- Parvana needs a break—not so much from work as from the terrors that lurk outside her front door—so she stays home for awhile so she won't see anything "ugly" (12.2) for a bit.
- The women's group heard about the hand chopping at the stadium, and apparently it occurs every Friday. (Whatever happened to TGIF?)
- Mother wonders what century they are living in, while Parvana wonders if Father is next on the chopping block.
- The days at home are nice for Parvana. She teaches Maryam to count, learns mending from Nooria, and listens to Mrs. Weera's hockey stories (12. 5).
- But then money runs out, as it's wont to do, so Parvana goes back to work.
- Shauzia is glad Parvana is back; she missed her.
- Parvana explains she just needed some quiet time, but Shauzia prefers to get out of her house because "they sit and glare at each other" (12.11) inside hers.
- Want to hear a secret? Shauzia is saving her money to go to France, to a place where the sun is shining and people are happy.
- Parvana questions whether Shauzia can pull this off by herself.
- Not to worry—she's got the whole thing planned. First she'll pretend she's an orphan and use the nomads to get her to Pakistan, and then she'll hop a boat in the Arabian Sea and head to France.
- Total piece of cake, right? But Parvana can't believe Shauzia even considers escaping by herself.
- But Shauzia sees this as a plus, figuring no one will bother with an orphan boy who is by himself (Shmoop's not sure her logic's super sound on this one). She needs to leave soon, though, while she can still pass for a boy—as she tells Parvana, "I'm starting to grow" (12.30).
- Who will take care of Shauzia's family, Parvana wonders?
- Pause for a flashback. Parvana remembers her parents arguing over leaving Afghanistan. Mother wanted to leave and Father wanted to stay, and Parvana always wondered why Mother didn't just go.
- Now she understands, though—her mother couldn't leave because she couldn't take care of her four children.
- Parvana tells Shauzia she just wants to be a normal school girl again, but Shauzia hopes she never has to sit in a classroom again.
- Shauzia tells Parvana she is welcome to tag along with her, but Parvana can't leave her family.
- Shauzia asks her to keep her secret, but Parvana says she can do even better than that—she can share her own secret.
- Parvana shows Shauzia her gifts from the Window Woman.
- The girls pretend she is a princess and imagine themselves heroically saving her.
- No more time for fun, though—it's time to get back to work.
- The girls have a hard time competing with the other boys hawking wares, though—they are pushy, and go around saying, "Buy my gum! Buy my fruit!" (12.48).
- Tired, Parvana just doesn't have the energy or will to sell at the marketplace anymore. Been there; done that; she's over it—and she longs for the days of boredom in geometry class.
- Now it's time to talk about what summer is like in Kabul. Ever wonder?
- The flowers are nice but the heat is not—the little ones get quick cranky, but fresh peaches and plums are a nice treat.
- New traders are starting to come into Kabul, and they bring stories with them that Parvana shares with her family at home.
- Meanwhile, Mother and Mrs. Weera start a "secret little school" (12.57) and Nooria teaches the five students; they don't have supplies, but they do what they can.
- And Parvana continues to receive little gifts on her blanket.
- One day, Parvana hears fighting coming from the Window Woman's direction—a man is yelling, and a woman is crying and screaming.
- A man holding an envelope startles Parvana, though, and tells her to mind her own business and read his letter.
- When she gets home, Parvana can't wait to tell her family about the fight, but they have something to tell her first: Nooria is getting married.