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landlord about the flat and then she would buy some supplies, such as pens, pencils, and paper, and head back to the camp.
     

Chapter 6
     
    When she arrived back at her tent late the next day, Fatima told her that her son wanted to see her immediately. Sarah didn’t like being told where to go and she didn’t want to see Akbar. She knew that he would be angry because she’d been away for several days, but she was angry with him, too. Because of him, she had to give up a good job and was now unemployable. She was interested in teaching the local women how to read and write, and she was willing to tend to their medical needs, but it was hardly the same as a hospital career. She therefore stayed in her tent and accepted Onnab’s offer of some food. Onnab was technically a servant, who waited on Fatima and her daughters, but Sarah thought of her as more of a friend and she regularly shocked the other women by asking Onnab to sit and eat with her.
    Sarah and Onnab were just finishing a plate of flat bread, soft cheese, and dates when Sheikh Akbar called out in front of her tent, asking whether he could come in. Immediately, Onnab started clearing away her plate.
    “Sit down and finish your food,” Sarah said.
    Akbar called out again. “Please, will you let me come in? I want to see you.” He didn’t sound angry or belligerent.
    Sarah called out that she was busy and told him to wait. Akbar agreed and told her that he’d wait as long as she asked. Sarah helped herself to another plateful of food and served some to Onnab as well. Once they’d completely finished, Sarah called out to Akbar, telling him to come in.
    When he walked into the tent, he blinked several times. The tent was relatively dark compared to the white light of the sun outside and it took him a while to adjust to the change. Sarah could see the sweat dripping down his face. He’d been waiting outside her tent in the sun for a while. She was sorry that she’d made him wait so long, especially as he looked genuinely pleased to see her. She reached over and poured him a glass of lukewarm mint tea.
    “I’m sorry the tea isn’t very hot, but you look thirsty,” she said as she handed it to him.
    “I only have one thirst and it’s for you,” he replied.
    Sarah heard Onnab scuttling out of the tent.
    “I’m so relieved that you’re back,” he continued. “I was worried that I had lost you. Maybe someone had taken you. Maybe you had gone off with another man. Maybe you had left me.” He tried to wrap his arms around her, but she held her distance. She was glad that he wasn’t angry with her, but it would take a bit more than standing in the sun to stop her being angry with him.
    “I didn’t leave you. I went to look for a job,” she replied.
    “I know, I know, but you were gone for so long and this is a dangerous country.”
    “I wasn’t gone very long and you know where my flat is in the capital. You knew where to find me.”
    “And what would you have said if I’d turned up looking for you? You would’ve told me to leave you alone.”
    Sarah could hardly disagree with him. Instead, she just repeated that she’d been looking for a job.
    “And did you find one?” he asked.
    “No. Apparently no one’s willing to employ the wife of Sheikh Akbar Al-Zafir.”
    “And why not? The ignorant dogs! You’re an excellent doctor. Is there something wrong with them? What’s the problem?”
    “The problem is that I’m your wife. Everyone’s too scared to employ me.”
    “My brother, Sheikh Omar, was a great man. He brought power and prestige to the Al-Zafirs, but it came at a price.”
    “I tried to tell people that you wanted peace, but they didn’t believe me.”
    “You see what I am up against, but I hope that with your help, I can show people that the Al-Zafirs are no longer a people to be feared, but a people to be respected.”
    “But how are you going to do that?”
     “By not killing their sons, not stealing their camels,