Summary

Alia’s memory slowly begins to fade, and one of the first notable times is when she forgets the word pomegranate. Little instances like this build up until Riham confronts Atef about how bad it really is. She tells her father that Alia had tried to escape over the balcony because “Saddam is coming” (251). Atef is shocked to hear of the severity of Alia’s apparent dementia and thereafter realizes how bad she has gotten. She no longer wears makeup or dies her hair for fear of being poisoned, and she refuses to see a doctor. Every now and then she says things completely out of context like “that girl is stealing my lipstick” (251) and “I hated the movie, it was outrageously dull” (254). Eventually, they manage to get Alia to a doctor.

The doctor is incredibly patient with Alia, never faltering at...