has the chance to tell the women on the other side that she has lost her credit cards. To answer their questions about when and how she lost them, she just simply says that she does not know. Her last question from the woman in all four calls is when was the last time the cards have been used; and all the answers of all four women are, in New Orleans. She does not dare to ask them how much , since she knows the closing statement will answer this question. The women make Hana to understand that she is responsible for all the charges up to that moment and they will send her new cards with new account numbers soon. They closed the accounts right away. The other matter that her sons bring to her attention is the car, her car.

"I can't do anything about it. The car is in our both names. The credit cards were in my name but he could use them, too, because he couldn't get one for himself for not having a job."

"But you're paying for the car, aren't you?" Farhad angrily says.

"I know, but that is how it is."

"I bet we hear from him tomorrow when he won't be able to buy his breakfast or pay his hotel with credit cards." Sam says with a profound look on his face.

Tehran-

To Be continued

Odyssey...{}{ 18- commotion

Dallas-

Rain, what Hana has adored as a life giving element of nature is painful today. She wakes up in the hospital bed after the mental collapse she had earlier. She is not aware why she is there and what has happened to her. All she can see or hear is lightening, thunder, and hammering sound of rain outside. When she is gradually able to recall the fight of the three men, her joining to her father, and falling asleep in the middle of the quarrel which was supposed to save her children and her, she is astounded. She looks around to see a human face. All she can see, lying on the hospital bed, is a thick curtain with some missing hooks which is separating her from the other side of the room, and two windows with dark glasses. However she can hear the pouring rain and thunder outside. Disoriented, she tries to remember the time of the year, and after a great effort, she says loud: "It's July." Slowly she introspects and recalls Hamid's traveling to Canada, her effort to stay conscious, and her disgraceful discovery about herself. Not knowing the exact date, she wonders how many days she has been there; and what has happened to the three fighting men! She tries to get up but a terrible headache stops her. Looking for an alternative, she finds a small equipment next to her with many buttons on it. One of the buttons on it says, nurse, so she pushes that one and soon an old nurse shows up.

"You're awake! How do you feel?"

"Where are my sons?"

"They are in the family room with their father. I can call them right away."

"How long I've been here?"

"Since yesterday,"

"What happened to me?"

"I'm not your doctor, but I think it was a panic attack."

Hana remembers her mother's breakdown and for the first time she understands her.

Seeing the three fighting men frightens her to a degree of shaking uncontrollably; but when she finally realizes they are not fighting anymore, she begins to relax. They do not act like each other's enemy anymore which surprises her; nonetheless, when her brain starts functioning again, she recognizes they are afraid for her well being. Hamid's smiling face trembles her; and for the first time she understands what this man has put her and her family through. Trying to show her discomfort of him being there, no words can come out of her mouth. The three men, who see her struggle for talking, touch her for comfort which she accepts it from her sons but tries to remove Hamid's hand from her forehead. Hamid, afflicted, says:

"Honey, I love you. Let's not fight again. Things will change from now on."

Farhad and Sam give him a dirty look; and Hana finally finds the courage to babble a few words:

"Get out of our lives!"

Hamid feeling destitute, turns gray. Lost in ambiguity, he searches for proper words to disarm this little woman, his wife, who has suddenly become so big, stubborn, and inflexible.

"We talk at home. Everything will change, promise."

Hana, feeling stronger, turns to her sons:

"Why did you bring this man here with you? Who is he? Do you know him?"

Farhad and Sam squeeze their mother's hands; and Farhad says:

"We didn't bring him here. He came himself. He's begging us since yesterday to forgive him."

"Can you forgive him? Do you believe him?" She looks straight at her sons.

They seem bewildered; however, they both shake their heads for no. She strangely gains a different kind of vigor, the kind she had at the time of the Revolution, and squeezes back her sons' hands and turns to face Hamid.

"Out of our lives before I call the police. Remember we are not in Iran. This is America."

Hamid's ashen face twists of an unwanted pain while his familiar expression of anger is shown in his eyes. Deep in his heart, he knows his wife is serious and he is nothing, nobody, not even a cell without her. He has even refused to learn English and except a few words that suits him for the degenerated things he does, he depends on Hana or his sons to do the speaking for him. He can not even function on his own. He knows he is not even capable of any action as he has pretended for so many years; and for the first time, he feels that his tricks are not working anymore. Hurriedly, he is searching for a solution and the only thing he can think of is to delay his wife's and sons' demand.

"Please give me another chance. I'll change. You can throw me out anytime you want. Just give me one more chance for now. Let me prove myself to you. You know that I love you all."

Hana breaks into a hysterical laughter.

"You want another chance? How many chances you have had. Now you want another chance so you can kill us, as you've said many times. Besides people don't change; especially you. No, you've had all the chance in the world and you did not change. We won't give you another chance; and we can't argue our family matter in hospital. Just leave."

Hamid gives Hana's words back to her by saying:

" See that's what I mean. We are family; and here is hospital. Let's go home and talk about it."

"No, you want me to have another nervous breakdown. I may as well have it while I am in the hospital. If you don't leave now, I ask the nurse to call the police."

Hamid has nothing else to do or to say but to leave. In the elevator, he thinks of revenge. "If they don't want me, they can't want themselves. How could she do this to me after all these years. She is just like my mother. All women are horrible."

Not knowing where to go, in the torrential rain, he gets into the car and drives away while his diabolical mind plans a plot to destroy the entire family.

Hana is awed by the unmistakable strain of hate that her words have carried while gaining back her full energy; and is ready to go home. Her meticulous vigor startles the young men, her sons, who already feel the weight of responsibilities to take care of their mother's emotions on their shoulder.

"Let's go home." She impatiently says.

"Your doctor needs to release you; and besides dad took the car." Farhad responds.

"Go find the doctor; and then call for a taxi."

To Be Continued

Odyssey...~~18- commotion

Religion, the only element left for Gol, gave her a sense of security and serenity. Using rosary (string of beads used in Muslim religion for praying) for counting the prayers in the recitation, she begged God to watch over her children specially Hana. She, who had never missed her five times daily praying, spent more time in praying position and felt God's message. Her pure and innocent spirit, humbleness, and simplicity amazed Hana, who was reaching more and more to become a unbeliever.

Hana always respected her mother's point of view concerning either religion or other issues in life; nevertheless, watching the Revolution's strange twist and turn to religion intimidated her enough to question her mother's belief.

"If God watches over us, why Van is dead and the people who killed him are alive? Why dad has to die at such a young age with a large family he was supporting? Why these new people are stealing the revolution from us, the educators, and I am sure they won't be any better than the Shah? They'll be only after money and power! they'll be as corrupt as others! Don't you think when Khomeini comes to Iran, he will be worse than the Shah?"

Of course Gol did not have any answer for her educated, angry, and hopeless daughter. However by knowing Hana's point of view, she understood the danger which was surrounding her daughter from two sides- she was against the Shah regime as well as the new regime when they would take the power. She was targeted by both. Knowing that frightened Gol to a degree of becoming ill. She could neither function nor think straight anymore. Her adamant daughter would not listen to her or anyone else.

Hana's fervid effort to prove her ability, dignity, and equality that had taken away from her long ago, enthused her to work harder than before by educating her students about the corruption and dishonesty of the existing regime and the newer one to come. To answer her students' intelligent questions of what she believed then, she would vehemently say:

"We need a system by the people and for the people. We need the freedom to criticize government when they don't do the jobs we hired them to do. We need an ethical, virtuous, and incorruptible system which considers Iranian's need not their own need. And above all we need to keep religion away from government since their baseness has been much worse than any politics for so many years. They have tried to sabotage people's mind by what had been told and ruled fourteen hundred years ago; therefore, they can continue permissible prostitution by marrying four legal wives and many other temporary or limited ones (Seighe) and put women in a vulnerable position of being used or abused and treat them like dirt and second hand citizen and call them imprudent sex and watch over them as though they are not capable of doing so for themselves."

Smarter students then asked her:

"What do you call or name such non- existing government?"

Hana impetuously answered:

"I don't understand why you call it non- existing; because it does exist. I call it Democracy. In such regime, people are treated equally because they're people not man and woman. Gender, race, and color of skin won't be an issue in such regime. If a woman is smart and knowledgeable enough, she can be a leader. Do you know we had women kings in ancient Persia, do you? In such regime, people can get what they really deserve and work for not what government think what they should get because they are related to a politician or descendants of the aristocrats."

Then another student asked:

"So you're against the Shah and against the newcomers!"

"Yes, I am. Because the Shah pretended we have democracy and the newcomers want to have theocracy. Neither one is a good way of running an ancient, beautiful country like ours. Do you know that Iranian people are one of the smartest race in the world? We're drowning. We're going deep to an abyss of a terrible cataclysm."

Hana's impassioned speech gave a glow to her cheeks.

"Do you know of any leader who can deliver an ideal system, according to you?" A male student asked.

"I don't personally. But remember we have many political prisoners; and I am certain we can find one among them."

"Then how do you know they won't become unscrupulous when they take control, like others?"

"They can't, because we write a new constitution; and if they don't act as what it says, the representative of people can impeach them and then we choose, by voting, others who don't rule unethically; and we do repeat this process as many times as it requires until the leaders know they are chosen by the people and must govern by being faithful to our new written constitution."

What made that big hearted teacher, yet so little in her own personal affairs, very special for many of her students was her indefatigable energy, penetrating eyes, and ardent personality. However, those qualities antagonized small numbers of the students, who were under the influence of either religious regime or the Shah's rule. Soon the students against her point of view reported her to unorganized authorities of the revolutionaries or chaotic the Shah's Savak. Nevertheless, since the life of the Shah's regime was about to end, it was the newcomers who came after her.

Dallas-

To Be Continued

Odyssey...18- commotion

Dallas-

Solitude, the essential, uncorrupted, and priceless element of human beings, the virtuous nature of world and one's self awareness can not be reached for Hana in the bizarre environment she lives. Her mind and soul are not free to capture that liberty, when people create, compose, paint, or write. When she is alone, thoughts and feelings encircle her in a noisy way, as unseen crowd; and when she is among people, their talk and action resound in her ears as if the whole world is mad at her. She just can not find the peace she used to have in solitude anymore. Earlier today, she wrote some verses, as she always does when no one is around and then burn them so Hamid can not find them.

"Among the walls of the room,

Gasping for air in gloom,

I sigh, then take a glance

To many chapters of my life in dance.

Being chained, I want to be free.

If I am free, I disagree."

Now these words, showing her obscure state of mind, do not mean what she wants them to signify. Nothing has ever given to her. All she is or every thing she has done, are the result of her own struggle and hard work.

In the mist of the current commotion, she looks at the three men, two of them her own flesh and blood, in the room. Their faces have lost all human traits; and their behaviors are not predictable anymore, It seems the fight has neither a beginning nor an ending. All she can see, sitting on the sofa, is three foggy, hazy, blurred figures, who move, become bigger or smaller, and scream at each other. In this indistinct moment, she is not certain when and why the war has started. In that state of consternation, she feels oppressed and stifled as though so many inquisitive eyes are watching her. The vague helplessness of that position makes her think about the position of unsatisfied desires that have turned inward, and fever of hesitation that has strongly thrown her out in a space of bewilderment and befuddlement, where she discerns the regret of the decision she has made which follows quickly by the realization that she has lied to her sons. She instantly suffers a delusion after this morbid discovery and feels the most fear in her life. Wondering in fright, how she has gotten to that abyss of deprivation! Feeling that she can no longer resist the rumbling of her stomach, fear, anxiety, and confusion, she wants to flee and at the same time to stay for ever. Her ashen heart, which has resisted the strongest blows of sad realities, is compressed by the need of being apart. Suddenly she feels the waves of nostalgia and the need of being a child again on her mother's lap. A great uproar immobilizes her in the center of her existence, which does not give her any time to alarm the three fighting men that her defense is being demolished and she is on the way to plant herself in the indistinguishable earth.

Tehran-

The Revolution out there and within her began when she least expected them. The same people that had tortured and executed her brother and had driven her mother to a temporary insanity, were under question those days. People screamed slogans about unfairness of the regime; and most organizations were paralyzed by the commotion. (A detailed description of Iranian Revolution can be found in the book published in 1997, entitled "THE RAIN STOPS IN TEXAS" by the author of this book.) Soon the agitation took a different direction ; and angry people captured garrisons and barracks and got hold of many weapons. The dirty fight resulted the loss of many lives of innocent people; one of Hana's cousin was among them. He was just a bystander.

While Gol was terrified of losing another child, Hana enjoyed being a small part of anti government educators. Van, her dead brother, was in her mind at all times; and she wanted to find the people who had killed him. Hamid, as usual, did not care what others in his family were doing while he had found a new entertainment, collecting weapons. The Savak still had power and its agents were scattered in most governmental organizations like Ministry of Education.

Hana, who had no courage when it came to her personal life, used all her new found bravery to hand deliver anti government flyer to people and spoke freely to her students about corruption of the regime, while the monstrous spies of Savak were most certainly in her class. This act put her in a great danger. Gol, her mother, knew very well of her daughter's activities; however, this time her soft spoken almost begging, did not change anything.

"Don't put me through another misery; and besides you have two kids. You're responsible for them and nothing else."

Hana's lying to her mother did not fool gol; and she knew that their lives would take another mournful twist soon if Hana would not stop what she was doing. While feeling powerless, Gol connected more to her grandsons and did not let them out of her sight. She would take them to school and stay all day there to watch over them. That gave her a power she had lost so many years ago. She knew deep down why Hana was so adamant to do participate in anti government activity; first, she had felt guilty since the killing of Van because she had not said a word to anyone for the longest time of what she knew; second her powerlessness in her marriage gave her the courage to show that power elsewhere.

Gol prayed more than before that nothing would happen to her favorite and most miserable child, Hana, a woman so much in need for love yet so loveless but strong, her first born, who at times, mothered her, taken care of her, and had kept the family together after the death of her husband and killing of her son.

To Be Continued

Odyssey...{}{ 17- Haunting Vision

The graduation was quiet and without any ceremony. When Gol suggested to Hamid to have a party for Hana, he discharged an angry, outrageous growl:

"So what? You think your daughter is the only one with degree!?"

Gol did not dare to tell Hamid of his own failures; instead she said:

"She is the only one in our family with master degree. We need to do something for her. It has not been easy for her to work and go to college and practically support all of us. She hasn't have a day of rest since the death of her father." Gol was so angry at her son- in- law that she was glad she had said things that was in her mind for a long time.

"We can't throw money away for parties. We have two kids." Hamid, even more enraged, said.

Gol wanted to tell him about the way he spent Hana's money for his drinking and traveling; but instead she decided not to challenge this parasite. All these years her daughter had worked and studied hard and supported everyone in the house. Now that she wanted to do something nice for her, Hamid, the psychopath husband of her daughter, opposed it. She did not want any more problems than what they already had; so she agreed with him. But instead, with her own money, she bought a beautiful gold necklace for Hana.

Life after graduation seemed easier for Hana. Her working hours was a little less and as had expected, she had a better position. She turned down a principal job, the Ministry of Education offered her, since she loved teaching. However, she did not turn down a position which enabled her to teach in college instead of high school she had taught for many years.

Ironically, something was missing in her life. Being a student herself had given her a sense of importance for the last ten years. Every afternoon when she came home from work, she felt like a vagabond, who was in search of something. Her sister, Sara, had a baby girl which Hana loved to play with. She almost begged Sara to bring her baby to their home. Her own children, eight and four, were not babies anymore. Her education cost her not to raise them when they had been infants. Hamid, as ignorant as before, did not care for anything but his own desires; and if he occasionally made money, it all went for his own entertainment. Boby, her brother, had married the neighbor's daughter the year before. Mina, her youngest sister, grew apart emotionally from her family and associated with some young people who were interested in mountaineering. She traveled with those young men and women; and if Hana broke the family tradition by getting education, Mina did it to get liberty and freedom that Hana wished for it and did not have the courage to act upon it. Mina came home one day after a week of mountain climbing with a young man.

"Mom, this is my fiance'. We got engaged yesterday."

Gol looked at her perplexed without saying a word but congratulation, hoping this third son-in-law would be a decent one. Mina did not want a big wedding. The simple ceremony took place in their home in a few months.

The full house, as any other situation, changed within years. Some had died, some had moved away or married; and now it was Gol, Hamid, Hana, and her two sons that resided there. With Hana's hard work, against uncle Nabi's prediction, the mortgage on the house was fully paid even a few years earlier. Now Hana began doing some remodeling around the house that she was not able to do before because of the mortgage.

When one day Hamid approached Hana with a soft smile on his face, she knew he wanted something impossible.

"Listen, I was thinking, we've paid for this house for a long time. Don't you think the title of the house should be in our names!"

Hana was outraged. How could he say something like that? Her father had bought the house, and it belonged to his four remaining children and Gol. Besides, Hamid had never spent a penny there. Hana thought if would get his way, the next thing, he would want to throw her mother out. That was intolerable for Hana. To her, no matter what law said, that house belonged to her mother and it did not matter that she had paid the mortgage since the death of her father.

"Hamid, forget it. This is my mother's house and it'll stay that way as long as she lives."

"What happens when she dies?" He, shamelessly, said.

"Then it will be divided among my sisters, brother, and me."

"What about all the money we paid?!"

"You didn't pay anything, I did. Think of it as rent; and I don't want to hear this anymore."

That was one of the seldom occasion that Hana showed her anger to Hamid. Nevertheless, he continuously bothered her with that matter. Hana never gave in to that obscene demand even though it cost her to take more abuse from him.

When Hamid approached Hana for another deceptive suggestion, she already knew her answer would be no.

"What if if we rent an apartment for your mother. We need some privacy."

"My mother has never lived in an apartment. Why don't you rent an apartment for us so she can have some privacy?"

No matter how Hamid approached Hana for this issue, she stayed adamant for once in her life and did not give in to her morbid husband.

Gol, who had overheard them once, confronted Hana; but Hana assured her that nothing would change and that was her house. Meanwhile, Gol believed if any of her children deserved to own that house, it was Hana. Her other three children owned their own houses, while Hana had taken care of this house since her husband had passed away. She had kept the family together while herself had lived a miserable life. Gol wanted Hana to have the house; but law said that the house had to be divided to five and one eight; two portion for Boby, because he was a boy, and one portion for each girl, and one eight for her because she was the wife. What an unfair law! Having that in mind, she spoke individually to Sara, Mina, and Boby. She asked them the same question:

"Will you give your share of the house to Hana? After all it really is her house."

Boby and Mina agreed right away. Sara, at first, said no; but when Gol reasoned with her and insisted, she agreed, too. A week later, Gol and her four children went to the courthouse to turn the title of the house to Hana. For Hana that was not necessary. She really did not care one way or the other. However, after Gol's persuasive argument, she accepted that generous offer. Gol and her four children, uniting more than ever, decided not to speak of that matter to any one, especially Hamid.

And that was how Hana had the money to immigrate to America.

To Be Continued