And the Mountains Echoed

Amra Ademovic stands in the wing of a vast Afghan hospital, speaking to Idris and Timur (two characters Nabi mentioned in the previous chapter). Idris has just returned to Kabul, though it’s not clear where he’s come from. Timur is a prominent businessman in the United States, who, as Idris is well aware, cheats on both his wife and his taxes. Idris suspects that Timur is a fraud. Yet Timur gets away with everything, it sometimes seems to Idris, because he’s charismatic and good-looking.

Idris, Timur, and Amra stand in the hospital, surveying a young girl named Roshana, who is very ill. Idris notices, with a flash of irritation, that Timur and Amra are flirting slightly. Back in the United States, where Timur lives, Timur goes by “Tim.” He’s changed his name following the events of September 11, a decision that, he claims, doubled his real estate business. Idris, in contrast to his brother, is quiet and sensitive, and works as a doctor.

Amra asks Timur and Idris what they’re doing in this hospital in Kabul. Timur explains: he and Idris are cousins, whose families fled to Pakistan following the Russian invasion of the 1980s, and then moved to California. This is the first time they’ve returned to their home in twenty years. They’ve decided to reconnect with their heritage, and, in the long run, donate money to Afghan charities. Privately, Idris thinks that Timur is concealing the real reason they’ve come back to Afghanistan: they want to reclaim the property their parents left them, property whose value is astronomically high now that Kabul is stable once again. Amra nods along as Timur explains why he and Idris are in Afghanistan. She then invites them to a party that night.

Timur and Idris have been sent to Kabul by Idris’s uncle (Timur’s father). Timur’s father wants his son and nephew to regain his old property, bribing officials if necessary. Idris’s own father died of cancer, and Timur was highly supportive of Idris during this difficult period. During the funeral, Idris was slightly irritated with Timur, because Timur was more capable of crying in public than he—strangely, Idris felt that Timur was “upstaging him” during his father’s funeral. Idris is also resentful of Timur for quickly becoming wealthy and successful in America as a car dealer. Idris, by contrast, is currently working long, hard hours as a resident at UC Davis, in preparation for his career as a doctor. His wife, Nahil, is studying hard for her LSATs. In spite of the tension between Idris and Timur, Timur has always been generous with Idris, and he loans him money frequently. Nahil tells Idris that he’s foolish to dislike Timur, since Timur has been so generous. Idris insists that Timur’s generosity is all an act, a part of his sleazy showmanship.

Timur and Idris have arrived at Mr. Wahdati’s home, prepared for the party Amra mentioned. The house is lavish by Kabul’s standards, though it’s sustained a great deal of damage in the past twenty years. Inside, the cousins notice that workers have begun repairing the property: planting new flowers in the garden, bricking the walls, painting the fences, etc. There are about twenty people inside, all of them smoking and drinking. Idris and Timur greet Markos, who introduces them to the owner, an elderly man (whom we know to be Nabi). Together Timur, Markos, Nabi, and Idris discuss Nila Wahdati. Markos mentions that Nila became a successful, renowned poet before she killed herself. Timur changes the topic to rent—he reminds Nabi that he could make a fortune by charging his guests high rent. Nabi acknowledges that Timur is right, and says that he refuses to do so.

The party proceeds. Idris is uneasy, as he always is at parties. To his surprise, Amra greets him and strikes up a conversation. She points out that Idris clearly doesn’t like his cousin very much, and Idris doesn’t disagree. He explains that Timur has always embarrassed him by behaving like the stereotypical Afghan-American: arrogant, flirtatious, and crude. Amra reveals that she knows why Timur and Idris are in Afghanistan: they obviously want to reclaim their old property. Idris is surprised by Amra’s insightfulness, but she explains that she can see through anyone. Idris notes that Amra is very beautiful, though her beauty seems trapped inside tiredness and disillusionment.

Amra explains to Idris what will happen to Roshana, the young girl in the hospital. Roshana lived with her family outside of Kabul, Amra explains. Roshana’s uncle and father had a fight over their property. The fight was bitter, but after many weeks, it seemed that her father and uncle were about to make up. The uncle visited the father in his home, and they embraced—the traditional sign of ending an argument. Afterwards, the uncle excused himself, and when he returned to the house, he was holding an axe. He killed Roshana’s father, mother, and brother. Roshana miraculously survived her uncle’s attack, though she has a cracked skull, and probable brain damage.

The chapter cuts ahead to the next day. Timur wants to go to the town of Istalif, but Idris refuses, claiming to have a bad hangover. After Timur leaves, Idris finds a cab and asks to go to the local hospital. He makes a stop at the local bazaar first.

Idris arrives at the hospital, carrying a box. He makes his way through the halls to where Amra is sitting by Roshana’s bed. Idris greets Roshana and shows her the presents he’s bought her: VCR tapes of old American films, such as Toy Story and E.T. Because there’s a television in the hospital, Roshana is able to watch a film immediately.

Halfway through the film, the power goes out, and Idris decides to leave the hospital. As he leaves, he runs into Roshana’s maternal uncle (not the man who attacked her with an axe). The uncle complains that it would have been better if Roshana had died—now, she’ll have to go through life without a husband. He asks Idris for money, and Idris gives him some, which he instructs the uncle to use to buy Roshana some shoes.

Idris develops a routine of visiting the hospital to see Roshana. He brings Roshana presents, and spends more time with Amra. Timur warns Idris to be careful—Roshana can’t become too attached to him. Idris grudgingly accepts that Timur is right, though he wonders if Timur might be jealous of Idris’s concern. Idris is scheduled to fly back to the U.S. in less than a week. During one visit to the hospital, he tells Amra that he wants to help Roshana get better. She needs a neurosurgical operation, he recognizes, one that she’d be more likely to get in the U.S. He even offers to pay for the operation. Amra is surprised and overjoyed with this news. She also tells Idris that the uncle to whom he gave money has disappeared.

Idris is sitting on a plane back to the United States, next to Timur. Timur brags about having sex with many women in Kabul. He also explains that he’s hired a lawyer named Farooq to monitor their family’s property in Kabul. Timur plans on returning to Kabul in another month. As Timur goes on, Idris silently remembers saying goodbye to Roshana, and telling her that he’d see her again.

Idris returns to the U.S. and reunites with Nahil, his wife. Idris is overjoyed to see his two children, Zabi and Lemar, but he’s also reminded that they’re growing up ignorant and spoiled—precisely the qualities he tried to discourage in them. Idris suggests that the family get lunch at an Afghan deli. At the deli, Idris notes that the owner is a man named Abdullah, who’s married to a woman named Sultana. Abdullah is one of Idris’s medical patients: he married Sultana in Pakistan in the 70s, and moved to the U.S., where he has a daughter named Pari (II). Abdullah greets Idris and asks him how Timur is doing. They banter briefly, and Abdullah tells Idris that he can eat for free. As Idris and his family leave the restaurant, Lemar asks Idris why Abdullah gives them free meals. Idris says it’s because he’s Abdullah’s doctor, but secretly, he knows the real answer: Timur lent Abdullah the money to start his restaurant.

In the next few days, Idris is quiet and thoughtful. He asks Nahil if she thinks they need so much “stuff” —their home theater, their house, etc. Nahil insists that she and Idris have earned their lifestyle with hard work, but Idris doesn’t find this answer satisfying. That night, he can’t sleep. He stays up, looking at his computer. Suddenly, he receives an email from Amra. In the email, Amra explains that Roshana wants to send him a message: she’s been enjoying the videotapes Idris bought her, and wishes that Idris would return to Kabul very soon.

Idris resumes his work. He’s extremely busy—overbooked for the next two weeks. His chief, Joan Schaeffer, tells him that he misdiagnosed one of his patients, meaning that many of his colleagues will know about his mistake. In the hurry of work, Idris doesn’t have the time to talk to Joan about Roshana’s operation. He receives another email from Amra, in which she asks if Idris has looked into an operation for Roshana. Idris is irritated by the email, but then feels guilty for his irritation.

Later in the week, Idris approaches Joan Schaeffer about Roshana’s operation. He explains the circumstances, and asks her if American healthcare could pay for her procedure. Joan replies, sadly, that her board of directors probably wouldn’t approve of the operation. Joan suggests that Idris look into humanitarian groups that would perform the operation. Idris, much to his own surprise, isn’t disappointed by Joan’s response—he’s almost relieved.

The weeks go on, and Idris begins to concern himself more and more with his material needs. He installs a home theater system, and begins telling himself that he’s earned everything in his life with hard work and study. He begins to forget about Roshana, very slowly, until eventually she becomes nothing more than a character in a movie. He begins ignoring Amra’s emails, too.

The narrative cuts ahead by six years. Idris is standing in line at a bookstore, holding a book. The book, ghostwritten by a journalist, is about Roshana. Idris thinks, with great pain, about the love and respect Roshana gave him when she was in the hospital. He opens the book and looks at the dedication page, which reads, “To the two angels in my life; my mother Amra, and my Kaka Timur.”

It’s revealed that Idris is standing in a book-signing line, and he’s only a few feet away from Roshana. When it’s his turn to meet Roshana and have his book signed, Roshana barely looks at him—it’s not clear if she recognizes him or not. Idris tries to tell her who he is, but a clerk sternly tells him to move along. He takes his book and moves outside. When he opens the book, he sees two sentences: “Don’t worry. You’re not in it.”